Jefferson High School - Alexian Yearbook (Alexandria, MN)

Page 4 text:

THIRD ANNUAL ' , t 4 STAFF APPRECIATION BREAKFAST I By Magtl Dreams of youth often fall uy me wayside because of lack of per- severance or lack of faith, but the dream of two brothers will soon become reality just because of persistence in both of the above fac- tors Two brothers, George and Paul Anderson, who in 1946 purchased a 50-acre run-down farm, will this year see the completion of the ARROWWOOD LODGE complex, the culmination of almost a quarter of a century of dreams.

Page 3 text:

£DRTI? IJI OF THE WEEK By Mag I In an identity-crisis world, Donald Benschoter is retiring from a position which has been built through 41 years of caring for students. As a counselor and guidance director, his interests nave led him into work of special education, a group of students han- dicapped in their abilities. “Do I matter in the world” is a question he has helped those students answer as he has assisted, parent and student in realizing the importance of self-concept. He is retiring from the Alexandria school system as Director of Runestone Special Education Interdistrict Cooperative, but his educational services over the years have included that of teacher, coach, counselor, principal and psychologist. The feeling for the special education student has grown unconsciously for him and there is a sensitivity towards their importance. Wno am I” is as important an identity to them as it is to those endowed with much greater capabilities. WW S s y c E P d fa Pi re m wi an Dc wh Mr. Donald Benschoter Courtesy of Vernon Studios; Don came to Alexandria in 1958 as Director of Pupil Personnel Services. At that time there was a single class of special, education students. Today classes are conducted for elementary and secondary trainable and educable mentally retarded, students. „ . . Begun in the Fall of 1973, Special Education Interdistrict Cooperative covers not onlyJh xandria area but Brandon, Evansville, Glenwood, Os HHtUard. as well. Teachers have available to themjp trvices of four speech therapists and a psveh..). 'T,-flfP rnordlfiakd b What to do if your child can't learn By Dr. James Culey Dr. James Culey, director of the Runestone Special Education Interdistrict Cooperative which has its headquarters in Central School, has submitted a series of articles discussing learning disabilities. This series of informative articles will be run io consecutive issues of the ECHO AND PRESS. This is the first of nine articles. The child seems every bit as bright as Johnny next door. IQ tests show that his intelligence is average or even superior. His eyesight seems keen, he has no apparent problem hearing, there is not a sign of illness, injury, or physical defect. In fact, most of the time he can’t be distinguished from any other happy, skylarking youngster. Yet put him in a classroom and a painful difference im- mediately becomes apparent. Try as he might, he cannot seem to master those strange symbols on the printed page. Or he cannot seem to write, —“figure,” or even sit still while the teacher is talking. He has a learning problem. No one knows how many American parents have faced (he heartache of a child who is — in the phrase of the U.S. Office of Education — “Lear- ning disabled.” Estimates range between five and 30 percent of the school population — as many as eight million preadolescents. It is known that nine out of ten are boys, that they come from all kinds of homes and family backgrounds, that most of their deficiencies become apparent in the primary grades, and that some of these children remain hidden until too late because of a system of “social promotion” that pushes them along — although they have not learned anything. It is also known that the consequences of learning proglems can go far beyond the classroom. Children who can’t learn may grow into delinquent adolescents or develop emotional problems: some never recover from the devastation to their self-esteem. The good news, however, is that the overwhelming majority of the learning-disabled can be helped — if their problems are recognized early enough and if the children receive special attention for them. Over the past five to seven years, vast interest has developed in identifying and remedying childhood learning problems; the Federal Government has established a Brueau of Education for the Handicapped and has set up 43 model learning Disability Child Service Demonstration Centers around the country. In almost every state, programs have been set up to help learning disabled children reach their full education potential. Dr. James Culey Much ot this success is the work of parents, l,ed by nationwide parents' group, th« Association for Children Witt learning Disabilities (ACLD) mothers and fathers of the learning-disabled have fough to get assistance for thiei children. But despite their efforts, th key role in discovering children's problems anc assisting with them still falls k rents. It is parents who mus aware of their children’: needs and insist on help fo them. What should parents knov about children’s learning problems? And if a paren suspects his child is in trouble what should he do about it? P series of eight informative articles will follow to describe ■ learning disabilities” an answers to the questions posee above i

Page 5 text:

 (------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDENT LIFE 2 FACULTY 59 SENIORS 68 UNDERCLASSMEN 92 ORGANIZATIONS 106 SPORTS 118 INDEX 128 V