Jefferson High School - Spectrum Yearbook (Portland, OR)

Page 15 text:

History Many changes have been made in the history department at Jeff this term. The course of study of history 7 and history 8 has been changed completely. Instead of the civics, economics, and sociology that were taught previously, the students are now learning about our world today. This subject is divided into six sections: I. The World at War: II. The War on the Home Front: III. The Armed Forces: IV. Financing the War; V. War Time Democracy: VI. Post War Problems. The first three divisions are taught in history 7 and the last three in history 8. The teachers who have these classes are Miss Helen Sedgwick, Mrs. Louise Gron- dahl, Mr. Clarence Oliver, Mrs. Rhetta McLean, and Mr. John Purcell. The outline of study for the history 5 and 6 classes is the same as that of previous terms although present conditions and problems are being stressed. Auto Mechanics One of the courses completely new to Jeff this term is that of auto mechanics. Although it has been given in other high schools in Portland previously, this is the first term that Jefferson has offered it to its students. Mr. La Forge teaches the course which explains the fundamentals of the automobile. The students learn what are the parts of the automobile, how each works, and how they all work together. The course is offered to boys and girls who are at least 17 years of age. Their text book is entitled Automotive Mechanics, and the class is taught according to a pamphlet put out by the War Department. The assignments include work both from their text books and from reference works as well as practical work on the automobile and minor repairs.

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y y Pre-Flight Training Learning to fly is one of the most important things being done today by American youth in the global war. A course in pre-flight aviation has been added to the mathe- matics classes due to the Victory Corps. The other math classes are working for more useful applications. Included in this pre-flight course are the more technical uses of mathematics. The Navy requires much math such as this new subject gives. Range finding, navigation, prediction of weather, navigation by dead reckoning, and other terms are studied. A student learns the theory of motors, aerodanamus, and the forces on a plane when in fight, and he is aided in Air Corps exams. Film strips are shown two and three times a week in order to demonstrate to the pupils and aid in their study. The other courses offered are algebra, plane geometry, solid geometry, trigo- nometry, and business math. Machines and Electricity The physics courses of last term, science 7 and 8, have now been changed to two separate courses, the fundamentals of machines and fundamentals of electricity. In this way a whole term is devoted to each subject. Last term the study of heat was included in S7 and light and color in S8. However, this term these have been dropped so that more emphasis may be placed on machines and electricity. Next term the fundamentals of radio will be given. This will be a one year course. All three of these courses are outlines based on technical and field manuals of the War Department and published by it. Mr. Wood teaches these classes which are offered to fifth termers and above.

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Selling One of the completely new courses to Jeff this year is the selling class. It is open to girls who wish to work outside of school. The class meets every morning with Mrs. Woodruff as the teacher. The girls learn how to meet people and how to sell every- thing in the different branches of the department stores. There are now about twenty- five girls in the class although more are expected to enroll next term. Dean's and Counselors' Offices If you go into the Dean's office at any time of the day. you can see very busy Jefferson girls. These girls type, take charge of receiving, alphabetizing, and filing absence and tardy slips, and do other detail work. Miss Flegel is so busy she cannot possibly have time to do all this, so to help her out, these twenty-six girls have given up their study periods. Other girls are helping in the counselors' room during the day, doing the same type of work as those in the dean's office. In this way they are helping the school, getting in their hours for the Victory Corps, and gaining valuable experience. Office Work Many commercial students are working in various business offices doing part-time typing or filing. These offices, such as mail-order houses, insurance offices, real estate offices, were left without help when hundreds either moved to better paying defense jobs or were drafted into the armed service. These students not only are aiding their country by helping through part-time work to relieve this shortage, but they are laying the groundwork for higher positions after they graduate. Civil Air Patrol Many boys at Jefferson this past term have been wearing khaki uniforms similar to the army air corps uniforms. These boys belong to the Civil Air Patrol. This service, which boys sixteen years of age or older can join, is entirely voluntary. The Civil Air Patrol is connected with the Office of Civilian Defense and will not be used for combat duty. Meetings are held twice a week and military discipline is maintained. The Civil Air Patrol does not exempt anyone from military service.