Newton High School - Newtonian Yearbook (Newton, MA)

Page 17 text:

' Mr. Richard Mechem, Principal became convinced that if major changes were going to take place in society they would have to take place in education. During his experiences in the Navy he began to feel that it wasn't enough just to deal with certain groups in society, and that he wanted to get into a situation where he would instead be influencing all of society. He started out as a teacher, but in his own words As I shot my mouth off with different suggestions, then, as always happens when you make a noise, you get put on a committee and pretty soon I found myself kind of drawn into administration. It was certainly an auspicious beginning. Gradually, he found his career moving more and more in that direction. His Hrst purely ad- ministrative position was as a Director of Studies in direct control of the curricu- lum at Groton. He began to feel that from his point of view the actual teaching experience was not enough, that his ca- reer would have greater direction and be more personally satisfying if he were in- volved in curriculum building. He hasn't given up on teaching, however, Teach- ing to me is still the most fun and the most rewarding, he says, and I'm still dissatisfied as a teacher. As principal of such a large school there is a danger that Mr. Mechem will .-.b ., 13 allow his job to become too concerned with abstract ideas, losing a sense of ex- actly what's going on in the school. He avoids this by visiting classes, by teaching whenever he can, and by keeping up with extra-curricular activities and sports as much as he can. Mr. Mechem has a responsibility in establishing communication between the community and the schools, a communi- cation which he feels is based on trust rather than on formal channels. At times this responsibility as the representa- tive for Newton High can reach almost theatrical proportions, extending over an area of several thousand square miles. During the ulonghair crises last fall Mr. Mechem was berated for several hours by an all-night disc-jockey in Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Mechem's comment: His attitude was how square can you get? It is in the area of future planning that Mr. Mechem is most excited. Both in curriculum and in general school policy there are dramatic changes in the ofling. With obvious pride he says, At Newton we have very much encouraged not only the department heads but the individual teachers to push ahead on projects of their own. We are on the threshold of something almost revolutionaryg we will be attempting to free the high school from the students' point of viewf' The future Newton High will be organized around teaching units of three teachers, each sharing an office and classrooms. The high school will be open both day and night in an attempt to fully utilize its fa- cilities. The cafeteria will be open at all times. Students will only have to attend school when they have classes. Oppor- tunities will be available for superior students to graduate in one or two years. The physical plant will be much im- proved, with extended laboratory and athletic facilities. Mr. Mechem even en- visions a swimming pool. Without losing sight of immediate problems flike girls' boots! it is towards this future vision of a collegiate Newton High School campus that Mr. Mechem works. Which administrator has the titles As- sistant Bomb Oflicern and Prefect of Parking, and receives threatening phone calls from night club owners? lf you guessed Richard C. Howland you would be right, for during his four years as ad- ministrative assistant this harried man has incurred upon his personage these

Page 16 text:

I 'rr . ' . . x rg- 1-, - t kv, ,Q rt . ,1 .t il f, 5. l a-Q How does one prepare to become the superintendent of a school system re- nowned and respected throughout the nation? How did Charles E. Brown get to be Dr. Charles E. Brown? Dr. Brown will tell you that the answer does not lie in a neat package of special privilege and early excellence of education. CHe can remember having had only two stimu- lating teachers as a boyl. The answers lie hidden in a spectrum of unknown variables of a kind that often influence a man and his destiny. As a youth Dr. Brown was more an athlete than a scholar. After a tour of duty in the service however. he acquired a more scholarly inclination and entered Springfield College. He had always wanted to work with young people and started out with the in- tention of getting involved in physical education and recreation. Somehow, however. the sneaker didn't quite fit the Dr. Charles Brown, Superintendent v ' W . -M 'Q ..-fi' ' i ' .. i 1 4 foot. and Dr. Brown found himself de- veloping a more general interest in educa- tion. He became a classroom science teacher. though he felt that eventually he would be involved in administration. He feels that every administrator should teach and supports his position by teach- ing at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Much of Dr. Brown's success as a superintendent lies in the mutual respect that exists between him and the faculty. He never fails to inspire teachersg he has a detailed knowledge of what is going on in the individual classrooms. Dr. Brown is a man dedicated to his work and ex- tremely sensitive to the educational prob- lems of our time. His greatest concern for the future is the necessity of broad- ening educational options and alternatives open to the individual student. In New- ton today there are many students to whom the existing patterns of education do not make a great deal of sense. Most individuals have to make a decision be- tween what is essentially a college pre- paratory course and a Technical High or business course as early as ninth grade. Dr. Brown would like to see this decision postponed until laterg he would also like to give the student a chance to cut across existing patterns in order to prepare for fields such as medical technology which are virtually ignored in the high school right now. To most students at Newton High School, Richard W. Mechem is an enig- matic figure. This is partly because he is really more superintendent than princi- pal. partly because of his own natural re- serve and prudence. Most students never speak to him personallyg many would be startled to meet him face to face in the hallsg almost none ever know the indiv- idual behind the principal's job. When they do get to know him--whether it be in the classroom, at Senior Supper, or in the Student Council - they are almost invariably surprised at what they find. I've always been dissatisfied with a society in which l have found myself. Perhaps this statement comes closest to delineating the forces at work under the man. Mr. Mechem was a self- admitted rebel in school: he quickly be- came disillusioned over the phoniness and artificiality he found around him. He was channeled towards the law and poli- tics and majored in philosophy. but as he progressed in his education he slowly

Page 18 text:

and a host of other fateful activities. The office of Assistant Principal serves as clearing-house for information, a nerve- center for the total school, and a liason between administration, students, and fa- culty. Mr. Howland might well be called the Leonardo da Vinci of Newton High School. He is nominal director of all clubs and advisors, himself advisor to the Student Council. He is in charge of Orange Shield and the non-food service operation of our rather limited cafeter- ia, as he terms it. He must manage and be responsible for all student funds - the bursar is directly responsible to him. He is coordinator of data processing, and as such, the man directly responsible for IBM report cards, or what is sometimes referred to as Howland's Follyf' He makes up final exam schedules and gets out all special bulletins. He is director of the lost-and-found, Chairman of the United Fund Drive for Newton High per- sonnel, liason between the school and W Q- -- . ! Y I . gg, e' the Newton police, and shares graduation responsibilities with Mr. Gradone. On top of all that, he listens to all complaints, whether they be from stu- dents, faculty, parents, or disinterested observers, serves as a confidential agent for anyone wishing a sturdy shoulder to cry upon, accepts compliments on behalf of the school with grace, takes on major disciplinary problems, and at last, but by no means least, serves as principal when Mr. Mechem is called away. I have a very broad job status, Mr. Howland says. With a position as complex as that, many of us would go crazy almost im- mediately, but Mr. Howland relishes the work and all the glamorous situations he ends up in. As Assistant Bomb Ofiicer he used to spend sleepless nights wondering what he would do if he ever had to decide whether a bomb threat was real or not, but now he feels confident he would make the right decision. It's the kind of mis- take you can only make once, he says with an obviously blase gesture of his wrist. He gets his greatest pleasure from the personal contact of communication with people which he has as a go-between for administration and students. Sometimes he gets the feeling he must please every- one, even when he knows he canlt do it.