Erasmus Hall High School - Arch Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

Page 14 text:

As Mrs. Teresa Gordon checks his grammar Mr. Walter Balletto's discussion class listens intently as homework, John Daab assumes an inno- he illustrates the importance of an animated delivery. cent look. Walter Balletto's discussion techniques class. Sophomores and juniors planning to enter the newspaper world were given the opportunity to elect journalism, conducted by Dutchman Adviser Erna Fleischer, while seniors Wishing to develop their literary prowess took Ellen Batchelor's creative writing course. This year, there were two additions to the English curricu- lum. The first was an advanced placement course, under the tutelage of Elizabeth Lathrop, covering the equivalent of college freshman English. Those students who passed a sub- sequent test were given credit for a year of college Work. The second was Regina Hazen's experimental television class. Once a week, this group met to watch American Anthology, a collection of televised literary selections designed to heighten student interest in our American heritage. Richard Young contest winners, future English teachers, and the rest of us all gained much from four years of English at Erasmus. By way of thanks We each leave to the English Department our proudest possession: a full set of twenty- four book reports gingerly spiced with the red-pencil cor- rections of some falcon-eyed teachers. X V . fl Nancy Sanit briefs Karen Spizer on the brief in their senior English class. 17

Page 13 text:

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Page 15 text:

Krissel Thompson raises her hand for silence as Mrs. Josephine ! 5 A 7 Saiz awaits Alan Loomer's portrayal of Martin Zalacain. The often incomprehensible cries of Parlez-vous francais? Se habla espanol, Achtung, Shalom, and Veni, vidi, vici were still ringing in our ears as our -stay in Erasmus drew to a close. After all the foreign language instruction and drill we received, they will not soon be forgotten. The Class of 1961 witnessed a gradual change in the method of teaching languages. Emphasis was shifted from written grammar to the speaking and aural comprehension of the language concerned. To implement this change-over to audio-linguistic instruction, a language laboratory was established. Using individual microphones and tape recorders, students could hear their own pronunciation and compare it with the frustratingly perfect speech on the tape. Of course, classwork and homework were not neglected. For those particularly gifted in language work, honor classes were offered in French and Spanish. Here students learned of the history, culture, art, and literature of foreign countries in even greater detail than in the regular classes. In this era of the shrinking globe, we all can be grateful to the ever-expanding language departments of Erasmus Hall.