Grant High School - Memoirs Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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sobered up enough to realize that Mentresso was not playing games — but alas, he was a quiet, reserved lad without a scream in his lungs. At a rehearsal, the director said to another boy, “Paul, can you show Millard how to scream?” It might surprise some of you to know that in 1927, Grant had a radio club, the very first club organized at Grant, called “The Dial Twisters,” later changed to DeForest Club, and it was mentioned in “The Radio News,” a New York publication, which listed the Dial Twisters “as one of the stable, organized radio clubs of the United States.” An unearthly, ear-shattering scream was his immediate response. As a result, Paul was hidden in the darkness of the stage, and became the “scream of the evening.” A banking program — its goal, thrift, was run through the registration rooms, each with its own cashier (later, an assistant was necessary). Four head cashiers were in the Student Body Office to take care of and bank the money. In one term, the number of depositors was nearly doubled, and its continued growth was gratifying. Clubs covered all areas. There were clubs for those interested in French, Latin, Spanish, debating, hiking. International Relations, science, mathematics, dramatics, writing, literature, swimming, tennis, art, music, and finally a letterman’s club called Royal Gs. There were also Hi-Y, Girl Reserves, and later, Tri-Y. With so many students in halls, a traffic squad was organized. The topics debated in that period by the Christos and Philadarians may interest some people today. 1. Resolved: that the Japanese should be excluded from the United States 2. Resolved: that Capital punishment should be made a part of the State penal code. 3. Resolved: that the Twentieth Amendment should be adopted. Remember, those were the days before a radio could be found in any home, or as is often the case today, in every car or pocket. In addition to the interest clubs, there were two leagues formed, one for girls and one for boys. Every student in the school was a member of one or the other. These were to encourage fellowship. No one could feel left out. In the Boys’ League statement of purpose we read: “to find fellows who are capable but not recognized.” Not a bad purpose for any group. The first student body meeting was held on November 19, 1924 at which time names were submitted for the Grant publication. Memoirs was an almost unanimous choice. The first four of these were like a small magazine rather than a newspaper. They contained few if any pictures, some news items, and much creative work. In November of 1924, the Community Chest had its first Drive in the school. The first Open House was held on November 21, 1924. It consisted of a short assembly, talks by the principal, by Mr. Grout, the then superintendent of schools, Mr. Pickering, Chairman of the School Board, Mr. Keyser, assistant director of the Park Bureau, John Paul Jones, the first student body president, and Mr. Whitney, assistant Superintendent of Schools. GUS DUSSIN GEORGIA DUSSIN DARIOTIS ALICE DUSSIN POULOS SALLY GROMAN DUSSIN MIKE DARIOTIS SHELIA BREESE ESCH 10

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Teacher and cast were in the tiny dressing room trying to make the villain and the hero look like Italian Aristocrats. The stage was all set with BONES from the stockyards - to look like the catacombs. One wonders if the catacombs smelled like that! A brisk rap sounded on the door. Then Mr. Fletcher was saying to an unbelieving feminine member of his faculty, “We can’t let any more in to room 232. It’s packed beyond the Fire Ordinance, and there are many more with tickets waiting to get in. Can you give this twice?” Stunned, the teacher said, “I’ll ask the kids.” The kids? Well, of course! The next day, Mr. Fletcher said to the cause of all this confusion, “You might like to know that one of those trying to get in to see your play last night was a member of our School Board. He wanted to go home and forget the whole thing — tickets and all — but his family insisted on staying. He stayed, but he said to me, ‘Fletcher, one thing I know, at the meeting tomorrow night, Pm voting for your new auditorium here. It’s badly needed.’ ” At that Board Meeting Grant received the “go-ahead” for its new auditorium. An amusing sidelight before we leave this gruesome play may arouse memories for some of you grads: the boy who was the victim being chained and walled up in the catacombs to die, was supposed to scream when he ASSEMBLIES IT is very unfortunate that at the present time Grant has not an assembly hall where all of us may gather and enjoy a good assembly; but it is sincerely hoped by all. students and faculty alike, that in the near future we may have the use of a good auditorium. In the meanwhile it is our duty as loyal Grantonians to make the best of the situation and co-operate in every possible manner to make our assemblies worth while to us and to our visitors. Our highly-esteemed principal, Mr. Y. T. Fletcher, has on a number of occasions asked us in assemblies and has requested the teachers to ask us to co-operate by good behavior and suitable attitude in assemblies. but for some reason many of us do not seem to remember what he says. Let us remember, however, that what Mr. Fletcher says is for the good of all and not for any one group. His purpose in requesting such behavior is to raise the standard of our school above the others or at least to a level with the others so that when visitors come to our assemblies either as speakers or as onlookers, they may be able to compliment conscientiously the behavior of the students in assemblies. It is not necessary for us to play with the gymnasium apparatus or to stamp our feet, shout, and clap boisterously to show our appreciation for any entertainments given 11s in assembly. In fact, it is as bad taste to clap excessively as not to clap at all. Let's get behind this and correct the situation with some loyal Grant Spirit. If we do our part and the others do theirs how much more proud we can feel of our school and the assemblies. Be loyal Grantonians at the games by shouting and yelling, but be loyal Grantonians in assembly by sitting quietly and respectfully. There is a place for everything. —Orrin A. Scovill. N. E. W. S., REALTORS® Fremont at 42nd E. JOHN RUMPAKIS, President Graduate ’49 9

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After the assembly, parents visited all the departments of the new school where teachers and students had arranged displays of their class work. In those early days, students bought their own books. There was a locker for every two students, and all were urged to rent and use one of the combination locks supplied by the student body for fifty cents and to keep their lockers locked at all times. Most of us remember how proud we were of our school and of our students. Most were not affluent but they had an air, an aura, that made them outstanding in any crowd. They knew how to wear their clothes and how to conduct themselves in public places. They were probably the most democratic student body in the city (1 am sure 1 am not prejudiced). Race, creed, or color had nothing to do with acceptance, nor did money. One young man, earning his way by working after hours as custodian, just missed election as Student Body President by three votes. He was extremely popular. Two anecdotes before we leave this Fletcher period may be of interest. They do show a lighter side of Mr. Fletcher’s personality, his comradery with his faculty. My second term at Grant — I was still a timid probationer — my first termers were learning to diagram simple sentences. One sentence, “The man sat up in bed,” was under study. I corrected her: explaining that up is an adverb, not part of a preposition. She looked surprised, then said, “Father told me it is part of a compound preposition.” Now, being new in these parts, but wishing to correct both father and child, I said, “Let’s ask Uncle Noah.” Over to the dictionary we went to discover that “up” in such a sentence is an adverb, that at one time it would have been considered part of a compound preposition. Such a designation was now obsolete. What teacher could resist an opportunity like that? I smilingly patted Elizabeth on the arm and said, “You go home and tell your daddy that he is three-hundred years behind the times.” The next morning, as I was signing in, a big, booming voice sang out from behind the desk, “So I’m three-hundred years behind the times, am I?” That voice was coming from a very handsome, very important man, Mr. William T. Fletcher. One very unimportant, startled teacher suddenly wished she could dissolve into thin air. A sweet little girl named Elizabeth had done it like this: Then Mr. Fletcher laughed heartily, and the aforementioned teacher went on her wiser way, glad that her principal had a sense of humor. man sat bed How on earth could she have known that that little girl in her freshman English class was the Principal’s daughter? METROPOLITAN PRINTING COMPANY Maurice Binford Orm Binford Helen Binford Kirsch 1 1