Shaker Heights High School - Gristmill Yearbook (Shaker Heights, OH)

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Mr. Bair R. Frederick H. Bair, who came to Shaker as Superintendent of Schools last smnmer, has had wide experience and a rich background for his work here. He was graduated from Grinnel College, Grinnel, Iowa, in 1912, and has done three years graduate work at the '1'eacher's College, Columbia University, from which he holds his lIaster's degree in both English and Education. He has taught in both Columbia and YVisconsin Universities and at State Teacher's College, Greeley, Colorado, as well as at various secondary schools, including Horace Mann Observation School. For three years he was specialist in English for the New York State Department of Education and he has been Superintendent of Schools at Colorado Springs for the past seven years. ltr. Bair is a most pleasing conversationalist and can talk on an infinite variety of subjects. His words are well chosen and very forcefulg facts and figures are always on the tip of his tongue, and he does not hesitate to use the vernacular. His fo1'ceful way of speaking was probably partially acquired while he was in newspaper work at the time he was attending Drake Vniversity in Des Moines, Iowa, and working on the Des ltloines Tribune as Sporting Editor. He was well fitted for this as he had been Captain of his high school track team, having held championships in hurdling, one hundred yard dash and broad jump. He had also taken his letter at college in track. And so we see ltlr. Bair has had a broad background which should be conducivc to far 1'Q8.Clllllg ideas and progressive projects. So it is. Here are some of them. Inasmuch as the rank and file of Shaker students are ahead of the average, there is a 1'ipe field for a new kind of dCV0l0IllTlCIlt-d0V0l0ID- ment to suit the individual instinct. One finds in almost eve1'y student an inner leaning, an innate ability, in at least one of these directions: dramatic art, literature, fine arts, or science. At present these tendencies are only half-heartcdly nurtured in the high school, and almost not at all in the elemen- tary grades. These things must be taken up seriously in the elementary schools. It is planned that each of the grade schools in Shaker have a library, a science laboratory to be ,used in connection with field work so that at least thirty minutes can be devoted to scientific study, and a supervised play-room. Leading educators believe that in fifteen years much of the science now taught in high school, will belong to the grade school and much now taught in college will belong to the high school. The aim is not primarily to make every one a Marconi, a Tennyson, or a Booth, but to train him to appreciate, to analyze, and to pass sane judg- ment. Every man is the trustee of certain God-given powers. He has two duties. The first is to prepare himself to oarry his own load, that is to care for himself and his dependents, the second is to prepare himself for some social service. That is the purpose of education, that is what Shaker is pledged to do. And let us not forget that obstacles, in the end, point out man's opportunities and react to his advantage. Eight

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Ahmininiratinn

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MR. F. H. BAIR Superintendent Nine