Marion High School - Cactus Yearbook (Marion, IN)

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'-r ,TQ Tfwrul '51 50 --nqnvg I ti'- .--mai ly 1 r '- J i I .wx jg 'V , I iff ' . .f7 tw v i- ..- -- 4 ' J I I 1 ., o it it PRACTICING PICKETING- Walking the picket lines before school Mrs. Janet McKinney and Mrs. Mildred Whitlock protest the lack of contracts. WE WALK THE LINE- Carrying signs to show they're willing to negotiate, teachers John Jacobs, Herb Morgan and Brian Smith picket the contract talks. SIGNS OF THE TIMES- In the school parking lot, Dick Kumler and Steve Wooldridge paint the signs that were can'ied by teachers during picketing. Negotiations 1 9

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H L 7i rg giflff. xy s ,s--f 'T' 1 -'Z v I if f GI tudents roaming about, coming and going at will. Classrooms filled with empty desks. Very few administrators trying to maintain some sort of order. The students, realizing that school was an im- possibility that day, vacated the area. The scene took place at MHS where students came to school in the usual manner only to find that their teachers were nowhere to be found. The situation arose from heated disputes over teacher contracts. Robert Philbert, Marion Teachers Association president stated, Our position is to start with last year's contract and negotiate from there because we are unwilling to give up something we have already obtained in the past. In contrast, Dr. Robert Duncan, chief negotiator for the school board said, We want to start from nothing. The MTA and the school board began contract talks on March 15, 1977. Proposals by both parties were made and rejected several times. The school board proposed a scheduled base increase of 2.1 per cent. During the negotiations, the MTA asked for as much as a 25 per cent increase and as little as 6.8 per cent. They also asked for such things as binding arbitration, additional paid leaves and in- surance benefits equal to those of the ad- ministrators. The school board has given in little or none at all on nearly everything discussed, said Philbert. 4 stunning ' 5 There was talk of a stnke lying heavily upon the school. Students hoped for an unscheduled vaca- tion, while teachers were hoping for a settlement. Seven months after the onginal proposal by the teachers, a strike vote was set. The exact outcome was never publicized, but there was no strike at that time. Marion High School teachers used different tac- tics in their fight for higher wages. One method they used was a sick-in. Two were used. The second proved to be ineffective, however, for the ad- ministration was prepared with an abundant supply of substitutes. The teachers wore black one day as a symbol for the mourning they had suffered. A group of them also took a day off from school to at- tend a statewide convention for TWOC's lteachers without contractsl. Teachers used different tactics to show that they really think they deserve what they are asking for and the school board, standing fim1 and rejecting the teachers proposals, made for some very serious contract disputes that affected students and teachers alike as well as the community. UNPIANNED CONVOCATION- As a result of the first sick-in, the Junior Class had to report to the gym- nasium for attendance procedures. REQUESTING RAISED REVENUE- ln the first con- tract talks open to the public, administrators and teachers discuss contracts at the Coliseum. 51' 5

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feadh I' I' allllb he modem day student is a force that teachers wish they didn't have to reckon with. Through many generations, the art 'of driving a teacher to an early retirement has come a long way. Since the early days of the pioneer, smart alecks' have kept their fellow students at ease when the going gets a little hairy. Early pioneers of the art, may have done such things as feeding the teachers horse a rotten apple, or slipping him a mickey. The evolution of demoralizing the classroom in- structor has changed lfor better or worsel through frogs, rubber snakes, tacks in chairs, and inten- tionally obnoxious habits. Today's class clown has various angles to go about accomplishing the effect he sets out after. The ultimate in this strategy is quick quips: Teacher: Let me thinkf, Student: Don't hurt yourself. or Teacher: 'iWas that statement true or false? Stu- dent: Yes it has to be. There is also the aspect of becoming a cheerleader in the class. He can cause an eruption of his fellow students in an attempt to stifle the teacher's exhibition of power. Then there are the little things such as changing the seating charts, mocking the teacher's actions or stealing his chalkholder. Yet another method to steal the show, is to make fun of the teacherfs name. This may be quite amusing, but it could prove to be a determining fac- tor in your grade. With modem technology, who is to say how the future students will be taught. With robots? Tape recorders? Or perhaps some new device? However it is, there will always be someone trying to make his newfangled instructor blow a fuse. GETTING THE POINT- Symbolic of the never-ending battle between students and their teachers, Mr. Richard Kumler sends Gary Wayman on his way. CHAT OR SPA'I?- Conversing in the front hallway, Venia Pettiford leans tiredly over as Mr. James Masing, dean of men, talks to her. 2 O Ways to Break a Teacher Down