Cooper High School - Talons Yearbook (New Hope, MN)

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English X Studies Greek Classics, Mythology Mr. Patrick Billig Mr. David Cade Through the study of Greek mythol- ogy, classics, and arts, sophomore Eng- lish students acquired an awareness of the impact of the Greeks in world litera- ture that they studied. Operating on the premise that given enough time students will read many books, the sophomores were engaged in an intensive reading program. Dur- ing their free time students read books of all types and levels. A new unit on comic structure was introduced at the beginning of the year. Questions such as “What is lan- guage?” were explored in the unit on communications, in which students be- came aware of the value of words and why they are necessary for life in dia- lectic regions of the United States. Mrs. Dorothy Dryseth Mr. Leo Dvorak Mr. Richard DeCuise To complete her assignment on the manners and customs of the Anglo-Saxons, Helen Lanners uses the special bibliography lo- cated in the English resource center. 25

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Through expressive gestures senior Mike Stanch field relates a vivid experience. Group moderator David Cummings leads the discussion of Death of a Salesman in hu- manities class while class members Dean Buringrud and Kevin Tidemann listen attentively. Drama Humanities Analyze Theater And Arts Mr. John Cunningham M r. John Norton Developing speech skills within the framework of one’s personality was the aim of the speech course. To acquire poise and speaking assurance, each stu- dent was involved in a speaking situa- tion every week. Drama attempted to give the students a background in all phases of the theater. Through a series of student-produced plays, students were able to apply their knowledge of acting, directing, technical know-how, and theater history. Grasping an under- standing of ancient and modern man was the goal of the humanities course. The works of such varied authors as Karl Marx, Aristotle, and Arthur Miller were the “textbooks” used to examine the complexities of mankind as term projects taxed students’ imaginations. 24

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Miss Judith Lutterman Mrs. Carol Moore Miss Carol Peterson Juniors Study Growth Of American Literature Mrs. Bonita Sandvick Mr. Albert Shaff The development of American litera- ture, from the Colonial writers to pres- ent-day authors, was the subject of junior English classes. To encourage student interest, many special activities were planned. During the drama unit students enacted John Doe, a closet play, before their large group classes. Speakers obtained through the Brave New Workshop, a Minneapolis satirical coffeehouse, spoke to classes about the dramatic arts. As a result of a federal grant, more than eight hundred juniors and seniors were enabled to attend a special student matinee of Harper’s Ferry at the Tyrone Guthrie Theater in October. Students also produced an inter-school television program concerning the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder. 26