American history combined with American literature is now in the planning stages as a new course for next fall. If accepted, American history literature will be a double period, double credit course.

The faculty staff will try to stay away from the chronological study of history and base the course on themes or ideas. The purpose of the course will be to try to understand American history through American literature.

The course will employ classroom work and seminar study as well as large group lectures. There is a great deal of planning ahead, but the course should be open by the next school year.


Maine West is the only school in the district with an Afro-American studies course. Afro­-American studies is a pilot course under the direction of Mr. Charles Powers.

"So far, the feedback on the course has been positive," commented Mr. Powers. "The purpose of the course is to destroy all the white man's myths of the black man."

The course is offered to all seniors as an elective. This year 50 students are enrolled in two classes. On December 17, Mrs. Margo Crawford of the Illinois Commission on Human Relations spoke to the classes on the Moynihan Report dealing with black family life in the U.S.


Students in Miss Mary Fian's democracy classes have recently been learning about poverty. On December 14 and 18 the students held bake sales and a taffy apple sale for the Cook County Department of Public Aid. The proceeds went to the needy at Christmas.

Some students have experienced poverty by living on $1 a day which is the welfare allotment for teenagers. "On the whole, I feel the seniors are enjoying this course very much," says Miss Fian.