T h e A merican D rea m- - - Verona Area School District

Students at
Memorial High
celebrate
Famer day by
not wearing
shoes to class
in 1975.
16
O P I N I O N
More creative classes needed at VAHS
By JOSIE GAIECK
In our school systems today, we get
graded based on how well we adapt to
our teaching styles. In many classes, this
entails taking notes, tests, and reading out of
text books or packets. For many students,
like me, this is just fi ne. School comes easily.
These people are the left brained people.
Left brained people are quite different than
their counter parts, the right brained. Left
brained people learn in a logical sequence,
are rational and objective. However, right
brained people are completely different.
They learn in a random order, are intuitive,
and see things as a whole. In other words,
left brained people survive excellently in
the current environment that many schools
have, while right brained people suffer. Not
because they can’t learn the material, but
because they cannot learn in a structured,
organized, and uncreative way.
In my own AP English class, my teacher,
Ms. Bailey, is teaching in a creative and visu-
The evolution of American high schools
By ALLI DOPF
The following pictures are from the Memorial
High School year book (1975),
the Lower Merion, Pennsylvania yearbook
(1936), and VAHS (2008). Take a look
at how the times have changed.
Right:
Only
senior
pictures
were in
the year
book
as seen
here in
1936.
Drinking age in 1975 was 18.
ally stimulating way that seems to be helping
many of my classmates. As we were reading
Macbeth, students would act out scenes
and as we read Heart of Darkness, we create
illustrated timelines. These tactics help
students who have questions, and help many
to remember key events in both novels.
Unfortunately, not all of our teachers
adapt like Ms. Bailey, and our school seems
to offer more traditional classes than creative
classes (like art and music). Students
here at VAHS have strong feeling about the
status quo. Junior Lindsey Sanftleben said,
[We should have more right brained classes]
because there are a lot of math and science
classes but not a lot of art and music classes.
It doesn’t really seem balanced.”
However, senior Alyssa Hagaman isn’t
happy with the art classes that we offer now.
She says, “There are many aspects to art
rather than painting, drawing, and ceramics.
Our school should be more creative and offer
Example of student in 1975 whose
T-shirt could say anything.
T H E C A T ' S E Y E
a more diverse selection of art classes.”
Why all this emphasis on art and music
classes? Most right brained people are artists.
Another little bit of trivia: they are also
usually left-handed, although handedness
and brain dominance aren’t connected.
Right brainer and sophomore Mike Brooks
supports the creative classes, “In creative
classes your talent refl ects your grade. In
traditional classes, homework refl ects your
grades.” Most right brained people struggle
with school and the work force because it’s
too structured.
In today’s world, everyone talks about
success and making sure “every child” has
the opportunity to succeed. However, those
opportunities aren’t being given to half of the
students. Right brained students all across
the country, and right here in our school, are
struggling with what many fi nd to be simple.
It’s an uphill battle for these students to
achieve what so many want: success.
Left: A school bus from 1936.
Example of VAHS girls dressing
up for their team during
the 2008 season.
Clubs have also changed. Here
is the 1936 rifl e club.
All pictures submitted by Alli Dopf
M A R C H 2 0 0 9