Central High School - Red and Black Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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Vmwmvmmwvm V. THE RED AND BLACK .e V- gb Q. .-W lQg xlg1ur1g4' 1g 4n1g4L1g4s1 4L1gi A year later, on April l l, I865, the High School Committee reported that the spirit of satisfaction and solemn earnestness is manifested in the perform- ance of the duties devolved upon instructors and students. On September l2, l865, Helen A. Shafer, afterwards President of Welles- ley College, was appointed as an assistant teacher at a salary of S900.00, a rare teacher of mathematics, a womanly woman, possessing the most charming feminine traits of character. On February I3, I866, the High School Committee announced to the Board the serious protracted illness of Mr. C. F. Childs, the Principal, and on February 27 ,l866, informed the Board that it had deemed it desirable and expedient to appoint lVlr. H. H. Morgan, the first assistant teacher, to take charge of the functions of Principal. On March I3, I866, the Committee on High Schools offered resolutions on the death of Mr. C. F. Childs, the Principal, which resulted from pneumonia incurred by his efforts to extinguish a fire that started from the furnace and caused serious damage to the building. Regardless of possible consequences to himself, Mr. Childs had tried in vain to put out the fire by throwing buckets of water up against the ceiling and burning Hoot above. It was a very cold day and the water, as it fell down, froze upon him. He had but recently recovered from a severe attack of typhoid fever, and the exposure was more than he could endure. On January 15, 1867, the proposition was made to transfer the library of the High School to the Public School Library, reserving certain privileges. On Monday after the close of the schools, the graduates formed an Alumni Association which later rendered most valuable service to the school in its persistent efforts to secure a new building suited to its needs. ln November, I867, Mr. Thomas Davidson, later recognized as one of the five greatest scholars of the world, was appointed an assistant in the High School. ln the Superintendent's annual report for the year l867-1868, the need for greater accommodations was stressed and the division of the large hall on the third floor was suggested as the best plan for furnishing immediate relief, to be followed later by the establishment of three intermediate schools in different parts of the city to house the Grammar Department and the Junior year of the High School. The advantage of bringing together pupils of the higher grades in the High School for association with large numbers of advanced pupils was recognized as one of the chief attractions of the High School, and the conclusion, reached was that it would be better to divide the large hall rather than leave the eighth grade graduates in their respective schools. Thirty-one

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-.'5f.? fi'..E'.?'N',i.'5.1'F 75S.ZQ A by a vote of eleven to four. Mr. Archibald Carr gave notice that he would move a reconsideration of this resolution at the next meeting. On july 26, I862, Mr. Wm. W. Green presented a resolution looking to the opening of the schools without charge, except the High and Normal, by the employment of young teachers at nominal salaries. This resolution was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means which reported in favor of opening the Primary and Grammar schools at a tuition cost of 51.00 per quarter and the High School and Normal at 37.00 per quarter, but discouraged the employment of inferior teachers. At this meeting a minority report was presented criticising sharply the maintenance of the High School and the Normal, and the employment of high- salaried teachers instead of conducting a simple and inexpensive system of public education and employing teachers qualified to teach the substantial elements of Reading, Writing, common Arithmetic, good conduct, and gentle- manly behavior. On August I9, I862, the resignation of Mr. Thomas Metcalf was received and accepted. The High School Committee reported that it was taking proper steps to secure a man of eminent qualifications for the principalship. On August 28, the committee recommended the appointment of Mr. Ebenezer Knowlton as Principal, and this report was adopted. ln September, I862, the High School Committee reported that the charge of a small tuition fee had not affected the support of the High School by the public as shown by the return of pupils after the vacation. Two hundred and thirty-eight were present the first clay, I I0 girls, I28 boys. The branches of study taught were English Grammar I27, English Composition I 74, Elocution 24I, Drawing 252, General History 25, Algebra l4I, Geometry 58, Trigo- nometry I3, Analytical Geometry I2, Calculus I2, German II3, French 35, Latin 139, Greek 25, Physics I9, Natural Philosophy 53, Zoology 9, Book- keeping 33, English Language and Literature I 7, Moral and Intellectual Philosophy I9: the total, l,308, divided by 238, the number of pupils, equals 5 ya subjects on the average to each pupil. June 23, I863, Mr. C. F. Childs was appointed Principal. On April I2, I864, the High School Committee reported that the High School, so far as the various branches of education-taught, will compare favorably with any other educational institution in the country. It is, in fact, what it was designed to be when established, the college of the Public Schools Department, where all scholars may enter who are sufficiently advanced and receive thorough and practical education requisite for the duties of life, in a great measure without cost. Thirty

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ve- On July I4, I868, the committee recommended that a portion of the large hall on the third floor, which served as an auditorium, be fitted with suitable desks and blackboards for the use of the drawing department. This was an evidence of the overcrowding of the school, which continued with increasing discomfort and detriment for many years, though relief was sought in various ways, until it was at length obtained in September, IS93, when the new building was opened on Grand and Windsor Place. The report of the Principal, Mr. H. H. Morgan, for year IS67-l868, dwells on the amount of home study required as shown by reports of pupils of each of the four years. It shows both the expectation of the school as to the appli- cation of students and the care taken not to impose too heavy a burden on them, but one that could be borne without detriment or hardship. The hours prescribed were from 9:00 a. m. to 2:30 p. m., including thirty minutes for lunch, and were divided into six periods of fifty minutes each. The years were not divided into two parts until ten years later. ln the first year there were three five-day subjects and one four-day sub- ject. This left more than an hour and a half daily for study in school in addition to two hours and a half of home study. The average age was l4.9 years. ln the second year, there were three five-day subjects and one four-day subject. This again left more than an hour and a half daily for study in school, in addition to three hours of home study. The average age was l5.8 years. ln the third year, there were four five-day recitations and one four-day. This left an hour a day for study in school in addition to three and one-fourth hours at home. The average age was l6.6. In the fourth year, there were iive daily recitations beside the rhetorical work in connection with an assembly hour. This left less than one hour a day for study in school and the average home study was three and one-fourth hours. The average age was l7.6 years. The rhetorical work mentioned consisted in the giving of orations by the boys and of essays by the girls before the entire school asembled in the auditorium or large hall on the third floor, and for these orations and essays very serious preparation was required and, on their delivery, much pains was spent. There was ambition to excel both in thought content and effective presentation, and also in elocutionary effect. It may be pertinent to say in this connection that, in those days, an exami- nation was required at the end of the year in every subject, covering a year's work, and that failure in one subject made it necessary to go over the entire year's work in all subjects. Promotion by subjects was not then allowed and the required per cent for passing was 65. Thirzy-two