North Mecklenburg High School - Viking Yearbook (Huntersville, NC)

Page 11 text:

Mrs. Holbrook teaches geom- etry. Some of the students prepare the problems tor class. They are Lindo Stilwell, Donna Harry, and Seymour Robinson. MATHEMATICS IMPORTA T I MA YPROFESSIONS Since mathematics is so important to so many things, the students are encouraged to take all the courses in math they feel they can do well. The requirement in math is two units for graduation. The student who is going to college finds that the more math he takes in high school, the easier he can get into the college of his choice and do the work well. Since Algebra I is taught in the junior high schools, the first course offered at North is Algebra II. This is, of course, a continuation of the work done-in the first year. It is an important course for those preparing for college. Paul Haynes, Mary Neill, and Jimmy Pait look on as Mrs. Haisley explains an algebra problem. Business math is taught for those who find math some- what difficult and are not preparing for further study. It is the math for which one would find a need everyday, reviewing the principles that were taught in arithmetic in the lower grades. It prepares one for what he will need in his daily living. Geometry is required for entrance into some colleges, and plane geometry is offered the students who need it. Some of the students realize they need more math- ematics than is offered in the regular classes and they work on advanced courses during activity under the supervision of one of the teachers. Mrs. Daggy's business math class is working on an assignment. Frances Horton, Kenneth Cox, Lillian Mullis, and Ann Grant prepare an assignment. T, as-I' . w,,..

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Mrs. Ruth Barfield, Miss Mary Richards, Mr. William Cochran, Mrs. Mary A. Miller, Mrs. Christine Holbrook, Mr. Raleigh Biggerstaff, Mr. Orland Gabriel. . .YOU ARE THERE .. When the doors opened wide on the morning of Sep- tember 4, 1951, seven of the present faculty were there to greet the new students from Cornelius, Davidson, Derita, Huntersville, and Long Creek. Teacher and student alike had the feeling of newness and unfamiliar surroundings. There was much wondering about whether students from these five separate high schools would mold themselves into an effective student body, being loyal to North Mecklenburg High School. One must re- member they had been rivals in every activity up to the present time. But these same students showed no hesitation-nor did they lack cooperative spirit. They went to work immedi- ately, and soon one would have found it difficult to detect the fact that they had not always been one student body. In fact, students from each of the five communities were friends from the first day. Working together, they soon set up standards which other students to come would follow for years, the school colors, blue and white, were chosen, the name Rebels was selected, and the ALMA MATER was written. The school program moved forward at an amazing pace. Organizations such as the Student Council were or- ganized for the first time, classes were running smoothly, officiers were elected, and the first football team any 6 of the schools had had was having a successful season. Much work had been done, and much was left to do, but with a will to do or die, no one hesitated. With such a spirit how could North be anything other than suc- cessful. These seven teachers saw North on the move. They saw the grounds cleared and landscaped, the parking lots cleared, graveled, or paved, courses such as Family Living, Business English, DE, and Bible added to the cur- riculum, ball teams win championships, the gym built, and students win coveted awards such as the Morehead Scholarship and others just as important. They worked faithfully to accumulate and arrange information to have the school evaluated for accreditation. They were present on the great day when the principal wired that North had been placed on the list of schools accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. These teachers have seen students come and go through the years, and there has been regret to see them go. But there was the joy of forming new associa- tions and watching the development of those who fol- lowed. The picture is ever changing, for nothing stands still. There is only one way that North could possibly go -ever onward!

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J Stewart, S. McAulay, A, Furr, and N. Brovyn form a panel with M. Blythe as mod- erator in Miss Richards' Class. M L. Meacham, D. Mc- Ree Miss Kiker, and B. i Abernethy listen as G. Bradley presides in a lesson on parliamentary procedure. Sharon Alexander explains the derivation of words in Mr. Biggerstaffs class while Eliza- beth Evans and Marshall Bar- nette look on, LA GUAGES PROVIDE FIRM FOU DATIONS FOR OTHER STUDIES ..... . Since the ability to express one's ideas and to under- stand others is of prime importance, English is required each of the three years at North. Sophomore English reviews the basic grammar taught in the elementary and iunior high schools. Literature in this grade is general and gives the student an opportunity to appreciate the work of many authors. In the iunior year American literature is taught, and much stress is placed on putting into practice what one has learned in the past years. Words and their uses are also stressed. Because words are the signs of ideas, it is important to develop as large a vocabulary as possible. One can develop a good vocabulary through careful reading and using the dictionary. Term papers, oral re- ports, impromptu talks, and panel discussions give the students a variety of experiences in their own language. In the senior year the student is expected to be much more mature in his work, putting more time into his themes, discussions, and reports. Here the student should have realized his definite needs and his weaknesses and apply himself accordingly. Those who are going to col- lege have some idea of what they must do to be pre- pared for college level work. Those who are going into the commercial field have realized their need for ac- curate spelling and the constant use of the dictionary and brevity and correctness of expression. Others have decided just what their needs are, also.