b"Preschoolers atColumbia High School?Innovative program groomed future teachersBY ELLEN DONKERRESEARCH BY CAROL PETRALLIAFrom theCHS Archive CollectionL ikemostschools,Co- childpsychology,specialeducation,Barbara Cocuzza Kirner, from the lumbiaHighSchoolparenthood and other careers involv- class of 1979, loved working with oncehadahomeeco- ingpre-schooleducation.Althoughthe children and recalls class mem-nomics department. Butthe laboratory pre-school does providebers sitting on couches in the class-did you know that frompre-school children with an academicroombrainstorminglessonplans 1974to1983thede- backgrounditoffersanopportunityfor the next week. She says, [The partment also ran a pre- forthehighschoolstudentstogainprogram] solidified what I wanted school in the C-wing of the building? experience.to be when I left high school. Af-An article from The Columbian, dat- Thearticlecontinues,Thestu- tercollege,shetaughtpreschool ed December 20, 1974, describes thedents received textbooks and did read- and now teaches special education. program:Thepre-schoollaboratorying assignments before the children ar- Debra Gomer, from the class of under the direction of Mrs. Margueriterived. One day of the week is reserved1980, participated in the program Cryer, head of the Home Economicsfor workshop sessions where the stu- three times. She credits it for giv- Karen Volk Menke taught special edu-Department, is a pilot program for stu- dents discuss their relations with theing her a glimpse for the first timecation for 32 years, followed by other dents interested in preschool educationchildrenandtheobservationstheyof what she might want to do withteaching-related work. It all stemmed from working in the Columbia preschool or those desiring a supplement to Childhave made.her future. It was my experience inprogram, she says.Development I and II. Childrenwerechosenbylotterythis program that made me want to Mondays,WednesdaysandFri- andthecosttoattendwas$15perbecome a teacher/administrator, she says. I taught third grade at Seth Boyden days,from9:0011:30a.m.,15semester to cover snacks and miscella- for seven years, Spanish at Maplewood Middle and Columbia for a long time threeandfouryearoldchildrenat- neous play items. The Board of Educa- and also served as the Supervisor for World Languages and ESL for the District. tendpre-schoolatColumbiaHightion funded the program with $3,500After 28 years, Gomer retired from teaching.School.RoomC221wasconvertedin innovation funds. CHS class of 1977 grad Karen Volk Menke is equally enthusiastic. She says, into a playroom where the pre-schoolGeiger,theformerlong-timedi- I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. That was my push all through school. is conducted in one, open classroomrector at Prospect Preschool, has fondHal Young, her guidance counselor, saw how well she did in the preschool pro-atmosphere.Fifteenjuniorsandse- memories of the CHS preschool pro- gram and arranged an independent study at the Seth Boyden School, teaching niors work with the children under thegram. She recalls that the program hadchildren with multiple disabilities. After college and graduate school, Menke direction of Mrs. Betsy Geiger, a Keana large budget, enabling them to buytaught special education for 32 years, followed by other teaching-related work. College Student who is studying earlynew toys and materials and to put in aIt all stemmed from working in the Columbia preschool program, she says. childhood education. playground behind the administrationThe program was discontinued in 1983. Although our research produced no 'Our concern is for the educationbuilding. conclusive reason, it was likely due to budget cuts in the Home Ec department. ofthehighschoolchildren,com- Interviews with former students ofAnother conjecture is that the high school needed the classroom when the ninth mentedMrs.Cryer.Theonesemes- the preschool course cite it as invalu- grade was shifted from the middle schools (then called junior high schools) to tercourseprovidesabackgroundinable for directing their future careers.Columbia High School. 34/ matters magazine / hearth & home 2020"