Berkeley High School - Olla Podrida Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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OLLA PODRIDA Chess Club Six months ago there was no such thing as a chess club within the school. Now it is one of the strongest organiza- tions we have. For some reason, notwithstanding that chess brings the highest powers of the mind into use, an organiza- tion for the sole purpose of playing and advancing the game bad never before been considered. A visit to one of the play meetings will convince you of the success of the club and the popularity of chess as an intellectual amusement. One person has said that chess is a form of dissipation that is spreading with a remarkable degree of rapidity. However, the general belief is that it is a game highly instructive to those who participate therein. If anyone in the schools is desirous of learning this game, he or she may obtain very apt teachers by letting the president of the organization know. On January 19 a regular business meeting was held, at ■ which officers were elected for the present semester. Laurie Steinegger was chosen president ; he is probably the strongest player in the club. Kimberlin is vice-president — a man who made a very high standing in the recent tournament. Stanley Arndt is now secretary-treasurer. He is a strong man. The two teachers of chess, apopinted by the president, are Eugene Sturgis and Bruce Anthony. In the school election of last semester Bruce Anthoney was chosen chess manager for the term. Anthoney is a great student of the game and should make an excellent manager. It is hoped that a large number will learn the game and join the organization this coming semester. 20

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OLLA PODRIDA Agora The Agora Literary and Debating Society, one of the fore- most organizations of the Berkeley High School, was orga- nized in ' 06 by a small band of enthusiastic workers, in order to extend debating and give permanency to forensic effort. The purpose for which this society was organized is cer- tainly a splendid one, but the benefits that have developed since its organization have been far greater than many of us give it credit for. There is no student activity which can at any time be more interesting and at the same time instruc- tive, than debating ; and there is no way by which a student can be more successful and can better develop his or her for- ensic powers than by membership in either of the two debat- nig societies existing in the High School. Debating prepares the student for straightforward public speaking, overcoming the habit of hesitancy. It banishes all traces of self-conscious- ness and awkwardness. The Agora is under the auspices of the Debating League of Californ ia. This league is comprised of the debating socie- ties of most of the prominent schools of central California, such as Lowell High, Mission, San Jose, Martinez, Humboldt Evening High, AVashington Evening High, Santa Clara High, Berkeley High, and California Institute for the Blind. These schools contest with each other for silver trophy cups, med- als, etc. The Agora will debate San Jose High February 11th, on the subject, Resolved, that the several State Legislatures should ratify the Eederal amendment providing for an income tax. This is one of the leading questions of the day, and should arouse a great deal of interest. The winner of this debate will have the privilege of meeting Lowell High for the Stanford University Trophy Cup. Debating, conducted as it should be, and as the Agora has tried to foster it, gives to the student Qourage and self-reliance, and lays the foundation for higher and noble r ideals. 19

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OLLA PODRIDA The Greek Club The Greek Club was organized on the twenty-first of Sep- tember, 1908, by Miss Clayes of the classical department. The principal object of the organization was to call back to life the rapidly waning interest in classical subjects, but as this was not the only object, I will here recount a few facts from its history. Immediately after its organization the members of the club began work on the production of a dramatization from the first, second and third books of Homer ' s Iliad, to be staged in Jan- uary of the following term. The first public undertaking of the Greek Club was in September, 1908, when Professor Edward Bull Clapp, head of the Greek department of the University of California very kindly consented to deliver a stereopticon lec- ture under the auspices of the club. Professor Clapp spoke on his recent travels in Greece, and greatl interested his audi- ence. During the rest of the fall term of 1908, and during every term since then, we have been favored with lec- tures by various members of the University faculty. We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to Professors Clapp, Allen, AVashburn, Linforth and Richardson, all of the University classical department, who have entertained us on various occa- sions with very interesting lectures. On January 29tli the club produced the scenes from Homer, wdiich we mentioned above, with great success. During the tall term of 1910 the club members made a trip to the Affili- ated Colleges in San Francisco, where Dr. Washburn explained the archaeological collection in the museum there. The club had enjoyed several visits to the museum in Berkeley, where the collections were explained by University men. In No- vember, 1910, the club entertained the graduating class at an uiformal reception and produced a dialogue from Homer. We look forward to a third production of the sort this term. 21