Pasadena Chronicle, April 13, 1928

BOARD RULING MAKES RADICAL CHANGES IN LOCAL SCHOOLS COMMISSION HEARS PLAN FOR UNION Students Open Question of Uniting Student Bodies of Two Divisions ADOPT NO ACTION PLAN Points Listed, in Favor and Against Plan; Debates Feature Meeting “West Point ” to Aid Scholar s hip Fund First steps taken towards ap¬ proaching the subject of uniting the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth year students of the newly formed four-year institution into one single student body, were taken last Wednesday when How¬ ard Packard, former commissioner of forensics, and Clarence Vetterli, editor of the Chronicle, asked the board of commissioners to begin consideration of the subject. Points in favor of immediate union of the student bodies were presented to the commissioners, and arguments were heard on both sides. No action was taken. Opinion Divided Eric Strutt, commissioner of boys’ welfare, was the only one of the group to openly favor the plan endorsed by Packard and Vetterli, while Carl Cartwright, Letha Mor¬ ris and Constance Bennett were the only commissioners openly against the suggestion. John Cal¬ mer and Nelson Dodge took no defi¬ nite stand. Joseph Richardson was not present at the meeting- Howard Packard opened the meeting, stating his purpose in coming before the commission. He said, “Our purpose in coming be¬ fore you is to give you our opinions on the subject of immediately join¬ ing the two student bodies to form one large unit; and to ask, if you see fit, to confer with represent¬ atives from the thirteenth and fourteenth grades on the subject. We hope to see the subject brought to issue before the students of the school during the latter part of May, when a special election could be held to see what the students desire.” Packard listed all of the points that time would permit, in favor of the immediate change, and the remaining points were left for the commissioners to study. No definite list of reasons for (Continued on page two) _ _ ,«■ Caltech Announces $300 Scholarship The Southern California chap¬ ter of the Alumni Association of Caltech today announced its sixth annual competitive scholarship. This scholarship, of $300, is to be awarded to a graduating senior in any approved high school in South¬ ern California. Only one man from each school may compete. He must be regular¬ ly enrolled in his class, fully in¬ tend to enter the institute in case he wins the scholarship, and-be as¬ sured of sufficient credits to enter the institute by the end of the school year. Those who desire to enter the contest should notify their principal. The competitor from P. H. S. will be chosen by vote of the men of the senior class. Examinations will be given June 15 and 1G at Tech. These exams will cover mathematics, physics, chemistry, English and American history. They will be general and Resigned to test the student’s re- Pourcefulness rather than memory. The alumni wishes to give the award to a student who possesses the qualifications which are neces- . sary for success as an engineer — the ability to think clearly and to initiate and execute work; person¬ ality, sportsmanship, broad human interests. The capacity for solving new problems is more desired than a great store of memorized facts. That over $200 will be secured for the scholarship fund through the proceeds from “West Point,” to be held this afternoon at 3:40 in the school auditorium, is the hope of the R.- О. T. C., in spon¬ soring the entertainment. A com¬ edy, “The Battle of the Century,” and a special demonstration of gun drill displaying the more ad¬ vanced type of rifle handling, will be included in the program. At present the scholarship fund is $500 in debt, having bor¬ rowed the money to provide for an unusually large number of applications for loans. The R. О. T. C. in sponsoring the enter¬ tainment is endeavoring to re¬ duce the debt materially. Similar entertainments have been presented on other occa¬ sions for raising school funds, the last being “The Poor Nut,” held last year for the purpose of raising the student body fund. Tickets may be obtained at the junior college ticket office for 15 and 25 cents. SENIOR PLAY CAST NEARS COMPLETION Competition Narrowed Down For Final Choice of Roles ABBOT WINS ONE LEAD Selection of Play is Praised by “Pinkie” Griffith, Senior Adviser Southland Orators Vie Here April 20 Pasadena high school will act as host for the semi-finals of the Southern California division of the “National Constitutional Oratori¬ cal Contest,” next Friday evening, when Ted Hatlcn, winner of the local division of the contest, speaks in competition with seven