Abraham Lincoln High School - Railsplitter Yearbook (Des Moines, IA)

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Abraham Lincoln High School Experience Qained by Journalists By publishing the regular Railsplitter and the semi- annual Senior Railsplitter, the June, 1936, A s and other senior high students engaged in journalism have gained valuable experience during their time spent in journalism. Attending conventions has also been another means of gaining journalistic knowledge. Graduating seniors who attended the two-day Medill Press Conference held at Northwestern University, Evanston, HI., on May 1 and 2 include : Leno Chiesa, Beatrice Coburn, Eugene Crook, Ruth DeYall, and James Louberto. During the conference these students participated in individual contests. James Louberto, editor of the regular Rail- splitter, won honorable mention in the editing and make-up contest while at the conference. Leno Chiesa, sports editor of the regular Railsplitter, and James Louberto have also been honorable mention winners in the International Quill and Scroll contests by virtue of material entered in sports writing and editorial contests. Heading the June ' 36 Senior Railsplitter staff was Raymond Fontanini, who was also an excellent manager of the business affairs of the bi-weekly Railsplitter. Ruth DeVall has also worked hard to perfect the papers published by the journalism department, by aid- ing in the capacity of executive editor of the regular school paper and associate editor of the June, 1936, Senior Railsplitter. Other June ' 36 seniors who have furthered Lincoln High journalism progress include: Orville Arnold. Eleanore Been, Gretchen Boyd, Beatrice Coburn, Eugene Crook, Frank Domanico, Louis Ferin, Arthur Fontana, Marcella Jaggers, Arlene Polen, Max Shelton, Lena Tamasi, Gertrude Timmons, and Iona VerSteeg. Lincoln ' s 75-piece band appeared at all high school football games; as guest band for the Ames-Drake game, and in assembly programs in other Des Moines public high schools. For the past year, high school musical organizations have been developing a feeling of goodwill between schools. As a result, Lincoln has participated at the other three schools in exchange for their entertainment. Lincoln ' s music department presented the opera Martha, last fall, which proved successful and all of these musical presentations have been under the direc- tion of Frederick E. Engel, music director of the senior organization. From these organizations graduates of the June ' 36 class leaving these organizations are: Alice Armel. chorus; Lloyd Burnstedt, band; Earle Canfield, band; Frank Domanico, chorus; James Kelly, chorus; Ed- mond Koons, chorus ; Robert Lusk, band ; Russell Mote, band ; Felix Pascuzzi, orchestra ; Clifton Oliver, chorus ; Harry Ritchie, band; Doris Stroud, chorus; Lena Tamasi, chorus; Gertrude Timmons, band; George Trissel, band ; James Wilhite, band ; and Wayne Wil- lett, c horus. ( lass Song (Tune: Lights Out ) Goodbye, Lincoln High, One more class is leaving you, Goodbye, Lincoln High, We leave our friends and teachers true. They ' ve helped us o ' er the rough spots, We ' ve toiled from week to week. To make, this day, A bright spot in our memory. DAusic Lincoln High ' s senior music department is divided into four different senior groups: the band, orchestra, chorus and glee club. From these are taken the boys ' quartet, girls ' trio and dance band. These senior organi- zations are continually busy studying programs to present for entertainment. During the past year the Lincoln senior boys ' quartet has represented Lincoln High at the Consistory, the Ames Band dinner, the Lincoln P. T. A., Retail Grocers convention, and the Swedish Mission church. The group this semester is composed of Earle Canfield, June ' 36 ; Charles Pilmer, James Cassel and Wayne Willett, June ' 36. Lincoln ' s band had two new instruments, the glocken- spiels, added to their music making group in Septem- ber, 1935. One glockenspiel is played by George Tris- sel, a member of the June ' 36 class. Farewell, to you, Though we hate to leave your halls, Farewell, to you, Now a greater duty calls. Well ne ' er forget the hours, Of happiness spent here, With you, Lincoln High, They have been so siveet and dear. Goodbye, Lincoln High, Though we hate to say adieu, Goodbye, Lincoln High, Noiv we leave for fields anciv, We reach the hour of parting, But our memories will remain, With you, Lincoln High, Bigger things zve must attain. — Betty Jane Frederick. June ' 36.

