Greenville High School - Hi Life Yearbook (Greenville, MI)

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The History of our Schools By cTVIiss oMacomber In 1845 the inhabitants of Greenville decided that the future prosperity of this town depended upon the education of their children. Their sincerity in this was shown by the erection of a school building on the site now occupied by the City Hal1. Since then eight other structures and two annexed portions have housed the schools of the place. The three-storied white brick building which perished by fire in 1911 was the best known of these structures, for it stood like a sentinel guarding the little city from 1869 to 1911. The cost was $39,000.06, Judge Myron Rider being the director at the time of its erection. Mr. S. R. Stevens, Mr. J. W. Belknap and Mr. T. J. Potter were members of the board. The fine high ground upon which it stood was purchased from the government by Judge Josiah Russell. This land became the property of Mr. Manning Ru-tan, and was, by his generosity, presented to the city as a school site. The land was covered with fine oak trees of both white and black variety, while here and there a fine specimen of wild cherry might be seen. The land sloped gently northward toward Franklin street; its once beautiful slopes have since been replaced by artificial levels, far less attractive than the original ground. So suitable in many ways was this elevated site, and so dear had1 it become to the alumni of the school, that no material consideration could induce them to believe that a more suitable location could be found for the fine building which replaced the structure built in 1869. That the men of the 60’s believed in doing things well was proved by the great strength of the walls of the old building. Gouged by fire in its hour of destruction, the walls stood firm, acting like a great chimney through which the fire poured on the night of April 23, 1911, gutting the interior, but powerless against the walls. The little first building 12x16 feet, was presided over by Miss Catherine Satterlee. Of her twenty-five pupils, six were Indians. She received for her services nine shillings a week, and the privilege of testing the beds and fare in the homes of her school children. A second building known as the Old Red School House, which served for church and public meetings as well as school, stood at the corner of Cass and I afayette streets. This was removed to Grove street east, and transformed into a small boarding house, called the Eagle Hotel. Quite the most ambitious of the earlier buildings was a four-room structure on Cass street, erected in 18-53. For many years the name of Mrs. Millie Stoughton was a power in this building; other earlier teachers were E. B. Towle, the first teacher, who was succeeded by J. R. Brigham. But time and change wrought their work there, too, and the old wood'en building is now a tenement house on upper Orange street. Cities often change their minds as to the direction of their growth: this was true of Greenville. The city began to grow northward until today a good part of the town stands north of the river. Because of the increase of population in North Greenville a building of white brick, containing two rooms, was erected on Williams street in 1872. In time manufacturing crowded this building, making the vicinity unsuitable for school; it was abandoned and afterwards sold and torn down. The schools in time became so crowded that a small two-roomed building was erected on Clay street; this was first occupied in 1889. Even this was not provided with any of the modern conveniences until it was remodeled in 1909. It is today one of the most cheery and inviting buildings in the city; it contains six rooms, and is provided with furnace, electric lights, and basement toilet rooms. In 1902, the present Cass Street School, a neat red brick structure, was erected. The contractor was Mr. Edward Backus, who did the work for $5,000. This contained four rooms, provided with furnace heat and electric lights. Many improvements have been added to it in later years, until now it is a well-equipped building. In 1908, at a cost of $20,000, an annex to the White-Brick building was erected. This was a two-story and basement afTair which served as a High School Auditorium. It contained also the Superintendent’s office, four recitation rooms, and the rooms devoted to the use of the Commercial Department. The High School had been occupying the third story of the old building; this the steadily increasing numbers crowded until it seemed impossible to get along with so little room; moreover the floors of the third story were condemned as insecure; hence the anne was built to relieve the strain of the crowded rooms. This annex was not entirely satisfactory; when fire took the old building, the structure, though injured, did not burn but remained, and became very useful in housing the High School and the Seventh an ? Eighths grades during the building of the new structure. (To Be Continued).

