2 THc grantonian September io, » constitutional lacL Big letture sodai studies class provides good college training ’ 1 Something went wrong last year. Legislation concerning a progressive honor roll passed both the General and the Executive councils. The legis lation should have been officially presented to the administration for ap proval. It was not. Nothing was done last year to secure placement of the board, no steps were taken to carry out the motion passed by the councils. If the student body still wants the progressive honor roll it will have to be brought up once more and passed through both councils. The progressive honor roll board would be next to the present honor roll and would have had posted on it the names of students who showed improvement in three subject grades, had no F’s and had at least all S’s in habits and attitudes. Last year this proposal stumbled and halted at the official door of the administration. The constitution said it must be presented, yet it showed neither an opening nor the procedure with which to do so. At one end of the constitution stood the administration, at the other was student government. There was no ground to meet on, no steps to fol low. The constitution proved to be worthless. A constitution providing for communication between the administra tion and the student body seems to be needed. One which includes faculty participation would help to explain a previously unrecognized relationship and involvement. In the case of a progressive honor roll the faculty should be involved in the decision. Someone has got to set up the board, and keep a record of the students eligible for the honor roll. That person has to be a member of the faculty. Improved communication between student government and the admin istration and faculty would be a helpful ingredient for the coming term. “These students are proving, as was expected, that they don’t know how to handle a large lecture clas.s,” commented Parimaz Marsubian on the large group social studies class begun this year. “We hope they will make the mis takes and learn from them this year, instead of their freshman year in college, where the pressure of pass or fail is so much greater,” stated Mr. Marsubian. The large group social studies class will cover the same material as does American problems, only using a differ ent method. The class of 140 students is lectured to by team teachers Parimaz Marsubian and David Brattirt. The last ten minutes of the period is reserved as a question-answer period. “There is a good interplay between teachers and students during the question period. The students feel less inhibited about talking in such a large group,” told Mr. Brattin. The class is held fifth period in the auditorium. Seventh period in the cafe teria, both teachers hold conferences with any of their students who aren’t sure of the material covered that day in class. “We are pleased that so many of the stu dents have made use of this time,” said. Mr. Brattin. The real test of how a class is doing is in the reaction of the students. “I think the large class of American problems will be a wonderful help when I go to college. It will help to clear up some of the problems that will occur in college,” commented Cathy Burruss, senior. “I feel that the large class of American problems is a class of thought and under standing. I also now realize 3 tha that note bqft writing taking is not just writing, bi and understanding, and knowl! stated senior Betsi Collins, who is als\ taking the course. “For a college-bound student I feel the large group social studies is ideal. The atmosphere is one in which the individ- Robinson tells of Mexican changes by Cynthia Barrett Wayne Robinson, counselor, visited Mexico this summer for the seventh time, concentrating on the Yucatan and Baja California peninsulas. He and his wife drove in their deluxe camper down the j east coast of Mexico to Yucatan, across the country to the west coast city of Maz- atlan, and north from there to the border city of Nagales. Hiring a jeep and a guide, they visited 13 Mayan ruins in Yucatan. They saw temples in all stages of reconstruction, some overrun with jungle growth, and others beautifully restored by archeolo gists. A trip to two offshore islands high lighted the Yucatan stay. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson left the camper ashore and took a boat to Cozumel and Mujeres, where they stayed the night in small local hotels. While across the country in Mazatlan, they also took a boat trip to Baja Califor nia. A bus tour from there took them 140 miles into the desert. Usually when they travel, they cook, eat and sleep in their comfortable and well-stocked camper. Electric blankets, refrigerator,, stove and air-conditioner are quite convenient. “We can park any where and stay overnight. We usually stay in a small village, it is safer,” noted Mr. Robinson. There are no developed campsites on a national scale in Mexico as there are here, A camper in a small village causes much curiosity. “Once there were 50 or 60 people standing around while we ate Generalities Bruce Cairney, 1964 graduate, is at tending the University of Amsterdam in Holland for ten months. One of the eight een selected through the exchange pro gram, he is enrolled in the Netherlands Institute of International