PTA Concerns of the Past Provide Lesson in Perspective

“America today faces a choice between the child and the dollar. It cannot afford not to put the child first. Any other policy destroys progress. . . . Only as the schools move forward today can government, industry and the standard of living move forward tomorrow.”

Sound familiar? The rallying cry of local school officials on the eve of the 1995-96 school year?

Well, not quite. It comes from a 1932 newsletter from the Garden Grove Parent-Teacher Assn. When it was written, the country was in the midst of the Depression. Would those folks be surprised to learn that their descendants are still saying the same thing?

Let’s not get heavy today, though. It’s more fun to pore through the aged files of the Garden Grove PTA and see how parents of previous generations viewed the challenges facing their schools. Like any trip to the history books, it gives us perspective.

Onward and backward, then. Let’s start with excerpts from 1932-33:

Nov. 5: “[Assistant Supt.] Arthur Corey . . . deplored that the schools have on them many burdens that should be partly cared for in other activities of life.”

Dec. 3: “[Presbyterian minister Graham Hunter] said, ‘People must have a faith that will grow with years because experience has proven that education is not enough. . . .’ In conclusion, Dr. Hunter suggested that both children and adults sing one Christmas hymn every day until Christmas.”

Dec. 3: “At the business session, announcements included that of a plan whereby parts of lunches which are uneaten will be collected and given to needy children. Teachers of the school will be in charge of collection and distribution.”

March 4: “The work required by teachers in Mexican schools in their efforts to make good citizens of these American-born children was explained to members of the grammar school PTA at the Americanization program at the Hoover School this week. One hundred cups of soup are served each day, all teachers assisting. . . . Children who can, pay a cent a cup for the soup.”

March 4: “Attendance at Hoover during the past year was 96%. This, [Principal Mary Thomason] believes, is mainly due to the cleanliness program. A total of 5,000 supervised shower baths were given. . . . Each room has a designated time to use the showers, the teachers supervising and teaching the children how to bathe.”

March 4: “The Rev. Grover Ralston gave the invocation and later introduced Russell Lutes of the sheriff’s office, who discussed narcotics, giving special attention to marijuana, which is grown in Orange County.”

A 1935 excerpt quoted Assistant Supt. Corey, sounding eerily similar to many people today, 60 years later: “Ever since the World War, the United States has been heading toward dictatorship and with the middle class of people fast disappearing, leaving only the upper and lower classes. The question of dictatorship government or true democracy is up to these two classes.”

In 1936, a music teacher gave a talk on “The Wise Use of the Radio.” The PTA report noted that the teacher lauded radio’s potential but warned that “parents must constantly watch the sponsors of radio programs in which their children are interested to determine whether the program is to be a benefit to the child.”

From April, 1949: “Motion by Mrs. Patterson that the association purchase a shoe repair kit to cost approximately $5 for Fitz School, to be used by Mr. Pecor, a janitor of the school, who is frequently asked to make emergency shoe repairs.”

January, 1950: “Rev. Coffin very kindly presented an interesting demonstration of a tape recorder and explained its possibilities.”

March, 1950: “Mrs. Morgan reported that many mothers are complaining about the lack of a place for the children to eat their lunches at school.”

May, 1951: “Mr. Peters gave an informal talk bringing to mind again the rapid increase of enrollment on Garden Grove schools and of the cooperation needed to handle this increase.”

October, 1952: “Special board meeting for the carnival committee was set. The price of the ham dinner was set at 60 cents.”

And, finally, from March, 1953: “A motion was made that a petition be presented at the next PTA meeting requesting that a new ordinance be put into effect banning the sale and use of BB guns and pellet guns to minors. Motion carried.”

If nothing else, history tells us that those teachers and students survived their problems. Maybe that’s the lesson for today, after all.

Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by writing to him at The Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or calling (714) 966-7821.