“There must be a record of it,” exclaims Norma Walker as she scours through old files and publications in the college archives. Norma Walker is on a research mission. And when she’s on a mission, she’s nearly unstoppable.
Walker, a member of the Class of 1951 and distinguished alumnae, is searching for information on the training agreement between Keene Teachers College (now Keene State College) and Hancock High School (N.H.). Hancock High School hosted numerous student teachers from 1930 to 1950.
The arrangement seems reminiscent to one with the Wheelock School in Keene. The Elliot School was founded in 1885 as a new grade school for the expanding student population in Keene. When Keene Normal School (now Keene State) was founded in 1909, the Elliot School (renamed the Wheelock School in 1915) became a training school for Keene Normal Schools’ student teachers. The arrangement continued until 2003 even though it remained only an elementary school because its high school students had transferred to Conval in 1970.
Students from Keene State continue to train at the Wheelock School as well as other schools in the region. This training is a capstone experience for all education majors.
“Student teaching is a rite of passage,” remarked Dr. Darrell Hucks, Professor of Education. “We place majors in area schools every semester. It’s an essential experience on their pathway to becoming skilled educators and licensed professionals.” Walker’s relationship to Hancock High School is special. She attended the school, graduating in 1947. Her family belongs to the Hancock Educational Association, the organization that created the new high school in 1913.
Walker’s experience at Hancock High with the student teachers was a determining factor in her decision to go to Keene Teachers College and to become an educator. “I had never been to another high school, so I thought all high schools changed teachers every 9 or 18 weeks as Hancock did. I enjoyed all my teachers,” said Walker.
Asked how she felt about having so many teachers and if she felt read attend Keene Teachers College, Walker replied, “I had more science and math classes than most of my classmates in my division that came from Concord, Manchester or Nashua Schools, and yes, I felt well-prepared.” Walker has been heavily involved for many years with the Golden Circle Society, a KSC alumni group for graduating classes that reached their 50th year. Norma Walker Hall at the Alumni Center is named after Walker in recognition of her work with the Golden Circle and the alumni. Through the Golden Circle, formed in 1986, Walker has many alums who taught at Hancock High.
“Fred Barry, the former director of the KSC alumni association, taught Hancock,” said Walker. “So did Malcolm Keddy, the much beloved professor of English.”
Walker met Louis Nelson Burford, Class of 1944, whose son Brian Burford is the Class of 1972. “My mother,” said Burford,
“student taught at Hancock High. She was from Goshen (N.H.) and majore Home Economics. She spent 8 weeks at Hancock, traveling from Keene to Hancock by train.”
Walker finds many references to the HHS-KTC program but no copy of the written agreement. Frustrated but undeterred, Walker decides to search at the Hancock Historical Society. A few weeks later, she emails, “I found it.”
Rodney Obien can be contacted at
robien@keene.edu
