Fairport High School - Hourglass Yearbook (Fairport, NY)

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Ol lI ! THE HOUR GLASS l lI l0 school education. This is easily explained. N o firm wishes to employ a young man who is unable to apply himself. It is not in the knowledge which we gain from a high school course, but in the fact that we have learned to think that is the important factor to the firm. Place yourself in the position of the firm. How would you choose? Between a person who has a grammar school education and perhaps a few years of hard work, and another, who is just out of high school and has learned to think and reason for himself and is loaded with original ideas which cannot but help the firm in some manner. The high school graduate has a decided advantage. Then, do not consider lightly the value of a high school education. Since it is now evident that a high school education is most necessary, let us turn our thoughts to the exact course which should be taken. Courses in high school should allow for varying plans on the part of the inmates. If each school offered the same course there would be no cause to specialize in high school. Various diplomas and awards are made for different courses and are comparatively easy to obtain. Those persons who are undecided as to what profession they wish to pursue should choose a college entrance course in high school. A diploma in this line furnishes a well-rounded course of study and qualifies the student for entrance to many colleges. At least, it prepares him so he can take entrance examinations. This diploma requires the passing of an approved four-year high school course and examinations in English four years, Latin or French three years, Geometry and Intermediate Algebra and History or Physics or Chemistry. This course is probably the most difficult and the most valuable offered in any school. It combines with a practical foundation, the best fundamentals of education available in public schools. If, perhaps, you have chosen business administration or book- keeping or some such profession, the course you desire is the commercial course. This consists of an approved four year course which includes Business English, Commercial Law, Type- writing and either Bookkeeping or Shorthand and also History, Science, Mathematics. As for applicability, this course is the most useful in the life of a business man for what one will not find typewriting or such knowledge useful? For those who wish to specialize in some subject for later Page Nineteen

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0l ll l THE HOUR GLASS l ll l0 as well as an instructive subject that could be utilized far more than it is, to the enjoyment and profit of every one concerned. There is no one who can deny that a person's character is usually determined by the way he expresses himself. Refined, well-educated people speak in a refined manner. Common, vul- gar persons use the lower class vernacular . He commands every- one 's admiration who has a large vocabulary, and who can ex- press himself adequately and withouthesitation. English feeds the intellect, stimulates the imagination, strengthens the memory, and imparts a feeling of self-confidence in expression. -M ary Schoolmaster and Leah Pritchard Choosing a High School Course and a Life Vocation What course shall 1 take up in high school? Is there any- one of us who has not been either confronted by this problem personally or approached by some younger person who is un- decided about choosing his school course? To be able to answer this problem with any skill, whatsoever, a careful study of the question must be made. Basically, to choose a high school course is to choose a life career. Since this is the age of specializing, it does not, abso- lutely does not, pay to omit any portion of schooling which per- tains or may be brought to pertain to your career. For the person who has specialized there is no such thing as an over- crowded vocation. Of those persons, who have taken up a skilled trade or profession, figures prepared by H. C. Bentley in Career Planning show that one-half range from failures to medium successes, thirty percent meet with medium to ex- cellent success, nineteen percent froin excellent to exceptional success and only one percent have distinctive success. There- fore we can see that even in a profession we must comb-ine a won- derful amount of perseverance and hard work with the best education attainable. For those persons who do not follow a profession, no remarks may be made except that the greater share go to make up the multitude of the common laborers who suffer with adverse conditions and never attain success. If you have ever had reason to go through the H Help W'anted columns in the daily papers you have probably wondered about such statements as may be inexperienced but must have high Page Eighteen

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0l ll I THE HOUR GLASS i lI l0 training, possibly to become a teacher, the state offers an academic diploma at the end of an approved four year course in Which some subject has been given preference to others. Ac- cordingly, an academic diploma in history is offered to those who have had three years of history. Such diplomas are offered in science, history, foreign language, mathematics, homeinaking and classical subjects. Manual training is rather a new addition to modern day curricula. This offers a most practical course in electricity, Woodworking and such subjects to those who wish to follow that line of trade in later life. But what is the aim of all this? Have you honestly ever thought about it? You have heard it addressed to you in assemblies, in the classroom, and at home. Yet many of you have never given any serious attention to this important ques- tion. It can not be carefully thought out and evaluated any too soon if you wish to be successful. Choosing your life work wise- ly is second in importance only to the actual gaining of the educa- tion for the Work. This is the age of the specialist. lt is necessary to know how to do one thing Well, and to have a general knowledge about other subjects. Picking the pertinent courses in school is invaluable in fitting yourself to do some work. You cannot drift into a career. There must be seine decisive thought and conscious effort. Upon asking various people why they chose certain voca- tions, one hears these replys: my best friend did, it seemed exciting, and most often Hit offered the most. money. Yet are these the real reasons for spending one's life at a definite work? I do not think so. There is so much more than that. We spend a. great amount of time and thought on our Work. I be- lieve it must be something which holds the most vital interest for us. A service to mankind which eaptivates our minds and imaginations. So, when it comes your turn to decide what is to be your vocation, put aside all other considerations but these 'twhat wo1'k appeals to me most? and am l fitted for this Work? If you can decide from these questions that a certain career is what you desire, and that your mental, physical, and moral abilities can cope with it, by all means choose that one. -Robert Bahler and Margaret Uarlomusto Page Twenty