daily nebraskan
page 3
More students . . .
tuesday, September 15, 1981
Continued from Page 1
Although public schools try to meet the needs of all
students, he said, private schools can be selective. If pri
vate schools recruit the most capable students, public
schools will have to provide special programs that private
schools are not compelled to have, he said. That makes
comparisons on achievement tests unfair, he said.
If the shift to private education continues, public edu
cation could become more expensive than private and
have social implications as privileged, predominately white
students abandon the public schools.
Private schools also could start applying more pressure
for public support of education if this happens, he said.
Beverly Russell, principal of Helen Hyatt Elementary
School, which is affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist
Church, said that 80 percent of the parents of the 205 stu
dents think religious instruction is the most important
factor. She said parents don't say education is better in
private schools, but rather than the schools have the type
of education they want for their children.
Russell said Helen Hyatt has a financial advantage be
cause it has more freedom in its curriculum choice. The
school's music program is probably better than the public
schools for that reason, she said.
Religion stressed
"We're paying so we can teach religion, that there are
absolutes, a right and wrong," Russell said. "The Bible is
part of every subject and our reading content is con
trolled." All faiths are accepted at the school.
When a severely handicapped student wants to attend
the school, she said, the school refers the student to the
public schools but provides special independent study
courses.
Russell said the school tries to work with the public
system, recognizing each meets the lifestyles of different
parents.
"With multiple options in education comes freedom of
choice," she said. "It works to match the value system of
the family to the school."
Levi Kroeker, principal of the Lincoln Christian
School, said that enrollment has been stable for the past
three years. Enrollment is 340 students this year.
Parents prefer the Christian education, smaller class
sizes and an over-all good education, he said. He added
that the non-denominational school is approved and
accredited.
Kroeker said competition between public and private
schools provides for excellent education. A public school
monopoly would tend to stagnate the system.
Relieves burden
He said the financial base of public schools won't be
undermined because they will continue to receive state
support. He added the private school actually relieves the
public school's burden by leaving it with fewer students to
educate.
Joy Worster, secretary of the Calvary Lutheran Church
and School, said the school has had a slight increase in en
rollment this year to 149 students.
She cited religious instruction and a better chance for
individual attention as major reasons for choosing a pri
vate school. Most parents are dissatisfied with the freedom
children have in public schools, sjie said.
The school is approved and accredited by the state,
Worster said. Students who are members of the church
get free tuition, but non-menbers pay $500.
Bob Wienbarger, principal of the Park West Christian
School, said the school's enrollment is up by 50 per
cent this year, from 58 to 89 students.
Wienbarger said the school is neither approved nor
accredited and declined to comment on teachers' cre
dentials. He said state approval has no bearing on the edu
cation offered.
"We're giving an excellent education from the scores
on our standardized tests," Wienbarger said. "I have no
qualms about it."
Most of the increase in enrollment has come from satis
fied parents telling others about the school, he said.
Wienbarger said children are taught in a Christian
atmosphere. The school's philosophy of education is
based on the Bible being God's word and is integrated into
every course, he said.
Museums coalition begins
campaign to raise funds
By Leslie Boellstorff
The Nebraska Museums Coalition is be
ginning a five-year campaign this fall to
raise $750,000 and become self-sufficient
by 1986, its executive director said Mon
day. Terry Houghknd said the coalition is an
incorporated organization of more than
100 museums across Nebraska, which pro
vides consultant services and technical
assistance to member museums.
Such services are especially helpful to
small museums run by volunteers rather
than professionals, said Jon Nelson, curator
of the art collection in the Center for Great
Plains Studies and co-chairman of the coal
ition's corporate fund drive.
Funding for the organization is
threatened by federal budget cuts, Nelson
said.
"It's already happened," he said. He
cited the almost 94 percent budget cut of
Museums Services, part of the Smithsonian
Institute in Washington, D.C.
"They can operate for a year, in order
to close their office," he said.
Nelson said Museums Services was the
source of funds for the Nebraska Com
mittee for Humanities, which financed
some of the coalition's programs.
One such program, the Humanist in
Residence program, provides museums
with someone to help them catalogue and
develop a logical method of displaying
their exhibits, he said.
The coalition had planned on three
years of funding from Museum Services,
but will receive money for only one year,
Nelson said.
Nelson said the coalition plans to form
its own endowment so it won't have to
return to fund raising.
"If 60,000 Nebraskans would each send
$1, we'd have our first year's goal," Nelson
said.
Houghland said after the $750,000 is
raised, $100,000 will be used to earn inter
est that the coalition will grant to contri
buting museums.
The main office of the Nebraska
Museums Coalition is at Kearney State
College.
Orientation session slated
for Oktobertrek bicyclists
An orientation session is scheduled for
Wednesday for participants in the Ameri
can Lung Association of Nebraska's second
annual Oktobertrek. The 6:30 pjn. session
is on the fifth floor of the Lincoln Center
Building, 215 Centennial Mall South.
Seventy-one bicyclists are registered.
They range in age from 1 1 to 60 years old.
Participants will ride from Lincoln to Ne
braska City, camp overnight and return to
Lincoln on Oct. 17 and 18, said Dr. Paul
Stoesz, Oktobertrek leader.
Each person is to gather a minimum of
$100 in pledges before the ride.
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