Washington High School - Massillonian Yearbook (Massillon, OH)

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1::STUDENT GOVERNMENT II HRST STUDENT GOVERNMENT COUNCIL Iiirxf ltnzl'ij. Cheney, M. Carey, D. Chovan, B. Menrs, M. Dutchcxs, T. Strohnlx'er. St'tYHltl RoweW. Shnfer, H. Smith, P. SI usser. G. Appleby. i NCE in :1 great while a movement Q for the betterment of the schoohs administration arises from the stu- dent body itself. The inauguration of honor study halls throughout the school this year marks such an occasion. Inde- pendent of faculty supervision, it has been a completely student project throughout. Great credit is due the Hi-Y for the origin of the movement, for it was through their efforts that Dr. Frank Slutz 0f Ieayton, Whose addresses on echool democracy provided the germ 0f the idea, came to W'iashington Hi. tiut of student discussions came the final pro- gram of student administration, which hret EOUk eHect in the senior Study halls. AH election was held for chairmen and Pnulson. 13. Martin, K. Stevens, G. sub-officers and the study hall of 150 students was left completely in its own hands. By popular demand the system spread to the library and cafeteria study halls. Under the new regime any student has the privilege of filing suggestions or complaints, or contributing in any way toward the betterment of the system. The Chairman represents his study hall on the central council, which handles the details of administration and acts as :1 student court when difficulties arise. While the system is far from perfect, it is certainly a step in the right directionEthat of teaching democracy by practice. We are fortunate to be a part of a country and of a school where such :1 system is possible- It is up to the students of the future to see that it is retained.

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Ida Shannon SIT rrfm'y Mary Lee Lane Vito Prmidvul Joan McKnight T mm M rrr SENIOR CLASS OFFICERS Earl Martin Vil'r Prmhll'nl Pl'rxirlrnf George Slusscr JUNIOR CLASS OFFICERS Burton Krcigcr Ray Gctz Train! for Pn'xixlvul SOPHOMORE CLASS OFFICERS David Evans Bill McConnell varuldry Prt'XI-lll'nl CLASS OFFICERS-:- Jane Crowc Tran 11 rvr Jim NVCirich 5:17?foer Rosemary Brown Vfrv anmlcnf

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LEARNING DEMOCRACY BY PRACTICE Iinmk D. Sink, P11. 11. Duj hm, Ohio r VHE youth of the totalitarian states are trained unmistakably in the ideas of their countries; the dicta- tors see to it that all Children are branded for life with the marks of utter loyalty to the state. Little boys in Italy march in military formation before they are eight years old. Germany, Russia and Italy have a series of organizations to which their youth must belong and in which they are trained, not to think, but to obey unquestioningly every dictate 0f the state. This is also the practice in Japan. Students from these countries, especially those from Germany, when they come to America to study, amaze us by their blind devotion to their leaders, but we ought not to be astonished, because this slavish acceptance of all that the state demands has been burned into their minds during their childhood. Our boys and girls who are in school in the United States today will be citizens in the world tomorrow where they will have to deal with these almost fanatical people in the dictators, countries. How loyal will our citizens of tomorrow be to democracy? XVhat are we doing to give them the passionate devotion to democ- racy which they will need in a world that is so largely unfriendly to our kind of government and our ideas? The answer to these questions will be made by our schools, whose chief reason for being con- ducted at public expense is the training of our youth for democratic citizenship. One thing is sure: democracy cannot be learned from books or at lectures. Democracy, like swimming, and skating and football is learned by practice. Of course, books and lectures have their place in the teaching of democracy, but at present in our schools we are relying wholly on these and we are not giving our Youth the opportunity to practice democracy in the schools. The public schools of the United States must train their students for etti- cient citizenship in this democracy and they must do it by reading, by discussion, but most of all by practice. It is un- debatable that every American school ought to be a miniature connnunity where students may learn how to live the community life. A school run entirely by authoritative teachers whose word is law, a school where pupils have not the right to reason why, but Whose business is to do 01' die and do it quickly will never produce graduates able to manage a democracy, or graduates who care for denlocracy. Some of our schools are of this type. A school run on the plan known as student governmentai is not a sound school because students lack the poise and experience to meet emergencies and to make wise decisions. Students are irnnia- ture and unable to handle school affairs by themselves. . A school which is a community in which teachers and pupils participate in the control, where the End! veto is al- ways in the hands of the teachers twho are too wise to let situations arise for the use of this vetoL where all problems of conduct and discipline are worked out in community fashion, is the school in which democracy is soundly learned. Teachers ought not to have to be policemen! Order in assemblies and halls, the democratic management of social affairs, sports and programs ought to be the concern 01 both students and teachers. A school con- ducted on this participative plan is a delightful place, where good fellowship, comradeship and understanding are ap- parent. Every school must work out its own procedure in achieving this democratic atmosphere and practice. No school can do it in just the same way that other schools have. Imitation may cause failure. Massillon High School has show n cour- ageous interest in its purpose to think out and to act out a way of achieving the democratic way of life. It will take time, patience. intelligence and faith to sue- ceed, but success can be won. STUDENT GOVERNMENT: