Berkeley High School - Olla Podrida Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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experimental Community High School At BHS MR. JAY MANLEY Director Drama MR. CARL BRUSH English MR. PETER KLEINBARD Drama MRS. SUSAN BEMENT History Community High School, originated by Jay Manley and Peter Kleinbard, got underway the spring semester and truly was a unique experience for all those involved. The experimental school, which took place within Berkeley High, stemmed from the Berkeley Summer Project and main hopes were to solve some of the problems facing a large urban school such as Berkeley High. The project proposed to provide a method by which the large school could humanize the learning process and the environment in which it was taught. One of the key factors used to accomplish this was a totally integrated system. 116 tenth graders were chosen at random to create a racially and intellectually mixed student body. Classes were grouped heterogeneously; it was hoped that total in- tegration would occur not only physically but also in the sharing of ideas and thoughts, It was planned that the student would be involved with CHS each day from 10:30-3:00. The first three periods would be spent taking whatever electives he so desired. The remainder of the day would consist of English, Science, Drama, Art and Dance classes where he would be given full college credit. Because the instructors would be working together very closely, the schedule would vary day to day making it possible for the classes to go into their projects and ideas at length. It was hoped that the original tenth grade class would continue and become the school ' s first graduating class. Next year as the present class moves up a grade, a new group of tenth graders will be admitted thus moving the enrollment to about 230. There are several specific goals it hoped to accomplish on a mass scale such as the formation of a truly intergrated system and the development of a curriculum stimulating to both the students and ■the faculty. Above all, CHS hoped to provide an atmosphere in which teacher and student can learn from one another. It is in this way, communication between staff and students, that they hope a real feeling of community education will develop. 28

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New Course in African Civilization Initiated Lower course requirements, new electives and heterogeneous classes were approved for the History Department by the School Board last November. Pro- posed by Department Chairman, A. J. Tudisco, the plan was effective during the spring semester. Under the new program, U.S. History-Government I and II, and two semesters of any elective were re- quired for graduation. U.S. I and II became heterogen- eous, thus eliminating tracking within the department. As electives, all other courses had open enrollment. Two new courses in African Civilization were planned for the spring semester. These classes were a result of student petitions circulated in the fall request- ing these courses and were a joint project with the Foreign Language Department. As the result of a campaign by two BHS students during Black History and Culture Week in 1968, Swahili and Igbo languages were taught for six weeks in the Negro in America classes. The teachers were Joshua Omange from Kenya teaching Swahili and Eleazar Ofodile from Biafra, teaching Igbo. MR. JULIUS SUSTARIC MRS. JANET YOUNG MISS THOMASINE WILSON 27

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Special Education Dept. Encourages Students MRS. BARBARA ACKER Braillist MR. TOM KELLIS Resource MISS PATRICIA KEMPER Guidance Consultant MRS. MYRTLE WHITTED MRS. ELNORA ROUCE MR. HOWARD SCHIRMER Mobility Instructor, Blind Resource MRS. BETSY TIDLAND Resource MRS. MIRIAM POLLOCK 29