Hicksville High School - Comet Yearbook (Hicksville, NY)

Page 30 text:

Mr. Hogan Physical Education Varsity Club Mr. Jones American History Mr. Horne Problems Photography Club Mrs. Karish Mathematics Miss Iorio Italian French Italian Club Mrs. Kavner English Mr. Irwin Matmematics Mr. Knerr Business Mrs. Jonason Art Mrs. Komson World History and showed us wonders of the past . . . If it weren’t for gym, history would undoubtedly win the Most Unpopular Subject award. Most students con- sider history an elaborate memory training program de- signed to clutter their minds with unrelated names and dates that haunt them at odd hours of the night. Actually the history department aims at giving students an under- standing of the past and, therefore, the power of influenc- ing the future . It is for this end that history is a required subject at Hicksville, and not to provide a subtle torture for the entire student body. Sophomores study World History, a course which only covers European history. Juniors get an overview of American history and a closer view of American govern- ment. Seniors take World Problems, a current events course which also provides them with an excellent op- portunity to memorize the Constitution. Some seniors also partake of the organized anarchy of the Advanced Placement American History course. One development of the history department has been the Team Teaching program. Under this system, classes are divided into two sections, each group alternating be- tween attending a lecture and taking notes one day, and discussing or being tested on the material the next day. Although team teaching gives the student a chance for discussion he might not otherwise get, it does cause con- siderable panic and confusion when he forgets where he is supposed to be that day. This emphasis on discussion has also led to a revival of the Round Table Club in which students may broad- cast their opinions on various historical topics that are only briefly mentioned in class. Influenced by modern educational theory, the history department is working to give students an understanding of history rather than an encyclopedia of unimportant facts. RELATING A DATE ... to a situation often proved to be the task of Mr. McEnaney and the other World History teachers.

Page 29 text:

Mr. Goldstein Biology Mrs. G ram bow Department Head Guidance Mr. Grantham Physical Education Mr. Green Business Miss Groff Guidance Mrs. Hanrahan Library Mr. Haviland Mathematics Irs. Hill Mr. Hill Dr. Hirst Home Economics Audio-visual Spanish Co-ordinator J.F.K. Scholarship Fund Radio Club Audio Visual Squad They guided us . . . Next to the IBM machine, the Guidance Department is the high school’s most conven- ient scapegoat. Any complaint about a course, a class, a teacher, or a grade is immediately blamed on the guidance counselor. But it is not the aim of these people to make their stu- dents’ high school years the most miserable of their lives, no matter how it may appear. They are, instead, genuinely interested in and deeply committed to the best interests of the student in his choice of courses, careers, or colleges. Mrs. Grambow supervises the nine coun- selors of the department. Each entering soph- omore is assigned to a counselor for his three years in senior high school. Sophomores and juniors have at least two conferences a year, including one with their parents present dur- ing which their achievements, programs for the coming years, and plans for college or ca- reer are discussed. Students are not, however, restricted to these two meetings, but can see their counselors whenever they may need to The counselors are not only concerned with their students from September through June. They may also help their counselees gain summer employment or admission to public and private summer schools. They mav know of job opportunities after high school. The guidance counselors are the specialists to consult about academic or commercial futures for they know best the capabilities of their students. “NOBODY CAN BE THAT BAD” . . . became the verbal trademark of the guidance counselor. Here Mr. Rogalin discusses the intricacies of a faculty member with Steve Zanville. 25

Page 31 text:

practical things for the present . . . Despite her dreams of fame and glory, every woman must' eventually spend a good deal of her life in the glamorous vocation of homemaking. In the three-year Home Economics sequence a girl learns how to make life more meaningful and enjoyable and gains insight into matters ranging from child care to clothing. The sophomore curriculum consists of two main areas. Personal and Family Management teaches the student to efficiently organize her own and her family’s lives in such matters as chores, entertainment, and sibling rivalry. Nu- trition and Meal Management helps prepare a girl for her future occupation as a cook. She learns to prepare well- balanced meals, for they are always more appreciated than a T.V. dinner, no matter what Madison Avenue may claim. She also studies the intercultural significance of food, the efficient use of kitchen facilities and various food products. The junior and senior courses stress personal and family relations, textiles and clothing. The former gives an understanding of the nature and formation of a family, and the inter-relationships of the individuals in it. Since family involvement is one of the strongest influences on a child, it is important for the student to develop good com- mon sense to help keep the house from becoming a battle- field. Taste, selection and construction of clothing, and the dynamics of fashion are covered in the study of textiles and clothing, which incidentally helps a girl learn to tell a real bargain from an ordinary sale. Often a student takes a Home Economics course as a filler course for a semester. Even so, she benefits, because any knowledge she has gained is practical. She may learn child development and care, money management, home decoration, cooking, and sewing, all of which will help her in her future role as homemaker. PREPARING A DESERT . . . can be quite catastrophic without the guid- ance Mrs. Caiola. Miss Kosko Chemistry Natioial Honor Society Mrs. Kozma Spanish Spanish Club Miss Kumpikas French Mr. Kuntz Business Mr. Kurilla World History NOT PICTURED Mr. Holmes Art Mr. Ignatoff Industrial Arts Miss Jenkin Department Head Business 27