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Typical Midwestern High School Seeks Values Outside Classrooms

At Horace Mann, one of the largest, language courses depends on the number of students willing to take them and the availability of a teacher. A few years ago, two years of Latin and two of Spanish were the only languages taught. French was reintroduced recently, and a first-year German class is being formed for next fall.

Occasionally the third and fourth years of a language are given, upon special agreement between a teacher and a few interested students. Although Russian and Portuguese are listed in the city-wide course catalogue, neither is actually offered.

Any analysis of the Gary school system must take into consideration the type of community it serves. A mushrooming city founded only 52 years ago, Gary is the home of United States Steel's largest single plant, which employs about one-fifth of the city's residents.

Over one-half of Horace Mann's graduates attend college, but the average for the whole city is less than 20 percent. Mark C. Roser, supervisor of the schools' Public Personnel Division, has commented that the Gary high schools "cannot completely be geared to the needs of the twenty percent of the group who go on to college, if we are going to have democratic schools."

Wirt System

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Several decades ago the Gary school system was established by William A. Wirt, who instituted a "work-study-play" program designed for mill workers' children. According to Roser, the Wirt System "was partially an attempt to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding population, with minimum building facilities, and partially a revolt against the typical 'Latin School' type of upper class education." The inclusion of extracurricular activities during the school day for credit was an integral feature of the system.

Even those students who continue to college usually find the Gary schools adequate. Most are satisfied to continue their schooling at state universities and colleges where an Indiana high school diploma is sufficient to guarantee entrance. Compared to the East, the worry of "getting into college" is almost nonexistent for Gary students.

Eastern College Difficulties

The occasional student who wishes to "go East" seldom realizes the difficulties of getting into a private Eastern college. He has probably been an all-A student in high school anyway, and has the added advantage of "geographic distribution." Only a handful of students take College Boards in any year, since few Midwestern colleges require them.

Horace Mann, therefore, is spared the Eastern high schools' keen competition for grades in anticipation of the college entrance scramble. To the extent that scholastic competition exists, it is simply competition for honors within the high school itself--who will be valedictorian, who will be elected to National Honor Society.

Even more important is the competition for social status within the Horace Mann community. Happiness in high school often depends on being in the "right" clubs and the right cliques.

For a girl, the summit of social acceptance is election into Sub-Deb Club or Jinx Club, sorority-like organizations not connected officially with the school. Hi-Y and Torch Club for boys are sponsored by the school, but membership is also selective.

12 Percent Jewish

Although the school is about 12 percent Jewish, very few Jews are members of the "top" clubs. Their out-of-school social life centers around the B'nai B'rith Girls and the AZA, Jewish youth organizations.

In addition to the clubs, the high school itself provides a multitude of social function. From the back-to-school dance to the Senior Prom, there is hardly a week without a dance, class play, or big sports event.

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