Springfield High School - Capitoline Yearbook (Springfield, IL)

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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

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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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and this year an octet from the choir made a trip to Indianapolis. In their vestments, chanting a Negro spiritual or a Russian Cossack song, they make an im- pression not easy to forget. Freshmen and sophomores are obliged to take two years of chorus to graduate from any course given in high school. In their course they learn to sing in parts, and learn the appreciation of the great musical compositions of the famous musicians of all times. junior Choir, a class composed mostly of sophomores and chosen by their music teachers, is mainly a preparatory course for Senior and A Cappella choirs. Senior Choir is the choir that puts on the Dramusique, a series of skits, songs, dances, which are performed, written, di- rected, and costumed by members of the Senior Choir. PHYSICAL EDUCATION Of all the departments that exist in Springfield High School the one that is known farther, by more people, is our Physical Education department. This is the department that produced our win- ning football and basketball teams and P R I N T I N G gave to S. H. S. the most successful year, athletically speaking, that we have ever had in our history. SCIENCE Science is probably the most interest- ing and intricate of all the courses in Springfield High School. It is the one study which the pupil must learn by try- ing the various rules and formulae for himself. In our science department there are many and varied types of sciences taught. The freshmen can take General Science and Physical Geography. The former is a general resume of science: the stellar bodies, the weather, etc. The latter ex- plains itself. Courses offered for sopho- mores are Physiology, including anatomy and hygiene, Biology, the study of life, Botany, the study of plants, and Zoology, the study of animal life. Included in this department are a year of Physics for juniors and a year of Chem- istry for seniors. All these courses can be used as a background for those who wish to take up medicine, nursing, engi- neering, or to continue study in college science. '1'ur11Iy-fiinv'