Columbia High School - Mirror Yearbook (Maplewood, NJ)

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Robert L. Amsden Principal Who has helped to shape this college? Robert L. Amsden, a man who has dedicated twenty years of his life as principal of Colum- bia High School, is that molder. Under his leadership, we have witnessed many changes. What are these changes? We feel it best to let Mr. Amsden speak for himself. Columbia advances with the Class of'72 You the members of the Class of ’72 are the first to graduate from the “new Columbia” — new in its greatly expanded plant and facilities — new in its “house” organization and new in many parts of its program. What are some of the changes that have marked your three years in this great school? I have an advantage in replying to this question in that I may look personally back over my shoulder at Columbia’s last twenty years, and before that through records and reports to 1885 when its first graduate entered the 10th grade. Without doubt, the changes have been greater in the past three years than in any time in Columbia’s almost ninety years. Perhaps the most important changes have been those which have increased each student’s responsibility for his own educa- tion, for his own conduct — and most of these changes are still only in their infancy. I think that Columbia’s most important purpose and task is to help young people become free and re- sponsible adults. Whatever changes in organization, policies and program increase a boy or girl’s competency in becoming free (knowledge of self and environment, self-directed with reasonable goals, self-diciplined, high communication skills, rational vs emotional basis for decisions) and in becoming re- sponsible (deep regard for rights and comfort of other people, full acceptance of consequence of one’s action, commitment to group welfare as well as personal or selfish welfare) — these changes or improvements are the most important. Following are examples: Organizing the School as four houses with student and staff commons adjacent to counselor’s and house director’s offices and decreasing number of pupils per counselor should make students better known to staff members and to each other. Multiplying opportunities for participation should come through such groups as house councils, intramural competi- tion, social activities, etc. Eliminating conventional study halls and making each stu- dent responsible for where he will be and what he will do in non-class time encourages self-direction and self-discipline. Physically supporting this change are the excellent new library and audio visual center, the reading lab, math lab, speech arts studio, language and science labs, graphics, industrial and art studios and many other resource centers. Encouraging students to join with the professional staff in program planning and problem solving in Liason Committee, Curriculum Committee, FSPAC (parents included, too ) has given students more voice in major School decisions. The Board of Education has promised to meet periodically with student representatives and has set up an Educational Alterna- tives Committee with student, staff and community members. All of these increase student responsibility. The development of mini-courses (some taught by students) and several kinds of independent study have broadened student options as have experiments in optional class attendance and pass fail marking. The expanded use of experience out of the school in the Community Action Program, the emphasis on group planning and decision making in Liberal Studies, Ap- plied French and other innovative courses and the great in- crease in work experience with Industrial Arts, Business and Home Economics and Child Development students have been noteworthy changes. More than 20 courses have been added during the last three years. The community Service Program which encourages students to work (for credit) in civic, politi- cal and social agencies encourages the kinds of social behavior in students that are increasingly needed in adults. The completion of the $5,650,000 building addition and ren- ovation project and the purchase of modern equipment and furniture have given Columbia students one of the most up-to- date and efficient buildings for learning anywhere in eastern United States. Robert L. Amsden Principal December, 1971 2

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 Our lives form a collage — a collage of the past and the present, constantly expanding to contain what is now future;