The Community School has become a reality!
The lights in Hamilton School are now on every night of the week when over 73 area residents take classes in everything from slimnastics to tenant-landlord laws at the school at 5819 Westminster Pl.
The program is operated in cooperation with the already-established VIP program for adults needing high school equivalency classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the other three nights’ classes are operated by the resident-elected Community School Board headed by Jane Davis. All teachers in the program are volunteers. All classes are FREE. Interested residents may still enroll in the classes, which began the week of October 5, by coming to the school and enrolling on the night when the class meets.
On Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. the following classes are offered: welfare law, black history, automobile maintenance, preventive medicine and home nursing, home management, tumbling and slimnastics, typing and sewing. On Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. the following classes are offered: treasures from trivia, black literature, charm and personality development, tenant landlord laws, college tutorial preparation, community issues, painting, sculpture and art. Fridays have been set aside for adult (men and women) physical education classes.
Course offerings for the community school were drawn up from suggestions of the residents in the Skinker-DeBaliviere area. The program was decided on the basis of individual needs and wants of the community as presented in several community-wide meetings held by the board.
As Mrs. Davis comments, “Even course materials will be chosen by those taking the classes. It is a program where learning is fun because the participants learn what they want to know, not what someone tells them they must learn. And best of all it’s free for everyone. The community school will be what the community makes of it.”
Shellie R. Jordan is the coordinator of the community school in the evenings. Mr. Jordan is project director for the development of a junior high level black studies curriculum under the federal Triple T program operated by Washington University at Hamilton School.
Mr. Jordan attended McReynolds School in his native South Pittsburg, Tennessee, and Hampton Institute, Hampton Virginia. After being graduated from Tennessee State University he taught and was a counselor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Last year he was awarded an Experienced Teacher Fellowship at Washington University.
Among organizational involvements of Mr. Jordan are: Black Activists, N.A.A.C.P., Junior Chamber of Commerce, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, N.E.A., Masons, and Kappa Delta Pi.
A description of each course follows:
Tumbling & Slimnastics
Physical exercise and recreation designed to revitalize those muscles and areas of your body that have lost their p-zazz.
Sewing
the basic fundamentals of sewing.
Welfare Law
participants will discuss and study what services and assistance you are entitled to as a recipient; how to get them; what your rights are as a recipient. (Note: if there are more registrants than available space, preference will be given to recipients who want to enroll in the class.)
Tenant-Landlord Laws
participants will discuss, study and share their experiences regarding the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords; the process of eviction; what to look for in a lease or rental agreement. (Note: if there are more registrants than available space, preference will be given to tenants who are presently renting.)
Typing
basic fundamentals of typing.
Automobile Maintenance
the important things to know, that are necessary to keep your car running well. (eg. changing oil. lubrication, how to give your car a tune up, etc.)
Black History
participants will study and discuss the origins of Afro-American culture and how it relates to the development of black identity.
Community Issues
participants will discuss vital issues and how they effect the community (e.g, drug abuse)
Preventive Medicine & Home Nursing
simple precautionary measures you need to know to be on the alert for danger signals around the home.
Painting, Sculpture & Art — to be arranged.
Home Management
participants will discuss and share their ideas and experiences regarding family budget, tips on home financing, types of insurance needed in home or apartment; safety precautions in the home, etc.
Treasures From Trivia
learning how to make treasures from scraps of wood, fabrics, trimmings, snapshots, magazine pictures and ads, etc. These will be things to use as gifts or keepsakes when they are completed.
Charm & Personality Development
the essentials of appropriate grooming and self-expression.
Black Literature
discussions centered around black authors and their writings.
College Tutorial Preparations — to be arranged.
Original inset statement
Our community school is unique. As far as we know it is the first resident-initiated community school in the city and the first to have its board members elected in a community-wide meeting rather than selected by the principal of the school. It is also unique in that the courses were painstakingly selected BY AREA RESIDENTS in a series of community-wide meetings. The school has no financial backing. All teachers are volunteers with the coordinator’s services loaned by Washington University.
Since the first meeting in May, the community has shown unusual interest and desire for the school — a desire that has now materialized through the hard work of the very active board. We thank the board for its work and remind the community that the school will be what we make of it. So why not volunteer to teach or at least attend the classes. Call Jane Davis at 862-4507 or Shellie Jordan, 863-0100, ext. 4608 to volunteer your services to make the community school a vital part of our community.
Originally published in The Paper, October 1970.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1970_10.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 9.