other orators. The Pasadena Evening Post is offering a prize of $25 to the winner, who on May 4 will en¬ ter the Southern California finals, to be held in Los Angeles. “The contest next Friday, one of seven being conducted in various parts of the United States, is a great honor to have, and everyone should at¬ tend to cheer Ted Hatlcn to vic¬ tory,” says Mrs. Irene Peters, high school public speaking coach. The other orators are: Miss Wil¬ lis DuPree of Oceanside high school, San Diego county minus San Diego city; Miss Evelyn Pope of El Centro high school, Imperial county; Odie Wright of Long Beach Polytechnic high school; Thomas Kuchel of Anaheim high school, Orange county; and Miss Judith Gunn of San Bernardino high school. San Diego city and Riverside county have not selected their contestants as yet. In the local finals held March 29 in the high school assembly, Ted Hatlen’s oration, “Our Constitut¬ ion,” was one of the best ever given in a local contest, according to Mrs. Peters. Virginia Gollatz placed second, and Geraldine An¬ derson, third. Last year Orrin Earl took the local event and placed second in the Southern Cali¬ fornia finals. One role for the senior class play, “The Stubbornness of Geral¬ dine,” has been chosen finally, while for a number of the other leads competition has been cut down to a few members of the sen¬ ior play class. Final choices in all parts are expected to be made soon. Buell Abbot has practically re¬ ceived the unanimous vote for the role of Jars, butler, and one of the main character bits in the popular Clyde Fitch production. In the finals for the title role which is also the leading feminine role, Dor¬ othy Secrest, Geraldine Anderson, and Evelyn Anderson are all who remain out of a large number of contestants. Secondary Leads Still in the running for the sec¬ ond feminine lead of Vi are Kate Sullivan, Bernice Petheram, and Mary Ward. No one has been picked for the leading male role. However, for the second male lead, Lord Tilbury, competition has nar¬ rowed down to three, Fleetwood •Jefferson, Russell Forsythe, and Henry Graten. Fraulein, the maid, will be played by either Esther Strickland or Elizabeth Friend. Among the many well known members of the faculty who have read the play and also watched the try-outs, is “Pinky” Griffith. He expressed himself after the trials as being well pleased with the presentation of what he considers to be one of the' best modern dramas. As there are almost thirty parts to be cast in the play, work is be¬ ing carried on very rapidly. The number of nationalities portrayed makes the work doubly arduous and heavy for those training' the actors. The play will be given June 12 and 13. New Beast, Found '? Alas , Who Knows What has two legs, three more legs, whiskers, feathers, one til, one more leg, one beak, and other interesting and educational fea¬ tures? Live and learn, people; live and learn. And in the meantime cudgel the good old cranium sur¬ rounded gray matter. If by dint of great thought you discover the “Great Unknown” new, don’t walk to the nearest student body and tell the man who is handing out the cigars, then walk home and remember, “Mum’s the Word.” Hang around, folks; some¬ thing big may happen when the news leaks out. High School and Junior College Revamped Under New 6-4-4 School System Four Year Institution Will Replace Old Fashioned Method of Two Two-Year Schools in One Building and Campus TENTH YEAR ELIMINATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL May Be Called “College of the City of Pasadena” if Tentative Plans Go Through; Present Names Will be Dropped Reasons for Introduction of New System Interpreted Pasadena high school was. The Pasadena board of education made another step in advance in its educational program, when it voted to adopt the 6-4-4 plan of school system last Thursday. Under the new system, there will be ••six years of elementary school; four years of junior high school; P and four years of junior college. The board has conducted a long, and careful study of the 6-4-4 plan, and the plan was thought of for Pasadena when William F. Ewing ASADENA has once more taken the lead in education with the was principal of the high school Adoption of the new 6-4-4 plan of school system, being the first an(j junior college, schoool in California, and as far as can be determined by a hurried ц j,as ^gn intimated that under survey, the first public school in the United States to adopt the ! new system the junior high new junior college movement. Details of the new plan, though \ sch0ols will be called high schools they have not been worked out as yet, probably will be taken into hand