University of Nebraska Kearney - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Kearney, NE)

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Mrs. Powell is a busy woman. Faculty in State Education No one was more surprised than I,” said Mbs Conrad to a reporter last fall. She had just been elected president of the fourth district of the Nebraska State Teachers Association. She assumed her office duties in January and attended the executive meeting of the district and state officers in Lincoln, December 9. During the past two years. Miss Conrad has been on the state committee for teacher retirement. She has always been an ardent supporter of retirement for teachers, and believes that it will be the main issue of the next Nebraska State Teachers Association con- vention. Mrs. Gail Powell, who is president of the Nebraska Congress of Parents and Teachers, has to make a great many speeches. She attends conventions, serves on committees, and handles a large volume of correspon- dence. On March 1, she spoke over K.G.F.W. on Nebras- ka.1 ' In her talk, Mrs. Powell outlined the beginning of State Day. Incidentally, Marcii 1 is officially the State Day of Nebraska. She reviewed points of in- terest in Nebraska. She explained its traditions, told of its parks and natural resources, and discussed its problems. Mrs. Powell feels that if Nebraskans are going to preserve their pioneer heritage, they must be well informed on public affairs. She emphasized the need for the support of public schools and for pro- gress in education in Nebraska. A. O. Thomas In education class we learn that Form 357-xyb fits a certain teaching situation, and type p44-w analysis must be applied to the discipline problem, but that is not enough. Prospective teachers muse have experience. That should explain the presence of the A. O. 1 homas school. It has been called at different times a model school, a practice school, a demonstration school, and—much to the ire of the supervisors—the training school. How- ever, it remains an institution in which student teachers and prospective teachers have an opportunity to ob- serve the teaching and learning process. This observa- tion is made under the eyes of supervisors. The time comes when the student gets in front of the class, takes a deep breath, clutches vaguely at Form 730-dvw, and starts to teach. Then there are the weekly conferences with the supervisor. They add to the knowledge of the teacher. At the beginning of the second semester of this year, a new teaching program was inaugurated. Supervisors did all the teaching for the first five weeks, while the student teachers took notes, and perhaps drew a few Mickey Mice on the margins. The student teachers participated in the teaching for the next four weeks, sharing the classroom activities with the supervisors. This might consist of helping with overshoes, wiping noses in the kindergarten, or actually answering questions in the higher grades. Then during the last nine weeks, the student teachers de- veloped their potential teaching ability, making out les- son plans and teaching. Before this definite schedule was started, the super- visors were supposed to teach two-fifths of the time. This rather indefinite amount led to the criticism, on the part of the student teachers, that there was not enough opportunity to observe the proper procedure. Minor changes that took place together with the new teaching program included the changing of rooms for the two libraries, the high school library and the ju- venile library. The fifth and sixth grade rooms were moved from the college to the demonstration school. Student teachers all agree that nothing teaches them how to teach as quickly as actually teaching. In spite of all the theory that has been learned, it is Horatio Algers old words sink or swim that comes to the mind of the student teachei when he finds himself fac- ing a group of angelic demons. Usually the teacher swims; that is, he teaches. 20

