"I think Des Plaines is just I great! You have all the advantages of being raised in a nice community, and yet, the activities of Chicago are just a short drive away," says Miss Joan Bittner, a new French teacher at Maine West and a new resident of Chicago.

Miss Bittner is interested in many things, although she moans, "I never have any spare time." She plays the flute and likes to sketch. In fact, she is considering taking an art course during the second semester. "I feel I might do something great in art if I have the chance. Through an art course I hope to see if I have any sort of talent."

One of the activities she enjoys the most is ". . . sponsoring French Club. When taking a language, it is very important to know the culture of the country. It is very hard for a teacher to fit that into a course. No language is just grammar and literature; it is people too."

The summer after she was graduated from college, Miss Bittner toured Europe and said that it was one of the greatest experiences of her life. "You learn things in a book, and they don't register. When you visit a country, you see it not as land but as a group of people."

Last summer instead of taking her own vacation, she went with her friends on theirs. The rest of the time was spent moving into her apartment, which is about six blocks from Wells Street in Old Town.

Depending upon her mood, nothing or everything bothers me. Right now it is the noise in the halls during the passing period." She enjoys her students, but says, "I very seldom give advice. A student must learn to study on his own. . .

When questioned about her most embarrassing moment, she said, "Ooo la la! Life seems to be a series of small, embarrassing moments, most of which happen during eighth hour."

"Terrible!" This word was used by Mr. Robert Twohill, Maine West's new industrial education teacher, to describe the school spirit here. He added that, in connection with spirit, "I have never seen a worse group of spirited students in my life." He feels, however, that having a field house might help. Then, students could go to Maine West home games at Maine West and not feel as if they are going to someone else's game.

Aside from the lack of school spirit, the blue‑eyed, dark‑haired graduate of Lewis College likes Maine and thinks the friendliness and the "nice atmosphere" are the best things about it. Because he was a night student at Illinois Teachers College South and a journeyman roofer during the summer, Mr. Twohill has not done much traveling; however, Pittsburgh is his favorite city.

Mr. Twohill, who attended Lane Tech High School, taught at Gordon Tech for five years before coming to Maine West. He can't think of any specific reason why he became a teacher, but he feels teaching is an "enjoyable and rewarding" job. His improvement for it would be to "have the base salary higher." This, he feels, attracts better teachers.

Too many students, Mr. Twohill thinks, feel they don't have to work for what they get. His advice to them and to everyone is "Don't feel everybody owes you something."

Mr. Twohill can't recall his funniest or most embarrassing incidents but remembers his first day of teaching as the most nervous time of his life. Married and the father of four, his hobbies include baseball, golf, and basketball.