Title
Report of the Headmaster to the Board of Trustees / 1947 - 1948
Date
November
12
1948
Author/Photographer
Walden Pell II
Decade
1940s
Notes
Alternate title: Excerpts from the Report of the Headmasteer to the Board of Trustees, 1947-48

This report opens with recounting the death of Founder Alexis Felix duPont on June 29, and with the Resolution of the Faculty to reaffirm their commitment to furthering the Founder's ideals.

Enrollment at "ultimate limit, 147 boys" (pg. 2); "shake-down cruise" after administration reorganization; 1948 catalog revised; tuition raised.

Need for the final wing of the Main Building cataloged - "Further study of this problem is strongly recommended." Honor System devised; The Fathers' Club revived; fellowship with other schools continues.

Kitchen redesign described (cost $20,000); numerous other plant projects listed, described. Finance reporting includes tuition collected; farm profit (attributed to price of milk); livestock-sale profit.

Personnel reporting includes: retirements of Cedric Cooper, Margaret E. Miller, Hamilton Hutton, Dorothy Welton; hiring of Blackburn Hughes; administrative reorganization duties; election of Woodall Cochran as a State Representative.

Report on Alumni include: status of the War Memorial Fund; alumni gatherings; the first-time presentation of the Alumni Award for Outstanding Public Service, given to the 24 Andreans who lost their lives in the War (medals funded by Florence Bayard Hills); college success records.

Testing and curriculum revision is discussed in-depth, as are results of an Alumni ('44-'47) Questionnaire seeking data for improvement. Remedial Reading program is described. Commencement honors, college matriculations, School professional affiliations, academic expectations are noted.

In Athletics, noted are 5 weeks of ice-skating, preparation for crew Olympic Trials, Yacht Club boat needs. Activities notes include: "Arsenic and Old Lace" performed; 4 issues of The Cardinal produced (and sent to Alumni); Dinner Music program continued; Bailing Room designated as snack room; Dance fees discussion on-going; explanation of efforts of establishing a relationship with University of Delaware by the Recreation Committee as a fee-reducing entertainment partnership.

Headmaster notes his delight at serving again as School Chaplain; Student vestry raised money and distributed it to various organizations.

Gifts listed and acknowledged.

Conclusion: Rev. Pell discusses the US Supreme Court Decision to keep separate religion from public schools, and what that means for the ideological foundation of democracy itself.