Archival article — originally published in The Paper, March 1981. By Nancy Cohen.
Archival date note: only the issue month or season is established. The first-of-month date used for chronological indexing is not a verified publication day.
Since its construction in 1917, Hamilton School has been educating young Skinker-DeBaliviere residents. The 1980-81 school year has brought many changes to the school: an integrated student body, a grade range of only kindergarten through fifth grade, and a dynamic new principal, Mr. John Bernard.
Currently, Hamilton School educates 360 students: 252 are assigned to regular classes, approximately 40 pupils are assigned to kindergarten and approximately 68 children are assigned to special education classes. About 30 per cent of these pupils are white and 70 per cent are black. Almost all of the white students are bused from the Mason and Dewey school areas which are located in the southwest section of the city. Hamilton School has a highly qualified teaching staff, 90 per cent of whom hold advanced degrees. The racial composition of the staff is 59 per cent black and 41 per cent white. Five of the staff members are male.
As required by the St. Louis City School Board, Hamilton School has developed an educational plan to meet the objectives of 1) improvement of academic performance, 2) achievement of integration, 3) improvement in pupil and teacher attendance, 4) improvement in the school climate, and 5) establishment of sound budget policies and procedures. The plan was drawn up by Mr. Bernard with active input by staff, parents and community members. For anyone interested in Hamilton School it is “must” reading and is available through the principal's office. Mr. Bernard is also seeking funding for a proposal which will bring several cultural enrichment programs and a new approach to mathematics instruction to supplement Hamilton's strong emphasis on improving basic educational skills. Already approved for this year is a program partly funded by the Missouri Council for the Arts and the Central West End Savings and Loan in which Bill Fitzgibbons, neighborhood sculptor, will work with the children.
Neighborhood residents met Mr. Bernard this past summer at meetings of the Dewey Cluster Parents Group, parents and community residents interested in providing our students with a harmonious transition to integrated education. His involvement is indicative of the importance he places upon parental and community visibility and participation in the educational process.
Mr. Bernard feels that he has a good staff, a well-rounded educational program, which includes mainstreaming the special education students to their fullest potential, plenty of supplies and a clean and well-maintained school, as evidenced by the refurbishment of the beautiful leaded glass windows in the kindergarten room. What he needs is greater parental involvement. For a neighborhood that has thrived on volunteer community effort, surely, we can respond to this challenge.
Read the original newspaper issue: Archive reader · Direct PDF fallback. Originally published in The Paper, March 1981, pages 3.
