Westchester Kids Like School

Martindale Estates residents are especially proud of the educational facilities offered to grammar school students by the Westchester Public School District. Under the direction of Superintendent J. Kenneth Beamish, the Westchester system emphasizes aiding children to be useful citizens in the community in addition to being academically trained.

Together with a sound scholastic background which every student in the school district receives, at least two other phases of education are emphasized. One is understanding the individual adjustment problems of each student and the other is the development of each child's ability to adapt himself in society and develop leadership abilities.

The Westchester school district at present consists of three schools -- the Britten School, High Ridge School and Nixon School. All schools have classes from kindergarten through the eighth grade. A fourth school is in the planning stage. This school is to be located at 24^th and Downing Streets, Children of Martindale Estates' residents, who now attend the Nixon Grammar School, will attend the new school.

Approximately 4 acres of the 8 acre school site have been donated to the school district for the contemplated new school. A generous cash contribution toward tee purchase of the playground adjacent to the site has been made by Mr. Martin H. Braun of Martindale Estates.
Studies are being made at present by the Board of Education as to future school needs. The Board works with builders in the area to determine how many families will likely move during a given time. Then the average number of children in each age group has to be expected is determined.  From this projection of future population, the board plans its facilities for years in the future.

Avoids Overcrowding

This system has been used by the Westchester Board of Education for the past ten years and it has enabled the village to avoid overcrowded schools and over-large classes.
Studies will be continued to determine the area with the most contemplated growth. A site just east of Martindale Estates has been acquired for building in the near future.
Bus service is at present provided to bring Martindale students to the George F. Nixon School at Westchester Boulevard and Canterbury.

Two Rooms in 1929

The Nixon School was constructed as a two room school in 1929. A four room addition was added in 1946.
By 1949 the fast growth of Westchester made necessary the addition of six additional classrooms.  A modern auditorium-gymnasium was also built at that time.
In the late fall of 1955, fourteen classrooms were completed and occupied at Nixon.
The curriculum and methods of teaching are constantly changing methods are discovered.  Mr. Beamish and his staff believe that teaching is a dynamic profession that must always be analytic of the results it is obtaining.
An interesting feature of the progressive Westchester school system is that grammar school pupils receive no report cards.  Instead, parents have conferences with teachers at a minimum of two times per year.
At the conferences, teachers report to parents on such categories as: The child's acceptance by the group and his own feelings toward his classmates; parents are advised as to how they can contribute to the child's development in areas where he needs help; parents are informed of the child's chief interest at school; the child's physical fitness and how it affects work is discussed; the child's study and work habits are explained; the child's progress in skills and subjects being studied are reported.

No Report Cards

By this system, instead of the parent receiving a card with symbols which take no cognizance of the child's aptitudes, attitudes and problems, the parent receives an individual report at complete length in an unhurried personal conference with the teacher.
The school district practices democracy in fee conduct of its relations with teachers.  Every teacher is on at least one committee which determines methods and programs to be pursued.  Every teacher in the systems is expected to, and does contribute ideas on improving the schools.
Students in the fourth grade or higher may learn to play musical instruments as a part of the regular curriculum. Students in the lower grades play in Cadet Bands.  More advanced students play in a district-wide Concert Band.
An athletic program is provided for boys and girls in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Interschool, and intra-mural flagball basketball, baseball and track is supervised. Volley ball for girls is a popular activity. An annual sports field day for both boys and girls is an event that is always anticipated.

Washington Trips

In cooperation with the Park District, school facilities are used every Friday evening for community recreation.
Two interesting events that Westchester grammar school students look forward to are the trip to Springfield by seventh grade students and a four-day trip to Washington, D. C. by eighth graders. The students study and read for months preparing to get the most out of these trips. The school obtains special travel-and housing rates for the students and provides plenty of adult supervision.

Provide Leaders

Superintendent Beamish pointed out that a high percentage of the student leaders in all activities at Proviso High School come from Westchester schools.