Durham High School - Messenger Yearbook (Durham, NC)

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Wilson Stuart Shields EVERY s1'UnEN'r in Durham High is required to take at least one of the courses offered in Natural Science: Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Most of those taking biology are Sophomores. They spend many hours looking through micro- DEPARTMENT OF scopes and dissecting all sorts of things from flowers to frogs-learning all about plant and animal life. But not all of the time is spent in the laboratory, for a lot of interesting field trips are a part of the course. On these field trips ferns, mosses, flowers, and leaves, also in- sects and animals are found and studied. Upon being asked their reasons for taking this course, students will make such answers as these: 'Tm going in training to be a nurse when I finish high school, and I'm sure it will help me to know something about biologyf' I have to take Biology, for I hope to be a research scientist some day. HI don't know what I am going to do, but this course is so interesting and teaches me so many everyday things. I'm glad I took it. Next to the biology laboratory is the depart- ment of chemistry and physics. What an odor! Why on earth does anyone take a course that requires him to put up with such as that? Again a prompt answer comes in these words: 'KIt's so fascinating we don't even notice the odors. Besides it isn't often we have to be bothered with this perfume. Don't you know that Chemistry is respon- sible for many things we enjoy today? It's going to produce lots more things in the future, and that is why I'm planning to be a chemical engineer. So, no wonder so many Durham High juniors and seniors elect Chem- istry! In the physics laboratory there are always more boys than girls. That must be because physics appeals es- pecially to mechanically-minded folk. Many of the boys taking this course hope some day to enter the Held of radio or perhaps to be future Edisons. more 28

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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

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NATURAL SCIENCE Others take the course because it is just fun to learn how the telephone, the automobile, the electric light, the furnace, and various everyday things Work. Splendid motion picture equipment is an out- standing asset to the department. Imagine free movies for the students in the Natural Science Department! Of course the movies shown do not feature Carole Lombard or Robert Taylor. but they are iust about as interesting as some shown at the down-town theaters. Truth is stranger than Fiction is trulv verified in some of the Natural Science movies. Culminating the year's work, the department held a science exposition, open to the general public, on the afternoon and evening of April .zo. Demonstrations in visual aid equipment, lead tetraethyl vs. regular gasoline, chemical magic, water purification, etching glass, tesla- coil, short wave radio, magnetic induction, and optical illusions, mechanics of solids, liquids, gases, phenomena of lights, sounds, and color were given. A large collection of North Caro- lina wild plants, and also a display of animals were interesting features of the exposition. Back of the excellent laboratory equipment and the interested, wide- awake students at work are the teachers whose thorough training and whole-hearted enthusiasm in all things scientific have made courses in Nat- ural Science popular electives. Mr. B. G. Stewart, A.B. and Ed.M., Duke University, is head of the depart- ment. Assisting him are Mrs. E. S. Swindell, A.B. Duke University and Duke Summer School, Miss Dorothy Wilson, A.B. Duke University, with graduate work, Mr. I. E. Wadsworth, ,qw Swindell Wadsworth Hester A.B. University of North Carolina, Mr. E. C. Hester, A.l3. and M.A. Duke University, and Mr. D. Shields, AB. University of North Carolina. PAGE 29