Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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DRIVE (Continued from page 19) In the high schools and the Manhattan Vo-Tech, it could take up to a whole semester to obtain a and the students worked more with and not so much actual drive time, Bobbie Oberle said. The cost of the class was $250 for Manhattan residents and $300 for Fort Riley and Junction City residents. Once the passed the course, they were issued a completion certificate which they presented to the Department of Motor Vehicles. After passing the eye exam, they were issued a driver ' s license. Last year we had around 130 students take the course, Jerome Oberle said. This year we are expecting about 150. The average class size was 12, but they had as many as 18. J. Lester Hooper, counselor at Manhattan High School, has taught driving lessons for 25 years. He started teaching at Riley County High School, ran his own class in Clay County for three years, taught at the Man hattan Vo-Tech School for seven years and the high school for three summers. He has worked with the Little Apple Driving School since 1984. After finishing the instruction, students set up a time for behind the-wheel training. The first hour on basic car Jerome Oberle said. They work on steering and brake control by through cones. Once they learn it forward, then they weave in reverse. The second time out, the student was taken to a residential area with little traffic. They eventually learned driving in heavy traffic, highway driving and parking. Yuki Komagata, junior in computer science, took the course in 1990. I needed to get my driver ' s license quickly, Komagata said. I did not know how to drive at all. I learned how to drive very quickly, even though I had no idea how to drive, she said. The instructors give you good instructions, they have flexible and they are very kind. STUDENTS CAN TAKE THEIR WRITTEN driving test in a variety of languages, including Korean. The tests were given to those who had a problem English. (Photo by Mike Welchhans) HOOPER GIVES some helpful tips on how to back the car during the morning class period. (Photo by Mike Welchhans)

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OUT FOR A DRIVE Little Apple Driving School teaches rules of the road BY LISA TINNIN THE LITTLE Apple Driving School, located in the basement of the Farm Bureau building, has been teaching driving lessons since June 1984. We get a lot of people from other countries and some students, as well, who want to get their driver ' s license as quickly as they can, said Jerome Oberle, owner of the school. About 75 percent of our students are from countries, said Bobbie Oberle, I enjoy talking to these students and learning about the different cultures and lifestyles. It ' s an interesting occupation. It was an interesting job LEUNG GETS HELP adjusting her mirrors from driving instructor J. Lester Hooper at the city park swimming pool parking lot. (Photo by Mike Welchhans) partially because of the challenge of overcoming the language barrier. With so many from foreign taking the class, is difficult for them and us while in the car, Bobbie Oberle said. We have to remember to communicate in simple terms. It makes you how much slang is used in the English language. Classes met once a month from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. After the students completed the classroom instructions, they were required to have six to eight hours of drive time, Jerome Oberle said. Our course is more hands-on. Bobbie Oberle, said. We have them work more behind the wheel, one at a time.When our go out to drive, there is no one else in the car but the instructor. This makes it a little more comfortable for the student. With international sometimes an had to be in the car. Another help to communication was a notebook with a sample road map and magnetic cars to visually tell the what to do. We can show them we want them to parallel or diagonal park with the model cars, Jerome Oberle said. The written tests can be in foreign language too, Bobbie Oberle said. Tests in Laotian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Thailand and Korean were available. By taking the course through the Little Apple Driving School, most were able to get their driver ' s license within three to four weeks. (Continued on page 20)

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LITTLE APPLE school owner Jerome Oberle with his wife Bobbie and J. Lester Hooper, the driving school instructor, run one of the few private driving schools in Kansas. The school allowed students to receive their licenses in three to four weeks. (Photo by Mike Welchhans) BOBBIE OBERLE writes a receipt for Alberta Hopkins who must pay a deposit before joining the class. The cost of the course ranged from $250 to $300 and depended on where the student lived. (Photo by Mike Welchhans)