Memphis University School - Owl Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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This page: {top) Mr. Todd and Bob Phelps program the computer in the Man-Made World course, (cen- ter) Mr. Springfield teaches eighth graders to solve first degree equations, (bottom) David Carroll does re- search in the chemistry lab for the Atomic Energy Commission. Opposite page: (top) The Pythagorean theorem is discussed in Mr. McGhee ' s geometry class, (bottom) Mr. Shurlds prepares chemical solu- tions for a biology experiment. I tr 24

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— — WWJ English Electives Foster Creativity No educational system may be consid- ered complete unless it teaches students to think for themselves. An independent, creative mind has been proven to be an in- valuable asset to students preparing for col- lege, the business and professional world, or life in general. MUS nurtured originality in thought and writing through the Eng- lish electives. Electives offered to upper-school stu- dents included courses such as Man ' s Search for Himself, in which students ex- amined the hero and anti-hero in American and English literature under the tutelage of Mr. Haguewood, and Shake- speare, an entrance into the world of the greatest playwright of all time, presided over by Mr. Hatchett. In his Modern Liter- ary Criticism course, Mr. Boelte introduced his students to the art of criticizing short stories and novels of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Also popular were Mr. Russell ' s Utopia and Satire, an in-depth study of man ' s search for Utopia through literature, and Mr. Elder ' s Man and God in Modern Literature, a study of the effect of theological-philosophical trends on modern authors. By encouraging original thought and writing, MUS implanted the seed of cre- ativity in the minds of the students. Hope- fully, with continued nourishment, the seed will blossom forth as the student takes his place in society. 23

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• : -s C Vnif ( 4 tr Students Prepare for Technological World In order to fulfill the goals of the prag- matic education, courses, such as math and science, which offer practical application to the world of today, were offered. These courses were intended to train students in the art of deductive reasoning, i. e. deriva- tion of a conclusion by studying presented facts. Ideally, students completing these courses would be able to apply the con- cepts of deduction to areas other than those given above. The Mathematics Department, under the chairmanship of Mr. McGhee, attempt- ed to give students sound training in the techniques of mathematical thinking. Courses, varying from elementary algebra to calculus, tested students ' abilities to apply analytical thinking to problem solv- ing. Other luminaries involved in the in- struction of higher mathematics included Mr. Wright, Mr. Springfield, Mr. Thorn, Mr. Perdue, Mr. Garrison and Mr. Gilles- pie. Mr. Todd ably headed the Department of Science this year. Earth Science, an intro- ductory course in the study of earth and space, provided the ninth graders with a sound foundation for more advanced in- struction. Physics-Chemistry offered sopho- mores an insight into the natural and chemical sciences. Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, perennial favorites among elev- enth and twelfth grade students, retained their popularity. Students in the Man-Made World learned to solve practical problems by using an analog computer. Through the efforts of the departments of mathematics and science, the school en- deavored to teach students to deal with the practical aspects of today ' s technological society. 25