Graduation Needn't Be The End of Education1.The End Of Education
By DIEDRA VAN DUZEE
Staff Writer
If you think because you are no longer
making the campus scene study, action,
and fun are things of the past then explore
the possibilities of the American Association
of University Women (AAUW).
The variety of opinions and personalities
in AAUW of the North Palm Beaches is
reflected in their diverse projects.
They conduct study groups on themes
from art to law, were the impetus behind
the establishment of the North Palm Beach
Library, members help out with corrective
classes at Alamanda Elementary School,
work with the Palm Beach County Association
for' Retarded Children's Development, and
parties are not unknown.
continuing project in AAUW is the
study groups which fulfill one of the purposes
of the organization — intellectual growth.
These sessions are open to the public.
The. Theme For This Year
ri
Soc,1'ety's Reflection In A
This year's theme is "Society's Reflec-
tion ih the Arts". According to Mrs. William
Ahbbbtt president, every two years the nation-
al "AAUW chooses four possible themes.
"E ach branch sends what they want to
study to national which sifts through and
weed out to come up with four topics and
the local organizations select one."
The national recommends books and
films at the conventions and ways to carry
out the themes. A local member with an
interest in the subject pursues it and con-
ducts the study groups, she explained.
"This year the groups are designed to
give people more exposure to the arts,"
Mrs. Keith Cloyed, chairman said.
"You can do almost anything with a
study group," she continued. For their first
study group they had a "happening." Pop
art posters hung around the room anis
a high school French teacher wandered
about reading poetry.
Other sessions have included, reflections
in modern art, reflections in dramas. reflec-
tions in architecture. Coming up will be reflec-
tions in the dance and the. last session is
an overall ..discussion of the study groups.
Study- groups help you keep up on things,
you can at least appear bright, she smiled.
One year we had members simply" d`s7.
cuss interesting current events in the 'news.
We discussed Vietnam long before it .,was
such a publicized controversy. "You,'""...get
a lot more out of something whenlT you
discuss it with others," she remarked.
Members Air Their Views
Without Any Hesitation
"The majority of members have opin-
ions and no hesitations about stating them,"
Mrs. Abbott added with a mischievous laugh.
Another purpose of AAUW is responsibili-
ty to society. "AAUW is a spearheading:
organization," Mrs. Herbert Gildan comment-
ed. "It makes ao community aware of a
problem and encourages people to be civicly
responsible and do something about it."
AAUW interested the community in
starting the North Palm Beach Library and
gathered support for it. They did ,a pilot
study to see if one was needed aiW then
held book fairs to raise money and; create
interest, Mrs. Gildan, now chairman. of the
village committee which runs the library,
said. r
To further community educatio.' "AAUV
volunteers help at Alamanda School with
children who have difficulties in reading.
Right now they are helping in three
classrooms in math and reading. "Some
of the children's difficulties are neurologi-
cal," Mrs. Howard McLean, chairman of
the reading program said. Many of them
areabove normal in intelligence but because
of their special reading problems they have
individual needs which can't be satisfied
in an average size classroom. Our vplun-
teers give them this individual attention."
There Is A Fascination,
In_ Working With, Children
"You can see the children learning, they
blossom with a little help," she said in her
soft voice. "In working with these children
patience is the key virtue but it really is
rewarding.
`You can see how a little attention makes
so much difference and the children arelfasc18
i
nating.
A new. project this year is wo 'king with
retarded children, by helping Mrs. Tarn
Wachtef with her classes held in S`V. Markt
Episcopal Church, Burns Road, Palm Beach
Gardens.
"This is a new program for AAUW
but who is better able to do this sort 9f
thing," Mrs. George Bonner, chm"Irman said.
We' have all kinds of talent in AAUW."
"It is primarily a kindergarden program
so the children can eventually go to Royal
Palm School, Mrs. Wachtef said. "I train
them to take care of themselves, teach
them manners, and cleanliness. It is a tre-
mendous program if people would take' ad-
vantage of it. There is great improvement
in the children."
"I was surprised the work some of
them, have done," Mrs. Bonner said dis-
playing a drawing by one little girl.-
Future Flans To Include
Creative Dramatics Program
University women are obviously inter-
ested in children. In the future they plan
to bring cultural affairs to children. "We
hope to get creative dramatics started,"
Mrs. Cloyed said.
"We are planning to have a children's
art show and use art from the north county
schools," Mrs. Abbott added.
Most people in AAUW do a lot of other
things, there are a lot. of membersinvolved
in adult education programs. But we do
a little socializing once in a while," she
said twinkii"Ir-