Barre High School - Barretone Yearbook (Barre, MA)

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BARRS HIGH SCHOOL Are there more pupils in Barre High School? Why? The enrollment has increased from 152 in 1923 to 255 in 1938. That is an increase of over one hundred pupils in ton years. There are a number of reasons for this increase: in the first place there are more people- of high school age. Also, the curriculum has been changing constantly so that the courses are more interesting and suitable for preparing the pupil for a more varied course in his future life. But — still more im- portant factor is the fact that there is nothing to do, nothing to interest young people; so they go to high school after graduating from the grammar grades. Parents, who Luke an interest in their children, want to give their offspring a. good education, because they know that it is essential for the children to be able to find good jobs in later life whun they have to support themselves. In the tables below you may compare the enrollments of now and ten years ago and also soe how the trend has changed as to courses. In 1928 thirty four out of the fifty fresh- men that enrolled applied for the college course while only six preferred commercial work. Due to changing conditions tho tables wore just reversed in 1938. Forty nine per cent of the freshmen class took up commercial studies and only twenty five per cent took up college work . In ten years the enrollment has increased by one hundred and three. 1923 College General Commercial Enrollment Freshman 34 11 6, 51 Sophomore 14 10 19 43 Junior 7 10 4 21 Senior 7 9 5 21 College 1938 General Commercial Enrollment Freshman 22 43 23. 88 Sophomore 14 26 21 ' 61 Junior 4 25 31 60 Senior 4 r -L. . 23 37 Since 1928 many new subjects have been added. When it was discovered that mathematics was the foundation of practi- cally all work and study, trigonometry was added to our school curriculum. Before that time advanced math was a half year subject, but now it is a full year course. Three years ago commercial geography and sociology were also introduced. These subjects give the pupils who dislike languages (except English) c chance to learn about relations with other countries and to consider many problems of our home. ' life.

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BARRE HIGH SCHOOL- -continue d Other subjects such as econo: Acs, biology, and manual training have boon suggested as new subjects , but it has been shown by experiment that there is slight interest shown in these . A special course in typing for seniors who wished to go on to college was maintained until a year ago when the regular typing classes became too large for the supply of typewriters. There has also been some talk of having a moving picture machine in the assembly hall. There is money enough avail- able for a second-hand projector but it is advisable to wait until there is enough to get a new one that will last a long time . Drawing is another subject that is becoming more and more important. There is practically no industry in which drawing is not involved. It is only a part-time subject. Students who are interested in mechanical work or en- gineering need only to go three flights up, enter the room at the right of the girls str ' rs , and find in the drafting room of Barre High School, I ' hore are rows and rows of draw- ings hanging about the walls. A few steps farther on, and one finds himself standing in a garden with flowers and trees all about him. Soon Mrs. Rice arises from the roll-top desk or emerges from the closet and sks with a smile, ” ' hat can I do for you, young man (or lady)?” That ' s all there is to it. But a lot of competition exists among the 58 girls and 34 boys in this amateur workshop. Ten years ago there were only 38 in the entire class. •‘• ' his young lady (Mrs. Rice) seems to bo getting more popular every year. The cost of school has been reduced considerably in the last few years. This is partly due to the fact that the state gives a certain per cent of the money appropriated by the town. In 1928 the net cost of the expenses have decreased steadily until now the net cost is only $48,459.16. $60,400. was the amount appropri ted , but the state paid the? difference. Fenton Carrutb ’40