West High School - Warrior Yearbook (Rockford, IL)

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James E. Blue, M.A. Principal I

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Mr. Loren I.. Whitehead President Mrs. Marion L. Bates Secretary - Chair man, lidncation Committee Mr. Selmer H. Bert; M.A. Superintendent of Schools HIGH COMMAND Directing the activities of Rockford's public school system, the Board of Education has met the challenge of the war to education during the past year. Throughout the curriculum of all the schools, the pressure of the eventful times has been felt as can be noted in the pages of the Annual. The Board itself has made necessary adjustments for the teachers, students, community, and the war effort. With teachers' and other employees’ committees working with the Board, a new permanent salary schedule for all school employees providing for increases averaging twelve per cent and other compensation adjustments has been established. Because of the sharp rise in living costs, an emergency salary adjustment in the form of a bonus was distributed to teachers this spring. To aid parents who arc-working and to provide a fuller training for children, kindergartens were established for the 1943-44 school year. In cooperation with the city's merchants the Board closed school doors two days early for the Christmas vacation to give the stores the assistance of many teachers and students employed for the holiday season rush. Cooperating with the Office of Defense Transportation to free buses for war workers and thereby aiding the strained transportation facilities of the city, a staggering of school hours for the senior highs was ordered by the Board. By direction of the Board the Superintendent of Schools carried out three rationing registrations at the request of the government. Grade schools were recessed for four days in May of 1942 for the Ration Book I signup. In November, 1942, schools were used after school hours for the gasoline registration and in February of 1943 the elementary and junior high schools were closed for the Ration Book II registration. Two draft registrations have also been handled in the school system. Through the cooperation of the teachers, many giving time after school hours, ami the Board of Education, Rockford's public educational system has served the country by doing double duty. Mr. George C. Olin Member Mr. Frank DiGiovanni Member Mr. Lawrence A. Johnson Member Mr. Thomas I.. Nolan Member Mr. S. Peter Ekstrom Member Mrs. Ruth M. Eriberg Member 13

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Our Principal is the First Pilot of West High School. The First Pilot is Captain of his ship and in full command. Although in constant radio communication with dispatchers, he alone must assume full responsibility for all final decisions. To his technical ability and judgment, the air line trusts its priceless human cargo and expensive plane. Hut no air line gambles as to the men it uses and puts in such responsible positions; it demands and gets the highest standards of personal and professional perfection attainable. As First Pilot of West High School. Mr. Blue is responsible for the efficiency’of all activities carried on in the school. With the assistance and cooperation of the department heads, he puts into operation the courses of study, methods of instruction, and standards of achievement. Working through the counselors and with the counselors, he supervises and directs the planning of pupil programs of studies. Through the department heads and counselors, he seeks to encourage and assist classroom and homeroom teachers in making the West High School educational program as efficient and as effective as possible. In addition, during the past year, it has been necessary for Mr. Blue to work personally with boys and girls who arc adjusting their programs due to the war program. Hence the First Pilot must work with and through the department heads, the counselors, the classroom, and the homeroom teachers and the pupils themselves in order to develop the best educational program. Mr. Blue, who came to Rockford Senior High School in 1929, has not only consistently upheld and maintained the highest scholastic standards in secondary education in Rockford ; but also has developed an espirit dc corps” among the faculty members and a student morale whose excellence is second to none. 15