by officials within the next few weeks, and will be ready to go into effect in September. In either case, the graduation exercises of the students now in the tenth and eleventh years will not be affected whatsoever. Stu¬ dents entering after that time will be admitted with the idea of participating in graduation exercises only after completing the four years of work. The student activities will be affected in no manner whatsoever R.O.T.C. Rifle Team Tries For Trophy In competition for the William Randolph Hearst trophy to be pre¬ sented to the winning high school R. О. T. C. unit in the United States for expertness in rifle shoot¬ ing, five members of the R. О. T. C. completed the requirements on April 10 in the local armory under the supervision of Sergeant Wil¬ liam Morgan. A possible score of 400 points could be made by each contestant from firing 10 shots in the positions of prone, kneeling, sitting, and standing. George Lehner placed first in the team with a score of 347 points, while Cedric Stirling and Alex Tarbet ranked second with scores of 343 points each. Ned Stirling aed Joseph Mehm com¬ pleted the requirements with good scores. Announcements as to the win¬ ning school teams will be made some time in May. Principal Explains 6-4-4 Plan to Boys “An avalanche of schools will follow our example in adopting the 6-4-4 plan,” prophesied Principal John W. Harbeson, in concluding his talk explaining the 6-4-4 plan at the Boys’ league meeting, Thurs¬ day, during first advisory. A fifty- cent raise in student body cards was approved by the league after a lively discussion. A. Lombard of Caltech invited the students of P. H. S. to visit Caltech’s exhibition on Friday and Saturday of this week. In explaining the 6-4-4 plan, Mr. Harbeson emphasized the fact that high school athletics will not be eliminated and that we will still be in the league. He also said that the junior college will not be merged with the high school unless the two student bodies vote to go together. “Students, under the new plan, may still graduate at the end of the twelfth grade,” continued Mr. Harbeson. Concluding the program, Gordon Palmer and Charles Forche played on the piano and saxophone a number on the piano and saxo¬ phone. in the near future. It was also intimated that the new junior col¬ lege will be given a new name. Articles Misunderstood Many students misunderstood the articles in the downtown pap¬ ers, according to Superintendent John A. Sexson. “Pasadena should be congratu- for at least two years, and, in the eyes of the school board and the ]ate(]j anc] not criticized, for being administration, two two-year institutions will remain existant unless, ieacjers in California in adopt- through the action of the students themselves, one four year unit is illg. ^4.4 p]atl>’ jjr_ Sexson established. said. yc Went on to say, “I feel Numerous criticisms and expressions ofdispleasure with the new now that Pasadena has taken the system have been expressed by students throughout the school on as 1 lead, other school systems will soon many different grounds. The change, however, is one which will take be changed to the 6-4-4 plan. It more than a hasty perusal before a conclusion, favorable or unfavor- is more fitting that Pasadena able, is reached. The board of education, before adopting the plan, lead in this movement, than to fol- obtained all possible information upon 'the subject and decided accord- low the others, after they. find the ing to its findings. John W. Cooper, state superintendent of public instruction met with the directors, and expressed his opinion to the effect that within another year, the state legislature will authorize the 6-4-4 plan as the standard state educative system. State legis¬ lation is not necessary for conducting the four-year college, however; nor is it necessary that the people of the city vote on the change as they did when the junior college was first established. The dif¬ ference in the two cases lies in the fact that the people voted four years ago for the purpose of adding two years of free public education to the existing system. No additions or subtractions are being made now, but the division of the existing grades is being 1 athletics~he said, “You will not be changed. This change lies solely in the hands of the board of at a disadvantage in next year’s education as a power given it by the people. competition, for all of the students Of course, the greatest reason for the change is in regard to now attending the high school in the improvement of the educative system, though psychological factors I the tenth grade are to stay, and are eminent. According to Leonard