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School for Teachers
Tribune photo published September 5, 1953

Teachers went to school Friday.  Above are a few who attended the discussion group led by Everett Ritland.  There were 10 discussion groups.

A complete listing of all teachers and their schools appears below.  Indications of considerable shifting of population during the summer months may make it necessary to transfer pupils after the school year begins, Harry R. McPhail, superintendent, said today.  Present plans call for Pammel Court children to attend Edwards, Meeker, Beardshear and Welch schools.  Children from rural districts will be housed in the same buildings as last year at least until it is found that it will be necessary to transfer them to relieve over crowded rooms.  Whittier 6th graders are being transferred to Roosevelt school to relieve the crowded condition in Whittier.

Not only will every available class room be in use, McPhail said, but several areas have been made into classrooms as a temporary measure to provide teaching space for the coming school year.  The lobby areas in both Edwards and Meeker have been converted into classrooms and it has been necessary to use some of the Home Making classroom space at Welch for a second grade class.

The expected increase in enrollment this year of 200 or more children is in line with the national trend and follows an increase which began in Ames following the second World War.  Last year the Ames schools reached, as expected, its peak kindergarten enrollment.  This year's kindergarten enrollment should not be quite so large.  McPhail added, however, that since 145 seniors were graduated last June and approximately 370 kindergarten children will enter Tuesday, the total increase should be over 200 pupils.

Faculty members for 1953-54 school year in Ames schools follow.

BEARDSHEAR SCHOOL - Evelyn Carlson, principal and 6th grade; Mary Ann Engelbrecht (½ time), kindergarten; Patricia Mallowy, 1st; Marie Massop, 1st; Juanita Steele, 2nd; Vivian Mabie, 3rd; Marguerite Kirby, 4th; Elaine Dudley, 5th, and Mrs. Mary Lou Moore (½ time) 6th.

CRAWFORD SCHOOL - Bill G. Ellett, principal and 6th grade; Marilyn Weih (½ time), kindergarten; Mrs. Ann Einspahr, 1st; Mrs. Delores Winter, 2nd; Mildred Myers, 3rd; Gertrude Abbas, 4th; Justene Johnson, 5th, and Mrs. Janet Lorenzen (½ time) 6th.

EDWARDS SCHOOL - Elmer Aurand, principal and 6th grade; Audrey Bentall, kindergarten; Mrs. Glenita Hausman, 1st; Suanne Peterson, 1st; Betty Lou Jones, 2nd; Alice Evans, 3rd; Marilyn Andersen, 4th; Mrs. Helen Wattonville, 5th, and Mrs. Janet Lorenzen (½ time), 6th.

FRANKLIN SCHOOL - Mrs. Ruth Willson, principal and teacher.

LINCOLN SCHOOL - James F. Kee, principal and guidance director; Mrs. Gwendolyn Albright (½ time), kindergarten; Lila Johnson, 1st; Charlene Tifft, 2nd; Rosemary de Bruyn, 3rd; Dorothy Roberts, 4th; Helen Galloway, 5th, and Rosella Madsen, 6th.

MEEKER SCHOOL - Herbert R. Hatch, principal and 5th grade; Mrs. Jean Lodge, kindergarten; Adella Grobee, 1st; Marilyn Jonston, 1st; Mrs. Phyllis Adams, 2nd; Mrs. Dora Lock, 2nd; Dorothy Dobson, 3rd; Margaret Schalkle, 4th, and Mrs. Mary Hansen (½ time), 5th

ROOSEVELT SCHOOL - Lawrence Simmering, principal; Esther Heimarck, kindergarten; Margeret Halverson, 1st; Muriel Jennings, 1st; Dorothy Erickson, 2nd; Ellen Narum, 2nd; Mrs. Harriet Larson, 3rd; Florence Schutter, 3rd; Isola Eggert, 4th; Gladys Meads, 4th; Ingrid Oxley, 5th; Mrs. Glennice Picht, 5th; Gertrude Fellows, 6th; Mrs. Ruth Gammell, 6th, and Neoma Johnson, 6th.

WELCH SCHOOL - John Harlan, principal; Reba Carey, Mrs. Elizabeth Coulter, Matilda Martinson, Cleoma Schneider, Carl Sodergren, Helen Steege, Janice Van Zomeren, Keith Van Winkle and Ada Versteeg.

Also, Shirley Bretthauer, kindergarten; Janet Foster, 1st; Margaret Westphal, 1st; Alberta Kline, 2nd; Jean Listebarger, 2nd; Elsie Woods, 3rd; Mrs. Margaret Martin, 4th, Mrs. Lyda Nordyke, 5th; and Joe Cassidy, 6th, Mrs. Peggy Harrison, secretary.

