Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL. the hospital ward and the witness room. The steel cells are to be constructed different from others of this kind. These instead of being what are called latticed cells will be made of punched steel. The material used for roofing will be slate for the offices and corrugated steel for the jail proper. The brick, which are made at home, have been pronounced to be of the best quality by the contractors, and the nearness of the Ray- mand granite quarries, from which this ma- terial is secured, enables the contractors to give us one of the best structures of the kind for the cost of any in the State. The jail of Kings county was built at a cost of $10,865 in 1896 or twenty-five dollars more than ours and much the same material was used, but the nearness of our quarries will give us for less money a jail which will in every way equal if it is not superior to theirs. The size of our grounds will be consider- ably larger than those of Kings County, which will give us a fine park. The question of erecting a new court house has not yet been decided but will probably come up at the next general election in No- vember. Personals. ee Who is it that thinks G- brown eyes? has the pretty We hope Nelly will not have any wild run- aways this summer. A popular air since the boys enlisted has been ‘’I’he Girl I Left Behind Me.’’ Miss Belle Rivas will return to her home in the mountains at the close of school. We hope Leo will not be haunted by the “unlucky ghost’’ of Dido this summer. We wonder how Martha and Lorena, the inseparables, will survive the summer without seeing each other daily. The favorite of all ‘‘modest slang’? among the High School pupils the past few months has been, ‘‘Great Ceesar.’’ Agnes, with her camera, has adopted the plan of the French gallantry by saying: ‘‘It is not necessary to ask madam to look pleas- ant ; she could not do otherwise.’’ History of Madera High School. eae Four years ago this spring in taking the school census of Madera, Mrs. S. T. Cook took the initiative step toward the formation of a District High School in Madera. In accordance with the school law concern- ing the formation of District High Schools, a petition was circulated and signed by a majority of the heads of families in Madera asking for the establishment and maintenance of a District High School. The petition was next given to the Board of ‘Trustees, who requested the Superintendent of Schools to call an election for the purpose of determining the question. Accordingly Mr. Hawkins called for an election which was held in June ’o4. The returns of this election decided in favor of the High School. The Board of Trustees, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Worthington and Mr. Greive became the Board of Directors of the newly formed institution of learning. A room in the West Side School House was fitted up as a class room, and Miss Anne M. Nicholson was appointed teacher. Sept. 17, ’94, the Madera High School opened with the following in attendance: Erna Coughran, Irene Slaten, Lois Worthing- ton, Inez Mace, Olive Breyfogle, George Mordecai, Maggie O’Mara, Merle Rush, and Jean Worthington. Before the first week closed there entered: Jessie Smith, Lois Wil- son, Annie Mullery, Birdie, Young, James O’Mara and John Williams, and during the erm George Nicholson joined the class. The following course of study was adopted: Junior Year—First Half—English, Algebra,

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EIGEH SCHOOL ANNUAL. was decided to adopt the work of some stand- ard atithor on parliamentary ruling, thus avoiding the necessity of a lengthy constitu- tion. ‘The work that was adopted was ‘‘Rob- erts’ Rules of Order.’’ ‘The officers, who con- sist of a president, vice president, secretary, sergeant-at-arms, and critic, areelected at the beginning of each school month. ‘The reason for the frequency of elections is that each mem- ber may become proficient in discharging the duties of the different offices. Regular sessions are held every Friday af- ternoon. Asa rule, during the regular ses- sions, debates are participated in by six mem- bers of the society. The questions debated are generally of a historical or political nature, in- cluding also current events of the day. Among the best of the subjects debated dur- ing the term were the following: ‘‘Resolved, That England has a better government than the United States,’’ ‘‘Resolved, ‘That the United States should maintain a large standing army’’ and ‘‘Resolved, That it is detrimental to character to be subjected to temptation.” The questions necessitated diligent research and the clever handling of them by the debaters showed that much knowledge can thus be gained, On several occasions the program is changed and instead of a debate the exercises are of a different nature. Short talks are given by the members on any subject that he may choose, essays are read or current events are discussed, and addresses have frequently been delivered by the county officials and other prominent citizens in Madera, among whom may be men- tioned District Attorney W. H. Larew, Rev. Mr. McElwee, Mrs. W. A. Finley, Prof. Huston, Mrs. Dr. Butin and Superintendent of Schools W. A. Finley. ‘The talks of these persons were interesting and instructive and greatly enjoyed by the society. In passing out of the school the pupils will look back to the time spent in the society as the most interesting and instructive portion of their school work, and it will be said by none that it was a