Downers Grove North High School - Cauldron Yearbook (Downers Grove, IL)

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 RT TIIEVIE Advanced as we are in education today, with such wonderful opportunities for progress along scholastic and professional lines, it is best that we pause in this busy, often care-free age and renew some of the events that have led up to the present time. It is no small task to emphasize all the important changes in the history of a town and it is impossible, in this limited space, to name all the outstanding early settlers and their achievements. So. in editing this yearbook of 1930 we have tried in a small measure to touch upon the high lights of the history of Downers Grove. This history is very similar to the history of most of the surrounding towns, and. in fact, all the communities included in the old Northwest Territory. It is a story of sturdy pioneer men and women coming from the eastern states and settling in this vast region once inhabited by the Indians a story of their struggles for supremacy in all lines, with a sure and safe goal ahead. Our modern achievements today are somewhat a result of their planning and foresight. The school system of Downers Grove is outstanding, our town is constantly growing in numbers and prominence, and very worthy citizens have risen as a result of the high standards set up by these early settlers. And so. we have chosen for our art theme a phase which deals with two different peoples of this early period —the Indians, and the white men who succeeded them. For the Faculty title page we have selected an Indian chief so typical of teachers with their power to rule and command. The Seniors are represented by the two Indians on their horses riding toward the setting sun. The significance is apparent. As the Juniors are anticipating the time when they will become dignified Seniors, the picture in which the pioneer is pointing out the road to the Indian seems to fit very well. The Sophomore title page reveals an old fashioned woman and two medium sized children walking along, with a church in the distance : while the Freshmen are represented by two small youngsters being taught in a home by a house- wife which is exactly how the first schools of Downers Grove were conducted. The library, indicated by the Literary title page, brings us a step forward in our review of this history of our community to the present town library where many have received such profitable help. The social life in the early days was not a complex affair. The quilting parties and husking bees offered almost the only opportunities for social inter- course. and we have chosen the latter to depict the Social page in this annual. Again, with our organizations, we are brought back to the Indians and see them gathered around in a group, meditating and conversing together typical of our clubs and meetings today. 'The athletics of that early age were entirely different from the ones in which we participate today. Their “exercise” consisted in '.lie line of duties, or chores, which each young man had to perform daily. Thus we have a young pioneer lad splitting timber. And last, but not least in importance, we have the joke section, symbolized by two old cronies enjoying each other’s humor in a typical old country store. Now we have finished this brief review of the limes prior to our present day. We sincerely hope that by scanning the early history of Downers Grove in this way. we may more fully understand the foundation of our present age and appreciate these early people. -8- Fditok.