Durham High School - Messenger Yearbook (Durham, NC)

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Herr Freeman L. Hampton Hanson lust' WHAT is the program offered in the Eng- lish department? I asked the Director of English, Miss Marguerite M. Herr, one day when I met that busy lady sailing down the halls at the lunch hour. 'LWould you have me to explain the whole secondary program nowP', she questioned thoughtfully. Puzzled, I ventured I could answer that ques- DEPARTMENT tion exactly if I understood what secondary implied. Oh, that's easily explained, beamed Miss I-Ierr as she led me back to her room to con- tinue this conversation. That is the name given to public schools above the sixth grade. In this city there are four secondary institutions. In these, English teachers are responsible for the growth of students through desirable ac- tivities in which language as an effective tool of expression, and literature as a source of in- formation, pleasure and inspiration are used to learn to do well what life will require for suc- cess and happiness. Do you think grammar should be stressed every year? I drawled, hoping for a negative response. Emphatically, I do think so, she replied. For fundamental rules of the English language must he understood and fixed if pupils are to have a dependable guide to their own use of English. Theme-writing and speech-making cause so many headaches. Are they so essential? queried I. Phrasing what one has read or thought is most necessary to test what one has actually learnedfl she oHered. Practice long and hard, is the price of any success in expression. Select- ing the theme sources from which the pupils can draw material: personal experiences, read- ing, and discussions, teachers Find, turns hard work into play. Spelling and punctua- tion rules are more readily learned and retained when used as they are needed in such activities, concluded Miss Herr. Well, with all there is to stress, why do the teachers insist on good mechanics such as legible penman- ship? I asked. l i Legibility is just one of the courte- sies you extend to your friends in your social correspondence, laugh- ingly remarked Miss Herr. A well- planned, conversationally correct, at- tractively penned epistle is a flattering reminder that others care for you. PAGE 26

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Rolslcm' EARL FRMJMAN Dean qf Boys MAIKQLA R ICT SPA RGICR RICH ARIIS1 DN Dean of Girls 'THE Rue: is well worn, and the cushioned chairs are somewhat bumpy from constant use. The desk is large, with a chair on either side. The doors are seldom closed, and the wide window opens upon the front yard. The occu- pants of this room are the deans-two indispensable members of our faculty. Well may they be respected! They possess singular authority. It may be only a square piece of paper with black ink forming a few words, but if it bears the familiar initials HM. R. or HR. Fa its owner possesses a passport sufficient for an excused absence or tardy, a sick card, a trip to town on school business, or any of the numerous matters of discipline. rams 25

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OF ENGLISH Then, too, responses are much more likely to come to such messages, for typewriters can never give the personal touch that long-hand writing contributes. Well, Miss Herr, do the English teachers direct any extra-curricular activity along with their English program? Yes, each has some extra-curricular activity as this will show. Miss Lelia Hampton advises the Cornelia Spencer Literary Society and is coach of the declamation contest for girls. Miss Bell Hamp- ton is sponsor for the Southgate Literary So- ciety, a member of the national honor society committee, and, this year, conducted the Ameri- can Legion essay contest. R. Weldon is ad- viser for the Mummers' Dramatics Club. W. H. Coble is assistant adviser of the Hi-Rocket staff and coach of the swimming team, R. E. Free- man, dean of boys, is business adviser of the MESSENGER, and Miss Wyoline Hanson, literary adviser of the same publication, Miss Mar- guerite Herr is adviser of the Hi-Rocket staff and the Page Literary Society and sponsor of the national honor society and the Iunior Nee- dlework Guild. What qualifications do your teachers haveP,' Why, these are a few of them: Miss Wyoline Hanson: A.B., Georgia State College for Wo- men, A.M., George Peabody College for Teach- ers, Graduate Work, Duke and Vanderbilt Uni- versities, R. E. Freeman: A.B., Furman Uni- versity, A.M., Duke University, Miss Lelia Hampton: A.B., W. C., U. N. C., A.M., University of North Caro- lina, Graduate Work, Duke Univer- sity, Miss Belle Hampton: A.B., W. C., U. N. C., W. H. Coble: A.B., Davidson College, Graduate Work, George Peabody College, Iames R. Weldon: BS., Furman University, Graduate Work, Columbia Univer- sity, Miss Marguerite Herr: B.S., Teachers' College, A.M., Columbia University, New York. I said as the bell rang, In this de- partment obtaining organized knowl- edge is not the only aim. Building Cathey Coble Weldon B. Hampton backgrounds that will mean more complete liv- ing for each is the big objective of the secon- dary English department. Thus our interview ended. I left the room fully conscious of the numerous objectives of English and the importance of this subject in a high school curriculum. N. F. R. PAGE 27