Nightingale Bamford School - Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 34 text:

N 6 F The art of life consists in uniting continuity with innovation, persistence with progress, identity with change? HENRI FREDEMC AMIEL You may he interested at this time to look inquiringiy at the changes that have taken place at Nightingale during your four years of high school. Were they haphazard devices to give the spice of variety to our daily life or were they part of a plan to Hunite continuity with innovationn? A school is dedicated to education: to hringing out the potentiaiities of its students and teachers. Qhviousiy the environment, physical, intellec- tual, emotional and spiritual, created in the school will hy its quality edu- cate us well, inditferentiy or hadiy. If it is to educate us Weil the environ- ment must help us grow towards our hest selves and steadily cultivate our intelligence and judgment so that we find out how to promote our own growth in a desired direction. Deiiherate changes in our environment should aim therefore to make it more fostering and friendlier in atmosphere to a good education. What are some of the changes we have made? To encourage social growth we introduced games with other schools, invited hoys to- join with us in some of our concerts, discus- sions and parties, and tried out the experiment of sending our middle school classes tor a long week-end in the country. To cultivate judgment we set up a forum to make possible exchange of ideas, discussion of values and common sense examina- tion oi community rules. To develop emotional maturity we have persistently persuaded girls to Utaiic throughn individual or group difficulties with an adviser so that they may gain the good hahit of looking upon a prohlem as something to he solved and not as an excuse for a grievance. To maize sure that the ruies that have to do with our daily living are constructive and not negative those of you on the Council have pondered the proper contrihution of self-government to our education. You have chosen to exchange the role of magistrate for that of edu- cator for you are trying to hring out in your fellow students a desire and an ahiiity to self-govern. As you have given thought and enthusiasm to these innovations so I hope you will show your love for your school in the future hy faithfully reminding us that to maintain our vitality we must continue to unite Uiden- tity with changef, 28 EDNA MARION Him., Heaclmistress

Page 33 text:

9? ff 43 1 . m W un-p O Q - O , ' a , , -.1 . 5' ' 'gi ' ' 1 'H VVVV x X 1 A 0 o L. V Am- 'Z 3 If fa , - - V ' 1 4 , 2 ,. wr Q 1 ' . - E 0 W ' Zu , ,fa fm -Asg 1 N- M- Q f A Q 0 :-54 . 4 2 ' , . X x X 4: .. ff'-wife ' '53 3, 93, ff wg W 2 5, 5 4, , mf, Y- 11 .. W , o I 1 ,M wr 'nz' 'f' T-.Hx 3 ew QQ. , :..,...YQ,,4.Q us- seg V '. 1:2 .. Fi : 'TF 'Q 3 - + 2 .: is .-1 I . . . H A

Page 35 text:

SELF-GU EHNMENT Self-Government is the foundation upon which the unity of the Upper School is hased. The Councirs aim this year has been to estahiish unity through the cooperation of the self-government classes and to encourage hetter understanding of Self-Government. Previously, the Ninth Grade was inducted into Self-Government in a brief ceremony. Although they were then active members of the organization, they did not fully understand the need for its existence. This year a forum was held with the Nines and the Council to discuss what Self-Government accomplishes. The Council earnestly hopes this type of forum will hecome a tradition for future Ninth Grades. Cn several occasions We have invited Upper School girls to Council meetings. We realize and appreciate the value of having these guests at such meetings. During the year we have discussed and improved upon government rules which seemed outmoded to the girls. Through discussion, the Key of Self-Government, more privileges have been extended to the self-governing classes. It is the fervent helief of the Council that few rules need he necessary if a self-governing community like ours is successful. We Want to thank Miss Hill and Mrs. Keyser for their constant interest and understanding, for through them the theory of Self-Goverm ment has become an actual experience. t GAIL WARD, President of Self-Government 29