A Teacher Remembers: DSW, 1968-1996 A Study in Trials and Tribulations, Joy and Great Satisfaction George Padaroff Trial: a source of vexation or annoyance Tribulation: a trying experience Joy: a source or cause of delight Satisfaction: a source or means of contentment: GRATIFICATION -Webster0s Dictionary
When I joined the German School Washington (DSW) in 1968, it was located on Logan Drive, and the English Department consisted of two teachers, Mrs. Lillian Hagedorn for the elementary classes, and myself for the classes from 5th through 9th Grades. George Padaroff between classes at the Chateau Drive My predecessor, Mr. Farcampus in 1990. quhar consented to stay on to teach the newly added 10th Grade, but only for that one year. Locally hired faculty never had tenure, all were on a one-year contract with a ten-month salary with no other benefits, but the expectation was that if satisfied, the Board of Directors would renew the contracts for further years, one year at a time. That never changed in all my years there, but the Board slowly over time improved their remuneration policies, transferred over into participation in U.S. Social Security requirements, and eventually put together an employee health plan as well as a retirement plan. But all that was to come later so that a teacher working at the school could feel secure in having a good job there. In 1968, the school was in its seventh year of existence, but had already come a long way to the campus on Logan Drive in that short time. However, the facility was lacking in many ways, from the non-existence of a library, something on which the Maryland authorities faulted the school over and over again-the school had a few shelves of books in the faculty room serve as the school library, but the authorities found this
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Fifty Years German School
unacceptable - to the inadequacy of laboratory accommodations for the sciences, and the minimal provisions available for physical education! There was a sort of 0exercise room1 to which we referred as a gym or Sporthalle, one sort of science room, a faculty room or Lehrerzimmer, an office for the Director and one just outside of it for the office head/administrator and two secretaries, and a number of classrooms, some smaller, some larger to serve both the elementary and secondary classes of the school all under the same roof. Worst of all was that there were no changing rooms for children to have physical education class (Sport), and the pupils were forced to change in the toilet rooms. To its credit, the facilities did have a good heating/air-conditioning system, and in general, we managed quite nicely. We were in the growing stages and not only did we have to prove to the German authorities that we were doing well in teaching, but we had to establish ourselves as an American school as well, and had very much to deal with the Maryland school authorities, who found fault over and over again with what we were able to show in our school facilities, but we were applauded over and over again in our academic accomplishment. We also felt sure that in time, we would be able to build a better school plant either by re-building what we had or just getting an entirely new location. What we had was taken to be temporary.
George Padaroff (second from right) at Penn State in 1952
