Coopersville High School - Zenith Yearbook (Coopersville, MI)

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FOOTPRINTS ♦ -♦ ond year. It is a study of figures by a process of reasoning and thus develops habits of careful, connected, accurate thinking. These habits are necessary in all fields of work. The third year of mathematics may be taken by either Juniors or Seniors, the first semester being de- voted to Solid Geometry and the second semester to Advanced Algebra. Foreign Languages Everybody in this country uses the English language hundreds of times every day. What could be more helpful in the correct use of English than the drill in grammer and sentence structure which is ob- tained by the study of Latin or German? Approximately forty per cent of the words in the English language are derived from Latin and practically the same percentage from the German. A study of these languages greatly enriches and increases the students’ vocabulary of usable English words Resides these benefits, the lolk lore and stories of these foreign and ancient peoples give us a background of knowledge and culture which is helpful in the study of English Literature and beneficial through life. Co mmercial The general aim of the commercial department is to acquaint the student with modern business trends, to give them a general idea of what goes on in the business office, to cultivate good citizenship and furnish a background for an appreciation of the finer things of life through encouraging study in the fine arts along with the commercial work. The following subjects are taught in the Commercial Department: Shorthand, Bookkeeping and Typewriting. 1 he aims of one-year of Bookkeeping are: i. To cover the funda- mental principles of elementary bookkeeping, teaching the various books of entry and how to use them. 2. How to care for a set of books in a small business. 3. How to handle one’s own affairs in a business like manner. 4. How to deal with others in every day business affairs. 5. How to recognize different pieces of commercial paper, their pur- pose, how used, etc. The aims of Typewriting: 1. To train pupils to do efficiently what they will be called upon to do in the course of a day’s work in an office. 2. To give them knowledge that will aid them no matter what their vocation becomes, a personal value. 3. To teach the parts and set-up of the various types of business letters. 4. How to address en- velopes and properly enclose letters, enclosures, checks, circulars, etc. 5. To acquaint the pupil with various types of office machinery such as the mimeograph, etc. 6. The use of, and how to semi, telegrams, ca- blegrams, etc. 7. The set-up of legel documents. Page Nine

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-----------------FOOTPRINTS----------------------------♦ chief object of learning national developments and the influence on their neighbors. American history is studied by the Juniors, relating our past his- tory to our present government, tariff, banking, foreign relationships and political partv development. The Seniors spend the first semester on Civics, w hich consists of development and w'orkings of present day I . S. government, w ith a study of current news topics. The second semester is devoted to Eco- nomics, with its labor problems and business principles paralleled w ith current news. Science Department Three courses are offered, general science, chemistry and physics. General science given in the Freshman year includes a general knowledge of the various sciences, such as agriculture, astronomy, bi- ologv, chemistry, physiology, physics and zoology. 1 hroughout the ve ir various demonstrations or experiments am performed, usually by the instructor, in connection with the lessons. 1 his course is intended to be leading stone to physics and chemistry and not for a pupil to gain a vast amount of knowledge of each sub-division in one vear’s time. Chemistrv and physics are taken during the junior and senior vears for ihose students who wish to follow the academic course of study. Chemistry deals with the composition and changes in form of matter. Chemistry is verv closely associated to hie and industry and is found in connection with other forms of science. Students are re- quired to perform experiments every week verifying the laws and changes in matter given in the lessons. Physics deals with the physical form of matter and energy. The subject is sub-divided into mechanics, heat, sound, light and electric- ity. As in chemistry, the students work in the laboratory to verify laws and conditions with each lesson. The practical knowledge of physics is discussed which can be used directly in life. Mathematics Department The purpose of the study of mathematics in high school is to broaden the reasoning powers of the high school student. Besides be- ing useful as a diciplinary subject, mathematics is the foundation study of many professions. The engineer, aviator, chemist, carpenter, machinist, astronomer and navigator have each found mathematics necessary in his work. Geometric principles are used continually in architectural designing, dentistry, as well as the various arts. Our school offers three years of mathematics. Algebra is taught the first year to all students. It develops the power to represent quan- titative relationships by formulas and equations, also the reasoning ability to solve such equations. Plane Geometry is required the see- page Eight

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FOOTPRINTS The aims in one year of Shorthand are: i. To give the student the theory material of the Gregg Manual, supplemented by Progresshe Exercises, Speed Studies, and the Gregg Writer. 2. To obtain good shorthand penmanship, and transcription ability. 3. To give the stu- dent an idea of uses of shorthand in an office, and personal uses that can be made of the subject. One of the courses entered into with the most trepidation and re- luctance is probably that of Public Speaking. Vet before the end of the year even the most timid are forced to admit an increased facility in expressing themselves befoie others. The larger aim of the course is to guide a student toward an oral expression of his thoughts which is organized, natural and pleasing. With this end in view two more specific aims are seen. The first is to learn a few of the chief fundamentals of good speech, and the second is to apply these fundamentals by actually speaking. To learn, one must do, is particularly true of speaking, either pri- vately or publicly. One may write exceedingly well, and yet speak very poorly. A person must have something to say, but he must also know how to say it. With this in mind, then, students are given every opportunity to speak, using all kinds of speeches. Some of these speeches are: salestalks, debates, business meetings, storv telling, talks on character, vocations, hobbies, art, music, chairmanship, etc. Public speaking is intended to develop in the student an initiative in thinking, an ability to express himself in any class where oial ex- pression is needed, and a practical outlook toward future citizenship. Page Ten