Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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1927 SALEM NORMAL SCHOOL 1927 For successful results in creative work, the teacher must keep constantly before her the vision of the objectiveg self discipline, a sense of responsibility and cooperation, together with the skills and the habits which are necessary in the social and business life of today. Granted that every child has possibilities for creating, the teacher is the medium in calling forth the creative power in him. Perhaps a better word than teacher would be guide, one who leads the children on a journey of exploration, with hints here and suggestions there that enable them to make their own discov- eries. She must, moreover, guide the children slowly, continuously, untiringly, and psychologically. Her one desire should be that under her leadership the power grows, expands, and flourishes. The teacher herself must meet definite requirements. Before she can teach self-discipline, she herself must have acquired it. Her versatility and adaptability enable her to work successfully with individual types and varying mental ages. Because there can be no advancement creatively without the gift of imagination, it acts as a stimulant and together with sincerity helps to present the subject matter in an interesting and compelling manner. Where the teacher's vision enables her to feel that there is actually the power of creative expression in each of her pupils, she will direct her energies, her knowl- edge, and her skills, to call forth the creative power. The richer her own back- ground, the more sources of varying contacts the teacher possessesg the deeper her insight into a child's probable reaction to various stimuli, the more skillful her approach, the more interesting her lesson, and the more satisfying her results. It is the teacher's duty not alone to teach but equally to learn: to keep per- petually a light upon the altars of knowledge, kindling them from the flame that burns in every young heart. The teacher who is true to her trust is the guardian of the hopes of the new generation. The Salem Normal Co-operative Association which was organized and pro- moted last year through the efforts of certain members of the Faculty and Student Body has this year been carrying on the good work which was started by the organizers. A great deal has been accomplished by the Co-operative Council this year. However, it would not have been possible had it not been for the wonderful co-operation of the entire student body. The Social Committee has been very successful in their work. At present they are working on a code of ethics which will be of great value to every member of the school. A large amount of credit is due the members of the Chapel Committee who have worked so hardpreparing interesting programs for Chapel exercises. , 5:1

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1927 YEAR BOOK 192T 'ElllTOllllfll.5 N CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND THE TEACHER In reality there is only one Creator or Creative Power. Each person repre- sents that power in his own way. When human beings become creative in a great, artistic sense what they really do is to re-create. All great teachers, seers, and sages have used, consciously or unconsciously, the power of re-creation. To be trained to consciously use the power of re-creation is to be educated. Simple ways of cultivating the creative faculty must be adopted, for no matter how apparently dull or inert a child may be, it is possible to awaken in him the divine spark of creative power. As a result of this discovery, teaching is now undergoing momentous changes. We are turning from the mechanical to the creative, from the logical to the psychological. The teacher of today, the pro- duct of our professional schools, is struggling to accomplish this reversal. Work which releases the creative energies of the child furnishes its own discipline. Sometimes those interested in progressive education are fearful of too much freedom. It is true that there is no military order in experimental edu- cation. The difference between old-time attention enforced by nagging, and the voluntary attention given by the children who are taught creatively, however, is the difference between external discipline and self-discipline. The greatest lesson a pupil can learn is self-discipline. A full life, with health, peace of mind, success, and happy human relations, this is what education should bring the pupils of today. For making lessons joyous and for sustaining interest, creative work never fails. New possibilities will constantly arise for the teacher, as they do for the children, because education, like life, is always in the makingg it is never completed. Creative work is not a method nor a system. It is, rather, a common sense philosophy which attaches great importance to teaching, the kind of teaching which develops the character of pupils. Modern education, then, in its truest sense is growth. 20

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1927 YEAR BOOK 1927 The General Welfare Committee has succeeded very well in their line of work and the Council is extremely satisfied with the results they have been able to obtain. A campaign for new school songs was held under the direction of the Council and three new songs have been added to the list of Salem Normal songs. There are at present two committees hard at work investigating the possi- bilities of having a school publication and the adoption of a standard ring and pin. A great deal of good work has been accomplished by the Co-operative Associa- tion although it has been organized but two years. The success of the Association is due to the spirit of co-operation which exists at Salem Normal both among the Faculty and the Student Body. At this time the Council Members of the Class of 1927 wish to extend to the undergraduates their best wishes for the future success of the Salem Normal Co- operative Association. The faculty and student body of Salem Normal School takes this means of publicly thanking Mr. Charles Frederick Whitney for his interest and cooperation. The colored frontispiece is a reproduction of a Water color which Mr. Whitney made for our Year Book. i Special acknowledgment is also due Lena Callahan, undergraduate, for her work in collaboration with our Art Editor. 79