WHITTIER SCHOOL - Dale Brentnall, principal, 4th and 5th grades; Marilyn Weih (½ time), kindergarten; Opel Erickson, 1st; Ermina Beman, 2nd; Gladys Benning, 3rd, and Mrs. Mary Hansen, (½ time), 4th and 5th.

CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH - Verna Schmidt, principal; Myrle Baird, Leonard Bengston, Gaylord Campbell, Mrs. Geraldine Christopherson, Robert DeFore, Enid Dennison, Mrs. Rose Elliot, Mae Galiher, Mrs. Gresdna Doty Galloway, Mabel Kress, Helen McCord, Alice McQuilken, Mrs. Edna Scholten Quiken, Mrs. Edna Schuler, Herbert Tschopp, Marvin Vanous and Margene Erickson, secretary.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL - Herbert Adams, principal; Leland Allison Virginia Batstone, John Bilsland, Madalene Canvin, Glenn Chally, Hiram Covey, Mrs. Elizabeth Dickinson, Donald Easter, Donald Hartt, Dale Heideman, Donald F. Lehigh, George MacBride, Mary McNally, Ruth Miller, Mrs. Charlotte Nelson Whitney, Ronald Norman, Everett Ritland, Paula Schnepf, Owen Shadle, Gerald Siefert, Raymond Smalling, Richard Trump, Edna Wilcox, Mrs. Daisy Flack and Barbara Hyler, secretary.

SUPERVISORS AND SPECIAL TEACHERS - Carl R. Brown, elementary supervisor; Edna Bower, vocal music; Kenyon Bell, asst. vocal and instrumental music; R. D. Day, instrumental music; Ruth Ecklind, school nurse; Mrs. Maude Marsh, cafeteria director; Marie Gruendling, elementary art; James F. Kee, guidance director (½ time); Blanche Miller, homemaking; Phyllis Scholl, homemaking (Central); Carlene Woolverton, homemaking (Welch); Edna Mundt, homemaking; Merlene Nelson, homemaking (Central); Mrs. Joan Sullivan, school nurse; Dallas Tjaden, instrumental music; Kenneth Wells, athletic director; Mrs. Donna Wert, girls physical education, and Mrs. Marian Woods, girls physical education.

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF - Harry R. McPhail, superintendent; Frank B. Howell, business manager and board secretary; Carl R. Brown, elementary supervisor; Mrs. Edna H. Davis, bookkeeper; Mrs. Grayce I. Elliott, secretary; Miss Laura Sayre, secretary, and Lloyd Shadle, supervisor buildings and custodians.

ST. CECILIA'S SCHOOL - Sister Mary Valeria, principal; Sister Mary Emerentia, kindergarten; Sister Mary Andrea, 1st; Sister Mary Fidelis, 2nd; Mrs. Mary King, 3rd and 4th; Sister Mary Bernice, 5th; Sister Mary Concepta, 6th; Sister Mary Valeria, 7th and 8th; Sister Mary Clementine, music and choir.

E.P. Schindler, Story county superintendent, who was in charge of the teachers' meeting Friday, introduces the main speaker, Dr. Ralph G. Nichols, right.

After his 45-minute talk the grade and high school educators progressed to group meetings where a leader, consultant and recorder were in charge of discussions on the subject.  These were continued in the afternoon.  Sessions were summarized at the close of the day by Dr. Thomas R. Lewis, professor of speech at Florida State University.

The communications program of teaching language adequacy advocated by Nichols would tend to revolutionize present methods of teaching English.  No longer would No. 1 emphasis be on writing.  Instead four phases of communication - listening, reading, speaking and writing - would receive equal emphasis.  The reason for change is apparent, Nichols said.  Our results with the old method have not been satisfactory.

Dr. Nichols gave three points to consider in the movement toward an inclusive communications program.  1. What is the communications movement?  2. Does the communications skills approach get results?  3. What does the program have to do with the non-language arts teacher?

. . . He cited research of Dr. Paul Rankin regarding verbal communication.  Rankin learned through repeated tests that 70 per cent of our waking time is spent in verbal communication.  Of that time 45 per cent is spent in listening, 30 per cent in speaking, 16 per cent in reading and nine per cent in writing.  We have put an inverted emphasis on these four in our schools then, said Nichols.  Listening is the most frequent of the verbal forms of communication; yet how many have actually taught listening, he queried.  Nichols said that these four skills are of equal importance and must have equal emphasis...