Richard Montgomery High School - Rocket Yearbook (Rockville, MD)

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ART In the art room several eighth grade boys and girls are making tiny model houses, to a scale of one-fourth inch to one foot, working with fascinated interest. Another time one sees some little girls making water-color sketches of historical costumes. These groups are only a small part of the pupils in the eighth grade integrated art program, where the art work is the natural outgrowth of studies in other classes. In the nine weeks short course in Art. certain fundamental learnings are presented in the form of simple lettering with pencil and pen and ink. the principles of pattern design, figure drawing from a model, and various types or illustration. SEVENTH GRADE INTEGRATED PROGRAM The seventh grade classes have been working on an integrated program this year. The purpose of this program is to make school work less artificial and more like other things in life. The pupils work individually or in groups, and each person may select any topic in which he is particularly interested. As soon as he selects his topic, he sets out to gather all the information he can. He does this by reading books, newspapers, and magazines: by interviewing people: by making field trips: by collecting pictures and models, when possible: by listening to the radio. This data is put into the form of regular books with many illustrations. When the books” are completed the pupils discuss what they have done with the rest of the class. In this way everyone gains something from the reports of the other students. The book covers are beginning to be artistic since the pupils have learned to take time and patience in making them. Each class works with one teacher for a half day. English, grammar, writing and spelling are studied not as separate subjects, but as tools for more effective organization and presentation of the special topics being developed. One objective of these classes is to give each pupil a chance to develop his special interests and abilities to the highest possible points. Another is to give pupils a better chance to work cooperatively and to show initiative in planning and carrying on activities. One of the most pretentious activities undertaken this year was the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. All At Sea. in which over one hundred students participated. The seventh grade classes took active parts as pirates, sailors, fairies, and sisters, cousins, and aunts.” AH this work was done in regular class time and it was felt that the operetta offered an ideal learning situation since training in music, dramatics, dancing, and diction were all combined in one activity. Instead of picturing the seventh grade pupils in their classrooms, groups of them arc shown here as they appeared in All At Sea. TWENTY-THREE

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K CIVICS CLUB Richard Montgomery is the only school in Montgomery County that has a Civics Club, although it is a nation-wide club. Six booklets on civic affairs are sent from the Civics Research Institute. The club is divided into different committees and each member has a report to give to the class from each booklet. The information is found by interviewing some of the prominent people in Rockville. Some of the people from the community have spoken to the class on different affairs. Parliamentary procedure is used, and at the beginning of each booklet, new officers are elected. This gives each member an opportunity to see exactly how parliamentary procedure works. GENERAL SCIENCE The general science class opened the year with a study of astronomy: following that wea:her was studied. Later they studied climate, air pressure, water, and the six simple machines. They then worked with the magnet and are now finishing up a unit on electricity. All of these units were made interesting by class discussions, talks on the different subjects, and the many interesting experiments performed. There were models of most of the machines and they benefited the class by showing the principles which they were studying. The students are looking forward to the interesting study of heat, sound, light, and living hings. rea:ing Reading is essential to the civilization of this modern world. This class is organized to show the value of reading and to produce better readers. First the various handicaps are found and methods are worked out through which to overcome them. Then emphasis is placed upon comprehension. There are various ways to record the advancement in this which gives the teacher and the pupil a chance to see what progress is being made. Later speed is the chief object. Speed tests arc given and a record is kc pr of the improvement made from week to week. The results from this class prove h’lpful to each studenr in his entire course of study. MUSIC Since September the eighth grade has accomplished quite a lot in music. Aside from singing innumerable songs they learned to recognize certain records and to know the composers. They learned the instruments of the symphony orchestra by name and sight. In preparation for the operetta they turned to the chorus songs, which proved both entertaining and helpful to their musical education. TWENTY-TWO

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Snapshots from “All at Sea,” The pirates, the crew The chorus and cast. Snapped as before The camera they passed. TWENTY-FOUR