James Harvey Bowen High School - Bowenite Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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William H. Collins, Jr. Assistant Principal How Bowen Came to Be , The celebration ot the tri-centennial ot the establishment ot the American secon- dary school calls attention to the high esteem in which education has always been held by the people ot the Calumet region. By l853 this struggling pioneer community had erected its tirst school, the Ray. Between this date and I884 the rapid growth ot the population necessitated additional school tacilities. Some ot the schools erected to meet this need were the lrondale, the second Ray, the Bowen, the South Chicago, the Gallistel and the Taylor. Bowen High grew out ot the old Bowen Elementary School, which had been built at 93rd Street and Houston Avenue in IS76. Very early, one ot the tour rooms in this building had been set aside tor high school work. From this humble beginning developed the South Chicago High School and its successor Bowen. The 'First principal was J. Strassburgh. Since his time tive principals have served in the South Chicago High and in Bowen-John L. Walsh, Charles l. Parker, A. E. DeButts, Frank W. Stahl, and the present principal, Mr. McCoy. ln the old South Chicago High School very little technical work was ottered. There were no business courses, nor science laboratory work as we know it today. Latin, German, French, and Greek were taught, together with all branches ot mathe- matics, and, one might say, all our present sciences and social subjects. Later stenog- Ten

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15' 5 -gf.. :fi , Q. .,- . ,ii 'X if To the Classes of 1935 This is the tirst graduating class which entered school as Freshmen under the present principal. We are theretore in a sense contemporaries at Bowen. l wish to take this opportunity to thank you tor the time civic service many ot you have given to the school and especially to congratulate you on the opportunities tor civic training which you have enjoyed and ot which you have made use during your tour year course. Cne instrument tor this training, it has been especially my ambition to see develop at Bowen. That is the Bowen Student Board. Student Councils ot several types exist in Chicago high schools and have existed tor many years. There is the type which is made up ot students selected by the teach- ing statt on the basis ot personal choice based on general good conduct, service, scholarship or outstanding personality, There is the type ot Student Board chosen quite democratically by the student body on the basis ot popularity alone. Then as to function, some Student Boards exist only to put on assemblies, conduct drives tor various school purposes such as ticket sales, attendance at games, boosting school athletic teams and the like. The Student Board at Bowen, under the genial leadership ot Mr. Collins, is much more democratic than the tirst type I referred to in its method ot election. Bowen students either in Student Organizations or in divisions or groups ot divisions elect the representatives who in turn elect their own otticers.. The objective ot the Bowen Student Board is to make the Student body a real power in the conduct ot the school. That, too, is my own obiective. Toward this end great strides have already been taken during the last year and a halt and notably this year. I think ot this as perhaps the greatest contribution which the classes ot 1935 have made toward the building ot a tiner stronger Bowen. I 'I Nine

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raphy and bookkeeping were introduced, and in I909 a sewing class ot twelve girls was organized in the basement. It a pupil failed a subiect, it was necessary to do the work ot a year or wait until the next year to graduate, tor there was only one gradua- tion per year. Commencement exercises were held in the Calumet Theater, at 92nd and Commercial, or at Beck's Hall at 9Ist and Commercial. Upon the annexation ot the village ot Hyde Park to Chicago in I889, Charles I. Parker, Superintendent ot Schools in South Chicago, became principal ot both the Bowen Elementary and the South Chicago High School. The school at this time was so crowded that Mr. Parker asked tor an addition. The Board ot Directors tinally decided to build one, but at the same time declared that it was a waste ot money and an extravagance because the new building would never be tilled. In tive years, it was tilled. The elementary pupils were moved to Thorp and Sheridan, and a long cam- paign tor a new high school was begun by Mr. Parker. In January, I9l I, this father ot education in South Chicago had the satisfaction ot moving into the present Bowen as its tirst principal. In' the present center otlice hangs a clock which came trom the old building now our branch. If it could talk, these are some ot the things it would say about this move. For weeks atter school opened, carpenters continued to work while classes were in session. The principal's otlice while construction work continued was in 302A. The Coming ot Arthur was the first picture bought tor the new school. The tirst orchestra consisted ot tour boys who played atter 'school on Fridays. The money they earned bought tootlights and burlap curtains tor the stage. The tront lawn had as guests, chickens, geese, ducks and goats that used to teed on the grass. Roll call was taken in the Auditorium as there were no division rooms available during the first days. Pupils and teachers carried their own lunches. The students obtained so many sub- scriptions tor the Herald and Examiner that they were awarded with a 5500.00 library. On June 6, I9I I, the building was dedicated. Pupils came to this new school from all parts ot South Chicago, Pullman, Windsor Park, and even trorn Indiana. The new school was named in honor ot James Harvey Bowen. Ot him a con- temporary historian says: To the toresight ot Mr. Bowen, to his indomitable energy and persistent hard work, to his caretul and intelligent measures for the augmentation ot the place, South Chicago is permanently indebted: and his memory should be held in grateful remembrance by her citizens. One ot Ivlr. Bowen's inteIIigent measures was to promote education. He was the staunch supporter ot all new and improved schools. To the pioneers ot the titties, to the workers ot the intervening years, to James H. Bowen, the business man, and to Charles I. Parker, the educator ot vision, Bowen's splendid record is due. We ot the present strive to keep Bowen as they planned it, the School ot the Calumet District. William H. Collins, Jr. Eleven