Oil City High School - Oil Can Yearbook (Oil City, PA)

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History Department right on time with past and present The Social Studies Department has five basic courses: American and World Cultures. Critical Issues. World Cultures, American Cultures, and Problems of Democracy. American and World Cultures deals with the cultures of America and of ancient and modern nations of the world. American Cultures is a more detailed examination of our country’s past and present. Critical Issues takes an in-depth look at current issues that are affecting society today. World Cultures is a survey course covering the history and cultures of mankind from the earliest times to the present day. Problems of Democracy studies the various problems and challenges of our democracy. Students in Mr. Highfield’s Comprehensive Social Studies classes got the opportunity to compete with other Pennsylvania high schools in a stock market game. In the game, groups of students started out with an imaginary 100,000 dollars in order to purchase stock; later they were given another 100.000 dollars for further investments. Students were able to buy any stock with the exception of preferred stock and were ranked according to the success of their investments. All students are required to have four years of social studies before graduation. Along with the courses already mentioned. Sociology and Military History of the U.S. are offered as electives. Top left: Mr. Flath puts the moves on Mike Haslett. Top right: Mr. John Axelson. Middle: Department head Carl Pierce proudly shows off his class. Bottom left-. Lisa Martin gives a report on drunk driving as part of a critical issues project. Bottom middle: Joe gets into drugs in Mr. Flath's class. Below: Mr. Flath bronzed his baby shoe a little late in life. 23

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English Department encourages essayists This year the English Department in coordination with the National Council of Teachers of English nominated two students from both the ninth and twelfth grades to participate in an essay contest. The English Department also co-sponsored, along with a local masonic organization, a tenth grade essay contest in which one sophomore was selected to write an essay titled What my family means to me. For the department in-service day program, a poet was invited to come to the school to talk with the English teachers about writing poetry and to discuss other writing skills. The regular English classes are divided by grade level and course. Academic English is aimed at students planning to go to college. Enriched English is for students who have demonstrated exceptional skill, knowledge, and interest in using their writing, reading, and analytical skills. General English is directed at students who seek employment after graduation from high school. Basic English is provided for students who feel the need for additional help in language skills, and Business English may be elected by those students wishing to prepare for secretarial and clerical occupations. Top right: Mrs. Dorothea Strain Top left: Rodney Wise discovers that reading isn’t all bad. Upper middle: Mrs. Beers hands back an assignment. Lower middle right: Laurie Mohnkern gives teaching a try. Lower middle left: Department head. Mrs. Janet O’Keeffe. Bottom right: Mr. Milliken and Pete discuss a timely novel. George Orweli’s 1984. Bottom middle: All right. Mrs. Lewis, hand over that teddy bear now! Bottom left: Mrs. DeLong plays connect-the-dots in her grade book.

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Science department expands with changing times The science department offers a variety of courses to satisfy the many interests of OCHS students. The three basic sciences are: physical science, which is a background for physics; earth science, the study of physical aspects of the earth and its atmosphere; and space science, which is the study of stars and their relation to mathematics, chemistry, and physics. Biology, the study of the life functions of both plants and animals, is offered on three different levels, general biology. Biology I. and Biology II. Physics, the study of the basic laws of physical science and how they apply to modern man. is offered only as a one-year course; however, in the future, a Physics II class will be offered. The students of Chemistry I and II examine the structure and bonding in chemical compounds, the relation between structure and properties of substances, the energy changes which take place when substances react, and the mathematical relationship between chemical reactants and products. A general chemistry class will be added to the curriculum next year. Horticulture is a semester elective which concerns greenhouse techniques and the care and propagation of common and exotic house plants. Ecology, another semester elective, is the study of man’s relationship to his environment and the general biological and physical factors characteristic of the earth’s environment. Top: Concentrating on a lab experiment. Top middle left: nnnyyesss!” — Mr. Hohman Bottom middle left: The effects of radiation? Middle right. I should have given this up when I burnt the ceiling!” — Fuzz Center left: Frank wonders where the mysterious helping hand is coming from. Center right: Future scientists?