Shawnee Mission High School - Indian Yearbook (Shawnee Mission, KS)

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MURLIN WELCH Principal Growth, change, improvement . . . these were ready words in the vocabulary of Shawnee-Mission's principal, G. Murlin Welch. The growth of Shawnee-Mission provided many vivid contrasts with the past. Since coming to S-M in 1937, Mr. Welch witnessed startling changes. A student body of five hundred persons in 1937 grew into an enroll- ment of twenty-seven hundred in 1957. In twenty years, a faculty of thirty persons became a staff of nearly one hundred. But even more amazing were the increasing re- sponsibilities of the principal. Each day, Mr. Welch was confronted by a growing world of details concerning at- tendance, enrollment, schedules, and extra-curricular ac- tivities. Correspondence, public relations, and parent- teacher problems were added duties. All the details of administration were only the means of attaining the goal of Shawnee-Mission High School . . . education. The principaI's most important responsibility was guiding the school in achieving this goal. dministrators, plan Dr. Bruning? He could be-anywhere! As Director of Curriculum of' the entire Shawnee-Mission school district, Herbert Bruning was rarely seen any one place for long. Analyzing and studying new text books and workbooks seemed to be a never-ending task to him, however, this was not his only job. He also kept an up-to-date record of the academic preparation of the school's staff members, and worked with teachers in the continuous revision of classroom curriculum. Responsible for all matters pertaining to attendance, clubs, and discipline was Vice-Principal Carl lson. His job included keeping activity period running smoothly. Directing and supervising the activity programs, Mr. lson still found time in his busy schedule to help be- wildered students with their problems. The ever-growing administration received a new member in Guy Barnes, Ad- ministrative Assistant. While certainly not new to Shawnee- Mission, this was Mr. Barnes' freshman year at the new post. He supervised S-M's expanded transportation pro- gram which included revising bus schedules and routes, directing safety programs, and maintaining accurate in- surance records. Coping with these overwhelming tasks was a full-time job for S-M's corps of administrators. ners, educators Herbert Bruning, Director of Curriculum, Carl lson, Vice-Principal, and Guy Barnes, Administrative Assistant 17

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HOWARD D. MCEACH EN Superintendent A telephone demanding to be answered . . . a desk stacked high with papers . . . problems from six schools, requiring solutions . . . these were the trade marks of the busy executive of Shawnee-Mission. Spending half of his time at S-M and the rest in the four junior highs and the new high school, Dr. Howard D. McEachen was among the most active members of the administra- tive staff. Problems of growth resulted in a larger stu- dent body, yet tending to its needs was iust one of many problems. Supervising a staff of 280 proved to be no light task, but an even greater challenge existed in building a new high school and in dividing the student body. The job of daily orienting new students and the perennial duty of firmly establishing S-M's academic reputation have, for thirteen years, rounded out Dr. Mac's schedule. Most businessmen might crumble under a load such as this, yet Dr. McEachen regularly met all challenges that arose to present him with new problems. policy-maker, guidance director But I don't core if l should be enrolled in the girls' choir- boys' glee club sounds much more interesting! Not all the problems presented to Mrs. Florence Huber and A. Palmer Snodgrass were this simple to solve, but through their special brand of effort, they gave S-Mites the needed reassurance that helped keep the students on an even keel. Among numerous other responsibilities, it was the iob of Mrs. Huber to check over 700 transcripts and see that every senior would meet graduation requirements. She was also a valuable Student Congress sponsor. Pop Snodgrass became known to interested upperclassmen as a human file of information about colleges and scholar- ships, and his ready advice on what to do after high school graduation. Both guidance counselors were active in suggesting plans of study for students, and administer- ing various kinds of tests to them. Summer found Pop scaling the Colorado Rockies, while Mrs. Huber exercised a green thumb in her garden, but at the approach of fall, they abandoned their own mountains and molehills to tackle the woes that befall high school students. Whether the problem was urgent or trivial, S- Mites knew a friendly chat with either of these sincere counselors would assist greatly in solving the dilemma. 16 Florance Huber and Palmer Snodgrass, Guidance Directors

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SCHOOL BOARD. Seated: Howard D. McEachen, Roy E. Welch, Richard V. Garrett. Standing: Mel Flowers, Kenneth P. Rankin, Charles A. Long. The five-man court handed down its ruling, and a new policy went into force at Shawnee-Mission. The legal tribunal, S-M's Board of Education, consisted of Messrs. Melvin Flowers, Roy Welch, Richard Garrett, Kenneth Rankin, and Charles Long. lf a legal problem concerning the district arose, or if the six schools in the area needed new equipment, this group gave the final go-ahead on such questions. These five men, chosen for four-year terms, were the only elected officials of the district. Issues arising from year to year included the pay- ment of faculty salaries and the sale of district bonds. ln addition, the board members devoted much time to the estab- lishment of special classes for improvement of reading, for handicapped pupils, and for particularly gifted students. The biggest problems of the court dealt with handling the in- creased enrollment of the area. Special attention was given to the construction of the new high school, as well as to the employment of new teachers to meet the growth of the student body. Working with its administrative official, Dr. McEachen, the board approved the division of the enrollment between the two schools, S-M North and East. The court awaited the next school term and the many varied cases the six schools would present to its members for decisions. five pilots form steering committee Dr. Mciachen, with an eye to the future, surveys Shawnee-Mission East. T8