Phoenix Union High School - Phoenician Yearbook (Phoenix, AZ)

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3-v1 COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT The Commercial Department of the Phoenix Union High School was one of the pioneer departments of its kind. It was organized by the present State Superintendent of Public lnstruction, C. O. Case, along about I905. ln l908 the present head of the department, C. L. Michael, was elected to teach commercial subjects, he being the only teacher in the department, which at that time was all located in the rooms now occupied by Mrs. Coleman and Mrs. Munson, there being no partition between them. There were eight typewriters. The enrollment in the work was such that it required an assistant. When the new buildings were built the department moved to larger quarters-the present beginning typing room and the two rooms west of it. This it was felt would be sufficient unto the needs of the department for many years. About that time Mrs. Mathews was elected to teach typing and shorthand. A few years later Mr. Glass came as teacher of bookkeep- ing and penmanship. Additional teachers have been added from time to time until there are now ten devoting all their time to commercial subjects and usually some outside help is required. The entire second floor of the Commercial Building and two on the first floor and more room is needed. At the beginning, penmanship, bookkeeping, shorthand and typing were taught. Now in addition to these Business English, Commercial Arithmetic, Rapid Calculation, Elements of Business, Clerical Practise, Commercial Law, Office Training, Salesmanship and Advertising have been added to the commercial training. There are now one hundred typewriters in daily use, three teachers devoting all their time to this subject alone. SCIENCE DEPARTMENT The Science Department of Phoenix Union High School has been grow- ing rapidly during the past few years. This year the number of science classes is 36 as compared with 30 of last year, and 20 of 4 years ago. This represents approximately 500, 750 and 900 students. To take care of this rapid increase a number of new laboratories have been equipped during these years. This year, there are in use two new general science laboratories which embody the latest ideas in laboratory construction for general science teaching. lnstruction in the Science Department aims to present the laws of nature in such a way that the pupil can make practical use of them in his daily living. His health will be better if he knows the sources of disease bacteria and how to check them: if he knows the nourishment value of foodsg if he knows the functioning of his own body: if he knows the laws of heredity. He will be a more useful home member if he knows how the door bell rings: why the water faucet chatters: how the electric iron works: in what way soda differs from baking powder: how to take fever tempera- 28

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Ghv 4 K' 7 0 X 1'-xI5 'S '4 fri. Q ' -'B' fat 6 DEPARTMENTS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT LL STUDENTS of the Phoenix Union High School are required to present four units in English before receiving their diploma. To assist the students in meeting this requirement the English depart- ment offers four full years of regular training in the English language and literature. These courses are designated by number, and each course is a semester in length. English l is for first semester Freshmen, the student progressing through the course of study until English 8 is reached in the last half of the Senior year. To supplement the regular required work in English, the department offers special courses in journalism, Expression, Dramatics, and Debating. It also conducts classes in Special English which have as their object the review of fundamentals for those students whose past preparation or appli- cation has not resulted in giving them sufhcient grasp of subject matter to enable them to continue the regular work in English easily. Only in very unusual cases is a student allowed to substitute one of these courses for one of the regular classes in English. At the present time we have over forty students electing Journalism, over a hundred availing them- selves of the opportunity to take one of the three forms of Public Speaking offered-Debating, Dramatics, or Expression. The Faculty of the department is actively engaged in the supervision of the extra-curricular activities of the High School. This work includes the coaching of all class plays, debaters, orators, and candidates who wish to enter any of the contests in expression or declamation, the supervision of the school paper, called the Coyote journal and published weekly during the school year, and the supervision of the Year Book known as The Phoenician . The aims of English instruction in the Phoenix Union High School may be simply stated. ln the Held of composition we aim to teach the student to express his ideas with accuracy and facility, both when speaking and writing. ln the field of literature we aim to introduce the student to some of the best writing in the language, both past and present day, and thus to train him to evaluate the material which he will encounter on the printed page. ln the Junior and Senior years a survey of the field of American and English CBritishQ literature is undertaken, the purpose of which is to show the student the common traditions and common heritage of all English speaking peoples and to develop loyalty and affection for the English language. 27

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yay- 11' tures. He will be better able to earn a living in that vast number of occupations that need a knowledge of our modern scientific inventionsg - even to law, ministry, or merchandising, '--- if he has studied science. He will be a better citizen for he cannot but see that law and order are the very heart of that great world of nature, of which he is a part. I-Ie will make better use of his leisure time if he has learned something of the workings of photography, of radiog of the life of plants and animals in the great outdoors, of the formation of rivers and rocks: of modern inven- tions. His ethical standards will be higher because of his realization and appreciation of the beauty, symmetry and regularity that are all about him, from the mighty forest with its teeming life, down to the minute and beautiful crystal that can be seen only with a microscope. The objective of science instruction is better living. MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT In the early days of Mr. Blount's principalship, he taught all the mathe- matics classes in this school. As the department grew, teachers of other departments were given a class or two in mathematics. During this period. Miss McDaniel and Mr. Elliott taught classes in Algebra. But by I9II mathematics was large enough and important enough to be made a sep- arate department, and Miss Sarah M. Whitfield was chosen head of this department. That year there were two teachers who gave full time and two teachers who gave part time to this subject. That year. also, Geom- etry changed from a half year to a full year subject. A comparison of the number of classes in l9I I-I2 and I924-25 may serve as good information and interest. No. of No. of l9I I-I2 Classes I924-25 Classes Algebra I and II . 5 Algebra I and II 23 Plane Geometry . 4 Plane Geometry , I6 Algebra III . I Algebra III . , 4 Solid Geometry I Algebra IV . I Trigonometry I ' Solid Geometry . .. 4 'f7 pupilsj Trigonometry ..., . I The department is especially pleased with the number of students who pursue the higher courses which are wholly elective. Many of the high school's honor students have taken prizes in the Annual State Contests in Algebra at Tucson. MUSIC DEPARTMENT The Phoenix Union High School band, under the direction of Mr. Albert Etzweiler, has attained a membership of forty-four members. The band has rehearsal each morning during the first school period. It is the object of this organization to promote and cultivate the desire among the students to appreciate and play only the best music. 29