Clairton High School - Clairtonian Yearbook (Clairton, PA)

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rv- if vocational depart boys for ma ki ng -.E tg, wr' H M32 Mgt Of all the influences affecting life for good or bad in what remains of the twentieth century, that of the home will be most powerful. CHS trains its girls to make happy homes through the work of the Vocational Department. Girls enrolled in the Vocational Course form a small unit, but a happy, intimate one. Teachers note that this year the spirit of cooperation has been particularly fine. One reason for this has been the en- thusiasm and new interest aroused in both students and teachers by their join- ing a national organization known as the Future Homemakers of America. The local group is known as The Modern Miss Chapter. Representatives attend regular ses- sions of the District Council in Pittsburgh. They have served as hostesses and have helped provide refreshments for these meetings. Each girl has a personal interest because she as a member must work to earn degrees which the national group awards for certain accomplishments. To earn money to buy their degree pins, the girls have held several bake sales. ln their regular classes the girls cover units of work in foods, clothing, nu- trition, consumer buying, home nursing, child care, interior decorating, and home arts and crafts. A short two-year course in home- making, open to college prep and com- mercial girls, covers the same subiect matter in condensed form. ln the top picture are homemaking teachers Miss Olga Coleman, Miss Patricia LeDonne, and Miss Sara Seitz. Next in order, vocational girls mix up a batch of cookies, prep and commercial girls' sewing class work on their blouses, Laura Byers, Rita Herring, Gloria Simun, Peggy Leonard, and Jean Pascoe relax for a moment in the bedroom of the departmenfs apart- ment which has also a kitchen, dining room, and laundry. 70

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art, music give 5 ecial training to the talented ln accord with the educational theory that students of exceptional ability should be encour- aged, modern high school curricula include courses to interest those with special talents. At present the CHS list of such courses in- cludes ones only in music and art. There are ad- ministration plans and teacher dreams for others in the future. Students who excel in writing, speaking, and acting still have to be content with only regular English classes where treatment of these extras is necessarily limited. To give these students opportunity for self- expression equal to that of the musicians and artists, CHS should plan to add to its curriculum courses in speech, dramatics, iournalism, and magazine and radio writing. Music and art students learn techniques and develop a sense of appreciation for what is good. The school as a whole profits from their study, because the music groups produce enjoy- able programs, and the art classes are called upon often to make posters, programs, and decorations. At the top left are art supervisor Miss Cora Pitcairn and music supervisor Miss Jennie Mae Botdcrf, At the right are Mr. Rutilio Rotili and his assistant, Mr. Robert Testa, directors of instrumental music. Below, in order are Paul Weber, Jim Crbell, Robert Garner, and George Johnson, talented enough to be sent to the district band festival, the Girls' Chorus in u serious practice session with Miss Botdorf, Miss Pitcairn and an art class at work on the senior play program covers. 69

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ments train girls, homes, for trades With new industries booming all over the Clairton district, the demand for skilled labor should, if anything, in- crease. Boys who like to work with their hands as well as their minds get expert training in the Vocational Department. The Auto Shop keeps Clairton's re- pair garages supplied with reliable mechanics. These doctors of motors do a lot of tinkering on their own ialopies. Some will be truck drivers, some, bus drivers and repairmen, many of them want to get into aviation on pilot or ground crew assignments. With the great strides being made in electronics, anyone who knows any- thing about electrical equipment should be much in demand. Electric Shop boys may seem to play house with their wires and switches, but they will be the ones to keep Clairton's radios, television sets, and household appliances in working order in the future. New buildings, plants, houses need to be wired, they are the boys for the jobs. Clairton's Machine Shop graduates are as well trained as any in the Pitts- burgh district, for they all have had ex- perience with unusual equipment bought through the government surplus. They will find openings in the many special- ized industries which the district's steel production fosters. Along with their technical training the vocational boys are required to study related English, math, chemistry and physics, history and mechanical drawing. The department also teaches me- chanical drawing and a general shop course open to both boys and girls. At the top are Vocational Shop Department teachers. They are, seated, Mr. John Bracken, Mr. Wilbur Monks, Mr. Dan McCormick, standing, Mr. Mark Tingle, Mr. Thomas Yaksich, Mr. Andrew Basch, Mr. Joseph Schreck, and Mr. David Arnett, Down the page, in order, electric shop boys operate their private switchboard, auto mechanics diagnose engine trouble, future machinists check one of their favorite monsters, the drill-press. 71 ,fs ..- Q, K. .. Xe. .wk W