Mount Penn Lower Alsace Joint High School - Penn Alma Yearbook (Reading, PA)

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ENGLISH talic Mrs. Dolores LaPorte 509 N. 25th Street, Pennside, Reading, Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania, B.A. Service in Mt. Penn-1 year. Subjects: 7th, 9th, and llth grade En- glish, Public Speaking Extra-Curricular Activities: Future Teach- ers of America, Debating Team Memberships: NEAQ PSEAg Mt. Penn- Lower Alsace Education Association rainmar, Heading , and Lisa Sargent and Marsha Roslin diligently work during a study hall. as No, James Joyce did not write The Odyssey. Mrs. LaPorte explains a fine point in American literature. 26 A basic understanding of English is essential in any high school curriculum. One of the many able teach- ers at Mt. Penn striving toward this goal is Mrs. Dolores l.aPorte. She is often to be found with a select group of students who form the Future Teach- ers of America of which she is adviser. Teaching sections of four different grades would present a multitude of problems to many teachers, but Mrs. LaPorte handles the situation quite well. The seventh grade is taught to appreciate literature and at the same time to delve into the difficult arts of speaking and writing. Creative projects assumed by the seventh grade includes plays, stories, and poems. The ninth grade already skilled in these arts, strives to improve the techniques involved in these areas. By now well versed in the 'written and spoken language, the eleventh grade tackles a new problem. This involves a study of theubusiness back- ground in relation to the English language. ln- cluded among the many facets of this course are reports on business and jobs, application proce- dures, personal interviews, and a study of the vo- cabulary, used, in the business world. The fourth course to be taught by Mrs. LaPorte is the art of speaking? This elective course is open to tenth and eleventh grades. The object of this course is the improvement of speaking with confidence and style. Such devices as records, tape recorders, and over- head projector are constantly made use of through- out these classes. The culmination of Mrs. LaPorte's efforts is a well-rounded background of English among all her students.

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Drama , ss ys, and ragment Mrs. Irene Keller 514 Byram Street Pennside, Pennsylvania B.S. in Ed. East Stroudsburg State College Subjects: English Service in Mt. Penn District-10 years Extra-Curricular Activities: Commencement Speeches and School Publicity Offices: Publicity-Mt. Penn Lower-Alsace Teachers Assn. Memberships: National Council of Teachers of Englishg Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Englishg NEAQ and PSEA. Senior English is the place to put to use all the skills and techniques accumulated throughout the students? study of English. Without a doubt, Mrs. Keller has an im- portant role in developing the student for later life. Mrs. Keller introduces disciplined writing to many members of the class, shows them the way to incorporate 'Lburning words in their writing, and stresses the recognition of controllers in the numerous themes written during the course. The year begins with the study of essays written by the modern authors, basically to draw contrasts between the different periods in English literature. Then backtracking to early times, the seniors analyze Beowulf and, to exercise their imagination and knowledge, write epics in the Old English tradition. Later, they also attempt Middle English ballads. To show their appreciation of Chaucer, a few seniors dramatically portray the characters of the MCanterbury Talesi' in an unforgettable production. Mrs. Keller continually stresses the importance of relating the humanities to course content and encourages the keeping of a personal vocabulary list. She also helps the students to develop their speech habits by impromptu speaking, speaking on prepared topics, and persuading them to give special reports designed to add outside informa- tion to the current study. I think one of your burning words is on fire. -Mrs. Keller aids Susan French and Sally Gilbert with their beloved term papers.

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John on, Kipling, and Lamb Effective communication through management by lan- guage is the goal of English in tenth grade. Under Mr. Syphard's direction, students strive to attain a profi- ciency in grammar, writing, vocabulary, and speech. In addition to the study of the mechanics of the English language, students develop a deeper consciousness through an understanding and appreciation of literature. The study of language mechanics includes a review of grammatical concepts, essay questions, the study of words as symbols, and speech review and development. The literature study introduces the tenth grade pupil to Shakespeare,s work with the analysis of Julius Caesarf, As an entire class, the sophomores read and examine the novel, Silas Marner. Character and plot study are stressed in detail. Mr. Syphard also introduces poetry. For many students this is their first experience in read- ing and preparing a brief analysis of a poem. Mr. Syphard also conducts an elective class in World Literature. The class is open to 11th and l2th grade students and meets twice a week during the elective periods. The students are exposed to literary works of varied styles and periods. Through individual research, discussion and critical analysis of new concepts, the students broaden their outlooks and come to a fuller understanding of themselves. ENGLISH Your next spelling word is 'pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcani coniosis. '-Mr. Syphard gives an assignment. Mr. John O. Syphard, Jr. 110 South Sixth Street Reading, Pennsylvania Kutztown State College, B.S. Subjects: English I, II, World Literature, Independent Study Course in Literature Service in Mt. Penn District-2 years Extra - Curricular Activities: Essay Ad- viser, PENN POST Aide l Danelle Huyette and Phyllis Kins listen to an enlightening discussion 27 in World Literature.