Harding High School - Folio Yearbook (Bridgeport, CT)

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STYLUS Administration The public high school of today, in addif tion to the traditional responsibility of prep- aration for college, has assumed a host of other duties, has increased its scope far be' yond that of college preparation alone, and serves a pupil body of which only a small proportion will eventually go to a higher educational institution. Many pupils enter with no definite objective beyond the high school. Therefore, as the Held of service has expanded and the opportunities offered have increased, the high school has been forced to establish machinery whereby pupils may be aided in choosing a profession or vocation, and in selecting that curriculum and such subject matter as will best fit them for that objective. This help, or guidance work, begins before the pupil enters the high school and continues until he graduates or leaves. Before the close of the school term a visit is made to each of the fifteen grade schools which will send pupils to Warren Harding High School the following term. The varif ous educational opportunities offered by the high school are explained to the eighth-grade pupils, and assistance offered in the selection of subject matter for the first year. This is the first step on the part of the high school in taking over the guidance work already started by the city grade schools. The school attempts by every possible means to become better acquainted with the new pupil, to learn his abilities, special tal' ents, preferences, and future aims. The home room teacher keeps for each pupil an indif vidual record covering personal history, ac' tivities, sports, studies, and outside work, and during the first year advises and encourages each pupil to make a serious study of several vocations or professions. At the close of the first year the pupil, aided by parents and the school, selects the type of school work which will be pursued during the remainder of the high school course. The individual subject courses are chosen and definite plans made for the work of each succeeding year. lt is not expected that all pupils will be able to make a permanent vocational selection at this time, but in some cases it can be done, and in all cases a definite educational selection is made. lf at any time it becomes necessary to change this plan, a revision is made of the entire program. By thus aiding in setting up a definite educational objective the school work is made purposeful and real. The pupil remains, so far as possible, with the same home room teacher for the full four years. This plan, although possessing certain disadvantages, leads to a better understanding of the pupil's problems by the teacher and permits more efficient guidance. Raymond P. Wzilker, vicefprincipal Bound by no traditions, it has been the happy privilege of the administrators and faculty of Warren Harding High School to approach many of their problems from the point of view of experimental education in all its phases,--with its flexibility, its adapta- bility, and its elasticity in program. The pupil life of the school centers itself through a carefully directed vocational counf seling and educational guidance program, in cofoperation with our excellent library facili' ties, in the following groups or departments of activities: English, social science, mathe' matics, Latin, modern languages, commercial work, science-as well as in the special activf ities, such as physical education, home nurs- ing, art, household arts, printing, expression, music, and normal conference work. It may be of interest to note that the two largest departments in our school are 'the Qs