South Side High School - Totem Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

Page 24 text:

Students Gain Interest In Government, Economics, As the social and political problems of our society and our world become more immediate, students find that they need a stronger foundation in the history of America and the world. It is this type of foundation that South Side's Social Studies Department strived to present to all its students. Besides all the important names and dates in gen- eral history, the Social Studies Department attempted to impress sophomores with the why and how of history and the reasons behind the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. In United States history, students applied their knowl- edge of world events to the specific area of our Ameri- can heritage. By studying the principles on which our country was founded, our Industrial Revolutions, our Civil War, and U.S. involvement in the World Wars, students grasped a better understanding of the growth and prosperity of America. As seniors, the students moved on to more selective areas of study. Special emphasis was given to the Constitution in Government 1. and to our nation's foreign policy in Government 2. The American standard of living was presented in sociology in an attempt to help the students to better comprehend today's com- plex social problems. The Economics Department stressed the importance of a sound national and world economy. Having covered these progressive courses of study, the graduate hoped that he would, with this basic knowledge of world political history and philosophy, be able to serve his country as a responsible adult. It is research time for Government II students Jeff Levy and John Charles: so they have questions for Mr. Bogardus. Seniors studying government learn the fundamentals of state, local, and federal government from Dr. Carl Bickley. 20

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Give Hour-Long, Write Term Paper, Learn Grammar Striving to obtain a more concrete knowledge of the fundamentals of the English language, South Side students developed essays, themes, reports, and short stories. After many hours of grammatical drill, they hopefully formed acceptable papers. While the sophomores studied Our Town, Silas Marner, and Julius Caesar, the juniors conquered Beowulf and Macbeth. Seniors developed their skills by analyzing poetry, short stories, essays, and drama. The experience gained from these analogies helped students meet the challenge of their hour-long book reports. Many students had the opportunity to increase their rate of reading and comprehension through develop- mental reading courses. With the use of new equipment, the students increased their vocabulary and improved their reading techniques. Whether writing themes, research papers, or hour- longs, the main purpose of the student was to gain a better understanding of the English language and to properly use it to convey ideas and thoughts. A saying that might be worthwhile remembering was once said by Pericles: A man who has the knowledge but lacks the power clearly to express it, is no better off than if he never had any ideas at all. Barb Simmons looks puzzled as she studies The Prologue to The Canterbury Tales in Old English. Mrs. Evlyn Spray checks on the progress of Jeff Levy in a developmental reading class. You must know the difference between denotation and con- notation of words in poetry, lectures Mr. Ronald Gersmehl. 19

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Sociology, U.S. History A survey of the world's history is taught in the general course by Miss Margaret Graham. Mr. Gary Crawford aids Senior Larry PopofJ in his first study of sociology, the science of society. United States history students are keeping abreast of the present by studying the past, from the discovery of America to the 1964 election. Here Mr. Don Locke discusses current events with a junior class in room 28. 21