waste of time, but instead that it would have been impossible to have derived the same benefits had the time been spent in the regular school work, and the experience gained may be of service in politics or in organizing for any purpose whatever, and since the United States is a republic and a government by the people (in theory at least) concerted action can only be accomplished through organization, and to become efficient in such one must be educated from his youth, and this education depends largely upon the training received in school. CAR 99. —ogao—— The New Jail. ae Madera county is putting her good resolu- tion into effect and what was once the proposed new jail will soon be one in reality. After a careful study of the question the citizens have decided that the cost of a new jail would be cheaper for the tax payers than the renting of buildings for county officers. The interest paid on the bonds together with the annual amount paid on the princi- pal will raise the rate of taxation but very little as the money now paid for rent will be used for this purpose. Mr. B. G. McDougall of Bakersfield is the architect and Mr. C. J. Lindgren also of Bak- ersfield is the builder. While the contract al- lows them until November 1st to complete the work, they expect to have the jail ready for work two months earlier. The plans of Mc- Dougall Bros. have also been accepted for Madera’s new school house. The size of the building will be forty by sixty feet and will contain nine cells. There will be three cells constructed of chrome steel and two open cells of hearth bessemer, the remain- ing four will be granite and lined well with steel. The main part of the building will be two stories and the other part one. In the second st ory will be the insane ward, PEL TEREST LN ETE TE OTE ieee give Us every I i) ably which Who KO

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL: Physical Geography, Ancient History, Latin. Second Half—English, Algebra, Physics, Greek and Roman History, Latin. Middle Year—First half—English, Plane Geometry, Botany, Medizeval History, Latin. Second Half—English, Plane Geometry, Zoology, Modern History, Latin. Senior) Vear—First Half—English, Solid Geometry, Chemistry, Political Economy, Latin. Second Half—English, Solid Geom- etry, Astronomy, Civil Government, Latin. During the years that have elapsed some variations in the course of study have been made. ‘The work in science has been ma- terially changed. Zoology, Astronomy and Geology were dropped from the course, while the time for Botany, Physics and Chemistry was lengthened to a year’s work. In the second term,: commencing Sept. ro, ’95, there entered: Cora. Kessler, Sophia Wolters, Leo Woodson, Alberta Smith, George Wells, Alice Stockton, Walter Wells, Maggie McNally, Will Clark, and Will Stahl took some special work in Latin. During ’95 and ’96 the library was started and since that time the number of books in this department has been increasing. During its new term opening Sept. 14, ’96, Mr. W. L. Williams, principal of Grammar Grades, assisted in High School work. He took charge of the History Department. There entered as Juniors Craig Cunning- ham, Louise Mordecai, Nellie Dwyer, La Roy Kendall, Fannie Gooden, Grace Breslin and Mayme Saunders. G. W. Giles attended for several months. Attention during this term was directed toward the establishment of a chemical laboratory. Also apparatus was purchased for the Physics Department. The High School now having been in opera- tion for three years, the first Senior grade of Madera High School received their diplomas. George Mordecai, Irene Slaten, George Nich- olson, Maggie O’Mara, Merle Rush, Lois Wilson and James O’Mara were the fortunate ones. : At the beginning of the year ’97-98, the Board of ‘Trustees, consisting now of Messrs. J. W. Watkins, D. F. Edwards and J. R. Barnett, selected as teacher of History, Civil Government and Mathematics, Mr. E. R. Zion of Stanford. ‘The addition of a teacher gave opportunity for much more satisfactory work in all branches. The year of ’97-’98 welcomed in as Juniors Dow Ransome, Martha Ritter, Frank Cook, Genevieve Nicholson, Agnes Brown, Philip Carey, Martha Slover, Lorena Kendall, Belle Rivas, Mary Trincano, May Searles and Katie Bailey. For several month Essie Rosenthal and Maude Currans took special work. The improvement to the High School dur- ing this year is in the Physical Laboratory. Considering the fact that this department is so new there is considerable apparatus. The year ’98 finds another class of Seniors ready to launch upon life’s great sea, though there are but three to receive the parchments this year, it is whispered that they “make up in quality what they lack in quantity.’’ That our High School may prosper in the future is the earnest wish of the pupils, past and present. MAYME SAUNDERS. Chemistry and Physics. ar “The object of primary education should be to discipline the senses to habits of quick and accurate observation, and the mind to the habit of forming correct judgments from facts which the senses reveal,’’ says Cooley. And how can this be done better than by work in the laboratory? As someone says, ‘‘Read nature in the language of experiment.”’ Educators all over our land are beginning to realize that this is the best method of teach- ing and the scholar hails with joy the time spent in the laboratory. He enjoys it because, instead of learning rules and laws from the dry pages of a text book, he is set to work to discover facts for himself. And when he has poss upon tral relat