Classical High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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BELDING F. JACKSON Assistant Principal

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Mr. Chatto is always willing to help anyone who has a problem to solve. “Every day is the most important day.”’ This is the thought Mr. Chatto advises young people to keep constantly in mind. Our engaging and affable principal was born in Sargentsville, Maine, a “one road town’’ near Bar Harbor. Mr. Chatto, a son of a sea captain, grew up on a small farm near the Atlantic sea coast. Here, with the companionship of his two younger brothers and one sister, Mr. Chatto enjoyed a real Maine boyhood. Much of his time was taken up with school work and chores, but on warm summer days the youngsters found time for boating and fishing, fol- lowed by picnics on the beach while white-caps played beneath the dazzling sun. In the winter, skating parties to near-by ponds, coasting parties down long steep hills and feasts held around the bonfire after- wards were pleasure to the boy and memories to the man. ° In school Mr. Chatto studied two years of French, three years of Greek, and four years of Latin, and obtained consistently good marks. He also wrote short stories and poetry, and acted as editor-in-chief of the school publication. From boyhood he had aspired to become a teacher, and after attending George Stevens Academy at Blue Hill, Maine, where he was active in sports, he immediately realized his ambition, and soon he was teaching students older than himself. Later he received his bachelor’s degree from Bates and his master’s from Harvard. Mr. Chatto has filled the position of principal in the high schools of Island Falls and Orono, Maine. He has also taught in Danvers High in Salem. Before coming to Classical, Mr. Chatto served as the head of the English department at Commerce where he helped found the Western Massachusetts League of School Publications. Sent to the school department in 1943 as curricu lum specialist in the Springfield schools, Mr. Chatto had an active part in developing the Spring- field Plan, now renowned throughout the nation. He traveled extensively in the United States in an effort to get people to see what Springfield is trying to do about racial and religious tensions. Asked to give the essence of the Springfield Plan, he thought seriously for a moment and then replied, ‘The American way of life is based upon two principles, [1] Everyone is responsible for the common good. [2] Every American should accept every other Amer- ican not for any label or religion but for himself. The Springfield Plan is an organized effort to lead the boys and girls, now in school to put into practice these two principles now and in later life.” In his leisure, Mr. Chatto likes to spend much time in his little workshop. And Mrs. Chatto enjoys using the furniture and utensils he makes. When he has time for sports, he is likely to choose bowling, golf, and baseball. . Reading, of course, he loves. His favorite book is Carl Sandburg’s Life of Abraham Lincoln. It is easy to guess that Mr. Chatto is an all-round man’s man. As principal of Classical, he is extremely pleasant and interesting to talk with, and he consequently has no trouble in winning friends and admirers. Already he has won our respect and our affection. We are fortunate to have him with us, and we predict a distinguished future for the school under the inspiration of his leadership.

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MR, JACKSON, THE TROUBLE SHOOTER “Classical students could do a better job of balanc- ing the privileges and responsibilities that go with a democratic school. Some of us are eager for the privi- leges but cool toward the responsibilities.’ This is the opinion of Mr. Belding F. Jackson, Classical’s assistant principal. If there is a program to be re- arranged or a pressing problem to be solved, Mr. Jackson with his friendly smile and helpful manner is the man to see. Mr. Jackson lives in Belchertown, Massachusetts, whence he commutes every day. He was born in that town and attended high schcol there. At school he liked all his studies, but particularly math and English. After graduating from Massachusetts State College with a B.S. degree, he went to Middlebury College where he received his master’s degree in English. He was editor-in-chief of the newspaper of Massachusetts State, The Collegian, and of the year- book, The Index. He taught journalism at the High School of Commerce for 15 years before coming to Classical in 1943. He was acting assistant principal there in 1941-1943. As if he is not busy enough with Classical Junior and Senior High besides being principal of the Springfield Evening Adult School, Mr. Jackson has been writing a column in the Belchertown weekly newspaper for fourteen years. This popular column is called The Steeple Soliloquizes, and it includes “any- thing from an occasional book review to affairs con- cerning veterans and problems of education’’. As its writer says, “It is a kind of safety valve for me in which I talk over things of interest to me and the readers.” In his spare time Mr. Jackson also tends a good- sized victory and flower garden. He often goes fishing with his sixteen-year old son, George. But he says he’s beginning to think this has its disadvantages. It seems that George had outgrown his fishing boots, and offered them to his father for five dollars. But now Mr. Jackson says he has a horrible feeling that he paid for the boots in the first place, and thus got caught two ways. George is interested in science, and his father would like to send him to Massachusetts State or Middlebury College. Mr. Jackson also has a daughter, Marjorie. She is eleven years old, and her main interest at the moment is horses. Mr. Jackson’s experiences with the Junior as well as Senior High make him an excellent counselor and administrator. He never seems to be too busy to bend a willing and interested ear to anybody’s woes. His sense of humor and quick smile brighten many otherwise dull moments in the day.