Plainfield High School - Silhouettes Yearbook (Plainfield, IN)

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The Past Gives Insight for the Future World history class views a filmstrip on an ancient civili- zation. In social studies classes, students learn of people, places, and events, both past and present. They are benefiting from both mistakes and accomplishments of their predeces- sors; they can draw upon the knowledge of what has gone before to try to im - prove the future. World history, an elective, deals with civilizations from ancient times to the present. Required United States history imparts knowledge of the Ameri- can heritage and the building of this country. A new course this year, American Problems, keeps students up to date with current affairs. Government and economics, both required for the senior year, give an understanding of the American system: government explains the functioning of the democratic process on local and national levels while eco- nomics describes capitalism and free enterprise. Wanda Jobst and Alan Klay show their government class sample ballots for the general election.

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ACADEMICS Study, study, study. At PHS, classes were larger and subjects were tougher than last year's. In their classes stu- dents gave of themselves by working with an open mind and learning. In so doing they prepared themselves for the world after high school. They learned better communications with others in English, composition, speech, journalism and language classes and logical, precise reasoning in math classes. They attained a useful knowledge of science in preparation for the hyper-scientifically-minded world, and they learned many skills for voca- tional careers in various commercial courses. PHS taught all this with the hope of helping students in the quest for useful, satisfying lives, which will secure a better world for posterity.

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Sharon Spencer finds that a lot of outside reading term paper. Texts in the library are good sources and research is necessary in writing her sociology of reference for required reports. Psychology and Sociology Study Behavior Understanding man's behavior and his roles in society is covered in the fields of psycology and sociology. Psychology students learn reasons for behavior, both normal and abnormal; they learn of personality development; and they learn of the workings of the mind and nervous sys- tem. Sociology attempts to discover the basic social institutions and shows man as a member of groups. Sociology ex- plores such subjects as religion, demo- graphy, race relations, juvenile de- linquency, and other fields of interest in society. Both classes have much outside reading. During the year, they also take field trips to various places of interest where first-hand knowledge of their subject is gained. Greg Kolodziej, Joe Cutrell and Louise Bowman try to decide what the shapes are in the Rorschach ink- blot test. This is a method of study in psychology. 21