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

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THE o A K s 95 HISTORY Looking backward is prerequisite to looking forward. .The subject of history has many branches, four of which are taught in this high school. They are: general history, American history, civics. and economics. Of these, general history and American history are what might be called history proper. They con- form more nearly to the delinition of history than do civics and economics. History is the written record of facts and events, while all other social stud- ies deal more or less with phases of these events, such as political, eco- nomic, religious, social, literary, and so on. General history, taught by Mr. D. R. McKenzie and Mr. H. A. Kruizenga, is a general history of Europe from the time when the Saxons broke the heads of the Gauls with stone axes, to the time when the French and Germans almost exterminated each other with Left Hand Side, Back Row, Front to Back: Kanitz, S Left Hand Side, Front Row, Front to Back: Barr, L. Larsen, Evans. Earl Schwass gas and shells in the last XYorld XYar. tXYe called it the last XYorld XYar because that's what Americans want it to help As the history of Europe has been hectic since the beginning of things, the subject is interesting. A more specialized study is Ameri- can history, taught by Miss M. M. Kinnaird, Mr. Blclienzie, and Mr. Cl. E. johnson. American history is a study of our country's growth. Be- ginning with the events in Europe which led to the discovery of America, the student is taken on through the Revolutionary, Civil, Spanish-Amert can, and XYorld NYars to the New Deal of our times. Economics, taught by Miss M. M liinnaird and Mr. Henry Holverson, treats of the world's wealth and com- merce. kok. Wildfong. E, Peterson, Vezina. L. Korstanje, B. Wachsmuth Right Hand Side, First Row, Front to Back: Doctor, Gustafson, Leech, Klett, Hopkinson, J. Pedler, R. Cooper. Right Hand Side, Second Row, Front to Back: B1 Williams, Kelly, Landgraf. Jahlonicky, Trosko, Hradsky, D. Wilson. Right Hand Side, Third Row, Front to Back: Visscher. Oldt, Luders. Taulhee, K. Johnson. Back Row, Left to Right: McEntee. Lehan. Vanderveen, Jackson, Lawton, Stockli, Smith, LeRoux, E. Wagner, Aue, Prus, Ruiter, Wood, Roth, Bendus. Leitters At piano: Hoekenga. Front Row, Left to Right: Mogdis, Lehan, Jozsa, Moore, Arnold, Harvey, Hislon, McGregor, Jones, Mauch Filinow, Wood, J. Finger, Vezina, Powers. Posv tpartly hiddenj, Ansnach thiddenj, J. Hile. Nienhuis. istak. i if h I

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94 THE OAKS Back Row, Left to Right: Kobierski, Snelling, M. Purclase, Miss Sprague, ins'ructor, standing: Huika, Brccxd- bent, Posvistak, H. Santa be ner, Engle tthree-quarters hiddenb, Thema Front Row, Left to Right: Shafer, Morningstar, M. Johnson, Rcelman, Dendrino, Mixer, Risk, M. Geisler, Baker, Sh uttie. Turner, Campbell ENGLISH Jack Mixer The English department has the largest enrollment of any one course to the fact that in the school, owing the English course is compulsory. ln many ways, it is one of the most im- portant courses taught in the school because of its direct bearing and us-3 in everyday life. Miss julia A. Sprague is the head of the department, and has been a member of the faculty for lifteen years. The majority of the ninth grade English work is now being taught in Central Junior High School. Wie have seven 9-2 English sections, however. taught by Miss Linda Bahr, Mr. XY. E, Murray, Miss Margret Van Raalte. Mr. Henry Holverson, and Mrs. Ruth Kile, who is finishing the former Miss Ruth Ferris's school year. Sophomore English consists of a course, similar to the ninth, divided between oral and written composition, and literature. The principles of writ- ing are taught with a view to enabling students to express their ideas clearly, What an intricate language she are! not with the purpose of making authors of them. Letter writing, both business and social, is stressed, with some work on the fundamental types of composition. In literature, besides voluntary free reading of book re- ports outside of class, the classics Ivanhoe, by Sir XValter Scott: Idylls of the King, by Tennyson: and The Merchant of Venice, by Shakespeare, are studied intensively. The last few weeks of 10-2 is given to the study of types of the short story. -lunior English is a study of English literature from Beowulf to Virginia lVoolf, that is, from the days of pre- Roman Britain to twentieth century Englishmen of letters. The course is more than stories It is a course in literary history, including the social, religious, moral, and literary back- ground of our American inheritance. Senior English, which is elective in this high school, is taught by Miss Sprague. It contains much that is desirable for a student preparing to enter college.

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96 THE OAKS LATIN Earl Schwass Gallia est oinnis divisalu How those words ring in the mind! They are the opening words of Julius Cae- sar's hCOIl'1l'l1CIl1121l'iCS.H The reading of Caesars Commentaries climaxes two years of intensive grammatical study of the Latin language. It is then that the knowledge acquired during this period is applied by the pupil in his reading of this beautiful piece of Latin literature. And, for those students whose talent lies in language, this reading gives real enjoyment, a sense of real accomplishment. The student of the Commentaries has a feeling of satisfaction as he reads and under- stands what to most people is but a page of hieroglyphics. Sum, eras, erat . . . it all comes back to one when he sees a Latin de- Frnnt Row. Left to Right: Schouten, Eva Reelman. Gallia est omnis divisa . rivative in English, and then he rea- lizes that his study of a so-called dead language has not been in vain. How is it possible that such a lan- guage, known to Julius Caesar, can be of great value today? VVhy? Because all the Romance languages-French, Spanish, Roumanian, and Italian are outgrowths of the Latin. A large per- centage of English is derived from the Latin, so much that almost every other word can be traced to Latin roots A student of Latin does not need to run to a dictionary every time he sees an umni or an oruni in English. In addition, the study of a foreign language broadens the outlook, re- fines. and stimulates the rnind. Mr. H. A. Kruizenga is the able instructor. Second Row, Left- to Right: Jack Harvey, R. Sherburne, Westover, Fike. W. Turner, Knopf, Longtin. Standing: Mr. Kruizenga, instructor. Third Row, Left to Right: B. Ustling Chiddenl, Bement, Lillie, Ruiter, Boucher, Carey, Oualek, Vanderlaan. Back Row, Left to Right: F. Musk thiddenh, E. Ochs, Barreft Qhiddenh, Hradsky, Carlson, A. Dewitte, Thornberry. I .i,.,se'i is 4 I