Amelia High School - Amelian Yearbook (Amelia, VA)

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THREE DEEIHITIOHS EOR THOUGHT Governor Charles B Aycoch, of Horth Carolina: Education is getting out of boys and girls what is in then The first words spoken by Governor Ayco ck when he stood before iiis Legislature for the first tine was, Gentlenen, while I an Governor it will be treason to do anything against education T H. Briggs: The first duty of the school is to teach pupils to do better the desirable things they are likely to do anyway, and to reveal higher activities and to nake these both desired and to an extent possible Correll: Education is the developnent of personality. Dr Rollo G. Reynolds says tliat education becones a sinple thing and sinners dov n to this: The developnent of four powers - 1. The power to knov things To know the truth, and to knov what is really worth while. 2 The power to do things Doing things is the natural way of life. The boys and girls need to know how to do a hard task and get the pleasure out of knov ing that it has been well done This is one of the greatest satisfactions in life - the conpletion of a difficult task. 3. The power to think things Character is the iiabit of doing the right thing Eorce can keep a ciiild fron being bad, but being good nus t be his own idea He should be able to think things tiirough A good citizen is like a good jurymn capable of taking end weighing the evidence and arriving at a justifiable and sane conclusion. One generation of boys and girls who think for theriselves and this v ould be a different world 4 The power to feel things. Peeling is personal, it is the real YOU Ho generation v ill get anywhere unless v e feel right Tolerance is a feeling, fair pla.y is a feeling, love a,nd dependability are feelings. Which would you rather have, a child who is fair at play, or a crooked lawyer; a person who has. love in his yeart for others or a high-office politician It is more important for us to educate the emotions than give them knowledge of Chemistry and Latin.

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m PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIOII Bessie IJelms Hill Teacher Upon a basic foundation of high personal courage I should vii h the Eler.ientary School to build these things in ny son: Fi rs t ; Straight thinking. He must face facts as they are, nust not warp nor contort then to his own advantage. Teach him to pursue a course of blinking to the most logical conclusion possible to him. Teach him that it is cowardly to abandon a thread of reasoning beco.use it runs afoul of his preconceived convictions cowardly to e ’’ade or omit the truth that threatens his own ends Second ! Open his eyes to beauty. Lead him to ’’see’ a well turned thought a beautiful painting; to feel exquisite harmonies - the glorie of nature. Teach that it is not weak to be moved by these things. Leave him his pov er to thrill - encourage him to prize spiritual ’VE.lues Third : He must respect the abilities consider the rights of others. ( The world seems alarmingly short of stock in these two cor.imodi tie s ) . My son must not be taught that he is inevitably superior nor irrevocabl inferior. Teach him that there are no superiorities save of merit, service, achievement. Make him know that great strength - true strength is ever gentle in its expression; that to it v ea.kness is a challenge for protection not an invitation to trample. I v ould have him know that there is no inferiority so despicable as that which grinds down the defenseless. Fourth : I want my son informed. Make accessible to him all that history offers of man’s strivings and the outcome of these efforts that he may have some guides toward formulating his own lines of action. Teach him to find out things for himself, not to be content to be told; not to accept unquestioningly the reactions - opinions • of any one. Direct him to where information may be found - develop in him a desire for appreciation of sources. When he has found his na terials help him develop the power of evaluating its v or thwhilene ss, of eliminating that which is useless to his purpose, of using effectively tiiat which he needs. Fif th; Guide but do not coerce him in his search to discover that task which will make him happiest in the executing. When he has found this thing which he likes best to do set him in the way of learning to do it well Let him not become that unhappy soul - an artisan bereft of his art Caution him lest in the pursuit of his own ends he thwart the aims of another. Happiness is too dearly bought that takes as its toll the sacrifice of a brother. The fulfillment of himself - his destiny in a good thing, an enriching experience only when it permits to all others the right it claims for itself To the elementary school I send this son of mine while he is young, fresh, plastic. Let it start him on the v;ays of thinking, feeling, learning, doing, and I shall feel that it has accomplished gloriously its mission of helping my son live to his fullest the life which nature through me Has given him.

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THE COIITEST OE PUBLIC CPI!JIOH ABOUT THE SCHOOLS V hat are the schools trying to do? Sooe people think the schools do not teach the things v orth nost Some say the schools must he classical and traditional Others just as strongly assert that education must he practical to prepare to live in the present v orld. How do children learn? Some think learning should he hy easy steps, and are accused hy others of wanting to sugar coat education Others insist that everything worthwhile is hard to do. Some say the schools are too difficult for children, v hile others say there is too much shallow work - not enough effort hy pupils. Some v ant drill upon facts and skills, hut others want children to do more things that have meaning at the time. The public really believes that Practice makes perfect, hut does not knoy( what practice, nor how much, nor when. Teachers are accused of being theoretical, or easy, or hard-headed, or hard-boiled, A lot of mothers believe in their hearts that they know more of the learning process than the teachers. Perhaps they do J Yet, nc clear opinion is abroad as to how children really should learn. Should the schools change? Some people are worried about the rapid changes in what is taught, how it is taught, and modern trends that are working out in the schools. Others are just as certain that the schools are not in step m th the times, that the lag between what we know and what we do is too great. The contrast between the attitude of wanting my-child-taught-as-I-was-taught and that of demanding the- latest-and-the-bes t is enough to put all school people on the spot. Are the schools democratic? We quite often hear people say the schools are not truly for all Gie children but just for those who are bright or whose families have some influence. Just as often v e hear others say that the public schools are so full of dull children lacking family background that all the products of the schools are bound to be mediocre. Are the schools too expensive? Some people believe the schools cost too much. They say we ha,ve gone in for too many fads and frills that should be paid for privately. Teachers are looked upon with questioning by many people. Yet the parent of any pp.rticular child wants that child’s teacher to be educated, cultured, of fine personality, well-mannered and well-behaved, a sort of model. Things at school are not too expensive for one’s own children. The emphasis upon the schools as free has probably been misplaced, THE INCREASED COST OE ELUCATIOH IS THE GOST OE IIICREASED EDUGATIOlh ■ yhat of the relations between teachers and parents? In the matter of school reports there is much lack of understanding on the part of parents, llany want the marks of success in children to satisfy their ovm pride. Report cards do not become a joint means of study for teachers and parents v ho should be really partners in human engineering. Parents who cannot control their own children expect the school to take care of all problems on some basis of reforming, ignoring, forgiving, or punishing.