Edison High School - Edisonian Yearbook (Lake Station, IN)

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EDISON AT WAR The bombs that rocked Pearl Harbor rocked the High schools of the nation and Edison High as well. To prevent an educational blackout 1 ' the course of study was revised in accordance with the needs that arose and as recommended by the State Department. The new demands of the nation for more and better trained men and women in an all-out effort against aggressor countries, therefore, arc being met. At the beginning of the second semester tests were given, and classes revised accordingly. Only a few juniors and seniors were exempted from the math refresher course. The physics class was changed into a course on basic electricity, A class of aeronautics was inaugurated to give the boys a basic knowledge of the funda- mentals of the airplane. Realizing that physical fitness is an absolute necessity in wartime, the new classes carried with them a physical education class for Senior boys. This re- quirement, in answer to requests from Navy and Army officials, who are aware that healthy and physically well-trained speci- mens are essential, was inaugurated along with the above classes . Although most men feel that their physical well-being is much more important in wartime than the health of the female of the species, since they will be doing the actual fighting, numerous jobs on the homo front which women are required to do are not for powder-puff Indies. Thus a Senior girls ' physical education class was started also. For the girls a Home Nursing course was given in cooperation with the Red-Cross. Here the girls learned how to care for the sick and the home. Many Senior boys and girls carried six classes a day, lessening their leisure time and time for outside activities Every Wednesday noon was set aside for selling War Stamps. Every student was urged to buy as many stamps as possible at the boot)i set up in the main hall. Many seniors helped, along with the parents and faculty to issue the ration books, both the Gasoline Books and Book No. 2 for food. Edison has tried to do her part in the war, and we feel that she has succeeded in that aim. The way her boys, already on the field of battle, have progressed shows what she has done in the past and what she will do in the future. A great number of her girls are in war industries, and are doing their bit to help. Yes, Edison has done her duty, but she has only started. When Uncle Sam asks for more she will always be there with a helping hand.