TEENAGERS

A school’s principal may be perceived as not a very open person. Still,  a nice,  relaxed discussion with him reveals a normal,  but strict man,  who likes discipline,  hardworking and serious people. In an interview that he was very kind to give us,  we found out how much “Spiru Haret” means to him,  but also,  how difficult it is to to manage an institution of such importance.

1. What  does The National College “Spiru Haret” mean to you?

That is a very interesting question … Well,   it means a lot to me and most of my time is dedicated to the college.  I must take care of everything that happens here.   One thousand three hundred and seven students,   ninety teachers and other forty persons,   auxiliary teaching staff and non-teaching staff,   are under my care  and that is why I spend here  more than  twelve hours per day.  Very few people know what being  a principal really means. Well … he has a lot of things to do,   from making all  the decisions and judgements  which he has to present and after all to impose  them on the others either by persuasion or another way to the representation of the college in the relationships with  the self- employed persons and with the juridical persons as well,   to the current administration,   to providing the optimal conditions for the students:  heat,   light,   water,   hygiene,   security etc. This explains the fact that I remain at school so much time.  Practically,   since I have had this job,  this space whose name is  the National College “Spiru Haret” has become equal to my house.

2. Do you believe that “Spiru Haret” has something extra in comparison with the other competitive colleges?  How could it attract the secondary school graduates?

I could not say that we are poles apart from the others.  At the moment,   we have a business card,   a statute and we project  a positive image in front of those outside.  We have  the faith or the assumption that there are students interested in their formation and teachers interested in forming them,   that there are students,   teachers  and others who obey certain rules  at “Spiru Haret “.  I strongly believe that the most important thing is this generous space which does not depend necessarily  on us but on our predecessors who signed the documents   of this space  in 1924 – 1925.  Sometimes,   it also depends on shy results achieved at level of excellence.  This means  some competitive students with the students from other colleges,   less than twenty,   some assiduous teachers interested in their students’ preparation,   some teachers who carry out research and write articles and psychology,   methodological or pedagogy books as well.  It meant a troupe of actors which unfortunately doesn’ t exist any more,  it still means a choral that makes all of us feel proud of it and last but not  least some chance successes which make us enter this competition.

3. We know that “Spiru Haret” is an European School.  In fact,   what is this statute about and how could we maintain it?

Yes,   “Spiru Haret” is an European School but by the end of the year it will have already ended.  This statute is awarded for three years and it is the result of two convergent issues.  The first one refers to the scripted results that we achieved in what is called the educational process that is  the graduate degree,   the students` taking part in different competitions,   the teachers’ attempts to improve their knowledge and secondly,   our participation in some European projects.  One of them was called “Theatre in School “ and it was coordinated by Mrs Carmen Cosmulescu,   the college assistant principal,   and due to her approaches we obtained this statute of European School.  As I said it will soon end and we must remake the partnerships,   the reference material in order to get back the title of European School and move heaven and earth to offer the other schools “something else” which for the moment I can’t feel (if you feel it you can tell me and you also can give me some advice).

4. About the school uniform, there have been several discussions and speculations.      Will there be a final decision,  after all? Will CNSH have a specific uniform?

“Spiru Haret” has its own uniform. I’ve been interested in this issue for a long time,  since the year 2000, when we chose this distinctive outfit (I don’t call it uniform,  I dislike the idea of absolute uniformity). I wanted to know clearly who studied in our highschool,  but also to have no intruders here,  for our students` safety. But,   unfortunately,  neither the students nor the teachers obey these rules and I cannot know everything that happens in this institution every day,  what are the 1300 students wearing or how they behave. I would know if I were informed by the leaders of  the students and by  their teachers about what is happening in  the school. Otherwise,  it would mean to transform myself into a kind of magic eye that would be everywhere and nowhere. It seems that eventually it could be necessary  to give up  this outfit  and find another  representative one. For example,  we could come to school barefooted,  with trousers torn in the knees or  shirts with worn elbows.

5. What’s your opinion about the students of  this school,  referring to both the positive and the negative aspects?

As far as I know,  from the relationships established with the students,  I think that you are good,  hardworking,  smart kids,  but to develop  all these qualities a certain action is necessary. Which one? A few people do positive things on their own initiative,  by vocation,  willingly. A few people work until the moment they feel they have accomplished what they wanted for that day. A few people,  not only children,  respect the rules if they aren’t in a certain way forced to do it. That’s why I could not  lay criticism on my students. It has never happened to me not to get along with them. Still,  there is a behaviour component that worries me: most of the students react positively only if the teacher  raises his or her voice  to them. Anyway,  children nowadays are not better or worse than they were when I was the same age. I acted just like them: when I knew that a certain teacher was not interested in the class,  I just left. But if the teacher was demanding,  I didn’t  allow myself to make a wrong step. That’s how you all do.

6. Finally,  what do you think about our project,  the “Teenagers” magazine,  in an improved formula?

It deserves to be praised. Any initiative is to be admired,  because we need it. It’s good to  approach the most important issues,  to give a decent touch to your magazine,  to  include in its contents  many of our activities,   so that  all of you  have the joy of fulfillment.

Butariu Adina & Petre Raluca