Plainfield High School - Silhouettes Yearbook (Plainfield, IN)

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Speech and Journalism Stress Communication Journalism students, Ernie Screes, Linda Harris and Rita Peters compare newspapers from other high schools. One might observe a visitor at PHS enacting the classic double- take as he passes Room 22 when a speech class is in session. He might be shocked to see a student gaily execu- ting various roller skating tricks in a very short skating skirt, or bathing a dog, or lining up a target with a forebod- ing and ominous looking firearm. The visitor would be reassured that these seemingly un-scholastic activities really are a supervised, planned part of PHS's program. The speech classes concentrate upon helping students ac- quire, through practice, the art of self- expression before an audience. Journalism students study the busi- ness of mass media; news stories, features, and editorials. They gain practice by writing for the school paper. Journalism lays a firm founda- tion for PHS's aspiring young authors. 23 In a demonstration speech, Fred Ward shows the class some bowling techniques and equipment.

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Reading, Writing Teach Self-Expression Mrs. Craig helps her sophomore literature students check out books for outside reports. The realization that the major link to one's fellow man is verbal and literate communication enables one to see the importance of the courses of English, literature, and composition. Although students in English classes often felt swamped with endless rules, memorizations, and tests, the end re- sult was a more complete knowledge of a socially acceptable usage of the Eng- lish language. Literature students journeyed through pages of the works of authors from Chaucer to John Steinbeck. They gained a deeper insight into and appreciation of the various types of literary works. Composition students wrote, and wrote, and wrote some more, until it seemed that their cerebral resources must surely be exhausted. But these resources continued to produce fresh ideas for increasing the force of their written self-expression. These courses offer PHS'ers a chance for appreciation and improvement of the written and spoken word, thus improv- ing their intra-personal relationships. In English Literature class, Tom Cain, Pam Linden and Leo Dohogne visualize a trip to Britain. 22

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Linda Dwinell and Becky Albertson mimeograph programs for the school in a business machines course, an elective in the business department. With commercial courses be- coming more and more popu- lar among the students, PHS has developed a fine business depart- ment of typing, bookkeeping, short- hand, and office machines. Speed, accuracy, and timing play a main role in the business courses. The students acquire the ability to type, check figures, and operate mimeograph and ditto machines efficiently. The students also attain practical experience in business management by running the bookstore. In the future years, PHS plans to ex- pand its business department to acco- modate the needs of the rapidly changing business world. PHS’ers Are Ready for the World of Mr. Pike checks Margie Homan's words per minute for speed and net words for accuracy on a timed writing in a typing class. 24