Hyde Park High School - Aitchpe Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Experienced FACULTY Adiust Voices to Compete with SOUNDS of Bulldozers and Electric Drills in an Attempt to Maintain Classroom Standards I5

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HE' Dr. James F. Redmond General Superintendent During two years as General Superintendent, Dr. James F. Redmond has been not only an administrator but also a motiva- tor and planner. A one hundred fifty page report appeared in August i967 entifled Increasing Desegregation of Faculties, Students and Vocational Programs prepared by Dr. Redmond, staff members of the Chicago Public Schools, and special con- sultants from various cities and universities and financed by the United States Office of Education. This report, instantly called the Redmond plan, was urgently concerned with esfablishing condificns that opened meaningful life chances for all people, It declared that it was the Board of Education's policy to increase interracial association of students and to preserve the already existing integrafion. The report made many specific proposals, some for immediate action and others for future implemenfafion. Recommendations were made concerning assignment of teachers, feaching methods, school attendance area boundaries, and cooperation with com- munity, labor, business and governmenfal groups. For fhe pres- ervation of existing integration, racial quotas were endorsed for certain fringe areas. lviagnef schools were proposed. Some ot the Redmond Plan's proposals have already been activatedg others await location of additional revenue. Dr. Melnick Named Area Associate Superintendent Associate superintendents for three Chicago areas, south, north and west, have been chosen as proposed in the Red- mond Plan. Dr. Curtis lvlelniclc, formerly superintendent of l-lyde Parlcs district 14, was named fhe area associate superintendent for the south side of Chicago. This area south of 39th Street and east of l-lalsted Street contains one hundred eighty-five schools, sixteen of which are high schools. This decentralization makes possible guiclc and ef- ficient decisions within the area. Dr. lvlelniclc confinued to act as Disfrict Superinfendent for the l-lyde Park area until a new district superintendent could be chosen. Dr. Donald J. Blyth continues as principal of Hyde Parlc l-ligh School. For the past five years he has been confinuous- ly striving for goals similar to those of Dr. Redmond and Dr. lvlelniclf. Amid the changing condifions affecting urban schools, if has been his responsibilify to preserve the sfand- ards of excellence which have long been a l-lyde Parlc fradifion. l-le has actively worlred fowards equality of op- portunity for all studenfs. The school, under his leadership, has offered a broad curriculum to meet the needs of gifted, average and disadvantaged pupils. To further extend the learning experiences of young people, Dr. Blyth has en- couraged faculty and students to organize a great variety of clubs and extracurricular activities. l-le was instrumental in getting college level courses approved for l-lycle Parlc seniors. M!!! ' l Dr. Curtis C. Melnick Area Associate Superintendent