Transcription
NEWS of Worcester County Schools
Board of Education, Snow Hill, Md.
Vol. 2 March, 1960 No. 4
COUNTY WORKSHOP SET FOR APRIL 13
A county workshop for all teachers and principals will be held April 13, 1960, at the Snow Hill High School from 9:00 A. M. to 3:30 P. M.
At the elementary level, the workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for all teachers and principals of elementary schools to pool their resources and formulate a course of study in art for grades one to six.
The tentative program is as follows:
9:00 - 9:15 Introductory Remarks - Mr. Paul S. Hyde
9:15 - 9:40 The Principal's Responsibilities in Developing an Art Program - Mr. Herman H. Sorin
9:40 - 10:15 Philosophy - Mr. Herbert G. Ball
10:15 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 11:00 Materials Needed for Adequate Art Instruction - Mr. Herman Sorin
11:00 - 11:05 Scheduling Art - Mr. Harold A. Lynch
11:05 - 11:20 The Teacher's Role in the Art Class - Mrs. Dorothy S. Morris
11:20 - 12:00 Scope of the Art Program - Mr. John W. Tatem
12:00 - 12:45 Lunch
12:45 - 1:15 Some Tips for Teachers - Mr. William R. Kuhn
1:15 - 1:25 Bibliography of Art Materials - Mrs. Elsie W. Warren
1:25 - 1:45 Some Tips for Teaching Creative Art Expression - Mrs. Irma H. Hastings
1:45 - 2:15 General Use of Classroom Facilities - Miss Laree L. Purnell
2:15 - 2:30 Break
2:30 - 3:00 Evaluation - Miss Elaine V. Spry
3:00 - 3:30 Summary - Mr. Paul S. Hyde
After each report, time will be available for a brief discussion of the topic.
At the high school level, the participants will be divided into special interest groups. The social studies personnel will be dealing with the problem of how to adapt social studies content and teaching procedures to pupils who are academically talented and to those of the general course.
The planning groups of the other areas have not completed their plans at this writing.
Important guests from the Maryland State Department of Education will be Mr. Paul E. Huffington, Assistant Director and Supervisor of High Schools, Mrs. Genevieve S. Blew, Supervisor of Instruction in Foreign Language; Mr. Herbert R. Steiner, Supervisor of Physical Education; Mr. Lewin A. Wheat, Supervisor of High Schools; and Miss Evelyn F. Miller, Supervisor of Home Economics.
Dr. Cooper Attends Workshop
Dr. Paul D. Cooper, Superintendent of Schools in Worcester County, is one of twenty-five school superintendents selected throughout the United States to participate in a workshop at Columbia University in New York City which will be held from March 21 to 25.
The Workshop is an outgrowth of a series conducted at the university over the past twelve years. Dr. Cooper previously attended in 1952 and, as an "alumnus" of the program, was invited to return this year for the one-week session.
This year the program is devoted to a study of school administrative problems.
SNOW HILL HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY
LETTING PARENTS KNOW
We are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of good school-home relations to a child's success in school. We are coming more and more to believe that, in order for a child to gain the most benefit from his school activities, a good working relationship must exist between parents and teacher.
The words, good working relationships, are used here to mean those feelings that parents and classroom teachers have toward each other which lead them to think, talk, and plan together on how to help a child with his growing and learning.
What is the teacher's role, then, in promoting or fostering good working relationships between home and school? Letting parents know or keeping parents informed is important in fostering good home-school relations. Most parents want to know what goes on at school, I believe, but many hesitate to ask. From their comments it would seem that sometimes they do not know what to ask, or sometimes they may fear that the teacher will think they are meddling or casting doubts on teaching. Some parents live in an agony of suspense until they find out how their children are doing, afraid to approach the teacher. The teacher who senses these hesitations and takes the initiative in encouraging parents to ask questions about what they want to know usually wins the appreciation of many parents.
Some parents do ask questions. Sometimes their questions indicate that they are not very well informed about our school program. In these times when public schools are under attack, it is essential that we inform parents of what we are attempting to do in schools in order to avoid misunderstandings and dispel any doubts which may arise in their minds. Misunderstanding is less likely to happen when the whys and wherefores are explained to parents, When parents are informed about their schools, it is believed that they are more inclined to cooperate with the school.
Classroom teachers need a variety of ways to keep parents informed. Some teachers have their classes prepare newsletters at the beginning of each month in which the children tell about some of their activities and some of the things they have learned. Others send newsletters which give a list of activities the class will be doing during the month and suggestions as to ways parents can help the child. Homework is always a message to parents, for it says, "This is what we are doing and the way, we are doing it."
