Hononegah High School - Mack Yearbook (Rockton, IL)

Page 18 text:

UJE UHHHGE llIIlH THE llIllES! Each year the school organization changes somewhat and this year was no exception. W-ith a larger enrollment than ever before and heavier loads for the teachers it was necessary to hire two part time teachers to help out. Two former science teachers were hired Mrs, Mabel Lafiin and Mrs. Vera Root. Mrs. Lafiin taught girls' Physical Education and Mrs. Root had classes in English III and IV. During the summer vacation last year the classrooms were redecor- ated in light green and the auditorium was repaired. The school present- ed a very pleasing appearance when classes took up in the fall. Physical Education for both boys and girls has been stressed more than usual this year. In a national emergency fit is necessary that the physical condition of students be excellent. Exercise, diet, and proper Iiving have been stressed in all classes and Physical Education is com- pulsory for graduation. On account of the war, is was decided to have Saturday school dur- ing January and February so that farm students would be able to help on the farms during the spring. It was also decided to have half hour noon periods so that school would be dismissed at 2:35 P. M, and farm students would get home sooner, in the afternoon. With a short noon period it was impossible lo have class and club meetings during the noon recessg and it was then necessary to add an activity period or ninth hour to Tuesday and Thursday's class schedule. This gave students ample time to do club work on two days a week dur- ing the 9th hour. The ninth hour for detention purposes was dispensed with when the short noon hour became effective and a system of demerits was estab- lish. When a student receives five demerits he is automatically sus- pended from sch-ool until such time as one or both parents accompany him back to have him reinstated. ..13...

Page 17 text:

HUHUHEBHH IIIHHBHES UH! Next Y ear it is quite possible that the athletic program may be car- tailed because of the lack of tires. As long as the present tires on oulr busses last there is no regulation concerning what the busses should be used for. However, when we get new tires from the rationing board, we will have no guarantee that those tires be used for nothing except carry- ing students and teachers to and from school. This means that athletic trips, field excursions, Senior jaunts, and the like will be eliminated. The individuals in each English class have been increasing their lib- raries by belonging to the Students Book Guild. One hundred and three students are purchasing books everymonth. In the plan, books, which are considered classics, are to be sold to the students for thirty cents each. At the end of four months. if the student has purchased one book a month he receives one bonus book free. In thli-s way students become interested, in good books and have a chance to own them at alow cost. The Industrial Arts Department has been doing fine work this year, and it is doing something which is definitely aiding the war effort. Planes are being constructed according to plans and specifications, furnished by the Bureau of Aeronautics. They had to be made on an exact scale of 1 to 72. By studying the model through a standard ring sight used on aerial gun models, the pilot learns identity and range. The planes had to be built very accurately before they were shipped to the navy department where they had to be inspected by corps of capable men who vouched for their accuracy. Three new sewing machines were purchased last fall. One of them was a new Singer and two were Free sewing machines, so now the girls can really zip around the seams-an attachmenb for making button- holes was also purchased this year. -12-.

Page 19 text:

HUIlUIlEl3HH'S FIHHHCIHL SITUHTIUII The school year 1941-42 finds our high school in financial distress. Even though there is 359,000 or more in the building fund account. schools of Illinois must keep two seperate accounts, one for building pur- poses, and the other for educatio.nal. This situation has been caused by two things. First, a decrease in the assessed valuation of property by over a million dollars, which means that the tax money we can receive! has been cut from nearly S40 000 to 322000. Second, a law recently passed by the General Assembly imposed a heavy fine on a township treasurer if money is taken from one account and put into another. Since 1932 when our maximum legal levy in the educational fund reached Sl. we have been unable to receive enough money in the educational fund to operate the school, and so have been taking it from the building fund. The law, above mentioned, stopped that practice, and now the educa- tional fund is empty. If the high standards of the school are to be maintained, the only way out is to somehow or other increase the tax money that can come in to the fund on the one hand, and cut expenses on the other. Expenses will be cut. but the only way to increase the income is to refer it to the people of the district, who some time in the spring, will vote on whether or not to give the Board of Education the power to levy 31.50 for the educational fund, instead of the 51.00. If this power is granted the building fund can be eliminated, and enough money can be brought in to make it possible to haul all the youngsters who live a mile and a half or more away from the building within the boundaries Cf the district- to and from school. If the tax levy cannot be increased, Hononegah will face the same situation as Rockford did namely it will probably be forced to close its doors for two months during the school year 1942-1943. In addition to that the whole program will have to be radically curtailed, and the edu- cational opportunities of the pupils and District 207 be limited to a very marked degree. O. E. LOOMIS ..14-.