Alameda High School - Acorn Yearbook (Alameda, CA)

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At Eleven-Forty

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HE high school of yesterday was a strictly academic institution. The scope of its curriculum was limited by the entrance requirements of the leading universities and elasticity in its course of study was an unknown quantity. During the past ten years high school education has been subjected to a closer scrutiny and its usefulness has become a theme for scholarly investiga- tion and much intensive study. The educator of today is no longer able to satisfy his fellows, nor indeed his own conscience, with dogmatic or visionary reasons for the teaching of subjects, for the methods employed, for the time allotment, or indeed for any- thing bearing upon the conduct of his school or department. The Alameda High School has apprec iably broadened both in the scope of its curriculum and in its co-ordination with the life of the community. A few years ago it was a creditable academic institution and an excellent college preparatory school. Today it stands solidly as a training school for life, taking into account not only the general intelligence that is a part of good citizenship, but the ability to earn a livelihood as well. Courses under trained instructors are now available in manual training, millinery, dress making, cooking, nutrition, food chemistry, household expen- ditures, interior decorating, copper and leather work, bookkeeping, stenog- raphy, business law, commercial arithmetic, accounting, practical banking, applied mechanics, forge and foundry work, mechanical drawing, machine design, surveying, practical journalism and in other vocational and prevoca- tional lines. In striving to meet the economic demands of the times there has beep no underrating of the educating and refining influences of subjects usually classified as cultural. Through an effective division of faculty labor a class advisory system has constantly before it the problem of properly balancing courses in the interest of broadening rather than narrowing the vision of the student. The strength of the academic or college preparatory departments has steadily increased and the rating of our graduates attending the universities is, as it always has been, high. A volume might be written upon “The Spirit of the Alameda High School.” The atmosphere there is earnest and serene and the loyalty of faculty and student body for their school and for each other is something distinctly worthy of admiration. My interest and belief in the Alameda High School makes my apprecia- tion for the dedication of this volume the deeper. —C. J. DuFour, Superintendent of Alameda Schools:

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At Eleven-Forty “CO” YES, the Domestic Science course in High School may be interest- ing, but frankly I don’t think it practical. It is necessary to know how to make a good soup, prepare a roast, and make scalloped potatoes.” After a visitor had expressed her views so decidedly on the subject, | quickly made up my mind that it would be necessary to show how very practical the course in Domestic Science is, as taught in the Alameda High School. “Well,” I answered, “it certainly is nice to make cream-puffs and French pastry, but it is better to be able to cook all the every-day-things such as soup. The attractive may be combined with the practical.” “But,” the visitor demurred, “is it possible to be thoroughly practical in a cooking school? This kitchen is fitted up very sensibly, I must say. However, are you ever given an opportunity to demonstrate that this work is practical at home? It is easy to cook only one thing in one day, but how about preparing a meal and serving it? You know a meal is made up of several “one things.” “This is where we have the opportunity to show that we are thoroughly practical in our work. This is our own dining-room, and as a part of our work we have to prepare and serve meals. On next Monday we are to have a luncheon at whic h six of the Senior girls, Miss Haworth, and a lecturer who will address the Senior girls, will be guests. Here is the menu for the luncheon with an estimate of the cost. I'll read it to you: Fruit salad .2217, dainty chips .05, peas .2165, mashed potatoes .0628, shoulder of lamb .7123, hot rolls .0529, and strawberry pudding .3109. Doesn’t that sound delicious?” “Do you mean to say this second term class will serve a meal like that without the help of a teacher; though, of course I suppose when a great many do it, it is not so hard?” “But all of us don’t cook the dinner; that would be too easy!” | exclaimed. “You see, on different days we take turns, because the teacher says that we must learn to work alone here.” As the visitor said good-by, she remarked, “In that luncheon I cannot help but notice how well balanced the food-values are. Is that a part of your work, or was it just an accident?” As I answered. I thought of the “exams” we have had in food-values. “Indeed, that wasn’t an accident; that is just about half our work. If any one should suggest a meal made up of all starchy things or fatty things, why then she would get a red mark in that book that tells so much at the end of the quarter.” —Alice Ryan.