High School of Commerce - Caduceus Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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In Wemoruam (Alfred Tennyson) Miss Winona Libby, our librarian from September, 1938, until her death in 1948, possessed a great love and appreciation for books. Her interest in literature, together with her love for and understanding of the students, resulted in the establishing of a helpful and homey at- mosphere in the library. Efficiency, too, resulted from her many hours of patient work. Miss Libby re-catalogued the entire library stock, and eliminated worn books in favor of longed-for new ones. So real was her enthusiasm that the teachers donated current books, both fiction and non-fiction. Wéith these, Miss Libby started the now pop- ular Teachers’ Book Case that has been used by many students. Another of Miss Libby’s outstanding services to the library in- cluded the inauguration of the Student Librarian Assistants. This co-operative group of girls volunteered their services before and after school, and during their study periods. Miss Libby’s friendly spirit induced a surprisingly large number of students to serve in this group. Mr. Smith gave this feeling tribute to Miss Libby: “Looking back to the years Miss Libby worked with us, and to her service to our school, we can gain proper perspective to understand her fine qualities as a friendly associate, and as a much beloved teacher. Toward her colleagues and students, she was friendly and kind. Her sympathies were easily stirred by the difficulties and troubles of others. As a teacher, she was patient, efficient, and re- sourceful. | Under her enthusiastic instruction, hundreds of pupils found the patience to change their bad writing habits and to develop a high degree of skill in longhand writing.” Winona F. Libby Mrs. Hilda Hunt Madsen, for many years a well-known teacher at the High School of Commerce, shared with Miss Libby a great love for literature. Always outspoken and fearless, she stressed the ideals of good citizenship and encouraged students to form habits of straight thinking —to be honest and independent in making judgments. Al though she never sacrificed scholarship for showmanship, Mrs. Mad- sen possessed a keen wit which daily seasoned her history classes. Mrs. Madsen’s accomplishments were splendidly carried out when she represented the High School of Commerce in the Springfield Edu- cational Association. As a member of the Industrial History revision committee, she efhciently drew up an outline for a whole year’s civics unit, some of which material now forms a part of the Modern Prob- lems course in Commerce. Following Mrs. Madsen’s death, A. H. Smith, head of the Social Studies Department, emphasized her attitude toward high scholastic achievements: “Commerce has lost a fine teacher. She always demanded first quality work from her classes, and was never satisfied with less.” From the Teaching of the Social Studies, the following quotation, which was found among Mrs. Madsen’s papers, gives a brief survey of her attitude toward teaching: “Perhaps one teaches as an act of faith, hoping to contribute the building of habits of straight thinking, intellectual honesty, good judg- ment, tolerance, and independence, while imparting some knowledge of the culture and experience of the past which has helped to make the present, and which in some form will undoubtedly help to shape the future.” Hilda Hunt Madsen [5]

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Fo.word Throughout the 1948 yearbook, the editors of Caduceus have used the titles of books and magazines chosen from their own outside reading of the first semester. The High School of Commerce

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Faculty GUIDE BOOKS