Pekin High School - Pekinian Yearbook (Pekin, IL)

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Homework Is A Necessary Evil The final bell takes its toll and there begins the chaotic scene of pushing, books sliding across floors, and cheers from all directions. Students make a dash for their lockers with a mad grab for their coats and books. Leaving with them is the subject bringing that ugh! response — HOMEWORK! Homework made its debut in most students' lives between first and third grades, according to a survey of PCHS students. Senior Julie Henderson answered freshman year! Most students noticed a change in the amount of homework when they entered high school. Homework can be a daily drudgery to trail home. When, where, and how it gets done is an individual feat. The case of the forgotten homework leads students to search for excuses to rescue them. Junior Chuck Smith Looking over the night's assignments before class ends is Sophomore Jodi Kim. cleverly adds, My dad used it to start the fire in our fireplace. Another student said, Something good was on T.V. Whether it was left at home, stolen, or their brother made a paper airplane out of it, students usually have an alibi. The contest of homework versus classwork ended with the majority favoring in-class work. Some homework is necessary (like algebra), but other homework you could do just as easily in class, replied one freshman. Many students said homework helped their grade, but it took up too much of their time. With more subjects required each year and added emphasis on home studies, students may be left without that break for a studyhall. Sparing those hours behind the Atari for the complicated problems of Trigonometry . . . a loss of entertainment, but the profit of a valuable education. The mad rush is over, the assignments are done, and Senior Mike Ercegovich uses open studyhall to catch up on sleep lost the night before. Homework 27

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Mental Awareness Taught In Health How fat are you? Pinch an inch and find out! That's one practical application (a skinfold test of health taught as part of physical fitness. Health is a required course for freshmen, enforced not only by the school but by the state of Illinois. At the senior level, Health is a more involved subject to take. Topics involve different parts of the human body and more advanced body functions. Health students also learn about defense mechanisms, another practical application of the class. For example, when a person starts gaining weight, he may not admit that he eats too much. Instead he says, I have a low metabolism, or my parents 'make' me clean up my plate. When students receive a poor grade on a paper or project they may also seem to blame it on the teacher by saying, He just doesn't like me, or I didn't like the class any way and my counselor made me take it. In addition, at least one filmstrip is usually seen during each chapter. There are all kinds of mental and physical discussions. Information is provided on the parts of the brain, bones, muscles, and a major body organs. Freshman year may seem to be a little embarressing with some of the major body organs. But if a student chooses to take it again senior year, he may view it more maturely. classes freshman and senior year. The freshman course teaches more or less the basics such as nutrition, sex education, and how to avoid doctors who are quacks. At the senior level, it is a matter of review and added detail. •Vhile heart attacks aren't typical emergencies among the high school age population. Instructor Dan Metz warns that emergencies that require CPR techniques may occur when one least expects it. Keeping an emotional and mental health balance is important. Health class teachers encourage behavior goals, holiday cheer during Christmas week. There are relatively few differences between the Health Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in practice may help this East Campus Health student to save someone's life in an emergency situation. 26 Health

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Writing Stressed In English Class Oh-h-h no! How am I ever gonna get this theme done? This statement can be heard from several students whose themes' due dates are just around the corner. It's almost impossible for students to escape those painstaking days of theme writing, especially since English classes are being based more on writing. Each student in the class of '82 is required to pass six semesters of English which includes English 1, 2, 5, and 6. Class of '83 and classes following had a change last year in the number of credits required for English. Instead of the usual six credits, they are now in units, (one unit is equivalent to two credits). Each student is required to have three units of English to graduate. Classes that must be passed to receive the three units are English 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Students cannot substitute these classes with a different class. According to Nelson Eddings, department chairman in English, the 4-week speech course started last year in English 3 and 4 was very successful. The students cooperated, and it turned out to be quite successful, noted Mr. Eddings. We plan to continue on with the program. Among the courses offered at PCHS to complete require- 2£ English ments are English 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, which are an extension of basic English. English 5 and 8 are based mostly on writing themes, such as the term paper in English 8. English 7, American Literature, and American Fiction are courses mainly based on reading literature. Other courses offered in the English curriculum are developmental reading for those wishing to improve their reading skills; etymology, a course in the study of words; mythology, study of Greek and Roman beliefs; and journalism and publications which teach journalism techniques. Besides helping students with their reading and writing, English provides a way for students to develop their own opinions and to comprehend the meanings of various forms of literature. From experience, ranting and raving about writing themes gets you nowhere. However, English provides you with a very important lifelong skill — communication! M»s6 Miry Beth Roffman outlines the structure of her American Fiction class to a parent at the East Campus Open House visitation. Shaving requires concentration. Rob Svendsen holds very still as Samantha Danshy demonstrates how to shave during a speech unit in Mrs. Pat Pharo's Sophomore English class.