Muskegon Heights High School - Oaks Yearbook (Muskegon Heights, MI)

Page 13 text:

FOREWORD MICHIGAN CENTENNIAL 1835-'37 -- 1935-'37 For a hundred years, Michigan has extended a mighty hand in the direction of progress. As far back as September, 1835, when Michigan was a frontier community filled with daring men and women who stood ready to defend their homes and rights with rifles, the spirit of progress was uppermost. Governor Horner, on the occasion of his first speech in Detroit, received a bullet through his hat and is reported to have said, I apprehend no danger! That is the sort of courage upon which our great state is founded. But in their feverish zest to build a state by carving and hewing their way through a wilderness, our pioneer fathers found no time for cul- ture. Indeed, there was no need for culture in those days. Yet in the history of every civilization there comes a time when culture is necessary to progress. Our forefathers realized this fact. It was during the Constitutional Convention of 1835, therefore, that a basis was laid for what is now a fine school system. Only a little had been accomplished before this time. Much has been accomplished since. Much more re- mains to be done. We have chosen the Michigan Centennial as the theme of the 1937 Oaks, not for the sake of flowery tribute, but simply out of gratitude. We are glad for what we have and what our state has been. The problem is nevertheless ever before us. We need strength to carry on, and we shall carry on, for we feel that in the schools of today rests the future of the next one hundred years even as our good fortune of the hour depended upon the foresight of men and women of a century ago.

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THE OAKS 101 F Y 43?-'I Tables at Left, Left to Right at back: Unidentified th ddenj, Rogers thlurredl, Buckwald, He'zman, Coburn, A. Carlson tstandingl. Cater tstandingl. Mills te:d of tahlel. Left Tables, Left to Right, at Front: Fortier, H. Bartels, Matuz. Tables at Right, Left to Right: K. Kooi, Kaiser, Lelazd Pitcher, Groeneveld, Hart fstandingb. Standing at Rear, Left to Right: Pacyga, J. Krenns. Right Foreground, Left to Right: Aue, M. Kovarcik, H. Seng thiddenj, Miss Worcester, instructor. 100,000,000 guinea pigs cari't be wrong! Biology, a science that is alive. is the study of the origin, structure, func- tions, and life-history of plant and animal organisms. It is unaccompa- nied by cold figures and teaches ca e- ful observation in the held, woods, and stream. A realization of the greatness of God is a natural result of this study. This year, one hundred eighty stu- dents studied biology. It shows a de- cided increase over other years. A factor in the increasing number of stu- dents is the well equipped laboratory. A part the modern equipment follows: six compound microscopes and one binocular microscope, powered to see tiny bacteria and plant structures, a herbariam containing moss and plants of different species are grown, and many shelves for keeping specimens and equipment. Besides these articles, there is a sizable population of frogs, polliwogs ffuture frogsj, turtles, crabs, snakes BIOLOGY Mitchell Kobierski 1'non-poisonousil, lizards, spiders, a resident and a non-resident ali- gator, and cocoons, all of which are for observation purposes. All work connected with the collection of speci- mens is done by ambitious students. To be sure, without the intrusion of the Homo Sapiens the classroom would be a balanced nature world. Texts, consisting of a manual for experiments and a book for studying, and paper, constitute the students only expense. Experiments in pre- paring oxygen and nitrogen and test- ing for starch, carbohydrates, and sugar and others give the students the technique of experiment which prove invaluable later. The last ten weeks of school are spent studying man, with emphasis upon his health and well-being. llliss Margaret XN'orcester, instructor, hopes next year to have white rats for diet observation and a glass enclosed beehive and ant nest also for observation.

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102 THE OAKS iii ., Q tx.Vi.l au I V10 First Row. Left: Koziak talonel. Second Row, Front to Back: Gardner, Nordstrom. Panks. Third Row. Front fo Back: Bendus. Dnalek, Shunta, Simpson. Fourth Row: Front to Back: Pearson. Krueter thiddenh, Hislon, VanderVeen. I. Thomas. Fifth Row, Front to Back: M. Wilson, Beecham, Korstanie. Whittum, A. Smith. Sixth Row, Front 'o Back: 1. Anderson, Danford, Roliison. Clawson, A. Shunta thiddeny. Standing: Miss Irene Brief, instructor. SHORTHAND Clara Workman Shorthand is the art of writing words and phrases by the use of shorter sybmols, sometimes jestingly called turkey tracks. Classes in this subject are taught by Miss Irene M. llrief. During the lirst semester Q11-ll, shorthand students begin their study in the Gregg Shorthand Manual, with accompanying and supplementary work in the Speed Studies. The stu- dents are allowed from one minute to one minute and fifteen seconds to transcribe each shorthand plate in the Manual. The students are also given work at the rate of from forty to fifty words a minute. In the latter chapters, material is dictated from sixty to sev- enty words a minute. Most of the stu- dents in the 11-1 class are capable ol reaching this speed. Others have the ability to take dictation even faster. During the second semester, before Turkey tracks! Thousands per hour! proceeding with their work, students are given a complete review of the first semesters principles. Business letters are dictated to the students at the rate of eighty words a minute. Students in third and fourth semes- ters are given a thorough review. By this method, the student is taught the special speed building principles. Miss Brief dictates the material to the 12-1 students at an average of from 75 to 90 words a minute. In both classes students are given various kinds of business letters to be transcribed on the typewriter. A speed of 100 words a minute is required for a fourth se- mester student. Miss Brief also gives much practice at the rate of 120 words a minute. This two year course enables com- mercial students better to secure a po- sition of a clerical nature in business offices.