Washington High School - Scroll Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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Cotyledons ' ir Grasshopper is up for inspection Chemist — in the making SCIENCE WHEN pungent odors of gases and chemicals taint the pure atmosphere of A or B. and when students and teach- ers ahke reach with dignity for handker- chiefs to be appHed to nostrils, we ' re posi- tive that world-startling experiments are in the making somewhere on fourth floor south. The broad value of the sciences to the stu- dent is obligingly summed up bv Mr. Harvey Drake thus: Science opens the door to a world of three great spheres. Biology treats with fundamental processes of living things; chemistry gives us a more detailed knowledge of these processes, together with the basic principles upon which all industries operate: physics acquaints us with the different mechanical devices and laws that enable man to be such tre- mendous power in the world today. Television or mo- tion pictures by means of radio, vari- ous clever electrical devices, such as a leyden jar. electro- Our hothouse phorous. and an electroscope were made by members of Mr. Drake ' s physics classes. In Mr. Joseph Boriff ' s Chemistry group one enthusiast undertook the growing of crystal, while a very difficult project involving various silicates was made by Guy Wiley in Mr. Hasso Pestalozzi ' s class. In biology and general science work, films have added increasing interest and variety. Charts of heredity laws, diet studies, and book- lets containing special nature observations have been compiled by members of this year ' s biology group. In the general science special experiments were performed by the classes in connection with class work. The use of films in both groups proved a great aid to the instruction. Of special interest are live animals and plants in the labora- tory, the garden studies, the planting by individual stu- dents of seeds, of cgetables, and flow- ers in seed flats in the conservatory lor outdoor trans- planting. Scientific research Page Twentu -seven

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Louis X ' I roon Agitativc recitation A 7 ale of Two Cities ENGLISH AND SPEECH L ANGWIDGE was what it was called ' when our grandfathers attended the little red schoolhouse in the days of birch switches and half holidays. Today we politely term it English, because the schoolhouse is no longer red, and switches and half holidays have passed with the horses and buggies. In one of the most important phases of English — composition work — efforts have been employed to develop creative writing, devel- oping within the student the ability to write from personal experience and emotion as well as with an individual style. Consequently, some very fine work in all English classes in the shape of essays, short stories, and poetry has helped to make The Scroll ' s literary page the epitome of ths school ' s finest c re- ative work. Subsequent to th: study of Addison and Steele, individual Spectator satires were written by students in English 8 classes. A standard vocabu- lary test, also in English 8, proved an incentive for cxtend- Suppressed Desires ing vocabularies. Through the use of a model stage and settings made by Herbert Peters, Macbeth was very effectively presented. In Miss Orma Keuper ' s English 5 group a com- pilation of letters from successful men and women was made as a general project. Gram- mar essentials were given due emphasis in rela- tion to the creative writing. Hand in hand with English walks Speech. While someone has said that speech was given to man to disguise his thought, pub- lic speaking has a less enigmatic aim — to give poise, skill in conversation, training in reference work, as well as ability to de- bate well. Very fi ne work was done in after dinner speaking, dramatics, and debating. Through their very purpose the speech classes offer valuable training to the school leaders. Both departments ; ' - ; iiB BM M improve the medium of self-expression : one through speech alone, the other through ipcech and writing. America has turnished — Patie Tu ' cnty-s x

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Spanish play Latin German Six MODERN LANGUAGES AND LATIN IF you do not know a foreign language, you do not know your own. Thus the great poet Goethe expressed one of the chief educa- tional benefits of foreign language study. Through the study of French. German, or Spanish, the student acquires the ability to express himself orally and in writing about the common things in everyday life: to read easy books with pleasure: to pay attention to detail, to be accurate, and to be tolerant, thus strength- ening his own character. In one of the German classes scenes from William Tell were memorized for class present- ation. All classes in the modern language group compiled original detailed booklets con- taining information and pictures concerning the people studied, their countries, and their modes of living. Thus, the study of modern languages combines a very prac- tical knowledge with a cultural objective. To know anoth- er language is to live another life, says Victor Hugo. the great French novelist. Gcrm.in The immediate objective of the study of Latin is the acquisition of the ability to read and translate the language. Through effective translation, the pupil will learn to express him- self in clear and concise English. It is in this manner that Mr. Gudwin .John- son states the immediate purpose of the depart- ment. Because more than half of the English words are of Latin derivation, a thorough knowledge of the language will increase a pupil ' s English vocabulary. There is also a secondary aim — culture. Latin gives one an insight into the customs, manners, and character of the ancient Romans, who had a great influence upon our present civilization. For example, their ideas on law and government have been handed down to us. The new textbook which was introduced in- to the Caesar classes emphasizes cultural aims. Reports were iven in some classes on topics of Roman life. Slides were also shown. French Page Twenly-etght