AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 1958 - (Page 63) Teenagers "I have a theory that may interest yon," Claosen aaid one day. "I -think that high school boys can be taught aviation through school courses, and that our community will benefit as well KB the b y . ' os* regulate his life to a study pattern that brought him good grades i all subn jecto." "That's what we had hoped would happen," Thmen explained. "We not only wanted to interest such boys i n aviation, we also wanted to make them desire a good education. Yon will agree that our test subject learned his subjects well; he is now a U.S. Navy jet pilot," "Wait a 'minute!" Thunen teterrupted. "Look at this." H showed hia instructor jotkings in e a pocket notebook which outlined virtually the same plan advanced by Clamen. The team of Clausen and Thunen went to work on the joint idea. Converting their ideas into a practical plan of operation was not too difficult. Their basic premise was that aviation would be especially attractive to boys who had no particular interest in normal school activities. As a test they decided to use as a "guinea pig" a boy who had no interest in anything connected with the school, including 8thletica. "That youngster loved aviation," Clauaen recently recalled. "As we had hoped, he soon discovered there was more t o flying than just getting in a plane and taking: off. It w a s necessary for him to learn a lot about physics and mathematics. In order to do this he had to learn to study. "It wasn't long before our 'guinea pig' became a good pupil, 'He learned to Results of the first test convinced Tinmen and Chrosen they were on the right track; but it did more than that. It convinced a liberal board of school trustees of the soundness of the theory held by the t w o pilots. Funds were allocated for the operation of a ground school for the high school students. There was no flying officially, but students took lessons on their own, with Clausen as their instructor, It wasn't long until Crescent City's high school owned its own airplane and offered complete ground ktmction and courses in flying. satisfying, immediate results of the aviation program in the high school was the sharp reduction i juvenile delinn quency. Eventually, juvenile delinquency was only a very &or communiQ Mtaut"The aviation program has brought One of the unexpected, and wholly utterly fantastic results in reducing delinquency in Crescent City," said Clyde P. Barnett, director of the California State Aeronautics Commission, who has worked closely with directors of the school program. "There is good reason for this being so. Aviation ia a subject that attracts the Eda. "The Crescent City program rarely fails to interest the student who may have little interest in other school activities. Be finds that he must be a good student if he wants to become a good pilot He just doesn't have time to become a delinquent," The "C" average required t o make a student eligible for the aviation course Is one grade higher than that required for athletics. In order to advance to the flying class, the student must have been enrolled in the ground school and have a designated amount of ground inatruetion. H also must have the necessary e high school aviation credentials. School authorities also insist that the aviation student must he a good citizen. If he wants to study aviation, be has to stay out o f "street corner" trouble. Another important decision in. the development of the aviation activity w a s made i 1952, when the school board n decided the high school should have its own airplane. "We didn't know how we could manage the purchase of an airplane," Thunen said. "There was no money available for one. "We called a meeting of the local adult flyers to consider ways and means. C O m - 3 sAIRCRAFT. INC. Beechcraft Distributor- Select Used Aircraft Distributor I Will Pay TOP DOLLAR BUY A COMBS USED PLANE 1 Solve Your Business and Private Transportation Needs Trade Finance Lease I For Clean, Well-Maintained Airplanes MAIL COUPON TODAY COMBS AIRCRAFT INC., DEFT. K Hangar #7, %piton Airfield Danvr 7, Colorado i am interested In buying a type Send Full Description airplane. AddCity & State 0 Send me hue Illustrated list. Dealer: fl Yes No MARCH, 1958 STAPLETCm AIRFIELD, H A W A R SEVEN DENVER 7, COLORADO
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