Montebello High School - Golden Key Yearbook (Montebello, CA)

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SCIENCE-The first coursein this de- partment is general science, which covers va- rious subjects and offers a general prepara- tion for the more advanced sciences to fol- low, In the biology room, one sees such things as spirogyra, sand dollars, and snails, and if screams are heard issuing from the class- room, one need not worryg it is only some girl startled because a grasshopper hopped on her dress. Chemistry students experi- ment with gases, liquids, ,and solids, and pray that they won't break a thistle tube or a graduate cylinder. Funny-looking equa- tions cause even the best physics students a great deal of worry trying to figure them out in a quiz. IVIECHANICAL ARTS-Buzzing saws and humming machines attract our attention to the shop, where boys are busy making furniture and toys for children, and repair- ing or painting cars. Here too are fashion- ed outboard motor boats and graceful canoes, which will later appear on bodies of water from lakes in Lassen county to our own Pacific harbor. Different from the shop work, but equally important, is mechanical drawing, where boys draw plans and blueprints, stopping every few minutes to run and sharpen a pencil, to be sure the lines will be drawn with precision. C O M M E R C E-Future stenographers spend most of their time practicing typing or making queer-looking figures which are called shorthand notes and operating a type- writer. Iunior business training and book- keeping are also important to complete the education of the business man or woman. PHYSICAL TRAINING-This depart- ment fills a very necessary need of our school life. It keeps boys and girls physic- ally fit and gives them a welcome relief from their studies. In addition to the usual physical education there are competitive sports which include basketball ,volleyball, speedball, tennis, track, and baseballf for girls and football, basketball, baseball, track, cross country, and tennis for boys. Page Fifteen

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Page Fourteen . . ' V -I , '.,W,,,.Wf- - Ai, . A few decades ago the old schoolmaster taught only readin', writin' and 'rithmetic in his little red schoolhouse. Education has progressed rapidly since that time. Today many subjects have been added to the cur- ricula of our schools, and because one can' not take them all, they have been arranged in different departments. ENGLISH-This is probably the most universally important subject, and is, there- fore, required for at least three years in both high schools and colleges. ln the four years offered, pupils learn everything from verbs andnouns to Shakespeare and Chau- cer. Iournalism, where busy editors and re- porters are found writing the school news, may be substituted for junior or senior English. Oral expression was added to the curriculum this year. L A N G U A G E- Buenos dias and Hbuenas noches are two of the many ex- pressions one hears on entering the Span- ish room. First year students learn simple principles and conjugations of the indica- tive mode, While in second year, such ad- vance is made that pupils are able to Write their diaries in Spanish. Third year students organize Los Buenos Amigos, a club in which everyone speaks Spanish. LIBRARY-Here students read for ref creation or study assignments. Here also, a class in library practice gives girls instruca tion in the fundamentals of library pro- cedure. MATHEMATICS-This is a depart- ment to which the girls object: they fail to see Why they should learn theorems and propositions. But geometry, and also al- gebra and trigonometry, teach one to think and reason for himself.

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Page Sixteen H O M E ECONOMICS-Fsflany boys learn to be helpful around the house, but the girls study the art of sewing, cooking, and keeping a home attractive, that they may be better home makers. New last year were the home art and design, and house- hold science classes, in which departments girls experiment with foods, examine tex- tiles, and study chemical properties. Under this department may also be included the management of the cafeteria. . SOCIAL SCIENCE-In world history the story of this universe from the time of Neanderthal man up to the present is un- folded. This history lives through the study of the lives of famous people from the pages of civilization's progress. United States history and civics give students a clearer conception of our government and generally broaden their knowledge of the political world, Modern history is the study of modern events and their effects on all nations of the world, while social problems emphasizes .suchimportant topics as the sweating sys- tem, child labor, prison reforms, unemploy- ment and immigration, .bringing out their causes and results. Practical application of material was made through trips, lectures and projects. FINE ARTS-In the art department Hrst year students sketch pictures, paint posters, and combine colors artistically. ln the second year the Daubers busy them- selves designing stage-sets and pictures- que costumes, painting posters, and illustrat- ing the school annual. b N In the music room one may hear the boys and girls glee clubs and the various quartets and trios, while from 'the audit- orium can be heard the junior or senior orchestras, which are kept busy preparing for school programs. The band has added -pep' and spice to our school spirit and has given the teams new incentive. This year music appreciation is required of members of the glee clubs. h