Observer_1989-09-13; East Rockaway/Lynbrook Observer

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VOL 36 NO. 34 Wednes4^y, September 13,1989 35c PER COPY
East Rockaway P AL
by Robert Parry
If asked to name the sin-gle,
most important factor
contributing to the quaHty of
schools most people will
name "good teachers". It
seems obvious enough to
identify, encourage and
reward good teachers. Yet,
during the 1980's, states
across the nation have tried
to devise systems to do just
that and more often than not
with very little success.
Identifying "good
teachers" is a complex task.
Certainly, a good teacher is
one who knows his or her
subject matter well; is a good
communicator; can organize
teaching - and learning - into
interesting and intriguing
activities; cares deeply about
children as people and wants
to be part of a school team
which fosters social and
emotional growth along
with academic achievement.
Many of us can look back
at our own 12 or 13 years
of pre-college schooling and
recall several outstanding
teachers whose work made
a positive imprint on our
lives. We may also forget the
majority of those teachers
who toiled (with or without
success) to make us success-ful
learners. Among the
changes in society that
reflect in schools is the fact
that women, who in previous
generations were limited in
the occupations/professions
really opened to them, are
now recruited into all the
top-paying business and
professional fields. Related
to that fact of life, colleges
Lan#mfark Status for Grist Mill Museum
SENATOR DEAN SKELOS (L.) is seen presenting a
symbolic check to Police Officer Larry Pashaian repres-enting
the East Rockaway P.A.L. The Senator obtained the
funds through special Senate Iniatives. In awarding 'the
money the Senator praised those involved in the program
for their, ^^outstanding contributions to the youth of our
community."
East Rockaway Schools'
Report Card
report that the average stu-dent
entering teacher-education
programs in
recent years comes from the
lower third or quarter of the
class. Only infrequently are
the best and brightest males
or females selecting teaching
as a career. This fact prob-ably
reflects the salary lim-itations
of the field, given the
reality that top teacher salar-ies
are possible only after 20
or 25 years on the job rather
than being based on how
well you do the work.
This brings us back to
defining good teaching and
then evaluating "good"
teachers against that defini-tion.
Some experts see teach-ing
more as a science, where
performance can be mea-sured
on a checklist of skills
(classroom management,
motivation of students, les-son
development, use of
materials and activities,
questioning, testing, etc).
Others view teaching as
more of an art where the
successful whole is greater
than its parts. Is Teacher A
a good teacher for some
children? All Children? Is
the firm disciplinarian with
quiet classes and heavy
homework superior to the
creative tinkerer who
encourages productive noise
and is more interested in
good questions than correct
answers?
East Rockaway School
District believes in supervi-sion
and evaluation of
teachers on a regular basis.
Classroom observations
(Continued on Page 12)
by Mildren Roemer
"As we approach the
dawn of a new century, it is
vitally important that our
township does not lose sight
of the rich heritage that has
shaped our outstanding sub-urban
way of life," presiding
Supervisor Joseph Mon-dello
noted." The Town's
Landmark Preservation
Commission is responsible
for ensuing that, while our
Town meets the challanges
of the future, it is always
mindful of the debt we all
owe to those who built
Hempstead Town into what
it is today."
These were the words
printed in the Summer 1989
issue of the "Town of Hemp-stead,
Report to The Peo-ple"
refering to the most
recent Landmark desig-nated.
The words brought
joy to the hearts of the
members of the hard work-ing
Grist Mill Museum
Committee as well as to
officials of the Village Hall
and residents of the Village.
For years the Landmark
status for the 1688 building
and its local historic con-tents,
have been sought from
Washington, D.C., Albany,
and to the Town of Hemp-stead.
There were promises
to look into it, but not real
action. A real ray of hope
was lighted when the Com-mittee
contacted Richard
Kappeler of the Museum
Advisory Offices of Hemp-stead,
concerning the con-struction
of a new Tool
Exhibit inthe Museum. Mr.
Kappeler was quite
impressed, not only with the
careful preservation of the
building, but of it's historic
contents and to the manner
in which they were
exhibited.
"I like the way each
exhibit relates to old-time
residents and occupations in
the Village," he said.
Mr. Kappeler also agreed
to assist with the proposed
tool exhibits.
"You have many fine tools
that have been donated, but
these carpenter's tools
should be separated from the
many farm tools you have
among them."
The Grist Mill Commit-tee,
composed of mostly
female members, had been
inclined to regard the former
tool room as sort of a "catch
all." They were better
informed about the many,
many costumes dating back
to 1876 that had been
donated. However, as plows
and scythes and other imple-ments
were tossed aside, a
"Farmer's Corner" was set
up with a manikin farmer at
the plow who had the year
before worn a naval c(>m-mander's
uniform.
Mr. Kappeler was also
most interested in a pre-Civil
War map that included
names of streets, the houses
on them, and the names of
the residents when Nassau
County was part of
"Queens." The map was in
poor condition so the Com-mittee
voted to have it res-'
tored by an expert. The Bay
Exhibit was also upgraded
with even the twenty-year-old
sand on the beach being
removed and cleaned.
Perhaps word of the
Museum was being brought
up more often, especially
concerning the constant hec-kling
about why it had never
been recognized as a Land-mark.
Then, James York
after some correspondence,
of the Town Landmark
Commission came with their
lawyer, who took many
photographs of the building.
Both men agreed that the
Museum should be in line
for Landmark status.
Last June a Landmark
hearing was held in Hemp-stead.
Mayor Irving S.
Shaw, Trustees Kevin
McNulty, Robert McTague,
and Mildred Roemer, Chair-man
of the Museum Com-mittee,
attended. Mayor
Shaw stated our case and we
Olti (tit\i Mill Muxt'iir
km Ko^ii i.,>r..
left hopefully.
Following the meeting it
was reported in the papers
that seldom has a building
been approved by the Land-mark
Commission that their
verdict been denied by the
Hempstead Town Board.
"Promises again?" The
Committee worried through
the summer months, and
then, the good news came.
After almost twenty years of
hoping and persistence,it
had happened.
With or without that pres-tigious
"label," the Museum
would still keep on growing
and improving; but just as
a good pair of dungarees
selling for $15 without a
designer's label would sell
for $45 with the desired
"patch," so the town of
Hempstead, Village of East
Rockaway, and our museum
vistors will feel they are
treading on "holier ground,"
when they cross the threshold!
East Rockaway Adult
Education Program
Fall 1989 Adult Educa-tion
brochures for the East
Rockaway Union -Free
Scnool District are expected
to be in the mail to district
residents by September 12,
1989, according to Richard
J. Meagher, program direc-tor
for the school district.
A convenient mail regis-tration
form is included so
that adults can clip it out,
complete it, and mail it,
together with their payment
by check or money order, by
September 25 to the District
Office, East Rockaway High
School, East Rockaway,
New York 11518. However,
for those who prefer to
register in person, an in-person,
registration will also
be held on Thursday, Sep-tember
28, 1989,' from 7 to
8 p.m. at the high school's
main office.
(Continued on Page 12)