V. Koos, professor at the ' not be sent back to junior high. University of Minnesota and student of the American educative And there is no doubt in my mind system, between three-fourths and four-fifths of the work done in eleventh and twelth year high school courses is repeated in the fresh¬ man and sophomore years of college. The theory that the repeti¬ tion establishes a better background for study has been proved impractical by the many college students who take the work for the plan successful.” Mr. Sexson said there was no foundation for the rumor that com¬ mencement exercises would be dis¬ continued, “In adopting the 6-4-4 plan we had no idea of discontin¬ uing the twelfth grade commence¬ ment exercises,” he said. Continue Competition In i-egard to inter-scholastic' that after next year there will be enough 6-4-4 systems in Southern California to form a new inter¬ scholastic league.” According to Mr. Sexson, the first year and become equally efficient. The now plan of a four- eleventh and twelfth grade students year institution made up of students from eleventh to the fourteenth years' makes possible the elimination of all such repetitions and forms the basis for students in the eleventh and twelth year to take up dor the old system, “For, instead college methods of research and practical work which can be graded of being treated as high school kids, will get an advantage in the now system that they would not get un- you will be treated as young men, and young women of college. The students will bo allowed to keep their two separate student body organizations, if they want to, that with the ultimate aim of complete development in the last year. At the same time, students wishing to attend four colleges, will receive a high standard of recommendation for work done in the eleventh years of the local institution. Psychology takes its part in the plan through the division of the , classes made in dropping the tenth year from the course. The wi" 1)0 ul) to t,icnl t-0 decide,” he average student is in eleventh year at the age of 17, and it is at j sai(i- that time that he reaches maturity in thought and in physical func- Course Duplication tions. At this age, interests change from those of the child to the [ One purposes of the 6-4-4 adult and the proper division, psychologically, is between the young P,an to eliminate^ any unneces- person of this age and the average child of 16 years. It is proper, . . then, that division should be made between the tenth and eleventh grades instead of between the ninth and tenth. There is no such change in the young men or women between the age of 17 and 20 sary duplication of courses, ac¬ cording to Principal John W. Har¬ beson, who gave as an example of such duplication the high school years. That football competition cannot be carried on with only two years of training in the high school has been offered as a minor objection. chemistry course and the fact that the freshman course in chemistry in J. C. is the same and students , ,, „ . . . , . , . , ... . 1 who have had chemistry in high With only three years of training which is made possible at pres-1 . , , , , ,. , ,, , . . school, take the same course m ent there is already a great handicap and the dropping of one more j . ,, year would make it impossible to compete with four year- high school ; juni0' c° 1 .. „ . . , , , , According to Mr. Harbeson, at institutions. Provisions have been made, however, introducing foot- ,. , ,, . ’, . . , . , , . _ i, , , . _ a meeting of the principals of the ball into the junior high schools next September. This offers stu- ... , . , . . . ,, . . . . . , . . city held this week, it was decide- dents a chance to gain football training for two years before at- . . . , ,. t ^ ed to give regulation football to the tending this school, adding an additional year of training to the pre- . . , . , , , , ь . & b ' junior high schools, now that they sent system. BAND GIVES ASSEMBLY An exhibition of the orchestral talent produced at Pasadena high was given in Tuesday’s assembly by the all-school band. In1, any event, the case is not one to be condemned nor even considered as far as the students are concerned. The 6-4-4 system will be in use next September as a result of the ruling made by the school board, and the opinion of students will, probably, not have any effect upon the present ruling. It is up to the students to make the best of the new system as it stands. were four year institutions. “With the junior highs having football, our athletics will not suf¬ fer the short time that it will take for the other school systems to be changed to the 6-4-4 plan,” he said.