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Cjf orums Rapii XNTRODUCED into the senior school curriculum in September, 1934, amid commendations from } oth students and faculty, the Lincoln High student forums have developed from a unique experi- ment into probably the most important and foremost feature of the Lincoln High senior social science courses. Taking one-fifth of the time allocated to social science studies these forums have almost become a course in themselves, under the capable and adroit guidance of Nathan H. Weeks, former principal of Lincoln and an interested student of social problems. The general attitude of the students toward these forums has gradually changed from curiosity to acknowledgment of the opportunities and benefits offered by the senior student forums. These senior student forums are replicas of the Des Moines adult forums, being developed on ap- proximately the same basis. Topics for the students ' forums are entirely the selection of the students themselves. Each class which composes the forum group is permitted to outline a subject for discussion in forum. Students are not limited in their choice of forum topics, being conceded the opportunity to select any current subjects of local, state, national, or international bearing. Often, related subjects are usually discussed in groups over a period of several weeks. As has been mentioned, the student forums are similar to the adult forums in almost every phase and respect, even to the procedure of carrying on discussion. With Weeks, who serves in the capacity of forum leader, giving an introduction of the topic by giving the main principles and particular facts of the topic, the students are able to grasp and to secure some knowledge of the subject. Weeks then opens the discussion to the students who express their opinions both affirmatively and negatively, thus giv- ing the students many different angles and view- points. Probably the three most important and outstand- ing benefits derived from the forums by the students are: (a) They become acquainted with a variety of good material for current affairs, (b) They are learn- ing to listen to all conflicting arguments and then draw their own conclusions, (c) The discussion of vital current problems stimulates a desire to know more about them. Virginia M. Dewey, senior economics instructor, voices her opinion and viewpoint of the forum in stating, I think the forum is an excellent oppor- tunity for the students. The only weakness is that many students fail to take full advantage of the opportunity to participate in the discussions. Also, forums probably give a broader outlook regarding current affairs, which is an advantage in classroom discussion. The distinct advantage of forum discus- sions over classroom discussions is that there is a larger group, with the result of more opinion. Sue- 7y Developing cess of the senior student forums in Lincoln High has been largely due to the dexterity with which Leader Weeks has manipulated and operated senior discussion groups. Weeks, who is originator of the forum idea and who was at that time principal, was given administrative assistance in order that he might personally direct these discussions. Eager to devote a much greater share of his time to these discussions, Weeks resigned his principalship. There are possi- bilities for all the students in these forums, but only part of them take the advantage offered, states Weeks in summing up his reaction to the forum dis- cussions. One of the chief purposes of the senior student forums is to give the students more oppor- tunities to express their opinions and viewpoints. This is being accomplished by the cooperation of Weeks and other Lincoln social science instructors through the method of allowing the students to take the initiative in the presentation of forum discussions. The first time this plan was carried out was by a tfroup of economic students under the direction of J. R. Anderson, who was then a senior economics instructor. This group presented a broadcast forum on Remedies for Our Industrial Problems. Also during this semester, a group of economics students composed the panel of Paul Scharrenberg, adult forum leader, who presented a talk on Labor. Although this semester the presentation of forum discussions was not given to any students or groups of students, last semester three such forums were presented. Two of Virginia Dewey ' s class presented forums on the Italo-Ethiopean Crisis and the Cotton Situation, respectively. Forums have now become a part of the senior school curriculum. If they were discontinued, Lin- coln High senior students would be handicapped in their study of important current affairs. Lincoln-Weeks Award CERTAIN graduates of Abraham Lincoln High school are given the opportunity to obtain loans from the Lincoln-Weeks Scholarship Award Fund to assist them in attending college. The idea for such a fund was conceived by the senior economics class of January, 1930, under the direction of Mrs. Edna McCaull Bohlman, Lincoln senior economics instructor. That year students of the graduating class, as well as Lincoln instructors, contributed money to estab- lish this distinctive project. Since then money has been raised by selling candy in halls after school, from noon movies, from noon dances, and by the annual Fall fiesta. Graduate high school students must rank high in their class in order to be considered for this loan award.

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Des SMoineSy Iowa June 1936 21 ' Blowers of Integrity MARCH INC FREDERICK E. EXCEL, DIRECTOR 30C Reading from left to right, back row: J. Knight, McCullough, Silcott, Timmons, Williams, Warren. Ninth row: Fisher, McGee, Cervetti, Smedlie, Clemmer, Celsi. Eighth row: Hughes, F. Knight, V. Thomas, Muse, Earle Canfield. Seventh row: Lusk, Locke, Comiskey, J. Burnstedt, M. Miller, King. Sixth row: B. Thomas, Brownbridge, T. Casady, Graves, Shrader. Fifth row: Trissel, Munger, M. Kent, Tomkinson, Crowell, Hayes. Fourth row: J. Pressutti, Orr, W. Cassel, R. Kent, Staude, Shreffller. Third row: Adamson, Dooley, O ' Brien Esther Canfield, Haigh, Willey. Second row: Wilhite, Ward, Phillips, Mote, Flatt, Huff. First row: Ritchie, Deaton, Pilmer, J. Cassel, Waters, L Humstedt, Dorothy Ogden, drum major. 3 3 3 ft r ra la la Reading from left to right, back row: Pascuzzi, Thomas, Knight, Pilmer, C. Oliver, Canfield, Adamson, Figg, Willey, Willett, J. Wilhite, M. Kent, Trissel. Fourth row: F. Domanico, Hayes, Ritchie, Rittel, Faust, Kelly, Fisher, Warren, J. Cassel, W. Cassel, Woodman. Third row: Highland, Higgins, Williams, Duff, Stickler, Tinlin, Ogden, Baker, Newbanks, McCul- lough, Armel, Brightman, E. Mc- Clintic, B. Burgess. Second row: Hutchings, Genovese, Collins, John- son, Stroud, Palmer, R. Comiskey, C. McClintic, Hague, G. Oliver, Neal. First row: Stubbs, Work, Reit, Davis, Bierwirth, Lehman, Muto, K. Burgess, Shrock. A CAITELLA CHOIR, FREDERICK E. EXCEL. DIRECTOR