Erasmus Hall High School - Arch Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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9X behind the SCGHCS IGLOGY p1aPARATI0N MRS. P. SANDERS I NF ORMATLUN MISS G u INAN ir J 5. LESHINSKY in it T-P Mus, zol. orow j 1 ATTENDANCE J tl Bl MR. F ELDMAN Q Jwss ERLER

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. ,. . F. ,. gr--f.,..- . coach of the track team, to a position at another high school. Again Robert Daru was successful as he helped to persuade the officials to rescind their decision, and Mr. Battel has remained at Erasmus ever since. The years passed, and soon Mr. Daru had become a member of the bar. His rise to the top of his field was phenomenal. In 1933, Mr. Daru had the distinction of being the youngest US. Senate Counsel ever appointed. Previous to his appointment he had been Assistant District Attorney of the County of New York. In recent years Mr. Daru's legal skill as General Counsel sparked the Committee on justice in investigating the West Point cribbing scandal. Mr. Daru has always lived both an inspiring and exciting life. His constant struggle against all that is unjust has given Erasmus good reason to be proud of him. Mr. Robert Daru has, through courage and determination, succeeded in life. He is as fine an example as can be set for our class of June 1955 to follow. Mrs. Genevieve B. Earle is an outstanding example of an individual who has reaped the benefits of an excellent education, and who has coupled this education with an unusual aptitude in political administration, a Held in which women rarely occupy the top jobs. Mrs. Earle graduated from Erasmus Hall in 1903, and was a member of Arista. Mrs. Earle's career was long and of great benefit to many people. In 1922, she was elected to the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, after actively assisting in war work. ln the years following, the former Erasmian was elected to the post of Bank Director in New York State. For distinguished and exceptional service she received a citation, the only woman thus honored with a gold medal from the Brooklyn Downtown Association for the most outstanding service to Brooklyn. The first and only woman to he elected to the City Council, Genevieve Earle was also designated as Minority Lehder, and retained this position until she retired in 1949. These Happy Few Erasmus Hall 1899-1903 By G. B. Earle In the retrospect of more than Hfty years the Erasmus of my clay still seems a shining and glamorous school and it seemed so then. It was a school of happy young people. 1 shall never forget the First meeting of the members of the entering class of that autumn who were assembled in what was then called the Study Hall on the second Hoor. Dr. Walter B. Gunnison, the principal, a tall broad-shouldered, handsome man, with a magnificent voice, greeted us, and explained the school's ideals and outlined the courses and the extra-curricular activities. One could readily see that he was a great teacher, warm, inspiring, and understanding. With him on the platform was his able assistant, Kate Turner, who with him became life- long symbols of what Erasmus meant to us. At that time Erasmus had only Ccontinued on page 331

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ummm: Cg JDDlDfw'W5 yy, 7 'fa - fic 4 U 9 - .al , ' f f .1 1-K ' DD ' if! Q f d ' a' 1 2' PI'O CSSGI' oggett S stu 10 - T Hidden high above the old Arch, in a tower reached by only a single dimly Q lit staircase, is a room which is but a skeleton of its former colorful self. This Q room is Studio D. Its only claim to fame today is as a trap for innocent freshmen. X'-Tx Actually at one time the Tower Studio, as it was known in the days of its A most illustrious tenant, Allen Barrows Doggett, was the hub of Erasmus 111111 5 social life and a museum of sorts. Professor Doggett was a unique teacher. Q He taught a love and understanding of art to his students. Those who knew 'S him, loved him. As the Flying Dutchman, forerunner to the Arch, so ably stated, T W1ioever knew Professor Doggett received a spark of his spirit and was the X finer for it.', Born in 1860 in Groveland, Mass., he taught art in the tower studio for 4 forty years, till his death in 1926. During his reign, the studio was a meeting H place for all those students interested in a good time. 1 Professor Doggett was famous for his boys, camp, his outdoor picnics with 'Q groups of pupils, his remarkable goldhsh living fifteen to twenty years, his roof Q garden, and his old costumes and antiques. His studio office and tank room Q were like old curiosity shops where pupils were allowed to browse. Daily, around W noon, music and laughter could be heard echoing from the sanctuary. - The professor's proficiency in art was recognized by both Harpers and :- Serilfmefs magazines, for which he did illustrations. His work also included : the illustrations for Hans Brinker and Silver Skates. To gather sketches for 'L the book, Professor Doggett journeyed to Holland and lived there for two years, TT- gathering a wealth of curios for his museum. Professor Doggett was also something of a character, to boot. He had his U own method for marking and set his own standards. Dr. McNeill remembered X V a story about the professor which happened before his death. Dr. 1V1cNei11 if was a grade adviser at the time and noticed a missing mark for a feminine student gb of Professor Doggett's. Upon catching up with the art teacher and querying S him about the gir1's marks, Professor Doggett asked, What girl? What does N she look like? lfll Dr. 1VlcNeil1 replied, Shes a tall blonde and pretty. l The 1-'ind professor quickly responded, Ch, give her a 9Ol This does not indicate a weakness toward blondes, but rather Professor Doggett's disdain for marks. It was the appreciation of art, not marks, that 1 . counted with Professor Doggett. F- X -4 In 1926, with his untimely death, a great Erasmus tradition started to fade. Today as we enter his studio, we no longer hear the music and laughter. The goldfish have long since died, the plants in the roof garden have withered, the costumes and antiques are gone. A11 that is left is but a memory in the minds of those who knew him. X-. ir 15