Mont Pleasant High School - Montaneer Yearbook (Schenectady, NY)

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Students listen attentively during Mr. Beardsley’s speech class. Frank Fox concentrates during art class. John Stenard is playing the----now what is that anyway? Body by Kcszey 21

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Cultural Achi Mont Pleasant High School has always encouraged the advancement of Music and Art. Both the Music and Art Departments are staffed by a highly competent faculty whose efforts are dedicated to enhancing the culture of school life. Mr. Lozere Thompson 111, the chairman of the music department, is both a well qualified teacher and conductor, whose exjteriences have taken him over much of the nation. This department offers classes in many different areas of music. Several organizations are also o|)en to all students who are interested in music and have time to participate in them. These organizations give students practical experience and teach them the fundamentals of music. Two of these are the choir and the band. The choir, consisting of about two-hundred voices, is divided into three daily classes: periods two, four, and six. One of the main functions of the choir is to entertain the student body at different times of the year. The choir also presents two annual concerts, one in winter and the other in spring. The band, conducted by Mr. Albert Hallenbeck, is a credit to our cultural background. As does the choir, the band meets in daily sessions. This organization can be heard at football games, and pep rallies as well as most other major social functions of Pleasant. The paintings that surround the halls of Mont Pleasant are the proof of excellent work performed by the art depart- ment. Mr. William O’Connor, its chairman, and Mrs. Flor- ence Gronvall supervise courses in oil painting, basic art, ceramics, drawing, and painting. By virtue of these courses, many talented young artists progress in skill daily. The art club, sponsored by Mr. O’Connor, also gives aid to the school by rendering artistic services at different times of the year. The Dramatics Class, conducted by Mr. Theodore Beards- ley, studies various aspects of drama that include acting, producing and directing plays, stage, costume, and make-up design. They read and study representative plays from the Greek, I,atin. Modern, and Contemporary periods. They use their knowledge to put on several Studio 113 presentations tfiat have been enj oyed by the whole school. Conference All-State participants Roberta Lasak, Bob Siaskiewicz, and Pete Angelone harmonize during a rehearsal with Mr. Thompson. Mr. O’Connor is seen lecturing to one of his art classes. 20

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Academic Achievements The way to success is gained through application in the academic areas of education presented to us as students. These areas are supervised by the various departments that include: language, social studies, mathematics, English, and science. In the area of language studies, the department has been provided with a new laboratory, which has been in use for a year. Already, it has given students a great opportunity to work with the foreign language they are studying. This year Russian has once again been offered as a course to a group of interested seniors. The Social Studies department continues to prepare to- day’s students to be tomorrow’s citizens and leaders of our country by presenting an overall view of history and man’s progress through the ages. It is hoped that equipped with this knowledge the students of Mont Pleasant will be able to take their place in society and contribute to its general welfare. An important innovation which will aid students in their academic endeavors is the installation of television sets in many classrooms. This allows the teacher to utilize worth- while presentations in instructing his class. Thus does Mont Pleasant through its departments present its student body with every possible opportunity to achieve academic excellence. The rest is up to us. A student curiously peers into a microscope to view the amaz- ing wonders of cell structure. Mark Nicholas listens attentively to language tapes and con- templates his response to the questions.