Wellesley High School - Wellesleyan Yearbook (Wellesley, MA)

Page 21 text:

STUDENTS CONCENTRATED ON BASICS With the advent of a back to basics’’ movement in modern education, students of today are supposed to have rediscovered the essentials of academic study, which had purportedly been abandoned for new pursuits and teaching methods. Actually, this has not been the case. Students have always buckled down to the plain, simple study of pristine mathematics, English, science and the other traditional subjects. Recently, the innovations of the 60’s, which supplemented traditional learning rather than replaced it, have proved less valuable than tried and tested meth¬ ods; thus, it is the innovations which have begun to fall by the wayside, as older modes of learning grow increasingly more pop¬ ular with new waves of students. The most valuable experiment of the New Teaching will remain with us; the most effective practices of the Old have been reinstated. Ed Horack and Clark Blodgett appeared to enjoy their Social Studies classes. Mrs. McGilvroy and Marc Fontaine worked with the adding machine. Mr. Palmaccio reviewed Robin Peyton’s homework during a free period. 17

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ACADEMICS The English Class that reads together. Scott Sealy crafted some metal work. Kirk Dogett, Tom Specht, Mark O’Leary and Mark Gherardi worked on their experiment. Mr. McCormick’s classes took place in an exotic setting . . his room. 16 Paula Haven and Jim Philbin got together.

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ADMINISTRATION PLANS SUFFERED SETBACK WITH REFERENDUM DEFEAT ON DECEMBER 15, 1975 The Wellesley High School Administra¬ tion suffered a major disappointment this year when a referendum defeated the pro¬ posal for a building addition. Principal Ted Rokicki had hoped to improve declining facilities in areas such as the Library and Industrial Arts, in order to maintain the school’s standards of providing a comprehen¬ sive education for all students. Unfortunately, he met with opposition, largely because of the fiscal aspects of an addition. Many peo¬ ple fail to realize that this is a public high school,” said Mr. Rokicki. I think high school kids should have the right to experi¬ ment with technical skills as well as theoreti¬ cal skills but some townspeople apparently see things with a different eye.” The next »itep for the Administration was PHTHR VASATURO. Assistant Principal BAR BAR A STKKVES. Administrative Assistant to look for other ways of -olving the addition problem. Safety features for the handicapped and new electrical wdring were still badly needed; new shop tools might be provided for in an equipment budget. It was hoped that town committees would continue to assist the high school in solving its present dilemma. Meanwhile, the W.H.S. Adminis¬ tration returned to its perennial concerns: stu¬ dent scheduling, policy revision, a new time schedule, and reviewing proposed courses to enhance the curriculum. TKD ROKICKI. Principal 18 RICHARD CARBONE, Assistant Principal