Croswell Lexington High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Croswell, MI)

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•CRQSWELL HIGH SCHOOL NINETEEN TWENTY-FIVE Science Science 'is probably Che oldest study in the world. From the time whenrerude war weapons and agricultural implements were invented, to the modern inventions of to- day, the application of scientific principles has answered a great many of the problems of mankind. For the last one hundred sev- enty-five years science has made remarkable progress. It has become so important in our every day life that it is one of the most essential studies in high school. For this reason a science department has been es- tablished in Croswell High School. Well equipped chemistry and physics laborator- ies have 'been provided and are under the charge of a capable teacher, Mr. Clarence R Heemstra. Chemistry has been classed as an eleventh grade subject and physics for the twelfth grade. Both chemistry and physics are required in the Agricultural course, and elective in the Home Economics work. This years' chemistry cclass was made up of twenty-one students. The plan of studv throughout 'the year was three days for recitation and two days'for laboratory work. The class covered the study of gases and their measurement, oxygen, hydrogen,'chlor- ine, carbon, nitrogen, and the halogens; also the different metals, such as iron, copper, sodium, potassium, aluminum and their -compounds. The study of different chemical formulae and their names, atoms and mol- ecules, and mulecular composition was also completed. In addition to the daily recita- tions, a number of laboratory experiments were completed. The physics class composed of eleven stu- dents, completed the study o'f pressures 'in liquids in air, molecular motions, mechan- ics, electricity, properties of sound, nature and propagation of light, image formation, color phenomena and invisible radiations. Two days per week were devoted to lab- oratory work in which a number of ex- periments were performed. The chemistry and physics students be- sides completing their daily work put on before the high school assembly a scientific lecture illustrated by experiment. Mathematics Croswell High School offers a three-year course in mathematics, general mathematics and geometry being required for all, while advanced algebra and solid geometry are elective. In the ninth grade, general mathematics, besides the usual work in algebra, addition- al material in simjHe geometric construc- tion and proofs is covered. In this way it unifies algebra and geometry, making an easy transition into tenth grade wrork. The geometric principles rare used as a basis for equations. Special stress is laid on graph- ing as applied to statistics an-1 algebraic functions. The work in the tenth grade geometry includes the study of rectangular theorems, the measurement ;of angles and arcs, loci, circles, proportions as applied to polygons, and the area of polygons. The class also did some outdoor work in measuring. The third year of mathematics, .consisting of advanced algebra and solid geometry, is offered in alternate years and is open 'to Juniors and Seniors. In advanced alge- bra a thorough review of the work in the ninth grade is followed by advanced mater- ial in simultaneous quadratics, involution, evolution, logarithms, and the arithmetical and geometrical series. -After the advanc- ed algebra work, solid geometry is given in the second .semester. In this study the books six, seven and eight are covered. When one has finished taking the High .School courses in mathematics he is fitted .for the .higher.mathematics given in college. •Piiao Twonty-Alx

