1931-1932

=1931-1932=

=Overview=

The 1931-1932 school year would be the beginning of a new chapter at BTHS. The school had a successful football team for the first season in a while. The Hy News, still in its early years, proved to be a major success. And the school's Dramatic Club set new school records for its performances. = = =**Faculty and Staff **=

Board Of Education
President- Aurthur Jones Secretary/Treasurer- Merrills Fleischbein Wiechert Wright Buesch Dew Ruediger

Administration

 * Principal**- Henry Galen Schmidt
 * Assistant Principal**- J.H. Yarbrough (also English)
 * Athletic Director**- F.J. Friedli (also Biology, Botany, Zoology)

Faculty Statistics
English Teachers: 10 Chemistry Teachers: 1 Home Economics Teachers: 1 Physics Teachers: 1 Vocational Teachers: 3 Art Teachers: 1 Mathematics Teachers: 5 Commercial Teachers: 4 History Teachers: 4 Agriculture Teachers: 1 Physical Education Teachers: 2 Music Teachers: 2 Biology Teachers: 4 Botany Teachers: 1 Zoology Teachers: 1 Physiography Teachers: 1 Modern Language Teachers (French, Spanish, German): 3 Latin Teachers: 3 Library Science Teachers: 1

Senior Class: 75 Boys, 75 Girls, 100% Caucasian Students Junior Class: 86 Boys, 114 Girls, 99.55% Caucasian Students, .45% African-American Students Sophomore Class: 147 Boys, 126 Girls, 100% Caucasian Students Freshmen Class: 213 Boys, 230 Girls, 100% Caucasian Students =Campus=

The BTHS campus consisted of three buildings in 1932:


 * **The School**- Later known as the Main Building (or M-Building), this was the three story structure where most academic classes were held.
 * **The Cafeteria**- Located behind the main school building (where the N-Building was eventually added), the Cafeteria was known for it's distinctive smokestack. This building also appears to house the shops classes.
 * **The Gymnasium**- Located to the right of the school building from West Main Street, the Gymnasium (later called the Girl's Gymnasium or G-Building) was completed nearly 10 years ago and continued to serve the students of BTHS.

=Departments =

The following are the academic departments listed in the 1931-1932 //Bellevinois//:

Science Department
The Science Department, now in its twentieth year, sustained its grown from the 1920's and has expanded its curriculum to offer a broader range of science courses to the students at BTHS. By studying biology in the Freshmen year, botany or physiography in the Sophomore year, chemistry or zoology in the Junior year, and physics in the Senior Year, a student could complete a full four-year science curriculum. Teachers: W.H. Campbell (Chemistry), C. F. Johnson (Biology), O.H. Cross (Biology), Christine Fischer (Physiography), Ethelyn Draser (Biology), F.J. Friedli (Biology, Botany, Zoology), John A. Karch (Physics)

Department of Home Economics
The Department of Home Economics provided courses in Foods, Clothing, Textiles, and Home Making.

Food classes taught students the values of cooking and how to prepare and present a proper meal.

Home Making taught students housekeeping and home-living. The students were provided with a model four-room apartment. Each year the class bought something for the apartment. In the 1931-1932 school year, the Home Making students purchased a set of silver to be used for serving meals.

Clothing classes taught students, primarily female students, how to make different articles of clothing for various occasions. This went with the rest of the Home Economics Department's curriculum of helping students prepare for the real world.

The art program's main goal was to teach students to appreciate beauty and to create beauty themselves. The Art department's curriculum provided enough courses to maintain a four-year schedule. Students could take courses in water color, tempera and oil paint, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, jewelry, metal design casting, linoleum block printing, modeling, and batik.
 * Art Department**

Mathematics Department
The mathematics course was divided into subjects that spanned four years. These included Algebra I and II, Geometry III and IV, Advanced Algebra V, Solid Geometry VI, Trigonometry VII, and College Algebra VIII. Even at the genesis of the Great Depression BTHS still saw the value of a core mathematics program. BTHS' math department had the moto "Our entire civilization, our sciences, our modes of thinking, have a mathematical core." Teachers: John A. Karch, W.H. Campbell (Algebra), E.G. Hexter, Christine Fischer, Dorothy E. Elrod (Algebra)

