importance of education. And as the mothers and fathers in the military come to understand how important education is
for themselves, they can easily deduce how important it is for their children.
They demand only the best for their kids, and in most cases the military is happy to oblige. When kindergarten classes were
not mandatory, they were available on military bases. Now that preschool education is considered optimum but not mandatory,
military bases go out of their way to provide preschool for military kids.
Minot Air Force Base in upper North Dakota was such a base. It was isolated by both distance and extremes of weather. It was
not regarded as a dream assignment. And it gave the Air Force a real chance to shine. If the brass could make Minot a comfortable
base for its working families, they would have really accomplished something. And they did. It became a good place to live.
When it came to schools, the base excelled. North Dakota was proud of its high rating in the education of its young people.
The air base schools continued the tradition.
When the best minds in education stressed the need for an early start in school, the base was right there to establish a well-equipped
and modern preschool.
Base schools benefit from a resource that is often overlooked by outsiders. Husbands and wives of well-educated professional
military personnel tend to be likewise well educated and professional. Many are teachers with a wealth of experience to draw
on. They become the core of teachers for the base schools. Such was the case for the new preschool.
A dedicated and knowledgeable staff was chosen and presented with the task of turning a former office building into a four-star
preschool. The task was not too difficult. The building was large with several spacious rooms. It had been used for many purposes
in the past and had amenities that preschools didn’t usually offer. The base provided as much support as it could squeeze
from the budget and the dedicated teachers and their spouses provided even more.
In no time the preschool became a reality. One class grew to two classes that split to four classes that led to morning and
afternoon classes and on to a waiting list and an obvious need to enlarge the drawings of the proposed permanent facility.
The teachers worked hard to make the school the best in the area and it became a magnet for base parents. And as the hardworking
teachers found out, the building became a magnet for something else.
Preschool teaching looks like an easy job. An outsider would look in and see what appears to be an adult playing with the
kids. The classroom is a cheery place to work and the classes usually only last two to three hours a day. Nothing but fun
and games.
But nothing could be farther from the truth. Ask the husband or wife of a preschool teacher. They’ll tell you how much hard
work and time goes into teaching the little ones.
The teachers of the Minot Air Base preschool worked long and hard to make their program the best. It was not unusual to drive
past the school early in the morning or late at night and see the lights on. The janitor would invariably find one or more
teachers still hard at work when he got there in the evening. And more times than not they would still be there when he left
at night.
The first hint that the school might house more than the registered students came one night while a teacher worked in her
room to change a bulletin board. She had found some brilliant prints from a publication about exotic fish and was anxious
to share them with her class. The janitor had said good-night over an hour ago and she was alone in the building. Or so she
thought.
As she worked, she became aware of a feeling that had slowly intensified. She couldn’t put her finger on it but it was an
uneasy kind of feeling that made her lose her concentration. Slowly, bit by bit, she realized what it was. Someone was watching
her. She
for themselves, they can easily deduce how important it is for their children.
They demand only the best for their kids, and in most cases the military is happy to oblige. When kindergarten classes were
not mandatory, they were available on military bases. Now that preschool education is considered optimum but not mandatory,
military bases go out of their way to provide preschool for military kids.
Minot Air Force Base in upper North Dakota was such a base. It was isolated by both distance and extremes of weather. It was
not regarded as a dream assignment. And it gave the Air Force a real chance to shine. If the brass could make Minot a comfortable
base for its working families, they would have really accomplished something. And they did. It became a good place to live.
When it came to schools, the base excelled. North Dakota was proud of its high rating in the education of its young people.
The air base schools continued the tradition.
When the best minds in education stressed the need for an early start in school, the base was right there to establish a well-equipped
and modern preschool.
Base schools benefit from a resource that is often overlooked by outsiders. Husbands and wives of well-educated professional
military personnel tend to be likewise well educated and professional. Many are teachers with a wealth of experience to draw
on. They become the core of teachers for the base schools. Such was the case for the new preschool.
A dedicated and knowledgeable staff was chosen and presented with the task of turning a former office building into a four-star
preschool. The task was not too difficult. The building was large with several spacious rooms. It had been used for many purposes
in the past and had amenities that preschools didn’t usually offer. The base provided as much support as it could squeeze
from the budget and the dedicated teachers and their spouses provided even more.
In no time the preschool became a reality. One class grew to two classes that split to four classes that led to morning and
afternoon classes and on to a waiting list and an obvious need to enlarge the drawings of the proposed permanent facility.
The teachers worked hard to make the school the best in the area and it became a magnet for base parents. And as the hardworking
teachers found out, the building became a magnet for something else.
Preschool teaching looks like an easy job. An outsider would look in and see what appears to be an adult playing with the
kids. The classroom is a cheery place to work and the classes usually only last two to three hours a day. Nothing but fun
and games.
But nothing could be farther from the truth. Ask the husband or wife of a preschool teacher. They’ll tell you how much hard
work and time goes into teaching the little ones.
The teachers of the Minot Air Base preschool worked long and hard to make their program the best. It was not unusual to drive
past the school early in the morning or late at night and see the lights on. The janitor would invariably find one or more
teachers still hard at work when he got there in the evening. And more times than not they would still be there when he left
at night.
The first hint that the school might house more than the registered students came one night while a teacher worked in her
room to change a bulletin board. She had found some brilliant prints from a publication about exotic fish and was anxious
to share them with her class. The janitor had said good-night over an hour ago and she was alone in the building. Or so she
thought.
As she worked, she became aware of a feeling that had slowly intensified. She couldn’t put her finger on it but it was an
uneasy kind of feeling that made her lose her concentration. Slowly, bit by bit, she realized what it was. Someone was watching
her. She
Similar Books