One plan for keeping parents informed, which is gaining favor, is the provision for group meetings by grade sections in respective classrooms at every PTA meeting. The group meeting is presided over by the teacher, who provides the setting for interpretation and discussion of the school program. There the parents have the opportunity of meeting the parents of their child's classmates. They can see the room where he lives and works at school and examine his textbooks. The teacher can explain school policies, and the parents can ask questions about things which concern them. The teacher can explain what the children are doing and her plans for the year. This experience provides a background for their interpretation of future communications between school and home. If this type of meeting is planned and carried out successfully, the parents leave with the feeling that the child is in good hands and they are "aware of what is going on at school." These gains in understanding make for better teacher-parent relationships.
The report to parents is an important factor in home-school relations. Letting parents know in advance of the report card, when things are not going well with their child, helps promote better relations. Ease in relationships comes readily when parents feel assured that teachers will sound the warning in time so their help will count. Careful consideration of how a failing grade is reported can take the sting out of it and result in good parent relations.
These are certainly not all the ways of fostering good home-school relations. They may not even be the best ways. But this we know: If we work together in harmony, teachers and parents, our children will have a better chance to make the most of their capabilities, morally and spiritually, as well as physically and intellectually. Home-school cooperation may not yet have reached the heights we hope it will attain, but indications seem to show it is moving steadily and surely in that direction.
PEN PALS
Young people love to get letters, but when one comes from thousands of miles away, bearing a foreign stamp and postmark--that is exciting!
The pupils in Mrs. Hettie Thomason's fourth grade class find this kind of writing very interesting. Every pupil has his own pen pal with whom he has exchanged letters. Letters have been received from children in Hawaii, Alaska, Nova Scotia, Mexico, Spain, and countries of South America. Countries that have always been mere patches of color on the map become "alive" because of friends living there.
"Letter writing skills have improved, " said Mrs. Thomason, "as each child has used pen and ink to share his interests with another child in another country. History and geography have become vitalized by the urge to know more about the pen pals background. In each letter were little gems of exposition, description and anecdotes."
"This project has several values" continued Mrs. Thomason "Each child has become more aware of correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Because it is a shared experience, it helps each child feel a part of his social group. It provides the thrill of receiving letters and, most important or all, it provides the incentive for a good writing experience.
Buckingham Art Exhibit
Over two hundred fifty parents and patrons of Buckingham Elementary School marveled at the art work their children are completing most successfully under television art instruction and guidance of the regular classroom teacher. This was seen Tuesday night, February 16, at the regular PTA meeting.
The school's auditorium was transferred into a wonderland with art of every description placed in every conceivable spot. The walls were covered with paintings, including finger painting, oil painting, spatter painting, string painting, and painting without brushes; free form drawings, silhouettes; cut outs; etchings and collages, and dioramas, Tables and racks were placed all around the room and were filled with art objects made by all grades. These objects consisted of paper sculpture, clay modeling, paper mache, mosaics, and pine cone art.
From wires and strings across the width of the room, more student creations were hung. Fond parents were satisfied as they spied what they sought, some of the handiwork of their child. In the displays was some artistic work from each child in school.
In explaining the art program, Mr. Herman Sorin, Principal of the School, stated, "In our art program one of our purposes is to teach the children to be aware of beauty all around them at all times. By using the many expressions of art shown here, we stress not only the practical phase of art but also the aesthetic phase. Aesthetic sensitivity grows as the child is encouraged to explore, to experiment, and to invent, thus allowing the art impulse to develop."
National well-being and perhaps national survival depend on prompt action to step up the quality of our schools.
- William G. Carr
Executive Secretary
National Education Association
One-Room School Project Continues to Attract Attention
The Maryland Teacher, official publication of the Maryland State Teachers' Association, plans to run in the near future a feature article with accompanying photographs relative to the one-room school now in the process of restoration by the Worcester County Teachers' Association.
Previous accounts of this somewhat unusual enterprise have already appeared in The Democratic Messenger, Snow Hill, Maryland, The Salisbury Times, Salisbury, Maryland, and in The Baltimore Sun.
The restoration has also come to the attention of Dr. Paul R. Mort, Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Mort, a nationally known educator, has often made the statement that we should keep at least one one-room school "for seed." He has indicated his interest in this project by making a generous cash contribution.
Recently, two letters of interest have been received by the Project Committee. One was from a former teacher at this school, Miss Annie S. Truitt, of Salisbury, Maryland, Miss Truitt gave many details relative to the interior of the she school and sent a poem which wrote about the children the first year she taught there in 1907.
Another letter was received from a former student at the Mt. Zion School, Mrs. Annie Coulbourne, who attended there seventy-six years ago. She gave us valuable information concerning both the age and the interior details of the school.
