The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1948-05-20

Hartford County, Maryland. The local
principal mentioned throughout the
write-up was Mr.. r. Bowen Hardesty,
now asst school superintendent of
this county AT the time of the inter
view he was principal of the Aber-
deem High School, to which the inter
ested parent came as a stranger
seeking information. Mr. Hardesty
explained the program of studies in
a modern high school to meet needs
of boys and girls and gave the inter
ested parent copy of a speech (ten
pages in length) he made at the Ma
tional Convention of Superintendent
and Principals in Atlantic City in
February, l947. From the speech at
Atlantic City and the conference, tie
parent has written, what Is This
School SYSTEM"
We hear from our own and our
neighbors' children the word: core.
Does it mean center; or is it spelled
Corps; or is it the Core Cor KohrD
System? How does education differ
in Maryland from ten years ago?
These latter questions | asked of a
local principal some months ago. An
attractive account had appeared that
week in his school news column of a
delightful second grade breakfast
party. | thought: what a nice affair
for that class of primary youngsters
| thought, again: breakfast party?
Breakfast in School?
Tucking a handbag lin which | con-
cealed a notebook and Iong-pointed
penciD under my arm, | swirled into
the office of the principal, who, the
item had stated, attended the affat
as honor-guest.
Did all those children buy, pre-
pare, and eat orange-juice cereal,
toast, butter, Jam and MILK"
blurted standing before his desk
holding out the clipping.
As one who had enjoyed a special
ly good time, he nodded complacently
But why? And how" | demanded,
relaxing little into the comfortable
chair he motioned me toward.
He leaned back. Il wish more par
ents would come to school" he sighed
with a friendly smile Then he talked
for almost an hour. | found myself
meekly jotting notes
That second grade, he explained,
was finishing a project on Foods,
"a unit" they were using for STUDY
Committees had shopped, decorated
the room and set the table with place
mats and cards. Invitations made by
the class had been sent carer. One
little girl had been selected as host
esS. Committees took care of all the
work, supervised, of course That
small affair, he pointed out, furnished
dozens of ideas for study and dis
cuSsions weeks before and after the
eVent-spelling words were derived
from all the activities tied i'm with
the party; reading for sources and
preparation of foods: arithmetic
from the marketing; grammar in the
stories written composition to the
older person with less pleasant in
SEPARATION, | rememberedD A bit OF
culture; hospitality and practice Of
good manners. "killing a bunch Of
birds with one stone," he summed
the party.
The new system, he took up my
questions, was not designed to be
called core" but it is naturally that:
getting at the core of learning, Dor
ing into the heart of problem,
place or subject to be studied until
the resources for that group of pupil
abilities are exhausted. The word core
suggests thoroughness in solving the
study problem. 1t is actually the Ell
forts of teacher, principal and super
visor, administrators of local units, -
under the direction of the Maryland
State Department of Education. The
program is not yet 3 years old and
is still in experimental process, but
progressing as he was sure parents
could sense and see concrotely; such
experimenting as the merging OF
Philosophy and History, History and
English, Psychology and Problems OF
Democracy in the advanced grades.
1t was initiated in Hartford County
in September 1915 with the 18th
grade, the first year Of the new
Junior High School. Teachers at
tended a one-wcek workshop. Three
units" were made: "a My Edu-
cational Opportunities GU Under
standing Myself and Others CD How
Environment Affects My Life. The
schedule then included 2-hour core,
remedial period mathematics,
physical education, music, arts and
crafts. The core teacher worked four
hours of the school day teaching the
core. Teachers met one day each
month with the uperintcndent, high
school and elementary supervisors to
solve ordinary problems. In February
1916 Dr. Harold Alberty of the UNI
versity of Ohio consulted two days
in Hartford with the 9TH grade
teachers. a 3-day session was held