Commercial Department
The Commercial Department was designed to prepare students for immediate employment in Belleville, which was described as an, "industrial center", as well as for competition on the world stage where the war helped secure the United States a leading position. There were two courses of study in the Commercial Department- Bookkeeping and Stenography. Bookkeeping courses included Penmanship, Commercial Arithmetic, Accounting, Salesmanship, Commercial Law, and Advertising. The Stenography courses included Typing, Transcription, and Office Training (which taught filing, billing, and shipping). The focus of the Commercial Department was to prepare students to enter the business world where they were to, "wage the future commercial battles of the world for American manufacturers with training as good as, if not superior to, that of our foreign competitors." Teachers: Grace Bertram, Theodosia Meng, Alfred C. Lippold, Dorothy Murray, Hortense Emunds

Department of Social Sciences
The Social Sciences classes are designed to expand a students knowledge of his own culture as well as that of other civilizations of the world. The Social Science curriculum included Ancient and Medieval History (freshman year), Modern History (sophomore year), History of the United States and Civics (junior year), and Economics and Sociology (senior year). Teachers: Clara Stiegmeyer, Jessie McElwain (History and Civics)

Industrial Department
The Industrial Department is divided into three different courses of study: Wood Shops, Iron Shops, and Drafting. The Wood Shops were a four year course of study that included Woodwork I-IV which focused on both bench work and machine work. The woodworking classes are credited for funding their own projects by selling class projects, such as tables, for money. The Iron Shops focus on metallurgy such as the tempering of steel, forging, and welding. The Drafting courses include Mechanical Drawing I and II, Engine Drawing, Machine Drawing, and Architectural Drawing. Teachers: Russell M. Denney (Mechanical Drawing), Otto C. Druge (Wood Shops), Erwin L. Legried (Iron Shops), Ed S. Wright (Mining)

Agricultural Department
The Agricultural Department has two major course loads. General Agriculture was offered to give students a basic foundation to the principles of agriculture. The Animal Husbandry course was an elective that could be taken after the General Agriculture class. Teacher: Homer M. Harper

Physical Education Department
Physical Education Department at BTHS choose to focus more on games for the students than the traditional, military based, drills that most institutions used. This worked well for the student body as BTHS was able to fully utilize the gymnasium that had been constructed on campus. Teacher: Walter Lorenzen

Department of Languages
The Department of Languages consisted of English, Latin, and Modern Languages.

The English Department faculty has committed itself to make the department, "strong, virile, worth while." The English department at BTHS choose to focus more on the development of a students literary knowledge rather than on developing a student's writing capabilities. Teachers: Ruth Twitchell, J.H. Yarbrough, Edith M. Waddock, Bessie Newlon

Though Latin was a declining course in many high schools, at BTHS the course was still thriving, and offering numerous opportunities for students to expand their knowledge of the world's oldest language. Teacher: Jessie F. Miller

BTHS also offered three modern foreign languages: French, Spanish, and, the relatively new, German. In these classes students were required to master a foreign language, however, the teachers still kept things fun by having several game days and culture days where students could apply their knowledge of a language in a fun way. Teacher: Clara Keller

Department of Music
The Music Department included three courses of study. First was the piano department which offered courses over a four year period with students taking lessons one day per week. Second were the theoretical courses which included Theory and Harmony and the History of Music. The Junior-Senior Chorus would perform an operetta for the public. The Orchestra and the Band were the final part of the Music Department. The orchestra included violins, a coronet, a saxophone, drums, two pianos, and an organ. The orchestra, along with the piano and choral students, would perform two recitals a year. Because music classes were not offered daily, they were awarded 1/5 credit for each semester. The BTHS band offered a similar program with more modern instruments and the implementation of the Marching Maroons. Teacher: Raymond Rapp (Piano and Chorus), Ludwig Carl (Music and Chorus)

