Rocky Mountain College - Yellowstone / Poly Yearbook (Billings, MT)

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THE POLY the necessary means of higher education when they have finished here. Without doubt the most important additions to the Academic course this year have been those of Psychology and Sociology. The purpose of adding psychology to the regular Academic course was simply to arouse a deeper interest in a general science of far-reaching and practical importance to every individual. Many of the problems of deepest interest and some of the most val- uable material is ,not presented in the subject matter of the general text-book on psychol- ogy today. To create a wide and permanent interest in any science it is a necessity to add facts to that science. It is a proven fact that fundamental and practical psychology can be made intensely interesting and educative to the general public as well as to the college student. The subject is taught in such a way as to be easily comprehended by the beginning student. to the extent of luring him on and filling him with an enthusiasm to know and with a desire to solve, the problems of life and conduct. The whole subject is a stim- ulns that sets the soul on Ere. Striving for deiinitions and distinction is to be avoided in the beginning of such a subject as this. It is, moreover, dangerous, and leads to the greatest disease in all educa- tion,-that of word-learning. To know life-especially human life-in its deepest and best sense, to the end of making it fuller and richer, should be the end of all study. In the main, education is a process of weeding out and of selection more than of creation. Wleff-fi 353232 - lliijiiiiillirl'llllllll 3a , , ,aa - ---- ' YL ,4

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U Academic Department A CADEMIC GROUP The work done in the Academic Department of an institute, is of much more im- portance than is sometimes supposed. It is there that a person's thought habits are formed and the foundation laid for future preparation in college. English Grammar, as taught by the majority of educational institutions of the coun- try, may be studied to give knowledge of the evolution of the language, to furnish the information of past ages, to develop the aesthetic taste and to stimulate the imagination. This is probably a fair and just method of instruction, but more and more are the insti- tutions and colleges in the field of education of the present day coming to a realization of the fact that, not only English Grammar but the other important branches, for sub- jectsj associated with it in the academic courses, as sociology, psychology, etc., should be studied to give facility in the use of language as a tool The overteaching of litera- ture to the neglect of the more practical subjects for the average boy 'and girl of the Northwest today, has brought criticism against the methods of teaching employed in the public schools. Therefore the reason, probably, in recent years, for instruction in com- position. E The Billings Polytechnic is one of the first institutions of the Northwest to come to a realization of this fact, and acts accordingly. It places special emphasis upon thorough preparation in all subjects during the Academic course. For the student who finds it impossible to supplement his preparatory education by a college course, this training in a college atmosphere and under college influence, is of the greatest advantage. He gains here a broader View of life, and comes in touch with ennobling influences which are bound to prove beneficial in later life. To the student who aims at finishing a regular college course, our Academic course as outlined for the ensuing year, not only offers a practical solution of the problem of preparatory college work, but also offers invaluable instruction to the boy or girl Without .-171

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Language Section LANGUAGE GROUP One must talk. And so, one might as well learn to speak correctly as to make mis- takes and use poorly chosen words every time he wants to utter a thought. It has been said that girls, especially, are happiest when talking. Possibly that is why so many girls avail themselves of the opportunity of learning to substitute English for the jargon with which their verbal gunneries are loaded when they come to us. Aye, verily, they can hurl slang and colloquial English at one until he gives in to them just to save his ears. Ain't chu fyouj awful lonesome and He clone that pretty good, are really mild in comparison with some that we hear. You boys who have been reading this are congratulating yourselves that the girls caught it this time and not you. But to be perfectly frank, they, in their English, are but an example of you in yours. And so, while the girls with their perfectly good excuse, for they must live up to their reputation, always flock eagerly to the English rooms, yet the girls are not there alone. They must share class room work with the boys. And it is well that it is so, for here they all begin to gain at least a vague and hazy idea of what English really is. lYords seem capable of classification, sentences stand out in their minds as indicative of complete thoughts. case uses and verb forms take on a new significance and adjust themselves to certain logical principles, and all this, too, not without reason. But when, later on, the possibilities in choice of words appeal to them, and the use of slang and Campus English begins to grate upon their ears and nervous sensibilities, then do the in- structors seem pleased and lean back in their chairs with complacent smiles of satisfaction, as they contemplate the young hopefuls who have been so diligently studious. But we are curtailing our opportunities to advance if we expect or even hope to be able to perfect our own speech without studying carefully, and assimilating into our own mentality, the best usage of English as illustrated by the artists of thought expression. -Xnfl for this reason it is that we offer extended work in Literature. Everyone, except possibly the self-assured Senior, admits that there have been greater minds and capabilities than his: therefore, we toil over the masterpieces of literature, thinking after them the words of authors, learning some of their most excellent and attractive passages, and, best -191