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Tale of a Bride Groom By cTMartha Griswold ’ 17 Why, weep ye by the tide, Lassie? Why weep ye by the tide ? I'll wed ye to my eldest son. And ye shall be his bride. The altar was decked with flowers rare, The people had all gathered there; The priest and bridegroom wait the bride. Alas! Alas! there comes no bride. Now let your deepest grief be gone. And dry your cheeks so pale. For George is chief of Edgerton And Lord of all the vale. The maiden kept on in her spinning And' softly sung this air, Tomorrow is my wedding day At three I will be thcye. A chain of great pearls shall ye wear, A token of his love; And chests of diamonds and rubies rare, From the far, far Orient. Now shadows of evening are falling, A knock is heard at the door, Some one her name is calling Why didn't you come at four ? This was a glorious wedding day, Of town and country fame, They searched the papers for her name And. news of her wedding day. She pauses, then looks at the calendar, And finds her great mistake. Yet the two were happily married Though she was a few hours late. Wabasis Elvin Nelson ’17 Not long ago, nor far away, There lived an Indian brave; He owned the land for miles around. And this he said he'd save. This chieftain was called Wabasis; The lake, too, bore that name; In all the region round about They talked of Wabasis' fame. In this small kingdom all his own. In which he ruled supreme. Were woods and valleys full of game. And one small winding stream. One day some Whites came to his camp. They told him they would hand Him twenty pounds of gold rigid there. If they could have his land. The sream flowed from a lake, which was The largest one around. And in a hall beside the lake A cave ran underground. The bargain was then made with him— He loved that glittering gold. His angry friends put him to death,— At least that’s what we’re told. Some said the cave was full of snakes— No one ere entered there— T'was left for others to find out; The Indians didn’t care. Some say the gold is in the lake. At least it’s out of sight: And where it is t'will not be found As easy as it might.

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PUBLISHED MONTHLY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR BY THE GREENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THE TYRO Vol. 1 JANUARY 1916 No. 1 Editor-in-Chief—Roy Ferguson, ’17. Business Manager—Percy Bramble, '17. Associate Editor—Martha Griswold. ’17. Literary Editor—Clyde Wilcox, ’10. Athletic Editors—Harry Nelson, ’1G. Irene Tidey, ’1G. Social Editor—Winifred Roenigk, ’16. Alumni Editor—Don Dickerson, ’10. Staff Artists—Hilbert Wittkop, T8. Mary vanDeinse, ’18. Eugene Straight, ’16. Staff Photographer—Miles Moon. '17. Joke Editor—John Henkel, ’17. Exchange Editor—Harold Nelson, ’16. Advertising Staff Managers— Charles Reid, ’17. Raymond Youngs, ’17. Raymond Burkholder, ’17 Editorial The co-operation of the various organizations in the school is splendid and is resulting not only in meeting the demand of each society but to the good of all. The orchestra is being shown the interest due it by the manner in which our classes and the senate have asked them to aid in the entertainments given by them this semester. The four classes arc working hand in hand and the Athletic Association is upheld by a large percentage of the members of the school. At present the Senate has but forty members, so the fellows who desire to join should get busy as the membership limit is fifty. After the liberal support given all the other societies and activities, the staff look forward to the extension of the same spirit to the paper, for the managers are just your representatives to carry out your plans as far as possible. To Contributors Write plainly with ink or typewriter, on one side of paper only. Make proper names especially plain, and be sure of spelling. State the department to which your contribution should be given in the upper right hand corner of the first page. Number the pages in the upper right hand corner and fasten together. Have your contributions in by the 4th of the month. The contribution box is in room 21. The staff have secured a large number of advertisements and as these pay largely for the printing of the paper we should all remember to patronize those who have advertised in our paper. These firms believe in having a High School paper and they are boosting it by advertising but they must receive something in return for their efforts. It is the duty of each of us to buy of these merchants and' tradesmen wherever it may be possible. We have a good lot of advertisers— can we retain them? Yes. but only by the help of each one in doing all they can to encourage buying of our advertisers. The advertising staff wish to thank the merchants and business men of Greenville for the generous response to them, for. by their advertisements a paper has been started which ought to go on for a long time in the future. The Purple and the Gold (Air—Swanee River). Come let us join in song so jolly On this glad day. Put far all thoughts of folly, But let us happy be. Let thoughts of our dear Alma Mater Our young hearts hold, And let us ever see with favor The Purple and the Gold. Refrain— Then let us all be ever grateful For our school so fine; And as we go progressing onward Be always in the line. If in the Gym or in the classroom, No matter what we’re told. Let’s do it if it’s for the glory Of ‘'Purple and the Gold.” O, the colors of our High School! May they ever hold. And to them may we all be faithful. The Purple and the Gold.