Kingston High School - Maroon Yearbook (Kingston, NY)

Page 13 text:

We have known Mr. Martin for only one yearg and yet We, the seniors of K. H. S., have come both to respect him as an able and efiicient administrator and to admire him as a friend, whose sense of humor and understanding of our problems have made our last year at Kingston High a truly memorable one. Therefore, it is with sin- cerity that we dedicate this, the 1950 MA- ROON, to our new principal: Mr . John Henry Martin. N ine

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Chemistry Laboratory 1950 PBESEN T Kingston High School can be justly proud of the wide range of subjects offered in its present day curriculum. The student entering this school has the opportunity to choose between courses which prepare him for college entrance, the business world, a vocation in some skilled industry, the responsibilities of the home, or a. career in the fields of art or music. In its academic course, Kingston High has retained a great many of the subjects which were offered at Ulster Academy. In our language department, Greek has been replaced by Spanishg but French, German and Latin are still important in our high school education. The courses in English and social studies which are now being taught are comparable with those which were given at the turn of the century, although perhaps less emphasis is now being placed upon geography in our social studies courses. Today we study almost the same subjects in the fields of science and mathematics which were being taught to our grandparents before the arrival of the twentieth century. Trigo- nometry and chemistry represent the only subjects which have been added to our curriculum in these departments during the past fifty years. Although the academic course includes subjects which very nearly parallel those taught in 1892, the extensive programs in vocational and business training, homemaking, and music have been offered in Kingston's secondary schools only during the past quarter century. Today at Kingston High School more than twenty per cent of our students are enrolled in vo- cational training courses. As a result of their high school training in subjects dealing with topics such as automobile repairing, electricity, industrial machinery and woodworking, these students have received valuable preparation for employment in these respective Helds. The business courses that we have today have advanced a long way since 1892 when bookkeep- ing and commercial algebra represented the sole business preparation at Ulster Academy. Now at Kingston High School the business department offers not only a wide selection of business subjects which include: shorthand, salesmanship, secreetarial practice, typewriting and business law but also opportunities for students to receive credit for practical work experience. One of the most practical subjects taught at K. H. S. is homemaking. From homemaking and home economics invaluable training is given to our future housewives. In the excellent courses offered in music and art the natural talent of our future singers and artists is uncovered and developed. Eight

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ii' may Qi 13-Lf+. , M it l 1 5' iii ' iss! if wr- iliu lv ,M w ii..XTg,'f'.l'l K To fi its New Home of the Vocational and Homemaking Departments FUTURE Since the foundation of our public school system the lapse of time has been accompanied by a gradual evolution in our schools. We have attempted to show this progess as it has occurred in our Kingston high schools during the past half century. But to secure an over-all picture of time with its relationship to our schools, we must not only record the changes of the past but also look for- ward into the future. With the school year beginning next September, a number of important advances will be pre- sent at Kingston High. The new addition to the vocational building, which is being constructed to provide the latest most modern facilities for our courses at K. H. S., will be in use by that time. A complete homemaking department, a new chemistry lab, two auto mechanics shops and one electrical shop are to be included in this building, as well as rooms for instrumental music and choir practice. The agriculture courses at Kingston High will also be taught here next year. This addition is but one of the great changes being planned for the coming year. In September we expect Kingston High to have the entire freshman class for the lirst time since the completion of M. J. M. This influx of students will create a terrific problem because it will increase the congested conditions which already exist here. In order to minimize the eifects of this increase by utilizin our available facilities to the greatest possible advantage, a completely new schedule for the school day will be adopted. The outstanding innovations in this schedule are the eight period school day and the elimination of the present first and second lunch periods. Under this plan, lunch will be served dur- ing three Periods, the fourth, Hfth, and sixth. The student will eat in one of these periods and at- tend regu ar classes during the other two, thus eliminating the present lirst and second lunch sys- tem. When this plan was evolved, one of the problems which arose was to find a time when club ac- tivities and assembly programs could be carried out if there were no first and second lunch periods. The solution of this problem is that there will be two periods each day, first and eighth, which will be fifty-seven minutes instead of forty-five minutes in length. Classes which are held during,.these two periods will meet only four days each week, and on the fifth day those periods will be used for the assembly programs and the club activities. Also, beginning next year, the students who are entering foiuth year English classes will be able to choose the courses which they desire to take. Instead of the set Regents and School English IV courses which we now have, there will be six separate courses oifered in the Senior English classes. Five of these courses, journalism, creative writing, world literature, radio work shop and the college preparatory course will be half year subjectsg while the sixth, everyday remedial English, will be a full year course. With these plans already dennitely adopted for the coming year and proposed projects to im- rove the lower connnes of our school, the cafeteria and the shower rooms, the future for Kingston giigh looks bright. T611 -1. -. Ill z 'I ' r-E 'B S Iii fwrxx