Geauga record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1952-1962, 1961-11-02
TO THE EDITOR

The teachers of Park Jun
ior High School have listened
to the untruths, half truths,
and slanted information CIV
en- to the public by you, Will
liam Scheele, and The New
School Bond Study Group un-
til they feel they can no long
er sit back and allow this type
Of information to go unchall-
enged.
The article published in The
Geauga Record on Thursday,
october 26, 1861, contains
much information that could
give an entirely false picture
of the school construction
bond proposal.
For the sake of the COM
munity where we live and
work, and for the welfare Of
the children whom we have
the responsibility to teach,
We are forced to take serious
ly the charges and the propoS-
ais which have been made. 1t
is a grievous and dangerous
thing for a private citizen to
accuse, even by implication,
the professional educators in
a community of being so self
centered that they are willing
to manipulate the voters and
the children with whom they
live in order to fulfill personal
ambitions. Ger a My you
would not let private differ
enceS of opinion effect the
welfare of your museum, nor
can we let them affect the
best interests of Chardon.
The following points are Of
fered to the voters of the
Chardon School District in re-
ply to the objectinS to the
new Junior High bond issue
presented by Mr., Scheele and
The New School Bond Study
Group.
Cd All plans, both long
range and short range, have
been considered during the
past eight years that Park
Junior High School has oper-
ated as a single unit. The east
school authorities, including
local, county, university and
State Departments of Educa-
ton, have been consulted and
their views included in the
thinking.
CD The 7th and 9th grade
teaching staff is properly GER
titled and many of the teach
ers are seeking to improve
themselves by summer and
night school courses.
80 The statement wa S
made that it is an annual
struggle to obtain and keep
good teachers at a competit-
i've pay level. During the past
few years the new teachers
that have come to the Char
don Secondary Schools have
been additions to the staff as
a result of increased enroll
ment, rather than replace
mentS. Some a d d t i o n a |
teachers were hired to enrich
curriculum offerings avail
able to the students of the
Chardon area.
(4) Mr.. Scheele notes that
1.-The Kent State Survey stat
ed that the scholastic achieve
mentS of our pupils are con-
Siderably below their abiliti-
eS". To reach this conclusion
the Kent State Survey Team
took only one random sample
the achievement of our pup
lis. Mr.. Scheele did not note
that the Kent State Survey
team recommended that a
further evaluation be made.
Measurements such as 9th
Grade Tests and The Nation
al Merit Scholarship Tests
show that the students of the
Chardon Schools have achiev-
ed ScholaStically. T h e ach-
ievementS of our graduates in
institutions of higher educa-
ton are further proof of the
h i a S t &c attainments
of which some of our students
are capable.
| 60 Does it seem wise to
make improvements on three
old buildings to accommod-
ate 785 pupils in Sub-Standard
rooms?
Co At the present time, we
are providing makeShift edu-
cation in the old 1908 Struc-
ture, conducting all 9th grade
academic classes, all ar t
classes, some French classes
and all library facilities in a
building that is not fire-proof.
In case of an emergency 215
pupils would not have access
to adequate exits. This could
result in a major tragedy.
| CD The newspaper state
ment by Mr.. Scheele makes
light of State Department of
Education recommendations
concerning size of class
oomS S and Fairgrounds.
These recommendations are
usually minimum standards
and the Department of Ed