**Biology Department**
The Biology Department offered three courses as students progressed through the coursework. Freshmen took Biology where they studied the science of living things and elementary biological systems. Botany, taken at the sophomore year, allowed students to study the different aspects of the plant world. Finally, upperclassmen took Zoology in order to understand the roots of human nature. The biology lab included a glass conservatory which has also been incorporated into the new campus that was built in 2002Teachers: F.J. Friedli

=Major Events at Belleville Township High School=

"The Nut Farm" Dramatic Club Performance
This was the Drama Club’s one act play of the year. The play was performed on December 11, 1931 and brought in a record crowed. This cemented the Drama Club’s place as one of the major clubs at BTHS.

Miracle on the Turf
The Football Squad had a miraculous season, domination most of the conferences and providing stunning entertainment for the student body every weekend.

Escaping the World
Even during the Great Depression the school continued to provide an out-standing education to its students and numerous opportunities through clubs and other activities, which is a major event all in itself =Curriculum =

Literature (3/5 credit) Rhetoric (2/5 credit) Algebra General History Biology/Community Science Latin French Arts and Crafts Mechanical Drawing Shop Practice Home Economics Domestic Art Design (1/2 credit) Agriculture Bookkeeping Elementary Wholesale Business Penmanship (1/2 credit) Business Arithmetic (1/2 credit) Stenography Typing Piano (1/5 credit) Chorus (1/5 credit) Orchestra (1/5 credit) Gym (1/5 - 3/10 credit) || English Geometry Ancient History Physiography Home Nursing (1/2 credit) Latin French Arts and Crafts Mechanical Drawing Shop Practice Home Economics Textiles and Millinery (1/2 credit) Agriculture Bookkeeping Banking Corporate Accounting Stenography Transcription Business Practices Typing Commercial Geography (1/2 credit) Commercial Law (1/2 credit) Commercial Arithmetic (1/2 credit) Business Spelling (1/2 credit) Piano (1/5 credit) Chorus (1/5 credit) Orchestra (1/5 credit) Gym (1/5 - 3/10 credit) || English Algebra (Advanced) (1/2 credit) Geometry (Solid) (1/2 credit) Zoology Chemistry Latin Spanish Modern History Industrial History Arts and Crafts Mechanical Drawing Shop Practice Home Economics Agriculture Accountancy Salesmanship (1/2credit) Advertising (1/2 credit) Stenography Typing Auto Mechanics History of Music Piano (1/5 credit) Chorus (1/5 credit) Orchestra (1/5 credit) Gym (1/5 - 3/10 credit) || English American History Latin Spanish Trigonometry (1/2 credit) Physics Civics (1/2 credit) Mechanical Drawing Economics (1/2 credit) Sociology (1/2 credit) Theory & Harmony Astronomy (1/2 credit) Geology (1/2credit) State Course (1/2 credit) Psychology (1/2 credit) Shop Practice Stenography Typing Commercial Law (1/2 credit) Agriculture Arts and Crafts Piano (1/5 credit) Chorus (1/5 credit) Orchestra (1/5 credit) Gym (1/5 - 3/10 credit) ||
 * ===Freshman Classes=== || ===Sophomore Classes=== || ===Junior Classes=== || ===Senior Classes=== ||
 * English

=**Athletics **=

Football
Football Squad – Coach Gunderson o 71 People o 7W-2L-1T o 1931 was a successful season for the most capable and youthful coach in the conference.

Basketball
Basketball Squad – Coach Friedli o 14 People o 10W-14L o For the first time in Maroons’ history, the basketball team was eliminated in the first round of the district tournament. Obviously, this was a disappointing event in the season

Baseball
Baseball Squad – Coach Friedli o 18 People o 5W-3L o This year the Maroons’ had a successful season with much to be happy about.

Track
Track Squad – Coach Gunderson o 18 People o 3W-1L o Belleville had a winning season, and even in the match that they lost, they still proved to be excellent competitors.



