Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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THE MICH SCHOOL MIRROR 23 AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. Jas. C. Mutch, Instructor. ith the advent of a Department of Agriculture into our h'gh school conies the ever present cry of the community, “Is t practical?” This cry is characteristic of the wideawake populace which demands full value for ali expenditures and the best that can he had for the education of its children. It is our purpose to place you, the public of Mondovi and vicinity, in such a posi-t on that you can answer the aforementioned much asked question in the affirmative. A study of the principles of A gr culture has a cultural as well as an intrinsic value. The former may he derived from the courses offered in the curriculum of any well organized high school. Thus it :s evident that the chief function of the course now under cons deration is in the latter, w hich means increasing the interests of school children along such lines as will enable them to produce a slightly better crop, a product a trfle cheaper, or in a measure to eliminate the drudgery of farm work by showing them what a wonderful thing it really is to get from nature all that nature will give. This will reverse the tendency to leave the farm for the glowing light of the city. Two new subjects will be offered at the beginning of the second semester in this department. They are Agricultural Chemistry and Farm Mechanics. These courses will be greatly handicapped because of the lack of equ pment and laboratory space. On this account the work in Chemistry this year must consist mainly in the study and testing of dairy products and the physical examination and testing of soils, rather than to a study of applied chem’strv. The “Farm Mechanics w ill begin with the elements of drafting and lettering, so that the student may understand the approved methods of construction of farm buildings and conveniences from blue print plans. After this road-mak’ng and culvert-construct:on will be gone into. The high school receives the leading agricultural journals, and ha also acquired a number of up-to-date and valuable books on various phases of farm work. These are at the disposal of the patrons of the school as well as for the students. These papers will from now on be kept at the school for one month, when they will lie taken to the city library, where they can be secured at any time. The books can be drawn for a period of two weeks, with the privilege of a renewal for the same time. Conte and makie use of what we have, and if you are interested in the advancing of a good cause, remember that we are always pleased to receive additions to our library. The space allowed this department in the remaining issues of the Mirror will be taken up largely with articles or suggestions for the farmers of this locality. These subjects will deal with questions that are important to all. I (e who grows two blades of grass w here but one grew before is of great value to humanity. Carry this idea into its largest meaning and you will realize the practical value arid greatness of the work we are trying to do. The United States, while it leads in the producFou of wheat, raises much le s per acre than Germany. Tlr’s is not because the land in our country is le --fertile than that of Germany, but because we are not getting all from the land that it will yield. Do you see any relation between the following and the high cost of beef? In 1900 there were 51.000.000 head of cattle in tins country, while the popula tiou was less than 75.000,000; in l')12 there arc 37,000.000 head of cattle, while the population has increased to over ‘K).000.000.

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11 THK HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT. cll.e T. Shea, Instructor. The Commercial Course offered in our high school this year includes a two years’ course in Shorthand and Tvuevvr.timr. This work is offered to luniors and they are expfcTeTto finish the work in their Senior year. 1 he Graham system of Shorthand is taught. Students taking this work have the opportunity of learning to operate three styles of typewriters, namely, .Monarch, Remington and Smith-Premier. The touch system of typewriting is insisted upon. While it is customary for a student to take both subjects, we have a few who take only the typewriting. W e offer a course in Double Entry llookkeeping to Sophomore students. Instead of having a single period for recitation with outside time for prepara-uon, a double recitation period is provided for. I his enables the student to do all of this work under direct supervision. 1 his work continues throughout the entire year. Resales the bookkeeping proper, special drill on modern methods of business forms, systems of-filing, indexing, etc., is given. Combined with the bookkeeping a drill on penmanship is given, the pur pose being to improve the individual handwriting of the class rather than to teach a particular system. . . In Commercial Arithmetic we aim to give a course ot training intended to developlskill in solving”-problems with rapidity and accuracy. A thorough review of the fundamental operations is given, an abundance of practic.il problems are solved, and an effort made to familiarize students with short processes of computation in general use among business men. iwtira) English and Spelling are taught during the first semester of the ITesfimen year. Students are encouraged to discriminate in the use of the common words of our language, selecting the word that will best convey the meaning intended. Many words similar in meaning are studied, and used m sentences to illustrate their meaning. The study of ..-.-ini .ornphv- is a part of the hreshmen work lot the second semester? This subject treats of the commerce of the different countries of the world, both domestic and foreign. The various commodities and the disposition of same, for home consumption or foreign trade arc studied. V’arious means of transportation are studied and compared, and the chief industrial centers are located. The principal employments in which civilized man is engaged, namely. Agriculture. Manufacture. Mining, Commerce, and Transportation, are made the basis for much of the study of Commercial Geography. All students who take the full Commercial Course are not required to take the work in English History during the second semester tf the Junior vear. but instead can take the work iii l imienqalJ-Jiy The purpose of this work is to give an understanding of contracts! papers, etc. I lie work at the best must be of an elementary nature, but will give the student an introduction into the legal world, which will be of benefit to him in alter life. About seventy students are enrolled in the t ommercial work, twenty-eight of whom are taking Shorthand and Typewriting. Seven typew riters are kept busy most of the time. Visitors are always welcome.

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:4 THE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR Lawrence Solberg, ’ll, is assisting J. P. Coyle in the drug store. Els e Holcomb, ’ll, is cashier at the Mercantile Company Store. Prof. E. A. Trowbridge, a member of the Missouri State I niversity faculty, judged stock at the international Stock Show held recently in Chicago. He has charge of the stock-judging team of his University, and we were glad, to see that tins team ranked th’rd among twelve teams entered by prominent universities of the country. He has certainly made good in his chosen field of endeavor. Paul Whelan. ’06, now a student at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, is enjoying h:s work at the eastern University. Harry Dillon, ’09, a prominent cand:date for the University of Wisconsin wrestling team, was taken to a Madison hospital December 4. e sincerely hope that this will not handicap him in his chosen athletic event. Allan Whelan, ’ll, and Alfred Lamb, 12. members of the Stout Inst tute “Hikers’ Club,” together with nine other members, passed through Mondovi . n one of their hikes a few weeks ago. Robert Kuenzli, '12. a student at the Oshkosh Normal School, report progress in his work, lie is one of few who are working their own wax through school. ... John Berg, ’09, graduate of the I niversity Bharniacy School and a reg istered druggist, is now mi business for himself, having bought out the Jones I )rug Company. The Mirror wishes success to a former student and basketball star. . Grover Broadfoot, '09. has enrolled in the Law Department of the I nt-versity of Wisconsin. James Gleeson. '12. now y student in the.Law Department « f Creighton College of Omaha, Neb., recently sent the following advice to Mr. Nevcrman. We know that all high school students will appreciate the same : Make the students work hard and they w 11 have it that much easier when they get ■ ut.” Verily, we believe James knows what he is talking about. Golden Ward, '09. is’now teaching Latin in the Walworth, W is.. high school. ... ... Erwin Fisher, ’12, last year's editor of the Mirror, is now enjoying the work at Madison. We wish that he would read one of last year's papers in which he advised Madisoi; students from Mondovi to send in alumni notes. These would be much appreciated. Reid Kenyon, '09, is attending the Wisconsin Business I niversity of La Crosse. Peter Jost, ’09. is a student at the l a Crosse Normal School. Henrietta Johnson, ’ll. is clerking at the Mercantile. Verna Pace and Hazel Xogle. both 'll. are teaching school in Buffalo County. Edna Claflin, ’09, first grade teacher in our schools, is on the program of the Inter-County Teacher-' Meeting which is to be held in Mondovi March 7 and 8.