Easthampton High School - Echo Yearbook (Easthampton, MA)

Page 14 text:

AN APPRECIATION There is in E. H. S. a faculty member who has been the guiding star of many successful students, and who indeed is most worthy of commendation. Many are the pupils who have passed through the rules of declensions under her supervision. Many are those who have camped with Caesar, debated with Cicero and wandered with Aeneas-all in Room 5. Herself a fine student, Mrs. Lovell tries to give her pupils the keen enjoyment in their studies that she herself experiences. Latin, with its complex syntax, teaches one to utilize all his thinking power. It forms a tremendous background for English,-in fact, most all of the modern languages. This is accomplished not only by vocabulary building but is found in the rules of grammar which are virtually the same in all languages. The drill that one goes through in obtaining a working knowledge of Latin grammar so impresses itself upon the student, that it is bound to enrich his English grammar. But probably the strongest argument for the study of Latin is its cultural aspect. In whatever field one works, he is bound to encounter this ancient language or its effects. For those who choose a business career, the chance of meeting it is possibly the most remote. But even here are found the results of a good Latin foundation. Argument is a prime factor in business. One cannot win a point without the ability to put it across. His chances of doing this are greatly increased if he has had the stiff training in Latin fundamentals which govern spoken English. ' All science' uses Latin continually in the name of plant and animal life and minerals. Astronomers designate the stars by names recognized only by the classical student. A study of Latin, as well as a knowledge of mythology gained successfully only in conjunction with a classic language, is vital in the work of writers, authors, artists, theologians, etc. By doing away with Latin in our schools, we are placing a tremendous re- sponsibility on the English teacher. It is from him that a student must gain the foundation formerly acquired by Latin. In other words, the teacher of English must also be a teacher of Latin fundamentals. Enough digression. Mrs. Lovell has given help to students not only in Latin but also in English and History, two subjects recently added to her curriculum. But her heart is with the Classics. Though Mrs. Lovell is not an alumna of E. H. S., her interest in the welfare of the school is supreme, and she is very proud of all our successful alumni. Her knowledge of the classics is extensive, moreover, she is very well acquainted with literature, mathematics, astronomy, and music. Indeed, she can talk most intelligently on any subject whatever. Truly she is a woman of culture. Twelve

Page 13 text:

SCIENCE IN OUR SCHOOL Our high school offers two common subjects in science for the upper class- men. The Junior subject is Physics, while the Senion subject is Chemistry. The interest in these two subjects is due to the fact that, besides reading from the textbooks, the student docs a number of experiments in the laboratory during the course of the year. The students pair up for the year and do them under the supervision of Mr. Cleary, who merely looks on and gives a helping hand to those who encounter difficulties. For Physics, the laboratory is not as well equipped as it is for Chemistry. Expensive apparatus is sometimes needed for experiments in Physics, and since the school cannot afford a great deal of expensive material, ingenious inventions have resulted. There is enough material for every student to do about twenty simple experiments as a group. That is, for each of these simplevexperiments, there is enough apparatus so that all the members of the class may do the same experiment at the same time. Many of the remaining experiments must be done by each using the same apparatus in turn. This sometimes proves to be tedious work, and extra laboratory sessions must be held. W ' ' I As mentioned before, we are better equipped for Chemistry. Although more students usually take Chemistry than Physics, fortunately, the necessary ap- paratus is not as expensive and there is enough for everyone. When slightly dangerous experiments are done, all the action is carried on underneath a hood and the work is conducted by Mr. Cleary, personally, 'sometimes aided by one of the boys. Practically all of the experiments, however, are harmless reactions, and all that is needed is a little care. A ' Students who graduate from the local high school and enters college report that our science course is a good one. Hampered as he is by lack of necessary apparatus, Mr. Cleary really does a fine job in giving the students an excellent start for college work. In class sessions, he wisely does not give long lectures but lets the students themselves do most of the talking, thus making them study slightly more and giving them a better chance to remember what they have studied. ALFRED BRIERE '34 REPAIRS ON THE CENTER SCHOOL BUILDING In November 1933, repairs were started in the Center Grammar School. The work was under the supervision of the Civil Works Administration. Formerly there were eight rooms in the building, while at the present there are twelve. The middle partitions between the rooms on both floors were re- moved. Two partitions were than erected making the extra number of rooms. Fire doors have also been constructed in both halls which adds to the safety of the building. During this work, the Freshmen attended classes M the High School build- ing. Classes started at 1:30 p. m. and ended at 4:30 p. m. By this change, classes were also removed from the portable building, all of them now being held in the main building. Eleven

Page 15 text:

if-v LITERAR C 1 Iffzqlqowslci l 5 1 THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL 'tl,ook, the Lincoln iXl0IIl0l'i2lliM was the exclamation throughout, our bus. It was not necessary for our guide to point out this splendid edifice to any ot' ush- because we immediately recognized it by that which We had already read and heard. As we made our way over the Arlington Memorial Bridge and approached the grandeur of the shrine of Abraham Lincoln in Potomac Park, a sudden silence lcll over our enthusiastic group while we gazed in awe at this exquisite memorial of imposing size and beauty. This white marble temple, surrounded on all sides by open space, is indeed a conspicuous object-seen from such points as the Capitol, the Soldiers' Home zmd the hills of Virginia. We learned that it is placed on the axis of the Capitol and the Monument, and on the same line as thc Arlington Memorial Bridge. Our guide explained to us that Henry Bacon, the architect who designed the Mem- orial, believed that it should be composed of four features-a statue of the man, a memorial ot' his Gettysburg Speech, a memorial of his Second Inaugural Ad- dress, and a symbol of the Ynion of the Ifnitcd States, which was Lincoln's para- mount object to save-wand which he did save. - As we left the bus and proceeded to mount the steps that led up to the en- trance of the sanctuary, we noted the immense marble pillars surrounding the hall, which, in comparison to them, made us feel most insignificant. These col- ums, of which thcrc are thirty-six, express the Union-that is-one for each State in existence at the time of Lincoln's death, and on the wall above the colon- nade, with decorations of carved memorial festoons and Wreaths, are inscribed the names of the forty-eight States which now make the Union. The colonnade is one hundred and eighteen feet wide. The columns are seven feet four inches in diameter at the base and forty-four feet in height-the largest of their kind in the world. The capstones are the largest single pieces of marble ever quarried. Thirteen