Central High School - Arrow Yearbook (Aberdeen, SD)

Page 30 text:

TI-l E LIBRARY The Aberdeen High Library was introduced on a small scale in 1905, the shelves for the book being in the assembly hall, and part of them in a small room of the high school. In 1911, a room was arranged and given over entirely to library use. Since then it has been enlarged by the addition of an adjoining classroom which is used mainly for a place to study for the students and as a room for all magazines and reference books. Miss Thomas on a full-time schedule and a specially-trained librarian, is in charge of the library. Assisting Miss Thomas are high school girls, who work at the desk during their free periods. Two girls work at the desk each period of the day. They check out books and magazines in addition to helping find diff- erent books and references for students in all High School classes. The library has a very complete set of encyclopedias much in demand and use of the students in the library for looking up various references need- ed in their work. The library in the school enables the students to do their work there instead of having to go to the city library. At the present time the library is ranked as 95 per cent equipped. During the school year about an average of 275 students use the library for at least one hour a day. Every night about 200 books are checked out by different pupils wishing material for book reports or other references. There are now over 7000 books in the library, including all the leading publications and reference books. It also has its share of the leading newspapers, including the New York Times, the Minneapolis Journal and the Christian Science Monitor.

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THE PRINT SHOP The Central high school print shop had its origin in 1914, at which time Mr. K. H. Patrick gathered a few cases of type, a 10x15 platen press, a 25-inch lever paper cutter, and set to work in what is now room 27 of the Central building. In the fall of 1916 Mr. J. H. Schott became the instructor of printing and, with the addition of more type and other material, led the destinies of the boys enrolled in the course until the spring of 1919. At that time Mr. R. R. Deimer assumed charge of the shop and began asystematic addition to the equipment of the plant until it outgrew its quar- ters and had to be moved, in 1923, to what is now room 17 of the Central bu l- ding. There it prospered to the extent of several type cabinets filled with fonts of more modern type faces, and the purchase of a new 12 X18 Chand- ler and Price platen press. Publication of the Blue and Gold was begun. and at a later date f1920J the school yearbook, the Arrow, first appeared. Following Mr. Deimer's appointment to the principalship during the spring of 1931, crowded conditions forced the removal of the plant to the basement of the Washington building, where it was installed in a room that had previously been a gymnasium. Mr. Bert Popowski took over the duties of the shop in the fall of the year, new body type for the Arrow and cases and cabinets to house it were purchased, a second-hand 8x10 press was added to the two already on hand, and the shop opened its doors to the influx of print- ing students for the seventeenth year of its existence. At the present time the shop does all of the composition, presswork, and binding on the Arrow, prints a weekly Blue Sz Gold, and takes care of printing all school forms.

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PHYSICS The physics classes this year were taught by Mr. Popowskiand Mr. Hasse. The course is very interesting and is somewhat of an afterstudy of chemistry. The aims of the physics course are stated in the following: To develop skills in certain types of observation, problem solving, and the study of measurement, to show the practical applications of physics to everyday life in the community, to point out the relation of physics to the other physical sciences, and last, to give encouragement to students whose natural ability or interest lies in the field of science, whether natural or physical science. The text book is used only asa general outline. Much material is pre- sented through special reports and projects prepared by the students, and excursions taken by the entire class. Trips are taken to the light companies and power plants each year. About two hours a week are spent in the labo- ratory by the pupils who experiment during those hours. The general topics and the order in which they are presented are: the mechanics of fluids and gases, heat, sound, light, magnetism, electricity, and mechanics. Opportunities are given for students with special hobbies or interests to render reports or projects in their field. During the past year, a low power radio transmitter and a receiver were built by a student and demonstrated before the class. One pupil being interested in biology, gave a report on The Influence Of Light on Plant and Animal Life. Another student inves- tigated the talkies and demonstrated the principles involved by using a photo electric cell which is a part of the laboratory equipment. Physics is an elective open to seniors but under special conditions juniors may take it.