Springfield High School - Capitoline Yearbook (Springfield, IL)

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MGDERN LANGUAGE An understanding of at least one for- eign language is essential to the cultured mind. This is becoming the belief of more and more people of the English-speaking race. And evidently the students of our high school believe in this also. This year, for the first time, a third year was added to both the French and Spanish courses. The aim of both classes is to give students a good understanding in modern languages. A closer contact with the history, customs, costumes, architecture, geography, and heroes of France or Spain is gained when studied through the original language. In the first year grammar is given the emphasis, but in the second year study is broadened to include, beside the essen- tials, the study of some writer in that language. The clubs of the two classes conduct their meetings in the language, play games, sing songs, in short begin to think in the language they are studying. COMMERCIAL Many of the students who enter Springfield High School have no chance T11 rnli-I T . Y P I N G of continuing their education in a col- lege or university. For this reason the commercial courses are offered so that these students may equip themselves to immediately take part in the business world upon their graduation. Bookkeeping, a course in business mathematics is offered to the sophomores and juniors. There are two years of typing given during which the funda- mentals of the operation of the type- writer are taught. Business forms such as letters, telegrams, etc., are practiced. In the shorthand classes the much-short- ened method of writing is learned and the pupils write and transcribe dictation to help them obtain a mastery of the sub- ject. For Seniors who do not take shorthand an applied typing course is being taught. It is an intensified study of typing short- ened to one year. Commercial law, in which the students learn fundamental laws governing commercial and social relationships, is another interesting course being given in Springheld High School.

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C H E M I S T R Y for the various courses offered. Helping Mr. Barnes in his teaching of this science are Mr. Cox, Mr. Cavitt, and Mr. Teuscher who instruct students in the art of Algebra. Miss Pinkerton, Miss Clapper, Mrs. Rein, and Mrs. Dunlap are the teachers who give instruction in geometry. Mr. Wentz is the teacher of advanced arithmetic. Elementary algebra and plane geome- try are offered as one year courses. Col- lege arithmetic, solid geometry, advanced algebra and trigonometry are all one se- mester courses. SOCIAL SCIENCE In the Social Science classes of Spring- field High we have a most complete study of all phases of this subject. In this course all the information necessary for a full and complete understanding of the sub- ject is on hand. Maps, charts, a very complete reference library, current news- papers, pictures, etc., are all put in the hands of the students to enable them to gain a better appreciation of history and its companions, economics and civics. Sophomores are offered the course of ancient and medieval history. This deals with the life and accomplishments of man from the days of unrecorded his- tory to the time of the Commonwealth in England. Juniors who take Modern European History study about the events T :writi- of Europe through the World War and also study special modern topics such as the League of Nations and the World Court. The Seniors learn United States History from Columbus to F. D. Roose- velt. LATIN In our high school six instructors teach the beginning and advanced courses in Latin and about six hundred seventy- seven students, which composes a fourth of the total enrollment in Springfield high, are signed up for this course. Mod- ern methods of instruction are employed which are developed through a four year course by the use of textbooks which in- clude a wide range of reading selected from many famous Latin authors, both of prose and poetry. From the beginning of the first year, through the fourth, connected Latin is read, the aim being to grasp the thought of groups of words, each successive group throwing light upon what has gone be- fore and is to follow in the narrative. From the first lesson attention is called to the remarkable similarity of Latin and English wordsg prefixes, suffixes, com- pound words, and English derivatives are noted daily. Ability to read Latin at sight with steadily increasing accuracy and grasp of the thought is the aim of our instructors.

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Kfh' mrs ART DEPARTMENT In the Art Department of Springfield High School a chance is given to every student to glean some knowledge of aesthetic values. The 9' and 101 classes are given courses in drawing, painting, designing, and perspective. For the more advanced classes attention is given to figure drawing, water color painting, and posters. Stress is laid on larger and more forceful work. For those students who have not the ability to draw, a course in art apprecia- tion is offered. Art in color, line, and de- sign is taught as it appears in the home and surroundings. In collaboration with the history de- partment a course has been organized combining ancient and medieval history and art. As this history is mainly a re- view of the art works of ancient peoples, the course greatly aids the pupils in their understanding of it. MUSIC Another outstanding department of Springfield High School is our music de- partment. It is known almost as far as are our athletic teams for their super- ioritv over others in similar schools. It is possibly the largest department in school outside of the English. T11 'rn Qur band is one of the outstanding or- ganizations of its kind in the state of Illinois. Besides the band as a whole many members of it, as soloists in trios and quartets, have won medals for their ex- cellent playing ability. Mr. Patrick, the able director of our band, is acknowl- edged as one of the best. The orchestra, too, has been known to be exceptionally good by all those who appreciate music. Under the capable di- rection of Miss Rule they have again reached the heights for which our or- chestras of the past years have been noted. Anyone who has heard the students in this orchestra play could not fail to ap- preciate it. All those who attended this year's orchestra concert were unanimous in acclaim for the young musicians. In speaking of the instrumental part of our music department, we must not forget the vocal side. For it is as noted as the band and orchestra. A Cappella Choir, instructed by Mr. Lundgren, is composed of the best of all vocal musicians in S. H. S. There are sixty members in this group and they sing in eight parts with- out, as the name signihes, any accompani- ment. They are in great demand to sing in Springfield and the surrounding towns, lv-llmv