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 9 I Richmond Davis has the distinction of being two new faculty members. Not that he sports a split personality, but he has served in two departments of the college. After a semester of work as die li- brarian for the A. O. Thomas school, Davis was transferred to the college English department. Gavin Doughty once told an interviewer, I didn’t like to practise, and I liked to take toy au- tomobiles apart.” He is not an industrial educa- tion teacher, hut the new piano and organ instruc- tor. Mr. Doughty must have outgrown that state of mind, for while we sat in our classes, it wasn’t un- usual to hear him practising Chopin and Brahms, He played the second piano concerto in G minor with the college symphony orchestra. It was this that made us realize that the only thing he takes apart now is the piano. And he certainly puts it back together again. He does it in an accomplished manner, too. If you ever see a short red-haired man carrying a brief case, and wearing rubbers on wet days you’ll know that it is Fred G. Halley. He came west this year to teach physical and social science at A. O. Thomas. Nebraska is as far west as he has ever been. Another addition to the faculty at A. O. Thomas is Miss Ruth Kelly. Last summer, she took work at Oxford on her doctor’s degree. An Antelope reporter had lots of fun interviewing her last fall. She told the reporter that education in England is casual, that Holland is friendly, Paris is beautiful, and Oxford unforgettable. Dr. Dean Nichols is one man who has taken bis doctor’s degree. So often it is the other way around. He started out to be an actor in a stock company, but he found that stock was falling. Then he became a history teacher. From that he drifted to play directing. His doctor’s degree was taken at the University of Michigan, working before the footlights, and backstage with the Michigan Re- pertory players. Miss Grace Mathews was a member of last June’s graduating class. This year she fills out contin- gent tickets and receipts at the beginning of each semester. Then at the end of the semes ter, she makes out refund slips. Between these two personal appearances, she takes the money for library fines. She has many other duties too. He has been to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and has covered 16,000 miles, and is happy that lie is verily” unmarried. That is Roy Watkins. He came at the beginning of the second semester ro teach Latin. He is working on a paper that will someday be a dissertation for a Ph. D. Robert B. Thrall may look like a college student, but be isn't one. He teaches in the college indus- trial education department, and supervises the work at Thomas school. The fellows say that he de- mands a lot of work. He wears a coverall apron at school, and balances a wicked tea cup at various faculty acci vities. Convention for Women Last October 5, at the Crystal Room of the Fort Kearney hotel, the National Education Association unit of this college gave a dinner honoring Chan- cellor and Mrs. C. S. Boucher of the University of Nebraska. Chancellor Boucher was in Kearney as speaker at one of the sessions of the state meeting of the Ne- braska Federation of Women’s Clubs. At this meet- ing he talked about Cooperation Between the Home and the School.” Other speakers talked about the challenge to American farm women, about the way modern youth looks at life, and the American home as the foundation of our nation. Miss Enochs ad- dressed the convention on Personality.” A noted guest of the convention was Mrs. Sadie Orr Dunbar, Washington, D. C., president of the General Federation of Women’s clubs. She was pre- sented by Mr. Cushing at a reception. A large num- ber of Kearney people and members of the State Normal Board were invited to the reception. The college faculty and officers of student organizations also went to the reception. During the week, dub women from all over the state invaded the college. They attended the eve- ning sessions in black lace evening gowns and dashed about over the campus during the day in gray suits. In short, cliey looked just as one would expect club women to look at a convention. KUer and Nidicis stroll lo the Club House. 19

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Christmas at Conventions Vacation for students means a rest at home and sleep most of the time, but for a majority of the instructors it is a time to attend meetings and con- ventions, and to correct papers. Pleasure and! business were combined in the trip of Professor Curtis M. Wilson of die Social Science Department, who undoubtedly traveled further than any other faculty member at Christmas time this year. Mr. Wilson attended the National Council of Geography Teachers on December 27 and 28. On December 29, 30, and 31, he attended the American Association of Geographers. Both of these meet- ings were held in Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were guests of Professor and Mrs. Durfee Larson while in New York. Mr. Larson, who was formerly at Kearney college, is now teaching in Brooklyn college and attending Co- lumbia university. Miss Jennie Conrad and Dr. Lyle E. Mantor, of the Social Science Department, attended the Amer- ican Historical Association meeting in Stevens Hotel in Chicago. These meetings are usually held in the east, in Boston and sometimes in Washington. D. C. This year it was held in Chicago. 'T have never before heard so many lectures and addresses given in such a short time as I did in these three days, and after each address we had discussions led by outstanding authorities and authors. I was so tired but I don’t believe I missed one address,” said Miss Conrad. Dr. Lvle E. Mantor, head of the Social Science Department, attended two meetings in Chicago. He was present at the fifty-third annual convention of the American Historical Association, of which he is a member, and represented the Kearney chapter of the American Association of University Professors at the annual convention of that group. Dr. Man- tor commenced on the speeches at the American Historical Association. One of the most interest- ing was held on Thursday afternoon, December 29, when Professor Sidney B. Fay of Harvard, and Pro- fessor Bernadotte E. Schmitt of Chicago discussed 'The World War, Twenty Years After,1 ” said Dr. First Row—Left to Right—Mrs. Nigh, Mr. Olson, Miss O’Connell, Miss Huntington, Miss Jennings. Second Row— Mr, Apprlitian, Mr. Thrall, Miss Conrad. Mr- Davis, Mr. Halley. Third Row—Miss Stubbs, Miss Payne, Mr, Watkins, Miss Gkasman, Miss Larson.