Arsenal Technical High School - Arsenal Cannon Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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An Accelerated Geometry I Class The Mathematics department has grown in size from six to ninety-four classes. The present head of the department was the first and only teacher who taught mathematics during the fall semester of 1912. Beginning the spring semester of 1913, two more classes were added to the first six. As the school grew, more advanced courses were included in the curriculum until all the courses avail- able in high school mathematics and also a few col-- lege courses are now open to pupils. The courses now included are General Math I and ll, Algebra l and ll, Plane Geometry I and ll, Advanced Alge- bra, Solid Geometry, College Algebra, Trigonometry I and II, and sometimes, depending upon the de- mands of the students, Analytic Geometry and Cal- culus. Many interesting projects have been introduced into this department. In 1923 the Trigonometry Il surveying class measured and laid out Tcch's pres- ent football gridiron 5 and, last year, the parking area. In 1923 the first class contests in algebra were held, their purpose being to encourage the beginner in mathematics. These proved so satisfactory that each semester since that time Tech has continued thc contests. At the State Convention of 1930 the meth- od of conducting these contests was presented and discussed. It met withsilch hearty approval that the following year a state-wide contest in algebra was held. This contest project has now been enlarged to include geometry. It is pleasing to think that the idea that originated here at Tech is now being used and endorsed by other high schools in the state. This department has another unique project in the experiment of having large classes averaging one hundred or more to the class. The principal feature of this experiment is classroom technique which de- cides the success or failure of the class. It is worthy of note that these classes have exerted a great amount of influence on education in general. They have led many educators to believe that a class may safely en- roll more than thirty pupils without their work suffer- ing from this procedure. Another item is the Related Work. For twelve years in connection with shop 'courses vocational math has been taught. This, in the last two years, was revised and is now known as Related Work. Mathematics has not been taken out of the shop courses, but the applied part is taught in the new class. Commercial Arithmetic was taken over by the Mathematics department and carried on as such for about eight or ten years. When the Junior High School was organized, this course was disbanded, and in its place was put Junior Business Practice, in which the essential parts of arithmetic are given. This department has always made provisions for the classes to meet the needs of the pupils. All methods of differentiation have been used in the past, the department is still experimenting along this line. One of the principal features of caring for pupils is the lesson-sheet room, which offers one year of arith- metic and one of algebra. The pupil who has diiii- culgf in algebra may be assigned toddlesson sheets in arithmetic, it is possible for him to learn one year of math for graduation requirement. Likewise, if a pupil is absent, here he may make up the back work. At the senior commencement in June, the Math- ematics Scholarship Medals are given to the two sen- iors who have made the best record in mathematics throughout their four years of high school. The Math Department 7 THE ARSENAL CANNON '

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Social Studies Department 6 THE A ARSENAL - CANNON i 1 1 A Class in World History II The Social Studies department is composed of ninety-six classes. Included in this department are: Social Studies I, Civics IIG and IIB, School Problems, Economic Geography, In- dustrial History, World History, European History, American History, American Government, and Gov- ernment Problems. To meet the requirements for graduation from Tech, a pupil must elect one year of American History and one year of any other of the social studies. Social Studies I, a freshman subject, emphasizes group life. Pupils are taught the necessity of being able to live and to work with others. This course aids the newcomers to fit into their new environment and to accept new rules and regulations as being necessary to the happiness and success of the majority of the group. It helps to prepare them later to take their places in their respective communities. Civics IIG, an occupational course, helps girls to decide the kind of work in which they wish to en- gage When they leave school. Frequently these groups are instructed by speakers from the Altrusa Club, who discuss the various occupations open to Women. The Civics IIB course for boys is in the nature of a vocational guidance course. The classes take trips over the school to learn about the kinds of Work offered in the various departments. In this Way the pupils are better able to plan intelligently their high school courses and to elect those subjects in which they are most interested. In Economic Geography the pupils become ac- quainted With the vast natural resources of their own country. They also study the indust1'ies of this country and of foreign countries. Considerable time is devoted to the trade relations of the World and to the various trade routes. This is a course that makes a Wide appeal to boys and girls who are going out into the business World from high school. Industrial History discusses the industrial devel- opment of the United States from colonial days to the present time. The study of history, for the most part, centers upon people in their relationships with one another and with the rest of the World. The courses are en- riched by supplementary reading and Works of his- torical fiction pertaining to the various periods of his- tory, a great many biographies being read. Many interesting and attractive displays are made by this department in the cases in the south end of the third iioor of the Main Building. The material exhibited consists of maps, historical car- toons, charts, graphs, book reports, notebooks, and departmental test scores selected from the various classes of the department. The test scores encourage pupils to enter into good-natured competition with one another. In several of the classes, history is brought down to date through frequent interesting discussions of current events. A pamphlet called Uncle Sam's Diaryi' is issued weekly to pupils in American His- tory IIA, an accelerated class. The pamphlet ac- quaints them with the business before Congress, and discusses other political events of interest. The Social Studies department enters various contests. Last spring an essay, entitled SHOW Has the Paris Pact Affected the Sino-Japanese Dispute ? written by a pupil, was adjudged the best essay sent in from all the high schools in Indiana. Pupils who are preparing to study law find a history major particularly helpful, as do others who desire a broad cultural background. All the Social Studies courses are a valuable training for citizenship.

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V The Fine Arts Department 8 THE ARSENAL CANNON L V Advanced Drawing-Figure Composition The Fine Arts department, started twenty-one years ago, has grown up with Tech. It has about six hundred pupils, each in one of the drawing, stage-craft, make-up, costume design- ing, jewelry, modeling, theatrical costuming, or etch- ing and lithography classes. The various freehand drawing and advanced drawing courses have been all-time members. The stage-craft classes, started at a later date, did not reach their present form until the building of the Auditorium. Members of these classes learn the use of stage properties and take care of lighting and sound eifects for all dramatic presentations. The Make-Up and Theatrical Costume staffs, extra-curricular activities, made their advent three years ago. The Make-Up staff is taught the use and art of make-up. The Theatrical Costume staff is taught to design suitable costumes for the casts of the dramatic presentations. Students in jewelry classes are ably taught the principles of that vocation by actually making the articles used in that business. In modeling, pupils learn to model human iigures from clay and other modeling materials. The most recent addition to this group is the course in Etching and Lithography, started in 1932 when lithographic and etching presses were obtained. if - lf Mig Q gli 2. EW. ' 4 Egi ,lp?F,5 EE: i ff1 'a Ag! ,- I F ff ,N- X fd .lv---' X fn, -4 f f 7 't - f T Lyifgf, 4 A Printin an Etchin A Problem in Make-u j 'ff 4357 f y' '5 'g I g g P wr VT T f -- EE, ' 'tx ilk TE Ml S ji ENE? i 1, .1 ry 7, gan 4- I T ff' - I ,WW Sig 4 lisa -L af. f - at, ff' X P 5' W' 'gilt liiifsas :J . X A , 1 x xx Er w in' l li-Ali