A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and teacher/counsellor Mrs. Martha Dismont is dedicated to seeing that that doesn't happen.

Four years ago, she founded The Learning Centre as a small tutoring service in her home. There, she gave primary 1-7 students extra help in mathematics, reading and language arts.

"I was substitute teaching in the schools and saw that there was a need to work with students who were falling behind because teachers did not have time to help them,'' Mrs. Dismont explained.

Her after-school programme proved so popular that the American-born teacher started a summer programme as well. Within two years, she was tutoring up to 35 children per week after school, and approximately 50 per week in the summer.

"Today, the summer programme has an average of 65 students per week, while the after-school programme has an average of 75 per week, and growing!'' As comprehensive in hours as it is in scope, the Learning Centre's after-school programme accommodates both primary and secondary students from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

In concentrating on math, reading and language arts, Mrs. Dismont says that The Learning Centre, of which she is the director, "works right along with the teachers'' in the school system.

"If a child is having problems with fractions, for example, the teacher will tell us and we will focus on that.

"I want to stress that we work with the school system, that is the key. We keep in touch with teachers as much as possible, we visit schools, and I talk to teachers, principals and counsellors.'' But The Learning Centre is not just about helping children to catch up on weak areas in their schoolwork. Its stated philosophy is that "all people, regardless of past experience or behaviours, are capable of advancing intellectually and academically through proper support systems, such as confidence-building techniques, constructive activities and tender loving care''.

"The foundation of the programme is to build skills,'' Mrs. Dismont asserted.

"We find that 80 to 90 percent of our children lack the proper skills. Some are legitimately behind because of ability, but the majority do not demonstrate the proper skills to keep up with their classmates.'' She cited as examples a lack of proper study skills, and how to approach a teacher if they have a problem.

"Many of them are easily distracted, pay little attention to basics, and have low self-esteem,'' Mrs. Dismont explained.

"A lot of them have the subjects but cannot organise themselves,'' the Centre's assistant director, Mrs. Juneann Furbert, noted.

Tutors for high school students are drawn from the regular teaching fraternity at that level.

"The majority are drawn from the regular school system, which is why we stress that we work with the school system,'' Mrs. Dismont said. "We find ourselves to be fairly consistent with schools' goals for students.'' And of course The Learning Centre also involves that key component of a child's progress and success: the parent(s).

"Where counselling is given, we work very closely with parents, and sometimes we counsel them as well,'' Mrs. Dismont explained. "In dealing with today's children, not all parents know what to say because children have so many peer pressures. Sometimes parents need support themselves in order to help their children.

"And of course, if we are helping the parents too, it becomes a nice team working for the good of the child. I tell parents that, with the family's support, children will progress. They don't need to be in tutoring for years and years. They need to be taught the skills required to work independently.'' As a registered charity, The Learning Centre continues to perpetuate Mrs.

Dismont's original concept of providing assistance for children and their parents, particularly those of modest income who could otherwise not afford tutorial services.

"Parents realise that, as a registered charity, we will not turn anyone away because of an inability to pay,'' Mrs. Dismont said. "When I started out the point was not to have a business but to provide a service. If there was a child with a need I tutored them. That is still the foundation of The Learning Centre. We are here to provide a service, but the need is very, very great.'' Pointing to major changes in the social environment, Mrs. Furbert noted that this often hindered a child's progress and left parents feeling unable to help.

"That is why we have tutors right in the school system who know what is happening. We rely on them to be able to assist us in helping the child,'' Mrs. Dismont explained.

When school's out, however, the Learning Centre keeps right on helping its students with an active, but slightly different, programme which takes into consideration the heat and the fact that the children are on vacation.

"We combine tutoring with recreation,'' Mrs. Dismont explained. "In the morning we do maths, language arts and reading, including keeping up with current events. We teach them French to enrich the programme a little.'' In the afternoon, students move around to different locations to experience dancing, martial arts, sign language, drama and art.

On Thursdays they go to Bernard Park to play games, such as softball, tennis and netball.

Friday mornings begin with a look at current events, enlivened by a visiting speaker. A discussion period on the given topic follows. There are also spelling and math bees. Then, from 11 a.m. on, the children go swimming for the rest of the day.

Viewed overall, Mrs. Dismont said that her organisation's aim was to produce well-rounded individuals.

"The Learning Centre's goal is to have children become an intelligent voice in the community. They are not just being tutored, they are learning discipline and responsibility. If they have something they need to say to the community they need to be able to say it in an intelligent fashion. This is the real reason they come here.

"I tell the children, `If you do this, your academics will be a piece of cake'. We are trying to develop some serious skills that will make the academics flow easily. Skill-building comes from here and from the community.

"The education system is working hard to fix things but we are dealing with the ones who fall through the cracks. We are talking about children who, even when you fire up the education system, still need to be dealt with if you are thinking of a 90 percent success rate. We are very willing to deal with the 10 percent, which is the case in the education system. The point is that the 10 per cent should have an equal chance.'' Like all registered charities, The Learning Centre depends on donations and fund-raisers to finance its work, particularly since students of low-income families are unable to pay.

"We do it on different levels,'' Mrs. Dismont explained. "There are the small fund-raisers like bake sales and walkathons going on all year. Then, we had a young man run in the May 24 marathon to raise pledges for the Centre. We also put on shows using the talents of Bermudians and we invite the community.

In fact, we have all sorts of fund-raisers like that.'' In addition, the Centre appeals to the generosity of the business and corporate communities, and also holds a major fund-raiser on an annual basis.

"We encourage corporations and businesses to sponsor children,'' Mrs. Dismont said, "but we would welcome sponsorship from anyone.'' She pointed out that, for the summer programme alone, the cost per child is: $65 a week, $260 a month, or $585 for the whole summer. Collectively, the two programmes cost approximately $150,000 per annum, and the Learning Centre is only able to provide about $75,000 of that through fund-raisers and fees from parents.

And then there are the teachers' salaries.

Word is still awaited on an application to Government for a grant.

Meanwhile, anyone wishing to financially assist The Learning Centre should contact Mrs. Dismont at 295-1116. (or fax 292-8815).

Another problem facing Mrs. Dismont is the need to secure more space to accommodate the growing needs of students. Presently housed in a part of the Bermuda Sun building on Victoria Street, The Learning Centre's resources are stretched to the limit.

Before coming to Bermuda, Mrs. Dismont worked with the Department of Developmental Disabilities in New York, where she worked in special education.

In Bermuda, she has worked as a substitute teacher and counsellor for the Department of Education. She is also a trained tutor at the Reading Clinic.

MAKING LEARNING FUN -- Director of The Learning Centre, Mrs. Martha Dismont (standing centre) and math/Spanish tutor Mr. Glindon Welch (standing right), help students, from left, Tyrone Bascome,10, Ken-Maro Iris 9, Zalika Darrell 9, Matthew Furbert 9 and Jonea Paynter (standing) with their studies.