Alton High School - Tatler Yearbook (Alton, IL)

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As president, often against the strongest influence, his decisions were always for the right, as he perceived it. He lived a strenuous life,—a life that was exemplary in all its details. When the name of our school was changed from Alton High School to Theodore Roosevelt High School, it is possible that it was thought to be a better name, that it would cause us to remember his life and take it for an example. BUT— All the traditions of our school have been centered about Alton High School. In all the old color fights, the old and recent athletic and rhetorical victories, our men have come from “Alton High School.” The “A”s received by men who have honorably represented our school in football, basket ball, and track, in rhetoric, debating, and on the staff of the school publications, stand for “Alton High.” How would “T. R.” look in large letters occupying the whole front of a sweater? Are we not inconsistent? Our school is now known as “Theodore Roosevelt High School.” Nevertheless, all the letters given last year, and this year, have been “A”s. If we want the name “Theodore Roosevelt High School” we must not wear the “A” so long associated with the men who have honorably represented our school, but a yellow and green T. R.,” for while we are at it we might as well change the old colors. They have become worn-out and common anyway. However, if we do not wish it changed, we must publish all our papers and books under the name of “Alton High School,” and when we mention our school, it must not be as “Roosevelt High School,” but as “Old Alton High” and our colors shall still be the old Ruby Red and Silver Gray. G. C. C. For some time there has been felt the necessity for more room in Alton High School. Beginning in the spring semester of 1919, the Seniors were crowded out of their honored corner of the Assembly hall, by the incoming crowd of Freshmen. There were Freshmen of all sizes and ages; some, too, according to their sizes, looked as though they ought to be graduating from High School, rather than just entering. The majority, however, seemed rather to belong in the sixth grade. The poor Seniors were crowded into room four. a

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EDITORIALS The editorials of metropolitan newspapers should reflect the thoughts and opinions of the reading public. The editorials of a local paper should express the views of its readers. In writing these editorials we have tried to bear in mind, and to develop not only those things which express the sentiment of the present students in Alton High School, but also those things which will represent, to those who come after us, our feelings on events which have taken place in our history. Is It Alton High School or Not? Theodore Roosevelt has been called the “greatest American,” and perhaps correctly. During his whole life he stood for education. As a boy his life was a struggle for an education, not because of any financial difficulty, for his family had plenty of money, but against a greater handicap, ill health. He overcame this obstacle by clean, vigorous, out-door life. As he grew older, and became influential in politics, he always stood for what he understood to be right. 7

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Last summer, however, the School Board, foreseeing the coming inrush of the Freshmen, for verily it seemed an inrush, removed the old seats in four rooms and put in new desks. Then when school began, the Juniors followed the Seniors, and now, part of the Sophomores have been pushed out, and the Freshmen, once considered insignificant, and occupying perhaps eight row's of seats in front of the transverse aisle, have seized almost two-thirds of the whole assembly room. In the manual arts department, almost as many applicants for enrollment were turned away as were admitted. There are only two lathes, where at least five or six are needed. The number of benches in the manual training room is most insufficient. Conditions are somewhat different in the Mechanical Drawing room, where improved desks have taken the place of the old tables. But there are still students who have to do their w'ork at home because of the lack of room. In the cafeteria, especially during the first noon period, there is a great rush. The students have to wait in long lines, with the bare possibility of getting something to eat before the period is half over. Many students have to be at school at eight o’clock, and the periods now' are only forty minutes long. These short periods, together with some of the large classes, especially in the Freshman class, make it impossible for the students to recite every day. Our gymnasium has for a long time been inadequate. Our basket ball team has to find a place to practice wherever it can. In the fall, on rainy days, when the football team should practice indoors, there’s no practice. The locker rooms are far too small. There is a shower, where one can cool off or boil, according to the time of the year, the whim of the janitor, or if there are not a dozen ahead of you, waiting their turn. It seems that the only remedy for all these things is a new school. This we hope we shall see some day. Maybe those now in the sixth or seventh grades will have the honor of holding their graduation exercises in the new building. “Sportsmanship” One of the vital things of school life which is sometimes overlooked, is the sportsmanship of the student body. Many students think they have little or nothing to do with the sportsmanship of the school because they do not take an active part in the school activities. Those students are mistaken, because their attitude toward the school activ- 9