Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927, Part 111

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Publication date: 1922-1927
Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Number of Pages: 1024

USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Towson > Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927 > Part 111

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Debate

Literary Contest 4

Dramatic 5

Art

0 5

Totals 17 27

Need we say that the Pests nearly tore the roof off the auditorium. The songs and cheers at this contest were a great improvement on the other contests, and each group displayed excellent sportsmanship.

The Pests and Normals of 1926 offer their staunch support for 1927, and as each is praying for victory, they are hoping for the "best man to win."

DEFICIENCIES IN ORAL AND SILENT READING AND SUG- GESTED REMEDIAL TREAT- MENT FOR GRADES 4 AND 5.

(Continued on Page

THE SELF-IMPROVEMENT EXPERIMENT.

During the first two days of the present school year the 465 students entering the school for the first time were measured with a standardized test of

general academic ability which purports to measure a stu- dent's resources in the way of men- tal alertness or the ability to profit by instruction of a college grade.

This particular test consisted of 16S miscellaneous problems and questions of many different types.

The time allowance was thirty ininutes. It was found when re- sults were compiled that the student with the highest score had answered 154 correctly (which is pretty close to the modern definition of academic genius) and that the student with the lowest score had answered only 3 correctly (which is not any better than an average eighth grader could (o). Most students answered be- tween 60 and 90 correctly, and the average 78 was slightly above the average for 15

other Normal Schools combined and considerably below the average for college fresh- men. Students with high scores in this test could with ordinary effort obtain consistently A and B grades in their courses. and students with low scores in this test would with ordinary effort obtain consistently (. D or failing grades in their

It does not always work courses.

out that way, however, for some high score students will not put forth any effort at all, and receive as a consequence low grades, and some low score students possessed of extraordinary energy and ambition will put forth a tremendous amount of effort and obtain as a consequence high grades. There is some truth still in the moral that we all once derived from the fable about the hare and the tortoise.

Seven other tests were given, aver- aging about thirty Anne Schaefer -- Sr. 10. minutes each, measuring ability in reading, Eng- lish usage, speiting, and arithmetic. Deficiencies In Oral Reading And Suggested Remedial Work. In each case results showed that there were tremendous differences Case 1. A little girl in the Fourth Grade had great difficulty with her reading. When she got up to read she would stop before many simple common words and look to the teach- er for nelp. If the teacher would not supply the word immediately the child said, "I don't know that word." among our entering students. The average in each of showed ability not much above these tests eighth grade level. This probably means that high school students do not continually rebuild in improved ways their habits in what we still consider among the fundamentals of Quite evidently she did not have thelan education. Perhaps we need to

urge our friends who are now at-

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TOWER LIGHT.

May, 1926.

tending high school to avoid becom- ing old fogies carly in life. For one is an old fogy the moment one is

satisfied with not growing constantly better in some phase of life that of students were matched against

really matters. And reading ability,

figuring ability, reasoning ability, spelling ability and ability to use good English still matter somewat, at least in the life of a teacher.

Students who made scores in any one of these tests of special ability in reading. arithmetic, spelling and English usage which were below the level of an average sixth grade boy or girl were considered as inade- quately prepared to take training to- ward teacherhood. In former years they were grouped into special non- credit classes in arithmetic and Eng- lish and in most cases forced to drop part of their regular work in order to make up their lack of prepar- ation. This plan was unsatisfactory for several reasons: such a student became at the very beginning of his Normal School career an irregular, always meeting with odd sections at odd hours; such classes had to be held early in the morning or late in the afternoon, with consequent hard- ship to student and instructor. Most important of all, the non-credit classes seldom attained the end in view, because the students did not assume full responsibility for their

would they have improved just as much without any special efforts?"

When the scoring and tabulating was all finished and the two groups each other in each subject it was found that in every case much greater gains were made by the self- improvers. In some cases (notably in spelling) the gain for the self-in- provement group was over twice that for the group which had not received deficiency notices. The conclusion is drawn that entering students who are deficient in some of the "funda- mentals' can with a little earnest ap- piication over a comparatively short period of time bring themselves up to standard, without the inconveni- ence and annoyance of taking special hon-credit courses. That the stu- dents receiving deficiency notices last

seemed as though we had only started on our tour of the museum, when the closing bell rang and we September themselves approved of | were compelled to leave with many the plan was demonstrated by re- interesting things still unseen. turns from a question-blank filled out by them. Ninety-five per cent of the group favored the self-improvement plan; five per cent did not .- Normani Woelfel, Department of Educational Measurements.

