Buchanan High School - Pines Yearbook (Buchanan, MI)

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Art is the expression of energy in terms of .. beauty. Appreciation of good art and merchandise is the aim of the classes taught by Mrs. Imhoff, in- structor of art in our school. The method used to appreciate art is doing, and only by doing can we see the difficulties of designers and workers of art. Expression of art is accomplished through design, composition, figure drawing, and color. Design is the foundation or plan of the creation the designer or artist makes. The elements of de- sign are used in all forms of art such as architec- ture, painting, sculpture, interior decoration, cos- tume, industrial design, and the decorative arts. Composition is the putting together of line, dark and light, and color. In figure drawing human models are sometimes used. The art students or other pupils pose. The color wheel of the five principal colors--red, yellow, green, blue, and violet-is extensively studied. Many posters are made for school events, and this year posters illu- strating Book Week were entered in contests including the grades from the fifth through the eighth. Prizes were given by the city library. This year, from the money left by the art club, a new block print ma- chine was purchased. This machine makes block prints on linoleum and cloth. Mrs. Eunice Imhoff, who taught art the first semester, was succeeded by Miss Eleanor Groh the second semester. Under the untiring efforts of our director, Mr. Ralph Robinson, the music department has completed one of its most successful years. The addition of a drum major, and three baton twirlers during the year 1938-39, has greatly im- proved the looks of the Buchanan High School band. Enjoying more popularity perhaps than any other organization in the high school, the band paraded upon many occasions in order to serve the com- munity and the school. Their presence at the foot- ball and basketball games has become almost a necessity as the band forms a large part of the cheering section. The Buchanan High School band acted as host to many other schools in Berrien County at the an- nual band festival in May. Mr. Robinson has started a band for beginners which now consists of forty students. These students are the future members of the high school band. The orchestra, consisting of twenty-eight members, also played for different organizations in and around Buchanan. Nearly all of the plays and public performances at the high school were opened by the music of the orchestra. The orchestra has been greatly improved this year by the addition of violas, cellos, and string basses. The glee club has been keeping up with the times with their modern versions of modern songs. The first half of the year was spent in pre- paration for the annual musical revue. The latter half was spent in pre- paration for the glee club festival which was held in Dowagiac. Mr. Robinson attended summer school at Western State Teachers College last summer. l13l

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E121- While this department cannot possibly produce an illustrious or spec- tacular curriculum, it does, however, deal with subjects which are dras- tically affected by current events. In short it is in the making from sun- rise to sunset. This factor is buoyed up by the untiring efforts of our leaders, Mrs. May Whitman and Mr. John Elbers. Could you find the height of an inaccessable tree on the opposite bank of a river if you knew the width of the river and the angle to the top of the tree? Easy enough, if you h a v e attended t h e fi r s t t w o weeks of the trig- onometry course offered a t B u - c h a n a n High, where the stud- ent is taught not only the use of figures, but prac- tical applications of them also. This course is under the competent in- struction of Mr. Joseph Hyink, who also teaches first year algebra, which is required for graduation, plane geometry, offered to sophomores, advanc- ed algebra, and solid geometry, courses for juniors and seniors, as is trig- onometry. Mr. Claude Carter teaches one division of freshman algebra, and Mr. Moore the other. Mr. Earl Rizor teaches junior high mathematics, preparing the seventh and eighth graders for the more advanced sub- jects. Also on alternate years Mr. Rizor teaches a course in business arithmetic for high school students. Not a great many years have passed since higher mathematics, the basis for all science, has been taught in all high schools, and the students of Buchanan High are indeed fortunate to have so competent a staff of teachers to prepare them for further learning. The physical science department of the Buchanan High School con- sists of the subjects: biology, vocational agriculture, physics, chemistry, and general science. A student upon becoming a freshman, has general science behind him. This subject ana- lyzes the relation of one science to another. Biology is offered to the freshman, and it teaches the student how to live better by comparison of the life of simple plants and animals to his own. As a junior, one may take a course in chemistry. This subject ex- plains unseen chemical reactions. The class is fortunate to have a well- equipped laboratory at its disposal to aid it in understanding the subject. Physics is on the senior list and concerns physical reactions of the uni- verse. Leading the science department to new discoveries are Mr. Clarence Langer and Mr. Claude Carter. Last summer Mr. Langer guided thirty- seven ambitious boys through farming projects. Our other guiding hand, Mr. Carter, through patient explanations and Wisdom, has indeed done much for our science department.

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l14l The general course in industrial arts offers its students the oppor- tunity to become acquainted with different types of activities and to draw up a better idea of what . they wish to make their life work. It gives each student the chance to develop some use of the tools and machinery of which our shop consists. The shop is divided into three different di- visions: the metal department, the wood depart- ment, and the mechanical drawing department. In the metal department the students experience such tasks as forging, hammering, piecing, sawing, and etching. Some of the machines found in this de- partment, are the engine lathe, tlze spot welder, and e- the grinding machine. In the wood department the observer will find elementary wood work and cabinet construction being done. The instruments used by this department are the band saw and saw bench. In mechanical drawing, two years of geometric and machine shop drawing are taught, a work which is found to be very difficult. One will also find in connection with these three subjects some electrical work and the casting and molding of small objects in cement. Mr. Ray Miller, the industrial art instructor, has charge over all the work done in our shop and is found to turn out many good handicraft students, girls as well as boys. Last summer Mr. Miller completed his A. B. degree at Western State Teachers College. The study of home economics is essential to almost anyone in his or her life. The department in the Buchanan High Schcol is under the direction of Miss Helen Krebs, who last summer studied at Columbia University, progressing to- wards her master's degree. This department in the school is one of the most active. The course is elective to high school students, both girls and fellows, and is required of the girls of the eighth grade. The girls of the senior high school may take three years which consist of food preparation, clothing, and home management. The girls develop interest in participating in home-making ideas and increase their appreciation of the qualities of character that is especially significant in home and community life. To aid the girl in gaining a conception of home making as a vocation skilled labor, expert management, scientific knowledge, and a good mental attitude are required. Buchanan High School is the only school in the county that gives a full year course to the boys. This is the third year that it has been offer- ed to the fellows. Their work consists mostly of food preparation. The study in this department insures one a more abundant life in ac- cordance with individual capacity for ambition. The Buchan- an High School's physical educa- tion program is divided into two separate depart- ments: one for the boys, direct- ed by Mr. John Miller, and one for the girls, di- rected by Miss Henry.