Date of Award:

5-1953

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

School of Teacher Education and Leadership

Department name when degree awarded

Education

Committee Chair(s)

E. A. Jacobsen

Committee

E. A. Jacobsen

Abstract

Every community must be provided with an educational program attuned to community life. It must provide for increased efficiency in production and widom in consumption. It must train in the ideals, the skills, and the habits essential to the highest level of home and community life. To this end there must be well trained, resourceful teachers who work under conditions that elicit their best efforts. There must be a curriculum that embraces community experiences and physical facilities that promote economy and efficiency of effort (12).

Schools can and should make a difference in their communities. As society's special agencies for education, schools should be concerned both with the welfare of individuals and the welfare of their communities. In our democratic way of life the state and community exist for the welfare of individuals. Therefore, we insure the welfare of the community when we insure the welfare of all individuals in it. Schools, then, should be interested in all the people of the community--in children, in out-of-school youth, and in adults. Too, schools should be interested in all phases of the welfare of all the people in the community. This, among other aspects, includes their economic status, their health, and their leisure-time activities.

Further, schools' interest in all the people in their communities cannot be seasonal. They must be interested in summer as well as in autumn, winter, and spring. To implement this interest in all phases of the welfare of all of the people in their communities throughout the calendar year, schools must plan and work with all community agencies (3).

The purpose of this study has been twofold: (a) to formulate a group of educational criteria that will set forth the standards by which to evaluate a school in terms of a good school-community program, and (b) to determine to what extent the Willard School is meeting the standards thus derived.

To accomplish the first objective, a group of 10 criteria have been formulated after careful study, and are an adaptation of educational principles found in the educational literature. Three main sources are given here as support for the criteria derived for this study. They are: "School and Community" by E. G. Olsen, "School-Community Relations" by Wayne A. Yeager, and The National Conference of Professors of Educational Administration (Madison, Wisconsin-1948).

Each of the 10 criterion has been discussed at some length in succeeding sections of the study. They have been supported and documented from educational literature to determine that they are educationally sound.

The second objective of the study has been accomplished by using the criteria previously described as a device by which to measure the Willard School in order to determine to what extent it is a community-centered school. From the criteria thus derived, a set of questions have been formulated that will attempt to cover the main points as set forth. These questions have been given to the patrons of the school and a group of educators--present and former teachers of the school. These people were asked to express their views about certain areas of the school's program by answering these questions. The questions are of the objective type and are so phased as to give those participating in the poll a chance to express to what extent, in their opinion, the school is meeting the standards derived for measuring a community-centered school.

When the questionnaires have been compiled, it will be possible to see how the school rates in the opinion of the people of the community in the matter of meeting the standards previously determined.

To further evaluate the school in the terms described in the first area of the report, a description of the school and some of its practices has been given. These facts deal with school participation in community activities, relationship with citizens and community agencies, staff personnel, pupil personnel, school plant, school finance, and the like.

A brief description of the school and community of Willard may add clarity to the second section of the study.

Willard is a small rural community of approximately eight hundred people. It is located mid-way between Brigham City, Utah, and Ogden, Utah. The major industry of the community is farming. However, about one-third of the heads of families or other gainfully employed, work in Ogden in various industries. Prior to World War II the community had relatively little change in population. The residents were nearly all descendants of the pioneer settlers of the community. However, since the advent of many war-time and allied industries relatively close by, and the induction into the armed services of many of the young men, there has been considerable influx of new people into the community. A sizeable per cent of the present population have come into the community in the past few years and commute to other areas to work. This has resulted in considerable population turn-over each year.

Most of the residents belong to the Mormon Church which is the principal community agency other than the school.

The school is classified as an elementary school and enrolls students from grades one through eight. For a six-week period in the summer kindergarten is held for five year olds. Students in grades nine through 12 are transported by bus daily seven miles to the Box Elder High School in Brigham City.

The Willard School population has fluctuated between 150 and 175 students during the past nine years, and has employed six teachers until the school year of 1952-53. Due to a slight decrease in enrollment and possibly the increase of school costs without a compensating increase in revenue, one teacher was cut from the teaching staff. The school also employs a full-time custodian and two school lunch cooks. Approximately two-thirds of the pupils buy the school lunch. Among the students enrolled in the school are those living in the area three miles to the north and five miles to the south of the corporate limits of the community. Roughly one-third of the students are transported by bus.

The school plant consists of a two-story brick building containing six classrooms, a lunchroom, school lunch kitchen, a small auditorium, and a large teachers' room and office. The building was completely remodeled in 1939 at a cost of $30,000.00, and in comparison to most elementary schools in Box Elder County, is fairly modern. The school building is located in the center of the community, occupying one city block owned jointly by the City of Willard and the Box Elder County Board of Education. On the school grounds are a tennis court, a baseball field, and a soft ball field. The tennis court is equipped for basketball and is lighted for night activities. The soft ball field is in the process of being equipped with lights at this writing. The school is located just across the street from the ward chapel and recreation hall which are available for school use, if and when needed.

As a result of this study it is hoped to gain a better picture of the Willard School in its role as a community center. Undoubtedly it will be found that the school is stronger in some phases of the program than in others. If a better picture of the school is obtained and the strong and weak points brought out, it will be a means in helping to improve the educational program. It is to be hoped that a better program for the school and community will be developed. Through a better educational program it may be possible for the school to reach out into the community and become a motivating force for the improvement of the lives of the citizens. It is with this purpose in view that this study has been initiated.

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