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CROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL NINETEEN TWENTY-FIVE English The work in the English department is in charge of Miss Fuller and Miss Gray. Miss Fuller’s phase of the work is English 9, while under Miss Gray’s supervision are the following subjects: English 10, English literature, American literature, and public speaking. The English 9 work during the first se- mester was devoted to a review of eighth grade grammar. Aside from this, the class made a detailed study of the play “Julius Caesar.” Five book reports and a decla- mation are required in the Freshmen Eng- lish work. During the second semester, letter writ- ing has been emphasized. The study of the classic, “The Lady of the Lake,” has received much attention, and along with this, the class has made a study of Scotch poems. A big feature of the second semester work is the presentation of a program, which is essentially Scotch, including playlets and scenes from “The Lady of the Lake,” ar- ranged by members of the class. The courses in both English 9 and 10 have been improved by the addition of vocation- al work. The object of this is to help the student find the place for which he is real- ly fitted. The first semester, this work was accomplished in the English 10 class by the writing of themes, on vocations, in general. For the second semester project, each stu- dent has selected a special vocation and all his themes are written along that line. Another phase of vocational guidance is the vocational talks which have been given by outside speakers, from time to time. Special work in Miss Gray’s classes have been the book reports, eight of which are required for the two semesters. An oration or declamation was substituted for one of these reports. The students are guided in their reading by library lists, which in- clude fiction, biographies, short stories and poetry. The book reports which were not written in outline form, but in that of a story have usually been read in class. In English and American literature work, the selections have been studied along with the biographies of the various writers. These classes, as well as the English 10 class, have kept notebooks, an interesting phase of which has been the so-called “scrap book.” In this, modern poetry, articles of interest to literature students and pictures concerned with the subject are placed. A number of special reports have been given from time to time on modern authors and poets. A rather different type of work is empha- sized in the Public Speaking Class. The fact that the class is small seems to have been an asset, for those enrolled in the course have made a marked improvement in the organization and delivery of their speeches. Much time and attention was de- voted to a study of the after-dinner speech. A study of the drama and its place in the High School has been the dominant feature of the work the second semester. The Language Department The Language department of C. H. S. consists of two courses, the ancient lang- uage, Latin and the modern, French. The Latin department is open to Fresh- men and Sophomores and French to Juniors and Seniors. The Freshman course of Lat- in consists of the study of Smith’s Latin grammar, and the translation of short Lat- in stories. The Sophomore course offers the translation of Caesar’s commentaries or Gallic Wars into English. However, one day a week is given over to the transla- tion of English sentences into Latin, the vocabulary of whichi is ba ed upon the Caesar. This year the department presented be- fore the assembly a play entitled, “A Roman Wedding,” by means of which old Roman customs were pictured to us. As a change from the daily routine we had the pleasure of working out one of Mr. Rieman’s renown- ed Latin cross word puzzles, Georgia Mc- Taggart winning first prize and Jerry Phil- lips, second. French was introducted in C. H. S. three years ago. French I is the study of fifty lessons in the Aldrich-Foster-Roule French grammar. The first semester is devoted to the study of grammar four days, and a conversational lesson one day each week. The second semester of the first year is a continuation of the grammar with the translation of the French story “Sans Fam- ille” and conversational lessons, based upon the story. The last month is devoted to the reading of the French paper, “Le Petit Journal.” In French II, two days a week are spent on completing the grammar and three days are given to the study of French litera- ture. A number of extracts of French lit- erature are memorized, such as “The Lord’s Prayer,” and “The Marseillaise.” Both an oral and a written examination are given in the last semester of French II. The oral examination usually takes the form of a French play. Paso Twenty-fivB

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CROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL NINETEEN TWENTY-FIVE Social Science The social science course includes World History in the tenth grade, American His- tory in the eleventh and twelfth grades, and American Problems, twelfth. After this year American History will be taught in the eleventh grade, only. The course in World History, although es- sentially the same as that in European His- tory given last year, has undergone the change in name because of growing tenden- cy to associate the affairs of the whole world with those of the European nations which have in so many ways affected civil- ization and the colonization of territories now known as great and independent na- tions. A full year’s work is given to this subject, with connections established be- tween current and older history through the study of ah internationally-known and impartial weekly magazine. The year in American History includes a course in civics based on “The Constitution of our country” by Rexford and Carson. One day each week is devoted to the study of current topics from the Literary Digest. The history classes for one of our morn- ing programs staged the one-act play “How Maggie McTaggart gained her Citizenship.” American Problems was introduced this year and makes a fine social science course for the senior student. It is quite general in its scope. It opens with a history and development of the social institutions. This is followed by a study of economic laws and principles and social questions such as pov- erty, crime and citizenship. Supplemen- tary reading and reports on the different topics constitute a considerable part of the course. The American Problems class took charge of one of the assembly programs showing two films, “The Making of an American,” and “Our National Parks,” obtained through the courtesy of the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines. Agriculture The school year just ended has been a busy one in this division of the institution. Approximately 125 names, with a few' dup- lications, being found on the class rolls of the instructor. Subjects taught are botany, zoology, farm crops, horticulture, farm shop, soils, farm management and world history. A definite part of the work carried on under the Smith-Hughes law, which provides Federal and State aid to High School Agri- culture, is the project system through which twenty-three boys and girls received credit last year for crops or other enterprises man- aged by them at home during the summer months. A like number is enrolled for this season. The Agricultural Association, discussed elsewhere in this book, is an important fea- ture of the department, and is considered an aid to the firmer establishment of the agr'cultural side of education. The course in shop work is of particular interest to the boys in this department. A large number of useful as well as many ornamental objects are made, following a period of training in the fundamentals of wood-working and drawing. A very fine showing of these articles w’ill no doubt be made at the local fair next summer. The course in farm management given to Junior and Senior classes in agricultural is in the nature of an application of the principles learned in the earlier courses. Extension work is carried on in the com- munity to such extent as the present length of class periods will allow'. A number of field trips are planned for each of the courses, with the exception of that in shop w’ork, which requires more or less concen- tration in the shop laboratory. The out- side work done is largely horticultural and consists of a program of trees and small fruit trimming, spraying, etc. Arbor Day planting of trees, as a part of the regular outline being followed in beautifying the school grounds, is under the supervision of this department. As its contribution to our assembly pro- grams a comprehensive group of slides showing the bird life of Michigan was shown. These were obtained through the Extension Department of the University of Michigan. Putr« Twonty 8«v8tt