September 9, 1970

Public School Tries Pastor-For-A-Day

The ministers of Wadsworth, Ohio, participate actively in the daily life of the local high school - and no one has threatened yet to haul them before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As a matter of fact, several other high schools are copying the example.

"Pastor For A Day" is a promising program of guidance and counseling that goes beyond the regular school counseling service regarding studies and careers.

School counselors hesitate, rightfully, to deal with the emotional hang-ups of students.  Yet, one of every 10 Americans needs psychiatric help according to the Rev.  Dr. Donald E. Smith, director of the American Foundation for Religion and Psychiatry.

Thus, the Wadsworth ministers have stepped into a delicate but vital area of youth development.  Dr.  Smith reports that 42 percent of Americans in trouble turn first to clergymen for advice.

The "Pastor For A Day" program this month enters its second full year of operation after a two-month trial period back in 1969.  Students, teachers, administrators and ministers judge the program a valuable adjunct to school life.

Main function of the pastors is to "rap" with the students about the latter's personal problems.  As could be expected, there are no pressing crowds outside the pastor's door.  However, the few who do come in are helped in ways that fully justify the effort of the ministers.  

Boy-girl problems bug the students most, but personality and drug problems turn up often enough to lead authorities to believe significant work is being done in these fields.

The manner in which the program came into being is, itself, of interest.

High School Principal Richard Holmes invited various community "resource people" in the areas of business, government and public service to address students on pertinent subjects.

For example, in an economics course, a representative from a local bank would give a practical presentation on how to apply for a loan.  A city official would discuss day to day operation of local government.

On one occasion two ministers were asked to present the church's position on evolution to a Biology class.  Another minister spoke to the Social Problems class on the topic of contemporary sexual morality.

Two ministers - Pastor Lindsay Ingram of Grace Lutheran, and Father Paul Schindler of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic - sensed an opportunity to extend the resources speakers into a full time activity.

The legality of ministers in the school was a problem that bothered all those in position of authority.  It finally was determined that a program based on (1) voluntary participation, (2) no official sanction and (3) no cost to the taxpayers would surmount constitutional objections.  Accordingly all 26 Wadsworth ministers were invited to donate a day at a time to the program.  Of these, thirteen responded and nine subsequently participated.

An office near the cafeteria, and used otherwise only for a branch college in the evening, was made available also to the ministers.  Each day, from first bell to last, a local minister is on duty to discuss any subject any student broaches.

Seldom do students talk about religion or faith, and the pastors lean over backwards not to evangelize.  An effort is made to "de-churchify" the atmosphere.  The name on the door is just Lindsay Ingram or Paul Schindler, and no denomination is listed.

Pastor Ingram, who introduced me to the program, is hip with a beard and peace medallion.  Other pastors are more conventional.  The variety of approach and opinion is one of the strengths of the program.

No member of the faculty or administration can assign a student to see the pastor.  The student must always be free to choose to come on his own initiative.  Conversation between the pastor and student is strictly confidential.

The pastor does not have to be confined merely to the office.  He is encouraged to mix with the students as much as possible.  Ideal times for this have been found to be lunch periods, study halls and class breaks.  An excellent rapport has been established by such informal contact.

There has never been any reports of any student having an unpleasant experience which could be connected to the Pastor-For-A-Day program.  The attitude of the student body toward the Pastors is generally one of friendliness and acceptance.

The ministers credit another innovation of the Wadsworth High School with a large part of the success of the program - the "open study hall."

In the past, the study halls were all strictly monitored.  Detentions for study hall infractions created constant friction between faculty and students.  Prevented from talking in study hall, the students abused the privilege in the library.

The new "open" study halls mean that a student, when scheduled, can go to a monitored hall, the library with stricter rules, an "informal" study center set up in the cafeteria, the guidance office or the Pastor-For-A-Day office.

With such a system, more responsibility is placed on the individual student.  Any serious infraction of the rules puts a student back in the monitored hall for a designated length of time.

As could be predicted, the grades following liberalization of study were low.  However, some stern lecturing from parents, and a realization by the students they really were responsible, has brought grades back up.  In addition, classroom discipline has improved as students talk and exchange views elsewhere.

Inasmuch as visits to the pastor arc voluntary, the student must have sufficient unscheduled time to devote to nonacademic pursuits.  This, and location of the pastor's office near the center of student traffic, contributes greatly to success of the program.

The Pastor-For-A-Day program is not the whole answer to a student's emotional problems - perhaps not even a substantial one.  However, it serves a definite and important need.  If (big if) the pace of modern living confuses young people today, some sympathetic counseling may head off unreasoning campus violence.

It's worth a good try.

Author: Lindsey Williams