Business, a branch of the university. ual must learn to concentrate. Having the opportunity to do this now will be bene ficial in the coming freshman year of college,” stated Cynthia Evans, also a senior member of the class. New library materials to build up collection for student body needs Would you believe that a visit to the library could enable you to go 20,000 leagues under the sea, have an interview with Al Capp and Margaret Meade, learn the election songs of the United States, read Lena Horn’s autobiography and sit in a new, comfortable stack chair next to a trapezoid-shaped table? Figuratively speaking all this can be yours. First, you must take advantage of the library’s new materials. Through a federal grant the li brary was able to obtain these. “We want to build up and make a bal anced book collection to meet the needs in school,” said Miss Dorothy Johnson, head librarian. American ballads ranging from coun try music to “Love Songs for Friends and Foes,” are now available at the li brary. A recording of Shakespeare’s Othello starring Sir Lawrence Olivier has also been ordered. New vocational records arfe now in stock as well as those keyed as supple mentary literature for the new classes of interior decoration and cooking in addi tion to economics, speech, history and English. The fiction shelves are being well stocked with some of the new best sellers such as The Source by James a Michner and Sarkhan by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, the co-authors of the Ugly American. Additional audio-visual materials will also be available. Instructional filmstrips have been obtained to help in the indus trial arts classes as well as in English and history. An extended selection of language books and records will be in a new area with a record player near by to make it more convenient for students to study. More small individual book cases have been ordered to house the new books. These book cases will be sectioned off to make islands of materials according to their subject matter. . New stack chairs and trapezoid-shaped tables are now in the conference room. The new tables can be rearranged into many different shapes for a flexible seat ing arrangement. The library should be open to students during their study hall within another week. Letters to the Editor Grant High School Sept. 9, 1966 The Grantonian To the Editor: Mark Twain is credited with the state ment that, when compliments are in order, newspapers and politicians have an advantage over the rest of us. They ^Jke Grantonian give compliments to and for themselves! The Grantonian, however, does not fit this pattern. Worthy though it may be Published weekly by the advanced jour (and its record of national honors is im nalism class of Ulysses S. Grant high pressive proof of its high standards and school, room 203, 2245 N.E. 36th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97212. Phone 288-5975. achievements), we hardly expect a self- Printed by Modern Typesetting company laudatory report to appear in any issue with a circulation of 3000. Second-class of the Grantonian. postage paid at Portland, Oregon. Sub scription cost $2.00 per year. Nevertheless, the Grantonian staff de serves our most sincere appreciation for Vol. 69, No. 2 — September 16, 1966 their service to the school including, most Editor ............................. Barbara Earnest recently, their work in publishing the 1st Page Editor............................... Gayle Fleming 2nd Page Editor .......... . . . .Elaine Wolfe new Grant Handbook issued to all fresh 3rd Page Editor .............. Cecile O’Rourke men. 4th Page Editor................................ Mike Hoffman I would urge any student who has not Reporters........... .. Cindy Barrett seen this handbook to borrow one and Bonnie Brown, Mike Cochrane. Cynthia Evans, Cynthia Froom, Mary Jane find out about Grant, It isn't “camp,” but Hulett, Marilyn Leonard, Loma Viken you can't really be “in” unless you get Business Mgr.................... . .Marilyn Best the word from this excellent source. Circulation ................ Chris Larson Sincerely yours, Photographer ................... .Blake Risco® Adviser .. ................ .Willard Mohn Robert E. Gerber Instructor, English READY TO LEAVE on their camping trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, Baja California and Mexico City are Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Robinson in their camper pick-up truck. supper,” Mr. Robinson laughed. The camper helped the Robinsons get ac quainted. “We held open house,” said Mr. Robinson. “They were quite, inter ested in the different appliances.” When asked about the attitude of the Mexican people toward United States citizens, he said, “If an American ap proaches the individual with an accept ance of their culture, there will be no trouble. We have gotten along quite well. When .they talked to us, they were very cordial. The people are usually very hos pitable.” Concentrating on the ehanges which he had noticed in Mexico since his first visit in 1951, Mr. Robinson stated, “Things are becoming modernized. The government has put in water purifiers for the villages, and markets are not quite as colorful as they once were. The market is now more like a refined coun terpart of the old Portland Farmers* Market,” he noted.