Murphy High School - Mohian Yearbook (Mobile, AL)

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HOME ECONOMICS Though the courses of the Home Economics department are very practical this department has one of the smallest teaching staffs at Murphy, there being only five teachers. Miss Annie Louise Smith is the interested and very competent director. Even with so limited a faculty the courses are as varied as those of any other large high school. House Planning, Household Management, Child Care, Foods, and three years of Clothing are the subjects which are offered. Each year the depart- ment sponsors for one of the P.-T. A. meetings a fashion show in which the girls model the clothes that they have made. Surely time spent in these courses is time well spent for any girl. LANGUAGE In the Language Department three courses are offered—Latin, Spanish, and French. The Spanish Department is composed of three full time teachers: Miss Rubira, Mrs. Fulcher, and Miss Spradlin, and one part time teacher, Mrs. Daughdrill, with Miss Spradlin as director. Mr. Venman teaches both firsct and second year French. The Latin Depart- ment measures up to its average number of pupils even though there is no Senior Latin class this year. So few pupils signed up for “Virgil” that a class was not justified. There are twelve classes requiring two full time Latin teachers, Miss Duffee and Miss Tait, and one part time teacher, Miss Gay. Miss Duffee is the affable head of this department. INDUSTRIAL AND FINE ARTS Offering courses in all forms of practical art, from freehand drawing to metal-working, the Industrial and Fine Arts Department is an im- portant factor in the making of useful citizens of the future. Eight teachers, under the directorship of Mr. Hubbard, instruct students in printing, auto mechanics, commercial art, wood-working, machine drawing, and the use of machinery. The purpose of the department is to give students information about tools, materials, and processes; and to give them experience in various lines of practical work by actually using this knowledge and making useful projects. This method of learning by doing helps students to decide upon their vocations after leaving school, besides providing worthwhile leisure time activities. 25

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BUSINESS In the Business Department students are not only trained to get jobs, but to hold them after they are secured. Through the study of bookkeep- ing, typing, and shorthand, students became pro- ficient and dependable, well able to handle secre- tarial work in a business office. Through these studies accuracy as well as skill are developed. It is found that business students also need knowledge in business principles, business law, economic geo- graphy, and commercial arithmetic, so these are provided in the Business Department. The depart- ment is very efficient and up-to-date in all of its courses and methods. At the head of the Business Department is Mr. Boland, who directs the work in a capable, competent way. ENGLISH With the increased enrollment, the English Department now has twenty-three teachers. The advancement of this department is shown by a growing library of most modern books for English teachers, special texts for pupils reading enjoy- ment, and the organization of the English Depart- ment group as a member of the National English Council. Through the use of the blue Fundamental booklets, the students are taught the use of correct English, both oral and written. As they study good literature, their appreciation for it is developed. Public speaking, journalism, and dramatics are special courses offered, which have proved both popular and helpful. Under the able leadership of Miss Bright, this department is progressing rapidly in its work. SOCIAL SCIENCE Every student of Murphy High School comes in contact with the Social Science Department be- fore graduating. Seniors are required to take the interesting and instructive course in American History. Students especially interested in social science have a large and varied field from which to select. Important world movements of the past are revealed in Ancient and Medieval History, while they keep abreast of the times as they study Current World History and Modern European History. Included also in this department are courses in civics, economics, and social problems. These deal with the government of America today and the problems which face it. Miss Sallie Withers directs this department which fits Murphy students for better citizenship. 24

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MATHEMATICS Take a dash of arithmetic, a pinch of algebra, a slice of geometry, and a taste of trigonometry; putthem altogether and you have the Mathematics Department. Thirteen instructors are required to teach “Little Johnny” the secrets of mathematics. Mr. Brown is temporarily head of the department. Mathematics and English are the two funda- mental studies upon which depend success in all other branches. For college entrance, one year each of algebra and plane geometry are required. These constitute the first two years of Murphy’s Mathematics course. Some colleges required an- other year of algebra so students are advised to take Math 5 also. Courses in elementary arithmetic, solid geometry, and trigonometry round out the department. MUSIC Hark! Do I hear music ringing in my ears? Let’s follow the sound and see what we can find. Ah, there’s Mr. Dahrner vigorously directing his orchestra. Sounds like good music, too. And over here we find Mr. Stookcy leading his ragtime band. Swing it, Stookey. Do I hear angels singing? No, I see now ’tis the Girls’ Glee Club, harmonizing as usual. And over there is the Boys’ Singin’ Society. Hit ’em low, boys. Listen to the Freshics bellowing it out in yonder. The Freshman Chorus can really go to town. There’s the B-band, and the B-orchcstra strug- gling along; and the instrumental classes and applied music pupils. Keep practicing, studes. You’ll be tops some day. PHYSICAL EDUCATION Since our Physical Education Department was established in 1928, there has been a constant increase in the number of pupils, teachers, and amount of equipment. To the Freshman and Sophomore, unless he is physically unable, gym is compulsary. Many Juniors and Seniors choose gym as one of their electives. The Freshman course is general but at the close of the first year, the student is allowed to choose an activity to specialize in during his second year. Health, a physiology course, is taught alternately with gym. The splendid teachers, three gymnasiums, beauti- ful swimming pool, eight acre playground, which includes a lighted football field, make Murphy’s department among the best of high school Physical Education Departments. 26