Tennis
Boys’ Tennis Team – Coach Minnie Dill o There was nothing about the record of the team. Stated there was a strong, senior, Robert Berg, who was leaving. He and another student, Schlusser, were stated as being state champions in doubles. Girls’ Tennis Team – Coach W.H. Campbell o Again, no record was kept about how many women were on the team, or there was nothing on the team’s record. The girls won the Southwestern championship for the third year in a row. Noted athlete as being ranked number 1 was Bernice Bien.

= = =**Activities **=

o 13 people o Editor: Florine Petri o Once again, the Bellevinois staff produced another stunning yearbook. o 16 o Editor in Chief Maryan Middlecoff and Preston K. Johnson o Continued spreading news to the student body through their publications. o 21 o Miss Dill o In its third year the Girl’s Tumbling Club continued to grow and make a path for women’s groups at Belleville High School in the future. o 24 o Mr. Friedli o In its 7th year, the Men’s Lettermen Club promoted sportsmanship among noted student athletes at Belleville High School. o 22 o Miss Alexander and Neubauer o The Home-Ec Club had a fund raiser this year to raise money to buy Home-Ec Club pins where they sold popcorn balls. They also helped the community by making toys for the Community Empty Stockings Club o People: Not pictured o Mr. Karch o In their second year, led by their brilliant sponsor, the Aeronautics Club the club grew immensely in popularity spreading interest in flight to many students at Belleville High School. o Not Listed o Mr. Cross o Running a strong 9 years, the Club sparked the interest in science to a select male students at the high school o 14 o Miss Lee o Alpha Rho Tau, also known as the Art Club, worked on several group art projects to beatify the school and expand their individual creativity. o Not Pictured o Miss E. Draser o This organization was used to award successful female athletes with awards of recognition. o 14 o Miss Fischer o There was no description of this year’s events. o 32 People o Sponsor: Miss Harmon o Now in its 5th year, the Snappy Snappers Pep Club continued to promote sportsmanship and school spirit at all of the school’s sporting events o 38 People o L. Lentz o There was no description of this year’s events. o 16 o Commercial Teachers o Even as one of the older clubs at Belleville High School, the Commercial Club continued to promote good business practices to help organize its members for when they enter the professional work force. o 18 o Miss Johnson o Through clever games, spelling contests, and Roman themes parties; the Latin Club continued to further interested in the language of the ancient world. o 13 o Mr. Trabue o By bringing local business men to the monthly meetings; young men were exposed to more of the world of business thanks to the Advertising Club o 9 o Mr. Campbell o This year the club took part in several group experiments, chemical discussions, and even some chemistry based games. o 76 o Mr. Dey o This was when the tradition of one act plays took off at Belleville High School, as participation in the performing arts sky-rocketed. o 14 People o Miss Dill o The Letterwoman’s Club continued to promote sportsmanship and team work among all of the advanced female athletes at Belleville High School. o 69 People o Conductor A. C. Staples o No specific details were provided about the band o 44 o Conductor A. C. Staples o No specific information was provided about the orchestra o 30 o Mr. Dey o In contrast to the Snappy Snappers, the Peppy Peppers was BTHS’ first attempt at a male pep club for sporting events.
 * Bellevinois**
 * Hy News**
 * Girl’s Tumbling**
 * Letterman’s**
 * Home-Ec Club**
 * Aeronautics**
 * Boy’s Science**
 * Alpha Rho Tau**
 * Girl’s Athletic Association**
 * Girl’s Science**
 * Snappy Snappers**
 * Agriculture Club**
 * Commercial Club**
 * Latin Club**
 * Advertising Club**
 * Chemistry Club**
 * Dramatic Club**
 * Letterwoman’s Club**
 * The Band**
 * The Orchestra**
 * Peppy Peppers**

=Major Award Winners=

Vivienne Theiss – Class Queen

Leslie Cole – Popular Boy Gene Kircher – Junior Maid Bernice Bien – Sophomore Maid Sally Heely – Freshmen Maid