The Worcester County Board of Education, Snow Hill, Maryland, is planning a conference of all trustees of Worcester County Schools early in March. The main objective of this conference is to define the duties and responsibilities of school trustees in the light of changing conditions in today's world.
Lectures for Advanced Students
A series of lectures for advanced students has been scheduled at Stephen Decatur High School. The speakers for these lectures are from the University of Maryland Speakers' Bureau, College Park, Maryland.
Among the visiting lecturers, arrangements have been completed for the following:
March 9, 1960, 7:15 P. M.
Mr. Chumjen C. Chen - "China-- The People and the Population"
March 15, 1960, 3:00 P. M.
Dr. Richard H. Bauer - "Christianity vs. Communism"
March 29, 1960, 7:30 P. M.
Dr. Howard J. Laster - "The Origin of Cosmic Rays"
April 5, 1960, 4:00 P. M.
Dr. Robert K. Hirzel - "Over Population in the World"
April 12, 1960, 7:30 P. M.
Mr. Thomas J. Aylward - "Television and Society"
The public is cordially invited to attend these lectures.
Swiss Melody Bells
Boys and girls in the second and third grade class of Mrs. Alice Vaughan at Ocean City Elementary School enjoy playing the Swiss melody bells. The melody bells are a set of eight Swiss type copper bells. Each bell is a different color and each bell is keyed to the scale by a color, number, and letter.
The bells are used to improve the children's ability in note reading, ear training, and other music skills. Each child must play his bell at the right time and refrain from playing at all other times if he is to make music that is pleasing to the ear. The bells help the and children to be alert, observant, cooperative. Above all, they can be used to achieve the main objective of music education, which is to bring each child into the full and active participation in the music program according to the level of his abilities.
NEWS Published by Worcester County Board of Education Snow Hill, Maryland
BOARD MEMBERS
Mrs. Huey Brown, President
Mr. Peter Ayres Wimbrow, Vice-President
Mr. E. Carmel Wilson, Jr., Member
Dr. Paul D. Cooper, Superintendent
Mrs. Louise S. Adkins, Editor
Miss Ann Peters, Social Chairman of the Worcester County Teachers' Association, has begun to make arrangements for the Annual Banquet of the WCTA which is scheduled to be held at the Francis Scott Key Hotel on June 3.
National Library Week will be observed April 3-9, 1960, with the theme "Open Wonderful New Worlds--Wake Up and Read," School librarians and others interested in obtaining materials can write to National Library Week, 24 West 40th Street, New York 18, New York.
The total enrollment in Worcester County Schools on March 1, was 5,173.
Worcester County Council of PTA Plans workshop
On Wednesday evening, January 27, the Worcester County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations met at the Pocomoke High School. Mr. Jack Peacock, President of the County Council, presided at the meeting. The members of the council decided to hold a Leadership Training Workshop for all prospective PTA officers and other interested members at the Snow Hill High School on Saturday, May 21, from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. The purpose of this workshop is to train all incoming officers for the duties and responsibilities which they assume as officers of the local Parent-Teacher Association groups throughout the county.
At the meeting of the council a panel of five members discussed the question: "How can parents and teachers work together to build closer relations between home and school?" Mrs. William C. Dykes, Snow Hill, discussed the role of the parent in fostering good home-school relations; the role of the principal in drawing home and school together was presented by Mr. John W. Tatem, Principal of Pocomoke Elementary School; Mrs. Louise S, Adkins, Supervisor of Instruction, discussed the role of the teacher in developing a good working relationship between parents and teachers; and Mrs. George W. Engle, Snow Hill, mentioned ways in which the Parent-Teacher Association could help build closer home-school relations, Mr. Ernest G. Holland, Principal of Snow Hill High School, was the moderator for the panel.
Snow Hill Chapter of FNA Organized
Ten future nurses at the Snow Hill High School met on January 19, to organize a Future Nurses of America Club, This club has been established to give freshmen, sophomores, and juniors the opportunity to become more familiar with the field of nursing.
The members plan to invite nurses to speak to them about subjects and courses future nurses should include now in their program of studies which will be beneficial to them later in nursing. In addition, they hope to be able to tour the local hospital and perhaps even observe an operation. Some of the girls are planning to work as nurse's aides during the summer months,
Mrs. Mary Conner, R. N., County Health Department, has consented to be the consultant for this chapter of the F.N.A. Miss Christine Lucas, Guidance Counselor at the Snow Hill High School, is the sponsor.
March Issue
News of Worcester County Schools
Published by Board of Education Snow Hill, Maryland
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Snow Hill, Maryland Permit #17
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114 N. Washington Street
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