Port Arthur High School - Sea Gull Yearbook (Port Arthur, TX)

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gamma Tmnnmita Eepartmmt Until recent years home economics was popularly known as domestic science in high school, and very little emphasis was given this phase of high school work. Today we find home economics holding a place 0' equal importance with other subjects which go to make up a high school curriculum. We strive to do away with the idea of Hsalad, tea, and embroidery as a home economics course by actually relating the work of the school to the home. Courses are offered in such a way that girls may easily apply them to practical home problems. epartment is divided into four courses, each separate course having direct re lationship with the other courses. The following outline Will give a brief synopsis of just what is being done in the Home Economics Department. THE CLOTHING DEPARTMENTeThree oneehalf unit courses are offered by the department, giving a total of one and oneAhalf affiliated credits in clothing Until this year the department offered only one affiliated credit. During the fall term Clothing III, or dressing and millinery, was affiliated. The fundamentals of clothing are offered in Sewing I. Very simple garments are made, as the department Wished to produce quality rather than quantity in all of its undertakings, and a sound foundation is a prerequisite to this aim. More complicated problems are given in Sewing II. In the second unit of clothing the pupil has become acquainted with the principles of sewing, and has some knowledge of the elements of design. Tailored dresses of linen, wool, and silk are made by the girls in Sewing II classes. The make over or renovation problem is given during the sece 0nd term. In the renovation problem many practical points in cleaning, pressing, and stain removal are given. When household linens are studied by the second term girls, visits are made to the down-town stores. Practical buying is given in the town trips, and the girls learn the differences and advantages of ready made and home made house linensi In the third term of sewing the girls have a chance to apply all of their elementary knowledge to more elaborate sewing Woolen and silk dresses are made as the big problems of the course. The girls have the opportunity of making their graduation dresses, thereby saving at least half the expense of graduation clothes. Many outside features are to be found in the clothing course. This year a down town exhibit was given, showing the townspeople some of the work of the school. Another outstanding feature of the clothing department was the Girls' Annual Cloth- ing Contest held in Beaumont. Such a contest is a broadening experience for the girls. It is an inducement for better work, and is made a Very big factor in the improvement of clothing courses in the high school. APPLIED DESIGN,eClosely related to clothing is the subject of design. In fact, the two courses are interdependent and should be taken at the same time. One does not have to be an artist to take applied design. The course is one of appreciation rather than of construction. Some actual art work is done, however, the execution is primary in nature when compared to the work done by art Classes. Very practical problems are offered so that the elements of design may be appl.ed here and the work carr ed on in the home. Simplicity, correctness, and appreciation are the chief aims of the course. With the correct understanding of the course the pupil may easily know whyeitA thing of beauty is a joy forever Many practical things were made this year, especially articles where the popular vogue of hand painting could be applied. Through the hard work of the design class affiliation was granted by the state department at the recent meeting of the Clothing Contest held in Beaumont. HOME MANAGEMENTeClosely related to clothing and design is the course in home management. The work consists of first what the name implies plus the wor efficiency Standards of living are studied, and each girl strives to raise her own standard of living Practical problems are undertaken in the home management course Since we do not have a cottage, the girls make trips to town when they study furniture, plumbing, and interior decoration. tConlinued on page 223

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cmathemaiits ggepartmmt Someone has said that we do actually know anything unless we can put it down in numbers. This is a broad statement, it is true, but at the same time we do not know much of anything there is if we can not express it in numbers. Numbers, however, are only a small part of the work of the Mathematics Depart- ment, for we study many other things besides The freshmen have the four fundae mental operations, parenthesis, special rules for multiplication, factoring, fractions, and fractional equations, and when they get through with this, they are well prepared to study more algebra. e sophomores have simultaneous and simple equations, graphs, three unknowns, problems in two and three unknowns, inequalities, involution and evolution, theory of exponents, and radicals. When they are finished with those things, then they are ready to start such things as quadratic equations, simultaneous quadratics, graphs, ratio, proportion and variation, arithmetical progression, geometrical progression, bin- omial theorem, and logarithms. In plane geometry for the juniors and in solid geometry for the seniors, we study nearly all of WentwortheSmith's text books, and in advanced arithmetic and trigonom- etry we use the same manis book who wrote the algebra. All of these courses give us four affiliated units in Mathematics If at any time any person is fortunate enough to receive an A, then his name goes on the honor roll on the little bulletin board. This board generally has posted on it about eighteen per cent of the entire number taking mathematics. A school without mathematics would be about like a barber shop without a barber; that is, without anything to trim one down. After all, mathematics is a great truth easily Within the grasp of most as us, the foundation of the exact sciences, and is that thing on which all future development is based. Regardless of whether we pass or fail in mathematics, we are better citizens for having been ttexposed to it, for as someone has said, HI am a part of all that I have met. and what is more honest and truthful than mathematics? ggnme EEtmmmics Glowinueh DIETETICS.eThe work in the dietetics classes is in direct connection with cafe- teria work. Educational efforts are being made to acquaint the child With the pro blem of proper food and health habits. In order that the work may be carried on accurately each child keeps her nheight, weight, and age chart so that actual facts may be studied. Results have been compared, and the girls found that they gain by the use of the health charts. Through the diet course, health habits which bear directly upon good citizenship are formed, thus the course fulfills a two-fold purpose. The classes try to keep charts for small children to see how the experiment works with other persons. When the child grasps the aim and purpose of the course, she has given to herself a knowledge and working idea upon which she may build her future self as a good citizen with a strong mind and healthful body COOKING CLASSESeAlong with dietetics is always associated foods work. Food principles, health habits, and practical methcds are given the girls who are in food classes. Meal service is taught and special dinners with invited guests are prepared and served by the food classes The work is presented in such a way that the girls may do the work at home just as they do at school.