Amelia High School - Amelian Yearbook (Amelia, VA)

Page 26 text:

Should the schools be really free? The tendency is toward abolishirjg all fees, to provide mterials of learning, including publicly-owned textbooks, but iiany people are unho.ppy about it. It is but one step nore to serve a free i-ieal in the middle of the day and to provide acceptable clothing for those who need or v ill accept it. The schools are not so far removed from being relief agencies. Viiat reforns are needed? Any citizen in the coni.iunity can point out tilings which need improvement in the schools. Sometimes a -whole group of teachers are liismissed and a new start is made. Some demand older teachers, or married teachers, or home teachers. Others are sure younger, fresher, better-educated teachers from a distance are better. Long term as against a short term is debated. New curriculum versus old curriculum is an issue. The public is pretty sure something ought to be done - it doesn’t know v hat. CONCLUSION ; The schools must be related to all other social undertakings. Too often there is the tendency to assign work to the schools that belongs to other agencies. The schools ca,n not substitute for the home or church. They can neither solve the trade problems of training all youth for a world of work nor organize that work so as to carry on. Nor can they carry the total load of education that must go on continuously in the lives of ambitious and enterprising people of adult age. The schools cannot do everything . School education is not a panacea. Paul Hounchell, in ”The Virgihia Teacher ' , Ma ' - 1938. HOW TO IIAKE A TEACHER Select a young and pleasing personality; trim off all manner! SICS of voice, dress, or deportment; pour over it a mixture of equal parts of the wisdom of Solomon, the courage of young David, the strength of Samson, and the patience of Job, season vd th the salt of experience, the pepper of animation, the oil of sympathy, and a dash of humior; stev for about four years in a hot classroom, testing occasionally with the fork of criticism thrust in by a Principal or a Superintendent. V hen done to a turn, garnish with a small salary and serve hot to the c ommun i ty .

Page 25 text:

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.

Page 27 text:

OUR CHAPLAIN REV. D. P. ROGERS Our faithful and beloved Chap- lain, who has served this school in that capacity for 26 sucessive years. Mrs. Jackson this year is round- ing out her twenty years of serv- ice to this school and community. MRS. H. E. JACKSON