Isaac Newton, Beethoven, others visit YHS

by Cathie Campbell - of the Sierra Star

 

— Sierra Star photos/Cathie Campbell

Students from Yosemite High School’s honors-history class participate in the  “Elegant Salon,” designed to be the class’ final. There  “The Philos­ophes” group consisted of Jenny MacLaggan as Marie-Therese Geofrin; Anthony Naumcheff as John Locke; Amy Scott as Jean Jaques Rousseau; Casey Wolters as Denis Diderot and Gary Smith as Adam Smith.

 

— Sierra Star photos/Cathie Campbell

“The Astronomers” group was made up of Jordan Fowler as Johannes Kepler; Tim Springer as Tycho Brahe; Cody Campbell as Copernicus and Kyle Oller as Galileo Galilei.

 

 

For 10 years the Yosemite High School honors-history class, taught by Betsy Blum, has presented an “Elegant Salon” that serves not only as educational entertainment, but also as a final exam for the semester.

The presentation was held on Thursday at the school library, with a grand offering of refreshments and beverages for guests and students.

The students each represented a significant character from history, and part of the assignment was to create a square box, decorated on all sides with pictures and text that represented the historical figure’s accomplishments.

“It’s been a real important opportunity for the students to perform,” says Mrs. Blum.

“It adds a relevancy to a course about historical figures.”

A few of the students dressed in clothing that was representative of their character, and they all seemed to enjoy participating in the event.

 

Clarinet solo

After everyone had a chance to sample the beverages, cookies, mini sandwiches, and other finger foods, the event unfolded with a very professional B-flat clarinet solo by Caitlin Merrell.

“Madame Blum” then introduced the first of the five groups, the “Astronomers,” and the next group, the “Philo­sophes.”

The “Enlightened Despots” were next, with Travis Wight as Louis XV; Emily Basiletti as Maria Theresa; Ivan Tomazin as Frederick II; Jessica Muzy­chenko as Catherine II and Alex­ander Cano as Voltaire.

During the presentations, Mrs. Blum asked questions of the characters. She asked Catherine, “Didn’t you murder your husband?”

The audience was amused at this, and especially by Cather­ine’squip of, “He disappeared.”

Louis XV took the opportunity to explain what life in the royal court was like, and Travis Wright played the part well.

The next group was “Music and Culture,”consisting of such famous characters as Ludwig van Beethoven, played by Caitlin Merrell; Wolfgang Mozart, represented by Andy Medley; Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Jacob Lowns­bury and Joseph II, who was played by Mike Cole.

 

Expectations

Andy Medley’s Mozart character was not shy about telling those assembled that, “I am one of the few historical figures that actually lived up to their expectations,” much to his listeners’ delight.

The last group of students called themselves, “More Phil­osophes.” Kyle Mosher took the part of Sir Isaac Newton; Clay Russell played mathematician Rene Descartes; Raquel Dor­man was feminist and author Mary Wollstonecraft and Tim Williams was Dr. William Har­vey, who was a leading cardiac researcher.

The intellectual conversations helped to bring history alive for both the students and the audience.

 

A treat of song

The event ended with a duet as Amy Scott and Emily Ba­s­il­etti sang, “Pie Jesu” in a harmonious blend of crystalline voices that sounded like they were coming from an opera stage.

Mrs. Blum and her honors- history students once again provided proof that with a little imagination, creativity and re­search, school projects — even finals — can be fun.