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Show Principal-Teacher Gives 3 R's, Interesting Class Every day is special and exciting for the students of Richard Bruce Owens, principal of the Panguitch-Hatch Elementary School, as he teaches the fifth and sixth graders, on a part time basis, art, science and stresses reading. "An ideal teaching situation should be an enjoyable program that docs not lea ve out the 3 R's, Mr. Owens said. He feels that the school exists for the child and should meet the needs of the child. Mr. Owens has been chosen by the Panguitch-Hatch Parent Teacher Association as teacher of the year. He grew up in Panguitch, graduating from the Panguitch schools. He attended Utah State University after serving four years in the Air Force and graduated from the USU in 1955. He and his wife, former Verna Ilolman, also from Panguitch, returned home where he began teaching at the old elementary school. After being here just two years Mr. Owens was made principal and he and an excited student body moved into the new Panguitch Elementary school in 1957. After 20 years of teaching he still gets excited about a new project he is working on and Finds it hard to wait to present it to the students or teachers. He loves children and loves to work around them. He and his wife have had seven children of their own and now has eight grandchildren. He spends time with the youth in all he does and especially likes watching the Jr. Sunday School children as he serves in the Sunday School Superintendence. A great many changes have taken place since Mr. Owens began teaching. He feels it is important to keep a well balanced program. One of his students said, "Mr. Owens encourages us to do well, on our own, and be responsible for our own work." He is now working on a better reporting and recording system to let parents know more about the progress of their children. He is also spending a great deal of his time on reading programs, which he feels is the first priority in a childs learning process. Under his leadership the Panguitch-Hatch PTA is working on a volunteer reading program, giving each child the opportunity to read individually two or three times a week to concerned citizens of Panguitch and Hatch. Mr Owens feels that even though the students are receiving this individual help at school they should still read at least one-half hour every night at home to a parent. This reading program and other learning programs, which Mr. Owens Is pursuing for the benefit of his students make him truly the PTA 'Teacher of the Year'. Bruce Owens |