Perry Meridian High School - Passages Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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Stttdeitts Speak for Xheniselves » in a Foreign Language Many have heard that familiar state- ment that Goethe said years ago A man who is ignorant of a foreign language is ignorant of his own language. These words have in- fluenced students throughout the years. Students who took advantage of taking a foreign language would be able to communicate with those of other countries easily through speak- ing a foreign language. In order for the countries of the world to stay up- dated on advances in health, environ- ment, political concerns, and other necessities in the future, students of the world needed to continue to study foreign language. Perry ' s department that contributed to the world ' s foreign language needs consisted of five teachers and one student teacher who were qualified to teach the students the language of their choice. The students ' choices were French, German, Spanish, or Latin. Foreign language students from all over the state who signed up to par- ticipate in the Indiana University Honors Abroad Program had a chance to be awarded a trip to where their language was spoken. They all had to take a grammar test of their language. The people with the highest scores ad- vanced for more competition. The re- maining group had to fiU out long forms about their personal life. The judges selected students from that 1 52 LANGUAGE

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The industrial arts department wanted computers so they could do more accurate work. Mr. Ambum said, We would have had to train the students to use the computers, but later, the computers will show how they relate to industry. Mr. Adams stated, We needed to explore what computers could do for the department or a specific class. Industrial arts had a wide variety of interesting courses from which the student could have chosen. Most students were enthusiastic about the ' courses in the woods field because it was a familiar area. It had been one of the older and more traditional areas of study in the department. It gave students a chance to construct wood projects and have hands-on ex- perience. Power mechanics was a weU-known course because students got to work with various tjrpes of engines, including the lawimiower and motorcycle. A newer course, syn- thetics, was an introductory course that consisted of the learning of the past, growth, and future of the plastic industry. House wiring generated some electricity, too. It studied a- bout general knowledge of wiring techniques. Laboratory experiences helped the students in their kno wledge of wiring and electricity. Architectural drawing was a favorite for those students wishing to be draftsmen. Mr. Hickman said, Everyone should have taken it because they all will be looking in the market for a house later ui life. The computers would be used for designing purposes. Drafting would be the main course to use them although all courses would have a lit- tle bit to do with them, stated Mr. Stroud. He added that graphic typesetting would be a project that they would do, and some software would be used on the computers. He said, The computers wiU have helped students, teachers, and those who have trouble with mathematics because they could be used as a tutoring aid from basic algebraic steps to simple math steps. We could even use them for records of inven- tory and the department budget. He continued on a different subject, We coiild also make circuit boards which fit into a computer and make extra ROM (Read Only Memory) chips. Mr. Adams said, I was probably the only house wiring teacher in In- diana that taught it tmvocationaUy because we did different things with television, radio, and other electrical devices. INDUSTRIAL ARTS 151 ..

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group for one last deciding step. This select crowd of students had to be in- terviewed in English and in their foreign language. Out of thousands of entrants in the beginning and out of thirty- two finally selected, three students from Perry managed to get this award. The foreign language department underwent a new textbook adoption. Mrs. Patricia Theobald, teacher of French and German, said, I would have liked to have more time to plan for class and to do more traveling. If we had these two items, it would have given the student more incentive to participate. We have planned a trip to London, Paris, and Germany, and twenty students have signed up for it. It will have been very good to be with their cultures and to commtmicate with them. The Renaissance Festival in Boone county was an activity that the language students and club members participated in. We also went to see an lU soccer game. Joanny Mueller ' 84 and I represented Perry at the Celebration of the Treaty of Paris in Bloomington. It featured an actual re-enactment of the signing of the treaty and a former French president, Giscard d ' Etaing. Mrs. Theobald ex- plained that many students took Spanish because they thought it was easier. She said that it was easier to spell, but it was just as hard to learn as the others. On a different subject, she said, I thought that my classes were academically improving. Mrs. Ann Phillips, teacher of Spanish stated, Department tests were something new in this department. They made coverage equal among the teachers and made the department more standardized. Advanced classes would have liked to do more outside activities and to get more foreign magazines and newspapers from overseas, but this was too expensive. In Spanish, we had two lU Honors Abroad award winners; we have had two winners in one course only one other time. Mr. Strain said that he tried to make his classes more lively with new games, crossword puzzles, and jokes. Mrs. Alma Higbee, teacher of Latin and Etymology and language depart- ment supervisor, said, There were roughly 600 students enrolled for foreign language courses. That meant that almost a third of the student body studied a foreign language which was a good sign. Ron Subris ' 86 mentioned, Taking a foreign Ismguage wiU have helped one to get a better job possibly at a company with international af- fairs. Most of the teachers made it easier to learn by adding humor to the class. Mike Fasel ' 84 said, I learned about other countries and their cultures. Darla Wells ' 85 said that she liked to go out to eat with her classmates and teachers at foreign food restaurants. Matt Kinsey ' 86 ex- plained, I wanted to be more in- telligent about the ways of other peo- ple and their culture. I liked the teachers I had because they not only taught the subject, but they demonstrated it. They made it easier to understand. Mehssa DeGolyer ' 86 stated, Taking a foreign language has prepared me for college. I Kked it when the teachers asked foreign visitors to come in and talk about a subject. Suzanne Thoman ' 86 com- mented, I liked how the department set up tutors for people who had trou- ble in a certain area pertaining to their foreign language, and it was good that the teachers spoke in their languages all of the time to get students used to what it was like in a foreign coimtry. Melanie Heidergott ' 86 said Speak- ing a foreign language was fun. I liked to do those dialogue skits. I loved the opportunity to go where my language was spoken during the Christmas season. Suzanne added for a final comment, I liked French because it was the language of lovel Lora Lumpe ' 83 won the foreign language department award. She said, I took French for a full five years, and I thought it was a pretty neat language. I was very honored to get the award. She continued, I thought that knowing French helped me in my other classes like English literature and humanities. She men- tioned how she got started in a foreign language — I showed an in- terest in it for college, and I pursued it. LANGUAGE 153