Tipton High School - Tiptonian Yearbook (Tipton, IN)

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30 THE TIPTONIAN SENIOR GERMAN CLASS.

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THE TIPTONIAN 29 The German Department This department is larger than ever be- fore, as one hundred and thirty-two students enrolled in it this year. One cause for this unprecedented growth was the introduction of the Direct Method in teaching German. By this method, the pupils get a vocabulary and a speaking knowledge before they get much grammar. Conversation is made the important part of the work in preference to grammar as heretofore. Some of our pupils taking only one year of German by this method are able to follow an ordinary con- versation. A few are able to understand enough of a German sermon to follow the trend of thought. In the fall, all but five of the Freshmen chose German instead of Latin. As there were so many, the class was divided and the sections called IA and IB. Both did the same work although the IA ' s were able to go faster than the IB ' s. The first three days of each week are spent in the Direct Method text book. Thursday and Friday are de- voted to the reading of easy German stories. Both sections finished Guerbers, Maerchen und Erzaelungen the first term and the IA ' s are now reading Glueck Auf while the IB ' s are reading Easy German Stories which are not at all easy. The question has often been asked Can high school students learn to speak Ger- man? This class, if it continues in its study of German during its high school life will prove that the answer to this question should be Yes. The Sophomore Class used the Grammar Method till mid-term, studying Prokosch ' s German Grammar. They also read the sec- ond volume of Maerchen during this term. After mid-term, they took up the direct method and will do as much in one term as the other section did in two. They are now reading Schiller ' s Comedy, Der Neffe als Onkel. This class is doing excellent work, as is shown by the class of books they are reading. Most of the class intend to take four years of German. The Junior German Class is doing the same work as the Freshmen in the direct method. They read Glueck Auf the first term and are now reading the second vol- ume of Maerchen. This is the largest Ger- man class as their enrollment is thirty- three. This is the class that gives our Ger- man much advertisement as they talk it on the streets and in the stores uptown. The seniors who are now doing second year work are the only class taking the grammar method. They are using the Vos ' Grammar and are doing excellent work. They read Storms ' Immensee the first term and are now reading Baumbach ' s Der Schwiegersohn. Several of the class are al- so translating Storms ' Der Schimmelrerter for extra credit. This class holds the rec- ord for having made the greatest number of A + ' s in German. Der Lehrer Gottlieb Emil Lochmuller ist ein echter Deutscher. Er hat von Jugend auf Deutsch gesprochen da seine Eltern beide von Deutschland kamen und seine Mutter nie eine andere Sprache lernte. Da- heim sprach er Deutsch und er ist auch viel in die deutschen Schule gegangen. Im Sommer ist er der deutsche Lehrer in der Centralen Muster Schule und wird auch diesen folgenden Sommer dahin gehen. Sein innigster Wunsch folgt, Moege die Deutsche Sprache immer mehr und mehr ihren rech- ten Platz in den Hochschulen in den Ver- einigten Staaten finden.

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THE TIPTONIAN 31 LITERATURE MICHAEL. A Paraphrase of Wordsworth ' s Poem. The traveler who has been venturesome enough to penetrate the wilderness ot flow- ers which separates the main road from the more picturesque, though wilder regions of Grassmere Vale, plunges at once into a laby- rinth of sweet scented grasses, trees and shrubs, a miniature Paradise it seems. Through this flows a silvery brook babbling and dancing between violet lined banks. Close by the margin of the brook may be seen a curiously arranged pile of stones and not far from these the ruins of what was once a home. The stone walls have long since crumbled to decay and the wilderness has overrun the threshhold. An old shepherd who watched his flocks on the neighboring hillside relates this sto- ry of the vale. Many years ago, there dwelt in Gras- mere Vale an old shepherd named Michael. He had reached the age of SO when a son was born to him and his good wife, who was twenty years younger than he. This son, who was their only child, became the con- stant companion of Michael, who watched and cared for the boy with an ever increas- ing love, and the lad was never happier than when with his father. Michael taught the boy to be energetic, to like work. The mother, also, set Luke, for so he was called, the example of ceaseless industry. So en- ergetic were these three that their candle burned brightly long after nightfall and the people of the neighborhood gave the cot- tage the name of The Evening Star. In this manner passed many happy years until Luke reached the age of eighteen. Then misfortune came. Michael, some years before this time, had become security for a relative for whom investments turned out badly and it seemed that a part of Michael ' s hard-earned acres must go to pay the bond. The poor old shepherd felt that he must do his duty, but ihs father-love told him to save the estate for Luke. Torn between his love for his boy and love for his patrimonial acres, wihch he had only recently freed from a debt incurred by his father, Michael, with the reluctant consent of his good wife, determined to send Luke from home to the distant city, where through the as- sistance of a kinsman, he might be able to earn enough to pay the debt. Preparations for his departure were be- gun. The candle of the Evening Star burned later, for the mother ' s loving hands were leaving nothing unfinished. At last the evening before the day set for Luke ' s departure came. Michael took his son to the field where he had gathered a pile Of stones with which he and Luke had intend- ed to make a sheepfold. Pausing by the pile of stones, the old man told his son to lay the corner stone of the fold, and as the boy worked, his father told him of his love for him and his desire that he, Luke, should keep the little farm as his father had done, and as his father ' s father had done, before him; for he could not bear that it should pass into the hands of strangers. The youth promised to do as his parent wished and looked lovingly upon the old man, who had been his lifelong counselor. The next day Luke left home, carrying with him the good wishes of the country side and his fathers ' blessing. Time passed on and a letter came saying that Luke was doing well and that his kinsman was well pleased with him. For a few years, letters of this kind continued to be received and the shepherd and his wife were happy in the success of their boy. But just as their sun of prosperity was in its zenith, lo, a cloud appeared covering it, so that never again did its rays of happiness beam upon the two old people. Luke formed evil asso- ciations. He committed one crime after an- other until at last he was compelled to flee the country. The grief of his parents was pitiful to behold. Their hearts were broken; and what is more pitiable than the broken heart of a loving father or mother. Seven years passed away. The old shep- herd died and was buried on his beloved es- tate. Three years later, the loving wife and mother was laid beside him. The es-