Rensselaer High School - Chaos Yearbook (Rensselaer, IN)

Page 17 text:

Commercial Commercial Department Room F. I). BURCHARD, A. B. M. Accls. Marion Business University Nebraska State Normal. The Commercial Course is becoming a fixed and permanent factor in the high schools of the country. It is the outgrowth of the demand for something practical, that is pervading the atmosphere of the schoolrooms of today. And well does it fill the place to which it is called. Too often one finds the commercial school of the old type filled with half-matured students, who have not the proper foundation upon which to build a good, practical education. The student going directly from the grades to the business college, as is often the ease, and there taking a short-order course, is not equal to the task of satisfying the college bred business and professional men upon whom lie must depend for employment. 'Hie high school offers the combined advantage of a thoroly practical education and a good academic course. Rensselaer, pursuant to her progressive policy along general educational lines, has gone a long step forward in establishing this course. Our work along this line is but in its infancy, but this first year’s work is demonstrating fully the jiopularity of such an innovation. We now have the encouraging enrollment, in the various classes of this course, of something like fifty different students. PAGE FIFTEEN Well, now, just supposin’ that- ■Mr. Dean in history.

Page 16 text:

for which the I). A. R. in town has graciously offered two prizes. The department has two rooms for its use. one kitchen equipped for twenty girls and a combination sewing and dining room. All of the equipment was secured at a very nominal sum through the courtesy and interest of some of the town merchants. German NAOMI GREGG, A. B. Dc Pauw University. German Department. With the beginning of thus year the course in German was increased from one to two years. It has long been conceded that youth is the best time to learn any foreign language, and children who hear it spoken when they arc learning to talk will acquire it naturally. As yet it has not been possible to begin the study of German in the primary grades, but a step was taken in this direction when it was made a permanent part of the eighth grade course last year. Freshmen may elect it an take it the following years. The first year is devoted to a study of the fundamentals of grammer with exercises, vocabularies ami supplementary reading. In the upper classes more attention is given to the literary side. Sliort stories from trite best German writers arc read four days each week and the fifth is used for composition, prose and syntax. Thruout the whole course the aim is to give the pupil not only a reading knowledge, a vocabulary and a good accent in so far it is possible for foreigners to acquire this, but also to acquaint them to a certain extent with the life, customs, history ami literature of Germany. “Who is that tall, good looking young fellow iflatljcmattts L. WAIVE MALLORY, A. B. ObcrKn College. EDITH EASTHAM, Assistant. Graduate of Indiana State Normal. Due to changes in educational ideas the Mathematics requirement has been revised this year. At the present time only two and one-half years of this subject arc required. Algebra in the Freshman year is followed by Plane Geometry in the Sophomore year. The first semester of the Junior year is devoted to advanced Algebra. This year Commercial Arithmetic was given the second semester as an elective open to both Juniors and Seniors. Many elected it probably because, of all the “snaps” they believed it to be the easiest. We have made an effort this year to make Plane Geometry a course which will devolop the reason, rather than the memory. How far we have succeeded remains to be seen. To the sorrow (?) of many. Solid Geometry is not offered. The so-called practical” departments such as Agriculture. Manual Training and Domestic Science issued an ultimatum that it should go, and go it did. PACE FOURTEEN over there?” “Prof. Coe.”—At the Stock Show.

Page 18 text:

YYc now have courses going in the following subjects: Commercial Geography, Modem Business Spelling, Bookkeeping, Gregg Shorthand and Touch Typewriting. As the course progresses, we expect to add a course in Commercial Law, Penmanship and Political Economy. In Bookkeeping we are using the revised course of Miner's Bookkeeping for the first year’s work, with rite expectation of adding a course in Actual Business for the additional semester’s work. Our equipment is very incomplete, as we have not, as yet, any adequate equipment in the way of special desks and office fixtures. But we have been very fortunate in the securing of several of the most modern makes of typewriters. We have one or more of the latest models of each of these makes: L. C. Smith, Remington, Monarch. Smith Premier and Underwood. We expect, by next year, to have the matter of desks and office fixtures properly arranged for. €nsltsl) OLIVE G. WHITE. A. B. Albion College. PEARL A. RUII1LEY, A. B„ Assistant. Western College. English is to be recognized as a rather intangible subject. depending upon rite individuality of the teachers and of the students. Therefore, the various courses of this department arc not restricted to any fixed outlines, but arc flexible and in actual practice are changed to meet the ability and power of appreciation of each class. There is, however, a general outline and a general aim. 'Hie purpose throughout is: To train the mind to clear thinking; to develop self-expression. and to cultivate a taste for really good literature. The first two years arc given largely to a study of Thomas ami Howe's Composition and Rhetoric. This involves a study of composition, both from a technical and an artistic standpoint and includes written work of various kinds. The principles acquired from this study arc applied in written and oral composition. The further development of oral composition has included delating and the organization of debate teams. Several classics are read during these years. Extensive rather than intensive reading is the purj osc in this work. These classics are studied sufficiently to give the student a clear understanding of the author ami his purpose; a working knowledge of Hie classics itself, and an appreciation of hs true meaning and literary value. The work of the Junior year consists principally of the study of the history of English literature. The Moody. Lovett and Boynton text is the one now in use. The oral and written composition work and study of classics begun in the Freshman year is continued throughout the Junior year also. The first semester of Senior English is devoted to a study of American literature ami the course is in other respects the same as the Junior course. This year the Seniors have chosen to have a second semester of English and elected this to be a course in Shakcsjicarc. They have read and partially dramatized Hamlet.....I'welfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. As a practical conclusion for their high school course in English some attempt is to be made along the lines of vocational guidance. PACK 8IXTRBN Many corpse lay dying here and there.”—Marie Hamilton in Virgil.