BIOLOGY STUDENTS VISIT WASHINGTON.

Forty -one Normalites, accompanied

mals, the birds, and the reptiles. The immensity of the elephant, the rest- lessness of the tiger, the massiveness of the rhinoceros, and the beauty of. the birds charmed us into speech- lessness.

The National Museum, the most in- teresting place of all, was our next stopping place. Here visited the room of the pre-historic animals, the room which showed representa- tions of the development of man from the savage to the civilized stage. Then we studied the record of the evolution of man as shown in the casts of the skulls of our prehistoric ancestors. These were arranged in the order of increased development of higher human characteristics. It

We had about fifteen minutes left, so we made a flying trip to the Con- gressional library, but again time forced us to leave many interesting and valuable things to be seen an- other time.

After getting something to eat we resumed our journey toward Towson. We were all very tired and sleepy, but we sang our school songs lustily and heartily. We surely did have a wonderful trip, but I think most of us were glad to get back to Normal.

deficiencies, but allowed the instruc-iby Miss Medwedeff and Miss Hosmer, tor to carry most of the responsibil- started bright and early on Sunday, ity. It was decided this year to May second, for Washington. THE MYSTERY OF LIGHT AND SHADE. experiment with another plan for All of us were eager to get there. for our time was limited and there was so much for us to see. The fruit orchards and dogwood, all in! dealing with insufficiently prepared students. The gauntlet was thrown directly down to them. They were Mr. Walther said in assembly that bloom, made the two-hour ride a very he had chosen as his topic, "The Mys- pleasant one. When we landed in tery of Light and Shadow." The pic- Washington, being real biology stu-, ture of Stonehenge as it is today was dents. our first stop was at the Bo- thrown on the screen. He said that tanical Gardens. A part of the garden was closed to the public, so we did not see as innch as we had hoped, but we did sun god. The diagram of Stone- see many curious tropical specimens of the plant world. henge as it was and is was then After a hasty look around the gar- dens we scurried to our busses and rode by most of the National and Departmental buildings, Washington monument and out to the Lincoln memorial. past the thrown on the screen, showing a circle of large stones within which was a circle of smaller stones, within which was a horseshoe of taller stones of the same size as those in the smaller circle, at the large end It would have been a great dis- buried-an altar .. Then the picture of which lay a big stone almost people used to wonder what these ruins were of, and then explained that Stonehenge was a temple to the notified hy the registrar of their specific deficiency and told that they would be admitted as full-fledged Juniors with the privilege of gradu- ating after two years only if they brought themselves up to the mark in "fundamentals" by January 1, 1926. Carefully planned sugges- tions as to how best to improve one- self along each kind of ability were placed in the hands of these students and they were challenged to "go it alone." Great excitement prevailed for a few days when these notices and suggestions were served on stu- dents. but they SOON granted the reasonableness of the plan and settled down to some pretty steady appointment to have visited Wash- doses of self-instruction. At the end [of Stonehenge, as it used to be, was ington without seeing the cherry blos- shown. Mr. Walther told us to par- soms. The miles of trees along the' tienlarly notice the man who stood Speedway with their pink and white in the central doorway. He was perfectly formed blossoms made a about one-third as tall.as the stones beautiful picture in contrast with the of the outer circle, and about as tall red tulips and yellow jonquils which as those of the inner. Next came grew near the edge of the Potomac. another picture, also Stonehenge. of two months all those students re- ceiving deficiency notices were re- tested. An equal group of students who did not receive such notices were also retested in order that comparison improvement could be made by students who had attempted Our next places of interest were This was probably to keep the crowd Arlington and Fort Myer. Virginia, off the sacred ground. It has been Due to lack of time we could not found that the central doorway faces stay long at either place, so almost 40 degrees north of east, before we knew it we were back in angle at which the just the sun rises on Washington again. ĮJune 21. Mr. Walther pointed out to improve hy conscious effort and the amount of improvement made by students who had all along consider- ed themselves O. K. in everything. In other words, the answer was desired to the following question: "Did the Front Washington we went to' ITele Stone which stood just outside self-improvers really Improve them- Rock Creek Park, where we spentthe embankment in a line with the general efforts, or nearly two hours watching the ani- central doorway, and told us that on

selves by their

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TOWER LIGHT.

