Southwestern Central High School - Centralian Yearbook (Jamestown, NY)

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dminisjrrcznlion I 4 L.: , A X 0 3 gb J 5 Q if J 1' ' fi? ,A I .-' Q, T9f.mme Mckaan '48

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GRADE SCHOOL - BUSTI CENTRALIZATION HE process of centralization, which had been under consideration in Lakewood since I9 38, finally became an accomplished fact in 1947. The first attempt at centralization came about in 193 9, when it was proposed to organize a central school district composed of the Lakewood district, the other Busti districts, Blockville, Watts Flats, Niobe, Cherry Hill and Ashville. Petitions were circulated and there was an appeal to P. W. A. for funds for a building program. Since the P. W. A. funds were for immediate use and since there was some hesitation in the dis- tricts involved, the Lakewood Board of Education Hnally decided to drop the project and make use of the P. W. A. funds for its own building program. The second attempt at centralization occurred in 1944 when it was proposed t.o combine the Lakewood and Celoron districts along with the Busti districts and Ellicott No. 8. Again the matter was finally dropped. In the spring of 1946 the proposal was revived and the first petition was sent t.o the Commissioner of .Education requesting that a central school district be laid out. This was done as requested but because the Leg- islature was considering bills favorable to Union Free Districts, it was decided to hold up the project. Since such legislation was not passed, in the spring of 1947 a second petition was forwarded to the Commissioner asking him torcall a meet- ing t.o vote upon the proposition. This election was heldon June 28, 1947, the vote being favorable, a new Board of Education was elected and the new centralized district came into being. 10

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Mrs. Cole, Lee R. Mafhewsun. LAKEWOOD PRINCIPAL AND CLERK RINCIPAL of the Lakewood Branch of Southwestern Central is Lee R. Mathewson, who was graduated from Syracuse University and was granted his Master's Degree in Education frofm Qolumbia University. Mr. Mathewson has done much to enlarge the opportunities offered to the pupils of this branch of the school. He organized the methods and procedure, and obtained approval of the six-year High School in Lake- wood. He is active in community affairs and educational organizations of the county and state. He has traveled extensively in the United States and Canada. Mrs. Cole has been connected with the Lakewood School system in different capacities f,or many years. She has been a member of the Board of Education, clerk of the school district and school office clerk. The wife of E. B. Cole and mother of a Lakewood graduate, Dr. John Oliver Cole, now in research department of Goodrich Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio. Needles, safety pins, cloth patches and lunch money are dispensed by this pseudo-mother of the children, while for the teachers, she patiently prints tests, examinations and all the various materials needed for many classes. 12