classes in the Jefferson Park School, and the fourth grade will attend at Centennial School. The office of the unit superintendent will be moved to a residence south of the high school, and the high school principal will be moved to the superintendent's office. This will release the principal's office for use as a classroom. Some re-arrangements will also be made in the Centennial building.
The first superintendent of the unit district was H. B. Tate, who served in that capacity until 1956 when Walter M. Claggett was named to that job. Mr. Claggett held that position until he retired in 1971. He and his wife, Helen, moved to Pleasant Plains in 1973. Mr. Claggett spent 37 years with the El Paso school system, starting as teacher, then becoming principal, and serving the district for his final 15 years as superintendent. Richard M. Hadfield, formerly of Meredosia, Illinois, became superintendent in 1971. The administrative staff in 1974 includes three principals: Karmy Kays, high school; Robert Eatock, Centennial School; Edward Heiken, Jefferson Park and Secor schools.
The district has an area of 116.5 square miles with an assessed valuation of $32,361,531 and a total tax rate for school purposes of 2.3554. It has a district bonding power of $3,833,383. As of December, 1973, the district is free of bonded indebtedness. To operate the school, employees include 58 teachers, three principals, five secretaries, five cooks, seven custodians, nine bus drivers, and a bus maintenance and transportation supervisor.
The 1973-74 enrollment totals 1,132, with 330 in high school. Centennial has 451 students, and Jefferson Park has 293 students. There are now 38 pupils enrolled at Secor, and 20 more pupils are unclassified. The district owns 12 buses, 1 mini-bus, and 1 station wagon. They travel 531 miles daily and have 598 eligible riders. All lunches are prepared in the Centennial School cafeteria, and the prepared lunches are then transported to the Jefferson Park and Secor schools.
Members of the Board of Education are: Wallace Etcheson, John Sutton, Monte Lindsey, Don Zimmerman, Melvin Moreland, Larry McKee, and John S. Delaney.
AMERICAN FIELD SERVICE – In 1962, the American Field Service program was introduced to the community. It is an international program designed to create better understanding between nations through an exchange of students. The A. F. S. student is usually a senior in high school and spends about 10 months with a host family in the El Paso area. The school provides school supplies and tuition free. A similar program, in reverse, known as Americans Abroad, is sponsored by the same organization, some students going only for a summer, and others for a school year.
El Paso has been host to students from Europe, Asia, Australia, South and Central America. They usually have some knowledge of the English language, which is required now in many foreign schools. The
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