Fairmont West High School - Dragon Yearbook (Kettering, OH)

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Over l0,000.books dealing with everything from the simplest form of life to social problems may be found in Fairmont's library, one of the student's most valuable sources of information. Literature and Grammar Prnville the Framework Scanning poetry is among the studies in Miss Mary Frances Claggett's junior English class. One of the most important areas of study at Fairmont is English. Students at Fairmont take three years of English which gives them a background in literature and improves their ability to express themselves. In sophomore English, the student reviews the basic grammar he has learned prior to entering Fairmont. This includes learning how to outline and how to write different types of letters. He also learns about manuscript forms, and the importance of accuracy in spelling, how to use the dictionary, and how to develop the vocabulary. He studies various types of literature, both American and English, but the high- light of the sophomores year is the reading of Shakespeare's Julius Ceasarf' The junior in English finds outlining becomes more complex and interesting. His vocabulary increases and his spelling becomes more accurate. The junior at Fairmont is taught public speaking and original com-

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position. Students spend time writing original poetry about friends and people whom they know. Literature in the junior year stresses American writings, life in America, and American authors. Moby Dick and Our Town are required for most juniors. It is also in the junior year that the student writes his auto- biography. The senior year is the most interesting to the student. During the year students make pre-collegiate studies of grammar and enlarge their vocabulary. They con- centrate on original composition. Each student is given the chance to speak before an understanding group, and he learns to express himself well. He learns how to write a perfect letter of application. No student graduates from Fairmont until he has written a perfect letter. Teachers require students to read such classics as Pygmalion , Macbeth , and Ivanhoe Pointing out corrections on an English theme to john Zeisler is Miss Ruth Heitzman, senior English teacher. Fm' a Well-Balanced Enqlish Program. Mr. Eugene Smith is demonstrating to the class and Tom Sawyer the use of the reading machine to push that reading speed.