May, 1926.

June 21, when, at sunrise the shadow fing a cold, reserved personality in of this stone was thrown on the altar

jan environment like this? Perhaps a human sacrifice was made on the the greatest good derived from prac- "Sacrifice Stone" standing just in- lice teaching is that of bringing out the best in oue's personality. Siniles side the central doorway, and was later cremated on the altar as an are contagious! This certainly is offering to the sun god. A diagram true in teaching If the teacher is was next shown giving the position smiling and cheerful the whole class will take on an atmosphere of joy and contentment. Then, too, the students themselves get so much joy out of the teaching. I wish i could express the joy and happiness I re- ceived from my practice teaching. of the Hole Stone, the Sacrifice Stone, and the altar, also two other stones which faced each other across Stonehenge. Mr. Walther said that at sunrise at the beginning of the winter solstice the shadow of one was thrown across the altar to the other. but neglected to mention whether a sacrifice was made on this occasion or not. He said that then only the priests knew what this was, but now the knowledge belongs to astrono- mers and such.

The next picture shown was of a mountain upon whose sides were carved the Roman numerals J to XII. The shadow thrown

hy another mountain standing near by gave the time.

Another picture was of the sun dial in the Library Tower at Prince- ton University. While this was on the screen Mr. Walther explained the principle of the sun dial, and told us that when an Arab wanted to tell when it was time to pray he would thrust his spear into the ground and tell the time by the length and posi- tion of the shadow thus cast.

Another dial was shown which also told by the shadow of a cross-piece the month as well as the hour.

The bell rang. So Mr. Walther hurriedly showed several dials with- out comment, ending with the one at Druid Hill, which he said, has 14 faces which tell the time of day in 14 places on the earth's surface, and then closed, saying that he'd leave it 10 us to discover how this was done.

PRACTICE TEACHING.

Practice teaching! Whenever 1 hear those two words I get a vision of thirty-five lively youngsters in a certain kindergarten in a foreign section of our city.

These children come from homes that are crowded and noisy. To these children the three hours of kindergarten mean three hours of paradise-a child's paradise. The children are taught habits of polite- less, kindness and cleanliness. They are taught dances, songs and games that are the joy of any child's heart. How proud they are when they have arrived at the dignified age of five years and can then say, "I'm big enough to go to the kindergarten." Eagerly they look forward to the next day when they can go into a cheerful room with perhaps three or tour teachers who really understand child nature.

Aside from the pure joy of teach- ing we get so many other things. We receive actual practice in teaching. It is then that we take the responsi- bility of a whole class upon our- selves. Then it is that we may prac- tice the theory and methods taught in Gur classes at Normal School. May I ask of what value our classes at Normal School would be if Practice Teaching were not given? For three months we have a chance to carry out what we have learned at Normal School. During this time we natur- ally make mistakes, but we are aided by our Practice Teachers. At this point I should like to send up a vote of thanks for the Practice Teachers who have helped us over many diffi- cult paths.

Before students go out to do prac- tice teaching they naturally thing that teaching means merely teaching of subjects. We have come back a changed group-changed because of the realization that teaching does not mean merely the teaching of sub- jeets, but the teaching of children. "Teach Children" was our motto in Practice Teaching.

Of all the courses given at Normal School I think the most helpful is that of practice teaching. How won- derful it is that the school gives us a chance to learn through experience ilie best way of teaching children.

Lydia Lutz. Senior I.

WHO-WHY-WHAT?

1-What is a sampan?

2-Why do they call it"cayenne" pepper ?

3-Who was Cotton Mather?

1-What convenience is called a

"lift" in England, but by another name in the U. S .?

5-What is a mausoleum ?

6-\Vho was William F. Cody?

7-Which planet is sometimes said to be inhabited ?

S-Why do they call one's first name the "Christian" name?

3-Who wrote the most famous set of biographies in literary history. 10. - What is a hussar?

"Have you given the goldfish fresh water, Janet ?"

