Williston Northampton School - Log Yearbook (Easthampton, MA)

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ability to understand what he is reading and his ability to organize and express his thoughts clearly. Each form of literature is studied in the various English courses at Williston. Plays by Shakespeare, novels by Melville, short stories by Poe, and poetry by Longfellow - all these receive exacting and intensive atten- tion. Sophocles, Benet, MacLeish, Conrad, Hemingway, Hawthorne, and Dgdi,-,lied Mr. Thomas Kelley, DudlR0le English master, holds his classes in the theater workshop in the lower level of the Science building. Surrounded by properties and flanked by an entire cabinet of scripts used in the Dra- matic Club's productions, Mr. Kelley stimulates the mind of upper middler Tom McCandless with a keen insight into Shakespeare's Macbeth. M Kelley is well equipped for teaching any play, for he is also the Director of Williston's Dramatic Club, which produces three plays a year - fa winter, and spring. HORACE EDWARD THORNER, M.A. English Librarian of the Plimpton Library, Adviser to the Chess Club, Housemaster of Infirmary, Adviser to Lower Middler Class. Graduated Cum Laude, Thayer Academy, 1927g Harvard College, A.B., Cum Laude, 1931, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Science, M.A., 1932, Special Investigator War Industry Personnel, World War II, Member of National Council of Teachers of English, author: a new version of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, 1942, a complete verse translation of Homer's Iliad, 1948, three-act play, The Man Who Shot God, 1953, Index to the Novel, 1956, revised 1961, Murder for Everybody, 1957, elected to Williston, 1943. r. ll, the Bible are analyzed during a student's studies. Williston's small classes afford the teachers personal contact with each student. The value of this system can readily be seen in Dean Rouse's Advancement Placement sec- tion, where the top English students of the senior class meet and are prepared with a college freshman course. Advanced Placement tests are given in May to determine the prog- ress of the student. On the basis of this examination, the pupil is placed in an appropriate class. If he receives a high enough mark, he has the option of directly entering sophomore English with a full credit for fresh- man English. With these goals in mind, more palpable, perhaps, than the greater purpose of education, each student constantly achieves greater perception under the guidance of the fine and experienced English faculty.

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The largest and 'one of the most important departments at Williston is its English Department. Every boy has English five periods a week, and his English teacher holds an important key to his future. Heading the nine- master department is Dean Rouse, dean of the faculty, now in his forty- second year at Williston. Behind him is an intelligent group of energetic masters who lead their students with -M. Charles E. Rouse, dean of the faculty, leads one of his senior English classes in a discussion of Hamlet. Seniors Jeff McCullough and Tom Howe listen attentively and await their turns to contribute something to the class. His other senior class is the Advanced Placement class. Dean Rouse keeps his classes jumping by constantly challenging them with questions. He makes the student learn rather than listen and sit. When he is asked a question that he feels the student himself should answer, he good-naturedly hops on him with English starts the knowledge quest understanding, both of the subject and of the boys they teach. Through all five years of English, the major emphasis is based on clear writing and good reading, in addition to the fundamentals: spelling, vocab- ulary, and grammar. Each boy is taught to write, start- ing with the simple sentence, leading to the all-important page paragraph, Now, doctor, think that one out for yourself. and culminating in creative compo- sitions and book analysis. In the senior year, the student is given the opportunity to write many free com- positions, short stories, and even poetry. Each student is required to read six books over the summer in addition to the book-report books during the school year. Class discus- sions and hour exams on great works of literature increase both the boy's CHARLES EDWARD ROUSE, A.B. Head of English Department, Dean of the Faculty. President, Williston Chapter of Cum Laude Society. Graduated Clark University, 1922, Harvard Graduate School, 1926-1928, Alpha Upsilon Fraternity fScholar- shipj, taught at Blair Academy, 1922-1923, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School, Summer, 1930-1931, Oxford University, England, 1930-1931, Member of National Council of Teachers of English, New England Association of Teachers of English, School and College Conference on English, Mount Tom Summer School, 1933-1942, Director of Williston Academy Summer School, 1943-1961, elected to Williston, 1923, 26

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DAVID STEVENS, M.A. English Adviser to The Log, Adviser to Sailing Club, Coach of Skiing, Coach of Sailing. Amherst College, B.A., 19475 Tufts College, M.A., 1951, Secretary, Interscholastic Yacht Racing Association, Presi- dent and Secretary-Treasurer, New England Preparatory School Sailing Association, Past Commander, Springfield Power Squadron of U. S. Power Squadronsg elected to Williston, 1951. 170119 Mr. David Stevens cer- teacber tainly is not a teacher and coach with an abundance of free time, he is one of the most active members of the faculty. As the adviser to The Log, he is a capable guide to the student staff. Also the coach of skiing and sailing Cas well as adviser to the Sailing Clubj, Mr. Stevens has almost invariably molded winning teams in the winter and spring. Finally, but most important, he is a capable English teacher of the lower middler, upper middler, and senior classesg a stimulating instructor, Mr. Stevens stresses original thinking and writing.