Birmingham University School - Equestria Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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Course of Study The curriculum of Birmingham University School is planned to offer the best possible preparation for college entrance. It is the desire of the administration and faculty of the School that every student who graduates from BUS be able to enter the college of his choice and pursue any course of study with success. In order to do so, we believe that while in the lower grades - four through seven -he must master the skills of reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic and obtain basic knowledge of history, geography, languages and science. In the upper grades - eight through twelve - he must receive both depth and scope in the traditional liberal arts: English, history, science, mathematics and languages. These requirements can be met in our program only by the study of these subjects each year. Thus, there are no electives at BUS, except that the student may choose the particular foreign language to be studied in each grade. Furthermore, there are no vocational courses, and extra-curricular activities are limited to those that are of most certain educational value: student council, debate, athletics, student newspaper and yearbook. In pursuance of this course of study, each student in the lower grades studies six or more subjects each day. Beginning high school level courses are gradually being introduced into the eighth grade, leaving room for more advanced courses in the eleventh and twelfth grades. The present ninth grade students are required to carry five academic subjects and approximately half of the students in the tenth through the twelfth grades are carrying five. In 1960-61 the requirement of five subjects will go through the tenth grade, and will progress one grade each year, reaching the twelfth in 1962-63.

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Science Laboratory Chemistry Class Performs An Experiment A modern and well-equipped laboratory is used for courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The science classroom has a connecting door to the laboratory.

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Course of Study As this required course of study becomes effective, more advanced courses will be offered in sciences, mathematics and history. Also, students will be permitted to choose between Latin and Greek for a minimum of two years of ancient language and among French, German. Russian and Spanish for a minimum of two years of modem language. Those who begin in the eighth grade, therefore, will have five years of foreign language, as well as five years of high school level science courses. To make this type of curriculum feasible, each section of a grade is limited to a maximum of eighteen boys. This means that, in general, each class - except physical education - comprises eighteen or fewer. Each student receives individual supervision of his performance in the classroom and of his preparation of assignments. Homework is assigned with the expectation that each student will study diligently during his two supervised study periods each day and for at least two hours at home in the evening. Many students find that they need to devote more time than that to study; others do more simply because they enjoy it. During the year of 1959-60 there are two sections of both the fifth and sixth grades, which permits assigning students to a section according to ability and academic progress. As the expansion of facilities permits, additional grades will be doubled until each grade has two or more sections.