Plattsmouth High School - Plattonian Yearbook (Plattsmouth, NE)

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PHS Reflects Computer World Syntax Error? File not found? Break in 30? Out of data error? All of these terms are terms that come up quite frequently as the students at PHS learn to operate the newest thing in school the Apple computer. Like everyone else in the world, PHS has brought in the computer to keep up with the technical ad- vances that have been happening all over. Since be- ginning a computer program 6 years ago, the school now has a total of 16 computers in the school system. Nine of them are in the high school. Of those nine computers, six are used in the Math Department, two in the Business Department and one in the Vocational Department. Many people besides PHS students use the com- puters. A total of 40 high school students use them daily. During the 1982-83 year, Mr. Arlin Rasmussen, Math Department Chairman, and Mr. Richard Harter, adult education instructor, taught a total of 60 people in their night classes. After school, Mr. Rasmussen also taught a class of elementary students which in- volved around 120 children. Computers are becoming a part of everyday life more and more. Probably the most common use of computers today is the video games. Not only arcade video games but the home video game. The comput- ers at PHS can be used for games too, but are used for writing programs most of the time. The Math Department uses its computers for pro- gram writing. The Business Department has many uses for the Apple computer. Using various pro- grams, it can duplicate letters that need to be sent to different people, teach students typing and play games that teach different principles; for example, the law of supply and demand. Next year, the Busi- ness Department will be getting new software that deals with accounting. The Vocational Department mostly uses tutorials (self-teaching discs) in social studies and spelling in its classrooms. According to the January 3, 1983 issue of Time magazine, Americans expect that in the near future home computers will raise living standards 67% and that it will improve education by 68%. Mr. Rasmussen feels that, “the future of comput- ers is very unpredictable. The demand is so great for computer time that it is difficult to determine where the priorities are. We could triple the number of computers and still not have enough for everyone to get computer time.” 6

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FACING PAGE: (top) Kirk Emig displays the new fashion of short haircuts; (bottom) Many of students spent hard-earned money on cars. TOP LEFT: Hard at work is junior Lisa Wurtele; TOP RIGHT: Many different shoe styles were found at PHS. ABOVE: Mini-skirts and leg warmers were part of the punk fashions shown by Cheryl Goings, Betsy Musgjerd and Jody Mrasek; LEFT: Seniors spend a small fortune on accessories for graduation. 5

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FACING PAGE: (top) Computer screen displays the game ‘‘Dung Beetles;” (bottom) Jenny Covert and Tammy Freeburg learn new computer skills at the com- puter bus. TOP LEFT: Elementary students use the Apple II computer; TOP RIGHT: Three times a week, classes were held for elementary students; ABOVE: Richard Boettcher oversees the sophomores using the computer bus; LEFT: Students marvel at computer wonders. 7