Episcopal High School - Whispers Yearbook (Alexandria, VA)

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the text for World War ll. This interpretative history book is supplemented by factual Govern- ment films on W.W. ll, and the team is perfect for the nine-week study of World War Il. Whereas lVlr. Deeble's policy is to give big tests at two-week intervals, Mr. Daniel, the 52-year veteran and head of the History Department is notorious for his detailed daily American History quizzes. During the initial two terms, American students are quizzed on an average of four times a week, and during the third term, when they study government, there is always a test awaiting the now-not-so-innocents. Mr. Daniel covers the development of the original thirteen colonies into a powerful nation in detail during the first two terms, putting special stress on the names and dates in our history. The text for this is Muzzeyis History of Our Country, an excellent text that is replaced during the third term by Magruderis American Government, a study of the structure of our government at present. In all the history courses extra-credit parallel is allowed, and many a student avails himself of this opportunity to pursue further facets of history merely touched on in class that are of particular interest to him, while adding points to his term grade. Taken as a whole, the history courses of Episco- pal provide a rare opportunity for an interested student to gain a wide knowledge of the history of the world and a solid foundation for specialization in college. cience The science courses at Episcopal are among the best offered, formidable though they may seem. In the venerable tradition of Archimedes, Galileo, and Newton now move the right honorable Messrs. Latham, Tompkins, and Emmons with their small but deadly array of the sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, and general science. Physics, as taught by Mr. Latham, is the most inclusive of the sciences. lt combines a frightening conglomeration of general knowledge, electronics, automation, plain motion, force, crackerbarrel philosophy, and bi-weekly experiments into one big course. A comprehensive study in every con- ceivable realm of physics is completed before the year is out. General Science is also taught by Mr. Latham. Essentially it is a junior physics that is less com- plicated and considerably more general. Ceneral,' means etymology fas distinguished from entomol- ogyl, everything listed under physics, biology, and frequent lessons in applied economics. Biology is taught by Mr. Emmons. Probably the hardest course in school, it is a college-level study of all the myriads of life forms from protozoa to cordata. The course includes weekly excursions to the lab, where the strong-stomached students dissect frogs, snakes, and other little beasties. this o W i 1 V .

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The French courses are instructed by lVl. Deeble in first and M. Harnly in first, second, and third. As in Spanish, the first two years are passed quickly in learning the bare essentials of grammar tsuch as how to say hi-fin in Frenchj and reading. The third year is usually spent repeating second French. Twelve months later in the third French students begin to read higher literature. The glory of the course is somewhat enhanced by the kind offer of lVlr. Harnly to conduct, for a slight fee, yearly tours of Europe, during which the lucky travelers soak up an intoxicating overdose of culture. The German course is smaller and is comprised chiefly of future engineers and scientists. Herr Whittle brightens up the course with frequent witticisms in Deutsch, and a consistent good humor. A well rounded offering of grammar and reading is given for each of the two years of German that are taught. German is probably the most interest- ing modern language because of the strong resemblance it bears to English. This year, in the last term, a new idea has been put into application. The boys who take languages have been placed together at special dining room tables. Nature, with a little assist from masters in charge, has taken its course, and the students have gained the invaluable experience of actually making a speaking acquaintance with their languages. , .iwiafory Napoleon once said NWhat is history but a fable agreed upon? The Episcopal History Department however. has decided that it is a fable that should be learned by heart, as all alumni of Mr. Daniells American History will testify. ln Mr. Walden's Ancient and Medieval History and Modern European History the stress is on Mgiving the student the leading ,facts of history and explaining the importance of various political and social institutions. Notebooks, map work, and memory are necessary, and any student- who passes these two courses has a full picture of the growth of the Old World. Once a week this period is devoted to the study of current events, when the students study Our Times, a student-level publica- tion covering the international scene for the past week that attempts to explain political and social institutionsi' to the student. In Mr. Deeble's English History the student begins with Paleolithic man and by the end of the second term has traced the development of Great Britain to the eve of the First World War, paying particular attention to the trends and underlying causes of the great movements in English history. ln the third term World War l is covered quickly, and the Hall's Iron out of Calvary, is adopted as QIOCLl fl'l'L2l'li A A 17

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XWRLN A The joy ol the Science llepartment. though. is Mr. 'lvs liomli factory, Prodigal prodigies are here introduced to the dangers of flying chalk. the calculated risks of mixing certain chemicals. and the inadyisaliility of forgetting to 'Lconchw on lfriday night. l,ike the hoys in Biology, the hoys in Chemistry are always over 90 on each year's percentile test lthc rating per 100 average pupilsl, and inevitalily two or three of the lirighter hoys in the class turn up with lllfls. Also. the course is interspersed with spontaneous outhursts of worldly wisdom and old-guard philosophy llietwecn spontaneous emissions of flying chalkl. The fundamental objective of Mr. T's chemistry is to leach students to think for themselves. to think creatively rather than to memorize assigned material like a parrot. lnclusivcly. thc science department tries to instil in the minds of the students a desire to achieve an understanding and appreciation of the related and multitudinous alistruse messes of our contem- porary technical civilization. ln this endeavor, it succeeds admirahly. Pls ak Dk There are three minor fields of study which were not dealt with in the preceding ser-tion. Two of them deal with the more cultural side of studiess music appreciation and art appreciation. Both of these courses are very ably taught hy lVlr. lVl. l7. Williams The third minor field is a series of courses under the title of Sacred Studies. livery lioy is required to take a Sacred Studies course each year. hut the classes meet only once a week. The courses range from a study of the stories in the Old Testament for freslnnen to a high-level course in Christian ethics for seniors. No mention of studies at lf.ll.S. would be complete without a look at the principal theatre of the student's own labors-the study hall. Here, confined to his cheerless desk for two and a quarter hours every night and several periods during the day. glared at hy a series of unkind masters and monitors, the weary student grinds away at his lessons. Experience has shown this torture to be unpleasant but necessary. in order to maintain the high level of work that the school requires. No one enjoys study hall. hut most hoys will admit they would have a hard time forcing themselves to spend the same amount of effort if left to their own devices. NA' I -. - .fQ,.....-..