Dondero High School - Oak Yearbook (Royal Oak, MI)

Page 15 text:

Dondero Curriculum Fights Apathy lf you know little and You want to know less Go four years At R.O.H.S. This is an attitude held by some Dondero students now, as it was in 1931 at the Royal Oak High School . Dondero, by improved courses and better techniques, is striving to make education more stimulating. The curriculum of ROHS has developed along with the buildings. Starting out with the basics: reading, writing, and 'rithmetic, it progressed to mainly academic courses. Then it began the introduction of the various shops for boys to go along with the already instituted home ec for girls. Gym has always been a requirement, but during World War I, the boys, dressed in their uniforms, used to drill for one hour each day instead. Many of our languages have had an interesting history, with many struggles to keep alive. Fifteen years ago there was some doubt as to whether it was profitable to teach foreign languages in high school. Latin, especially, received the brunt of this attack. lt was a hard fight to keep it in the curriculum. Arguing for its usefulness, Miss Ruth Hetzman, language teacher for 35 years, said: Latin gives fine background for those who will go on to college, because it is hard, it, like mathematics, tells who can successfully do college work. She also felt that foreign languages and the sciences were the only challenge left to unusual students . Two reasons Miss Hetzman proposed for Latin being fun instead of a chore are: it is voluntary and up-dated now. German has also had a rough struggle for existence. It was a part of the curriculum of Royal Oak High School until November ll, 1918, when Armistice Day ended the first world war. The German class took their textbooks behind the school and burned them in a huge bonfire. The whole town ioined in with the periodic snake dances from fire to town and back to the bonfire. It wasn't until thirty years later that German once again became part of the curriculum.

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EW V! I if wi? ' The chori and pile of books represenf Dondero's progress in educofion while The skepficol expression on fhe face of ihe sfudem' refiecfs c: fypicol cffifude. eiseia eieebebeb e-.bds 1 - f GP'-T T T P'T T'x'T'3 T'N31D'T3'TwF'

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the his which recting is the point Second is the vocation and point of a ful e participation in the fine A recent study based on grad- uates of Royal Oak schools indi- cates that 641, of the graduates go on to further college educa- tion. The colleges vary geo- graphically as wide as the United States, but most students will attend a school within the visions of ness and skilled labor. The business courses teach typ- ing, shorthand, the operation of office and IBM machines and other related skills, while the skilled labor educates the stu- dent in the various shops such as courses, the busi- bread the mean- Life would without an out- To fill the cavity the work is done many turn to the fine arts. The maiority of students will not make a career of their interest, but will continue it as a hobby, some playing in community bands and orchestras, others participating in church choirs, while still others will paint or act during their leisure time.