Grosse Pointe South High School - Viewpointe Yearbook (Grosse Pointe, MI)

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Social Studies create citizens The Social Studies department is no longer merely a history department. This broader scope includes such subjects as U.S. History, Sociology, Economics, and World Affairs. Of 12 courses offered, Civics, World History, and U.S. History are required for graduation. These three have a goal to train the students to be better citizens. Because of increased knowledge, certain skills such as critical think- ing, an increased sense of responsibility, and greater tolerance are developed. Since this was election year, a mock election was set up and headed by Mr. Coury and Mr. Matecun in cooperation with the Student Council. Out of 2,565 registered student voters at Grosse Pointe South, 58.3 per cent exercised their voting privilege. Students showed a strong preference for Richard Nixon over Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace. The Grosse Pointe Human Relations Coun- cil brought social studies to the Gymnatorium for the Whole community during the year with speakers such as Martin Luther King and Whitney Young. Above: Judy Meloy and Sharon Ryan give Lynne Mont- procedures. Below: Miss Weier leads student discussions gomery, Pam Kelly, and John Williams instruction on voting about the American Revolution. 65

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Above: Whitney Young, chairman of the Urban League, talks with a visiting Nigerian chief. Below: The late Martin Luther King.

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Freedom in study increases interest Independent study students pursued a va- riety of interests, from sculpture and com- posing to complex number systems and the genetics of the paramecium aurelia. Academ- ically-oriented projects included John DiLor- eto's research on nuclear physics, Nancy Heian's study of existentialism, and Carl Graham's analysis of the works and philosophy of the French author Camus. In addition, a few students who were unable to schedule regular courses were able to take them inde- pendently. Although each student had a teacher in his field as advisor and met occasionally with the coordinator, Miss Leona Weier, the program allowed participants remarkable freedom to go about learning in their own ways. Most of them found their projects fascinating, but ad- mitted that working without forced classroom attendance or specific assignments required initiative, ingenuity, and determination. Above: Behind the maze of apparatus, Ed Robertson probes genetics. Below: Nick Balderi sketches for his project in art.