Bay Ridge High School 1945 Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY) - Full Access

42 independent, self-willed opinions, 1n approving our distinctive tastes, in fostering our youthful tolerance, and above all, in respect– ing our pride! She is a woman who teaches the principles of democracy and practices what she teaches. Coupled with her intelligent, progressive methods is a genial. generous personality whose homely philosophy brings delightfully to focus the phrase "good old American stuff." We as individuals owe our discovery and recognition to two teachers. One of these teachers discovered us-she had the class which is meant to display talent and she is the teacher who can discover it. The stress is on discovery, for she did not, and does not, direct, dig out or divert a creative ability. Her own dis– tinctively individualistic personality reflects itself in her gratitude toward us, as students . In her eyes we were not the Misses A, B, C who must write on topics X, Y, Z, but instead we were Jane, Helen and Alice, whose ideas, attitudes and sensitivities were recognized, highlighted and applauded. We were individuals-we were free to the dictates of our own abilities! Thoughts that were once stifled and modified as we conformed to pattern were now inter– esting , amusing, arresting. However, her attraction did not lie in her methods but rather in her fascinating, sincere, frank personality. The second of these understanders of human nature is a teacher whose mere mention brings a gleam of delight to our eyes. Here is a person whose attention we sought, whose opinion we