"No, mum, they ain't finished the

Can you imagine any student hav-Jwater I gave them yesterday."

THE LIFE OF A SUBSTITUTE.

All of us at some time in our school career have had the pleasure of having a substitute. have looked on at the troubles she had and even sometime joined in the torturing process. After reviewing in my mind the troubles and worries of the poor beings who had crossed my path, it was with a great deal of re- luctance and fear that I finally de- cided to become a substitute. My fears were entirely justified. The first two days I spent as a substitute were, as I look back upon them, days of horror and torture unbelievable. My experience, fear, and an un- usually bad class combined to make a chaos out of which little or no or- der evolved. On that Friday after- noon I left that school firmly resolved never to enter another school-room. By Monday, however. I had calmed down, and I again answered a call. This time I was agreeably surprised to find a lovely class, who soon gave me back some of my ideals of teach- ling which had been so rudely shat- lered.

The experiences I have had have been many and varied, among them being mistaken for a pupil during the changing of classes, and being told to get in line quickly and an- other day finding as a member of my class a man with a moustache.

And so it goes-variety, enjoy- ment. sorrow, and despair, all inter- mingled in the daily life. A day here, a day there, with contrasts of locality, types of children and of schools. I can really say that I am enjoying the experience, and am per- ceiving a little of what life means to the many peoples that make up this farge city. At present, I have found a safe haven teaching English at a Junior High School, but I cannot help but wonder amidst the calm, to what, and where, I shall next wend my

way. -. Mary Barker.

THE CHILD'S PRAYER.

A little child is kneeling

At its mother's knee, Hands like petals folded

While his lips repeat a prayer-

A prayer of love and simple faith

From the 'wakened heart of the little child

To the Father-heart of God. Helen Clayton.

The Drift of the Continents.

Mr. Walther-"Africa is slowly drifting toward the United States." E. H .- "We can readily see that every time we ride on the No. 8 car."

These Iron Men.

E. S. (at Sparrows Point) -"My, but I like the color of that roller." Guide (catching the last word)- J All right. I'll introduce you to him."

Page 4

TOWER LIGHT

PUBLISHED MONTHLY

BY THE STUDENTS OF THE MARY -

LAND STATE NORMAL SCHOOL,

TOWSON, MD.

HELEN FEASTER HENRY B. WASKOW.

MARGARET HAINES

Business Mannger: LEE MARTIN

Managing Editor:

Advertising Manager:

EVELYN MINNICH.

PRICE: One Dollar For Ten Copies.

MAY, 1926.

Editorial

OUR TOWER LIGHT.

You've heard the joke about the Irishman. who, when fined the third time for hitting his wife, was advised by the judge to leave her, replied:

"Yer honor. that's just the trouble. 1 can't live with her, but begorra, I can't live without her."

Doesn't that rather express our school and its paper?

Perhaps there are some things about our Tower Light of which we do not approve, something which we would like to change, some things which we feel could be bettered, but what would our school be without it? To tell what our paper is and what it means to the school would be

Efforts to distinguish between real and false happiness are misleading. to write a history of Normal. Think All happiness is real while it lasts, of The Oriole of last year, compare regardless of its ultimate results. The problem of life is to achieve well-being, which is greatest in pur- it with the new Tower Light. It does look as if we're growing, doesn't ity, intensity, and duration; and it it? Here's what the Tower Light can be solved only as individual de- 1, has given you:

Tests for your memory.

Opportunity for writing.

Work of elementary and Normal schools.

Exchanges with other papers.

Reviews of books, magazines, movies.

Literary attempts of your school- mates.

Information about clubs, athletics.

Gems of poetry from promising poets. Humorous and original jokes.

Teaching aids which can be used lo advantage.

A school paper reflects the school, 'tis true. Why not shine up the of farm buildings. Behind the woods inirror a bit and have our paper truly the sun is coming up .- From a Relay show how fine our school is.

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

Happiness is made up of two con- ditions, absence of undesirable experi- ence and presence of desirable ex- perience. Experiences of happiness vary in their purity (absence of mix- ture with unhappiness), in intensity, in duration, and in the degree of participation of the whole or part of personality.

