Wells High School - Correlator Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 17 text:

. . . and wlaat do Wells INl1'61ZfS think we should learn? . . . First business of the vertical committee was to interrogate school resource people' fDr. Thomas Jackson, director of our health center, Miss Marguerite Nafe, cafeteria manager, Miss Ruth Benjamin, librarian, Mr. jesse Brewer, chief engineer, the auditorium-arts committee, the civic association, the parents, or- ganization, the adjustment office and sponsors of activities in intramurals, clubs, music, home economics and industrial artsj regarding their contribution to the present curriculum, Then form was prepared in which all teachers listed what, according. to the experience and observation of each, are the characteristics, interests, and needs of Wells students. As a convenient forrri under which to tabulate, the familiar functions of livingl' around which our curriculum is organized were used: human relation- ships, economic consciousness, thought and its communication, health, leisure, work, and spiritual and ethical character. Data collected by these means were evaluated by the eight Working committees, and reduced to a very simple check sheet by the central committee. 11

Page 16 text:

. . what do Wells szfzuiefzzfs think we should lfllfll? . . . vating courses in other high schools, and read materials on curric- ulum making, the unfolding interests and needs of students, and the changing social scene. In order to Work more efficiently and make the study more specific, the faculty subdivided into eight levels, according to the grade and semester in which the bulk of the teacher's program fell, and proceeded to meet in separate rooms. The chairmen of these groups represented their respective grade levels at central meetings of a vertical committee and coordinated the findings and research of the Whole. The following teachers constituted the vertical committee: 9B, Mr. Maurice Paton, Who became chairman of the central com- mittee 3 QA, Mr. Henry Swets, head of the social studies depart- mentg 10B, Mrs. Margaret Wilkinson, administrative assistantg 10A, Mr. Raymond Wallace of the Program Ofiiceg 11B, Miss Marian Lovrien, head of the English departmentg 11A, Mr. Harold Haggard, amanuensis of the groupg 12B,. Mrs. Grace Wall, Whose clerical practice class found plenty of chores to do for the com- mitteeg and 12A, Miss Olehne Olsen, secretary of the committee. 10

Page 18 text:

What do zfloe division teacher and the rlietificzzz . . . and the elzgizzeetr . . . say? I E119 - s i t w e l l l . ....,, I A, V D Z:-: f' a R E . . 2 S E Q A S 'A S IH 2 The check sheet, consisting of ninety- six suggested items of experience organized under the seven functions of living, was planned to accommodate a rating score as to comparative empha- sis. 'The relative importance of various kinds of experience for the high school student was then estimated by every teacher and every student in school, and then by a sampling of the views of graduates, Withdrawals, parents, and community leaders. The reverse side of the check sheet was planned to accom- modate free comment of any sort. At this point the faculty groups be- gan to- invite students to teachers' meet- ings to obtain their testimony. Students were familiar with the check-sheet, each student having discussed it for a period with his division teacherg but the list was only a point of departure for the voluble Wellsites, who took the Hoor and discussed student problems, to their hearts' content while the faculty sat back and listened. At the end of the hour nobody was ready to go home. Parents and students were fellow workers at teachers' meetings from this time on, throughout the year, and often