Academy of Mount Saint Vincent - Chastellux Yearbook (Tuxedo Park, NY)

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MISS DEANNA VECCHIOTTI English Department It was a red letter day for the Mount when MISS DEANNA VECCHIOTTI. a graduate of the College of New Rochelle, signed her contract and joined the English Department of the Academy. Together SISTER THERESA and MISS VECCHIOTTI have planned a new approach in the teaching of English which has already sparked a gratifying response in their classes. Realizing that her students will share her own response and appreciation of poetry and other forms of literature. MISS VEC- CHIOTTI selects with care the records she will use for each of her classes. Instead of the traditional method involving the isolated study of literary pieces, the coordination of the students own interests with those of the authors they are studying has made the English classes more challenging. Even written expression has benefited from this new approach. Beginning with Ninth Year classes, students are introduced to the liter ary genre, and a firm background is established in understanding the var- ious art forms. Required readings are supplemented by research projects which will hopefully cover several aspects of the humanities — history, sociology, music and art — as well as literature. Some of this research will be done during regular class periods, some will be done outside of class. Field trips will supplement the teach- ing and research. In the course in American Literature an effort is made to cover the work of several authors of each period of our history, correlating the literary and political aspects of the period. The main goal in this course is to appreciate the purpose of each au thor and the results of his labor, rather than a memorization of charac- ters and plots. Background lectures are followed by discussions and indi- vidual research projects. A visit to the Mystic Seaport Museum Village in Connecticut helped students appreci- ate the living conditions and prevail- ing atmosphere of the period they were studying in November. The day was profitable, despite the fact that the bus broke down on the return trip, and they arrived home at 12:30 a.m. instead of the 8:30 p.m. sched- uled! 21

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Records, Filmstrips, Seminars . . . Make English Come Alive At The Mount SISTER THERESA COURTNEY Chairman o the English Department In the fall of our Senior year SISTER THERESA COURTNEY took over the reins as Chairman of the English Department, replacing SISTER MARIAN SETON who was assigned to Bishop McDonnell High School in September. SISTER THERESA has her Master's Degree in English from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. The lure of Indian Summer days outdoors was irresistible and both SISTER THERESA and MISS VECCHIOTTI often held their English classes outdoors. 20

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Both Science And Math Stress Discovery And Experimentation Emphasis was placed on the experimental approach in Biology this year. Activities included the alcoholic fermentation of apple cider and the crossing of fruit flies when students were studying Mendel's ratio. New micro-viewers provided “inside information” on bacteria, photosynthesis and the inner workings of the human body. A blood-typing service was offered to the school when students were studying the circulatory system. SISTER BARBARA also teaches Chemistry, the sci- ence she loves most. Her enthusiasm is shared by her students. After basic lectures had been given to the entire class, each student received a packet for each unit being studied. The packet contained read- ing lists, problem sheets and lab experiments to be completed by the student at her own rate. The better students completed the basic assignments and went on to enrichment exercises, while students with difficulties received more individual help from Sister. Since SISTER BARBARA teaches both Religion and Science, she is well qualified to give a course cover ing basic aspects of marriage to the Seniors. SISTER BARBARA SROZENSKI Biology and Chemistry When a wasps' nest was removed from beneath the eaves a Renamor, it was enclosed in a plastic bag for several days, and any wasps in it were suffocated. Then it was brought to the Lab for students to examine. Here SISTER BARBARA is examining it with MARIANNE ANGEL and ANNE BUDIN. Each year a hamster has had a special corner in the Lab. Last year's was “Honey” and more than once it escaped from its cage and made its way downstairs to the Library. This year Honey has been replaced by “Su- gar” — a more docile little animal, with a really pleasant personality. TERRY BYRNE and KATHY CLARK will vouch for this. Here SISTER BARBARA is testing some of its reactions. 22