1980_11 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper November 1980

              November, 1980
Hye Sharzhoom
Page 3
Community school stresses basics
By Shell! Andranigian
Fresno's Armenian Community
School has come quite a way since its
inception in 1977.
Back when classes were held in the
Holy Trinity Apostolic Church, 22
children were enrolled, and present
head teacher Mrs. Diane Emerzian was
the only one who taught the English
curriculum.
"We were very grateful to them (Holy
Trinity) for opening their services to
us," Emerzian said.
The school started its fourth year on
Sept. 8 in a large, white, two-story
structure located on the corner of North
Fresno and East Weldon. The former
Baptist Church building houses 51
students, two full-time teachers, a
kindergarten teacher, an Armenian
language instructor and a secretary
each school day.
The first floor has been completely
renovated into classrooms, while the top
floor remains to be restored. Emerzian
said that they hope to start fixing the
top floor sometime this year.
Students at the school range in age
from four to 12 and in grades from pre-
kindergarten to sixth. They also vary in
their ethnic backgrounds. There are two
Greek   students,   one   Chicano, an
Egyptian and a number of Armenians.
Secretary Mrs. Margaret Gregory
estimates that one-third of the students
are new to the U.S. One example is
a sixth grade girl who arrived from
Istanbul, Turkey a few weeks ago.
The remaining two-thirds are from the
Fresno and Clovis areas.
Emerzian said that the girl from
Turkey is picking up English fast.
Learning English is stressed at the
school. Students who are accustomed to
speaking Armenian are urged to use
English during their regular lessons.
Armenian reading, writing and singing
taught by Mrs. Azadouhie Tchaderjian
are, however, added to the daily teachings. School is held from 8:30 a.m. to
3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Structure, discipline, Christian
education, the Armenian language
and English basics are the teaching formats emphasized at the school.
"We believe in firm discipline and a
very structured program in the basics,"
Emerzian said. "We expect that discipline and the parents expect it of us.
We expect our discipline to be better
than the public school. The reason the
parents are sending them here is for
better discipline."
Another reason parents send their
children to the school is. to preserve
their ethnic background.
"I like them to learn their culture of
Armenia and to read and write," related one mother who has three children
enrolled. She also likes the individual
attention the student receives.
"Usually in a public school they don't
get much attention," she said.
Lara and Sebouh, whose father
speaks a little English, are going to
the Armenian school because "we want
to learn English and we want to learn
Armenian so we don't forget how to
talk," according to Lara. Four-year-old
Sebouh, meanwhile, is willing to help
one learn the Armenian language.
"I'll learn you how to talk Armenian,"
he tells this writer.
Photo by Pennie Console
In their newly renovated classroom, students study many subjects in addition to the Armenian language.
The Armenian Community School
Board of Fresno is "the only true community school in the nation," the
school board's president Mr. Richard
Darmanian said. He went on to explain
that a number of Armenian schools are
affiliated or sponsored by a church or
the Armenian General Benevolent
Union. The Sisters' Academy in Philadelphia, Penn., comes close to being a
community school, but is church-related, he said.
Darmanian also said that the possibility of having an Armenian high
school in Fresno in the distant future
is "one of the goals" he has.
After this year, five students will
be of junior high level (seventh grade).
Darmanian said that those who are presently sixth-graders can go on to the
seventh grade at the school.
"The ultimate goal is to extend the
school all the way to the eighth grade,"
Darmanian said, although he plans to
take it one year at a time.
Enrollment at the school would have
been larger this year if bus transporta-
tion hadn't been cut    "If we had a bus,
'We believe in firm
discipline and a very
structured program
in the basics/
we would have had 10 more students,"
Emerzian said. The bus was dropped
as a result of its "phenomenal" cost.
She added that there is a possibility
of having a bus someday in the future,
but not at the present.
Two mothers help pre-k/kindergarten
teacher Mrs. Shenora Adishian and
first/second grade instructor Miss
Rosie Der Mugerdichian once a week.
Der Mugerdichian says that she's
only had a few volunteer their help this
year, but that one mother comes once
a week to help. Both mothers have sons
who attend the school.
Though the school has the Parent/
Teachers Association and the Women' s
Leaguehelping them, Armenian community support from those outside the
school has not been overwhelming.
"There's been pretty good support,
but I 'd expect it to be better," Emerzian
said. She made note, though, that the
mayor was "very enthusiastic about
our Armenian school because we were
trying to keep our ethnic heritage, and
he felt that all ethnic heritages are
important. The public in general,
I'd say, is  very enthusiastic."
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1713 E. Shaw Ave.
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222-3771