Chelsea High School - Beacon Yearbook (Chelsea, MA)

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ENGLISH Th o aims in the teaching of English remain much the same BURNETT COHEN KINTZ McCarthy STEWART BLIGH CARROLL COX KUHN RIGNEY during war and peace. Speaking, reading, writing and listening are no different in one period than they are in another, but the needs of a given period select new content and pack new meaning into old material. Fortunately we have avoided hastily conceived plans for substituting special courses and units on war aims that are likely to lead to confusion in teaching and be productive of little genuine value to students. However, we recognize that we have a specific contribution to make toward winning the war and insuring the victory of democratic ideals. Through reading and discussion we help young people to realize what the United States is fighting for by developing and understanding of democratic ideals and by stimulating devotion to them. The ideals include a respect for the dignity and worth of the individual and are concerned with the basic principles of the Bili of Rights. Because our battle for democratic principles is only a part of mankind ' s long struggle for freedom, we need to use materials which present that struggle in ail parts of the world as well as in our own. We are developing the skills essential to participation in demo¬ cratic life through classroom practice in group thinking and decision, through teaching the techniques of public and pane! discussion, through emphasis upon the need for precision and honesty in the use of larguage in reading and reporting ard in the expression of ideas in speech and writing. Also the teaching of English promotes national unity through the recognition of the contribution of diverse cultural groups to cur national culture and through emphasis of the contribu¬ tion America has made to each of them. The teaching of English in war time also concerns itself with the needs of the incividual for social and personal adjustment. It de¬ velops linguistic skills essential to the carrying ou of democratic principles of living. In he expressional phases of English, discussions of personal and social problems produced by the present war are encouraged and problems of mental hygiene kept constantly in mind. Among these is the personal adjustment of individual boys and girls to the tension in family life due to anxiety about the war. Attitudes of fortitude can be built up by reading and discussion and emotional preparation for the shocks of war may be promoted. FRENCH DEPARTMENT The French department has a gigantic task in this present war torn world. It must maintain its standard of scholarship, for it has Domestic and Parlez-vous Francais? . . . Neither can we.

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; COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT The ma or activities of the commercial department go on apace with typing, shorthand, bookkeeping and office pracbce taking up most of the time, he outstanding accomolishmenr of the year has been the correlation of stenography and typewriting ir the junior year. In former years the sub¬ jects were taught separately in the junior year of the high school, and the student had a different teache r for each subject. Therefore the juniors actually had no ooporturity to see the relation between stenogra¬ phy and tyoewriting as if exists in the business world. Theoretically, the pupil knew she would be requires to transcrioe her shortnand notes Into ionghsnd but •he prac ' cal work of transforming a page of steno¬ graphic outlines into a properly spaced letter with correctly spefed words paragraphing, and punctua¬ tion was not presented unn! the senior year. This year tne commercial curriculum has beer- changed in tnis respect. The beginning student has been assigned the same teacher in both subjects in oroer that correlation between stenography and type¬ writing should commence at an early stage in the learning process. In the fail the student began to typewrite supplementary words relating to the steno¬ graphic principles she was learning. These words were different from those in the textbook, and Increased the vocabulary in longnand as well as shorthand. This practice also helped to eliminate the strangeness be¬ tween the phonetic spelling : n stenography and the actual spellmg in longhand, which had a tendency to confuse some of the students. Before the first quarter was over, the student was giver an opportunity to transcribe correct sienogra- phy from the textbook into sentences and paragraphs During -he second and third quarters one period each week was devoied to transcription. The letters in -he Gregg Manual were used so that the student could see the shorthand letter she had been writing fo r homework set up ana typewritten. A vague idea of CLARKC- HARRfS MALONE SHAROOO stenography, in this way, became concrete and definite. The matter of proper spacing, correct spe ling ounctualicn, usage of common forms in letter writing gained prominence in the rrind of the studert. Steno¬ graphy became a vocational subject at once, and type writing ceased to be the automatic copying of words. A new interes- in bc ' h subjects manifested itself anc gave added impetus to the efforts c the students. The teacher having the student In both these related subjects was dole to discern individual weaknesses and ccrrec them. Incioentaily, -he ccrrele ,: on between English and commercial work received new emphasis ' . A practical advantage which one of the st udents mentioned is the confidence gained If an opportunity of summer work should be present. The students rea¬ lize that they have not attained the speed the seniors have acquired and the ' another year at school is re¬ quired for that purpose. COMMERCIAL DEPT.

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Foreign Services had a one hundred per cent ' batting average in col¬ lege board papers. It- must at the same time make France, and French a living thing for we all know that with an allied victory, the prestige of the French nation must return. The benefits of Its study are almost multitudinous. It furnishes us with a big proportion of our English vocabulary-; it teaches accuracy of precision to an almost mathematical degree; its knowledge is neces¬ sary for architects, painters, artists, musicians, secre¬ taries. authors, and stylists. Furthermore, it is the language of culture and can boast of some of the greatest novels, paintings, musical compositions. The debt of the world to Madame Curie will last as long as the world endures. GERMAN DEPARTMENT In spite of the war, German is still one of our most important languages. Since most of the manuscripts and documents are written in this language, German ivnisi be taught in high school. Because of its necessity, iv will not be dropped from our curriculum. Miss Severance, who delights in studying the various Ger¬ man writers, teaches her students not only to under¬ stand the language, but also to enjoy it. She varies the program with studies of German poets, musicians, scienti sts and authors. We are sure that our German department will continue to exist as successfully as in previous years. HEBREW CLASSES The Hebrew department of the Chelsea Senior High School is progressing very nicely indeed. Due to Mr. Arthur O. Greenes excellent direction, the class turns out several pupils each year who have a real knowledge of the language. Chelsea High School has the unique distinction of being one of the few schools in the United States in which Hebrew is taught as an elective. The students sing songs, grapple with difficult verbs, and work on grammar. This group has done splendid work In the past, and we know it v ill continue to do so in the future, (Continued on Pane I 10) BRODBINE, A. CONNOLLY McKENNA BRODBINE. M. BURKE DEASY GREEN MITCHELL PIEROTT! SEVERANCE WALTON Now really boys! Your attention, please. Ail Gaul is divided IjJ J ' 1 i dm 4 , ' v '