All related terms-such as fun, pleasure, joy, happiness, peace, con- tent, well-being, blessedness, felicity -- describe the same general state, but with one or another element pre- dominating. Peace implies partici- pation of the whole personality, and chiefly the absence of the undesir- able. Fun suggests temporary and superficially desirable experience.

sire is subordinated to the greatest total well-being of all life, present land future .- From Antioch Notes.

THE SONG OF THE LARK.

1 peasant girl at sunrise, happy in beginning work, sings as she crossos the field.

CAN'T WE DO AS WELL?

Alumni Subscriptions Double Circulation.

By Walter B. McFarland.

Two years ago the organization of an alumni association was effected by a group of prominent graduates of our high school. Among them was a former editor and at his suggestion the annual dues of the association were fixed at one dollar, seventy-five cents of which was to pay for a sub- scription to our high school news- paper, the V. H. S. News, East Las Vegas. N. Mex.

A local secretary was elected by the association and all membership dues are paid to her, who in turn sends the addresses and subscription money to the business manager of the paper. In the beginning a list of all graduates of our high school was prepared from the records of the principal's office and a letter was sent to every alumnus whose address could be found, inviting him to join the organization. A large percent- age responded and we now send papers everywhere from Chili to Alaska.

In return we run a column of alumni news in the paper each month and publish many notices to members that officers may send in. The edi- tors find this to be a prolific source of copy when news is scarce and proves an easy way for officers to reach

all members. We believe that the high school paper should not cease to serve students upon graduation. but should continue to keep alive their interest in the affairs of the school that they attended.

Instead of running such material as mere mentions under a label of "Alumni News" we take the most outstanding facts and write them into a regular news-story, placing it un- der a full size douhle-deck head. It often makes a story of sufficient im- portance to be given front page prominence, The use of a fairly large headline and the form of il news-story makes it equally as at- tractive to other readers as to alumni. Since the organization of this alumni association our mailing list

She wears a coarse, loose, rough clothing. On her head is a loosely fastened cloth. Her skirt is of white cotton, ill-fitting her husky form. Jhas increased until it now far ex- Around her waist is a dull colored apron, baggily tucked up in front; from under her apron falls a dark long skirt. A sickle is in her hand. She is barefoot. ceeds the circulation among students. At the same time it relieves the busi- ness managers of much trouble and considerable expense that formerly Beyond the fields lies a strip of woods against which clusters a group were unavoidable in securing alumni subscriptions. The plan has given our paper a much needed financial boost and we hope it may he useful to others .- From Scholastic Editor. May this happen to us .- Editors.

School child in 5th grade.

Circulation Manager: PARLEY HUFF

Student Editors:

ALICE L. MUNN

May, 1926.

TOWER LIGHT.

Page 5

TOWER LIGHT.

May, 1926.

IMPRESSIONS OF SPARROWS POINT,

A bristling forest of chimneys, luge blast furnaces, an endless chain, of buckets carrying ore, coke and limestone to the blast furnaces; cars of burning coke (hell on wheels); flaming caldrons of melted iron, dinkey yard engines rushing hither and thither, ore boats from South American ports, July 4th all the time, soot, cinders, smoke and ashes; sweating, straining, half-naked steel workers, and above it all a marvel- lously efficient organization and fabulous capital-that is Sparrows Point.

Huge steel sheds covering acres of ground are scattered around helter- skelter, and with no forethought, it seems to us, as to the best place. Our minds can scarcely comprehend so vast an organization where each man, shop and engine is a mere cog in the machine.

As we enter the yard a bell clangs. men yell and a dinkey-engine rushes past us with a carload of ingets. Another clang, clang, and before we know it a second has passed with a. huge darkey hanging over the side grinning at us. We make haste to cross the rails.

In the morning we had gone through every place and had seen everything except the tin-plate mills, and now we were going to go through them. As we approached the huge building our guide told us that few men could stand the heat for more than a few years. "College men," he said somewhat scornfully, "often come down to try it during the sum- mer months, but few stick it out for more than a few weeks." Yes, it takes men to do this man's job, and the puny striplings who hang around drug-store corners in the evening would keel over the first week, if they stood it that long.

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Oriole and Tower-Light, 1922-1927, Part 111

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.) Publication date: 1922-1927 Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.) Number of Pages: 1024

Author: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Publication date: 1922-1927
Publisher: Maryland State Normal School (Towson, Md.)
Number of Pages: 1024