Manual Arts High School - Artisan Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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The Second Man r. Floyd R. Honn The shadow of the second man blended now in the formation of the institu- tion, Manual Arts. Mr. Floyd R. Honn, too, took joy in the growth and develop- ment of young people. Born in Artesia, California, he was the third in a family of nine children. At nine years of age he and three younger brothers and sisters accompanied their missionary parents to China. For six years the family lived in Cheng-Chow and other cities of Honan province, a life rich in experience, but totally strange to an American. Even the language they learned to use was Chinese. Life was a bit dull, though, for the danger of disease and the lack of educational facilities kept the children confined to the home grounds except on summer trips to the mountain. When the family returned to the States in 1910, our future principal attend- ed a small denominational school now part of Los Angeles Pacific College. His college work was done in Greenville, Illinois. After college he accepted a teaching position in Superior, Nebraska, where he taught journalism, debate and history. Further teaching assignments took him to Memorial Junior High School in San Diego, and to Huntington Park High School. There he was evening school principal. As principal, next, of South Gate High School, he was active in community contacts, and spear-headed the movement that resulted in the development of an 86 acre public park. Then, in final preparation, came a year as principal at Roosevelt High School, where he directed the organization of student activities in a very capable program. To Manual Arts he brought his talents for consolidating gains, for clarify- ing issues and for promoting cooperation. This, with his keen interest in young people made him a propitious co-shadow of a great institution. The Fourth Decade With tension that gripped America, as well as the rest of the world, Manual Arts felt a compulsion under its new political regime to make more definite and precise the self-government program for which it was famous. Under Mr. Honn ' s encouragement and the able direction of Mr. Willis Newton, the rambling constitution of earlier history was condensed and the briefer version spelled out clearly and decisively the powers and responsi- bilities of the cabinet. Under this interpretation, the cabinet was given legis- lative, executive, and judicial powers, with supervision over all functions of the school government. The school Code, which resulted from this period of clarification, has become a model for the Los Angeles City Schools in general. To the requests which came asking that charts and diagrams of Manual ' s self-government program be sent, the answer was given that while these bulletins might show how it worked, a full understanding of the spirit behind the program was necessary to make the plan really functional. Even though the fourth decade opened to the sound of war abroad, Manual still tried to bring world understanding and tolerance to its student body. A ship adoption plan was initiated. Captains of ships wrote descriptions from abroad to Manual. The Scholarship Society chose as a S ' 40 theme Scholar- ship for Defense , and in that semester Scholarship reached a high peak of usefulness. It operated with volunteers coaching during every period of the day. But this frantic effort at understanding was not enough. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed. A tense student body heard President Roosevelt declare a state of war and Mr. Honn ' s: Study, work, or fight . As an immediate result of the declaration of war the senior play was can- celled. Blackouts caused Friday evening socials to be ended. All students who owned cars were requested to register them in the vice principal ' s office, for use in an emergency. Manual became a Civilian Defense Center for the neighborhood. The buildings used for night school were prepared for black- outs; teachers were given first-aid instructions; drills were carried out seri- ously by the student body thus preparation was made for something that Manual hoped would not come. A number of teachers joined a branch of the service. During the last week of February, 1942, school adjourned at 1:40 so that the faculty members could work at ration boards, the first of many such tasks.

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Manual ' s Reconstruction alter the earthquake. Another major beginning at Manual was the Crea- tive Art Program, known as Muse Moments. The students participating in this program wrote stories and poems that were presented by them to faculty and friends. Gradually as the years progressed, other forms of art were added to the program, original music com- positions, dances and dramatic readings, and event- ually art exhibits. This program was carried on with a great amount of enthusiasm on the part of both the students and the faculty. In art fields, too, the decade brought the famous Madonna, designed and modeled by Anita Brant just before her death. The first outdoor graduation in Manual ' s history was held during the earthquake term. Since then it has be- come traditional to hold summer graduations on Wilson Field. The students re-occupied Manual in September of 1934, with bungalows taking the place of the buildings that were condemned for use. Eventually six new build- ings were erected during the thirties to replace the ones damaged by the quake, the Administration and science buildings, auditorium, Wilson Hall, girls gym, and the cafeteria. There were many new beginnings necessary in ad- justments between students and faculty. The students greatly mourned the loss of Mr. C. P. Fonda, Boys ' Vice Principal. Mrs. Trummer, one of the members of the English faculty from the school ' s beginning passed away suddenly in this decade. The retirement of Dr. Albert Wilson, founder-principal, was a great loss to the school, but the new principal proved to be a very understanding successor in the Manual administra- tion. Many of the teachers who had seemed to be in- sperable parts of the school retired during the latter part of this period. The decade of beginning again was coming to an end. The close of the thirties found the world in a chaotic state, with war breaking out in Europe and the Amer- ican people wondering whether or not the war would touch American soil. Tremendous experiences lay ahead. Latin Banquet S ' 39. 4 rtnmnrtoA nrinn ihn pnrthmi.llr P

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JPW?. ■ ' e drives for war materials were successful. Manual ' s student faculty and graduates join in war rally. Salvage drives for war materials were successful. The first paper drive, May 1942, resulted in 12,380 pounds of paper. With her usual love of competition, Manual responded with a will. The R.O.T.C. brought in the most, 4,000 pounds. This drive helped the student body to purchase a thousand dollars worth of bonds. In October of 1942 a matinee rewarded those who had brought at least ten pounds of salvage. Most notable among the war efforts of the Manual Artisans was the bond selling program. On September 21, 1942, Mr. Schwankovsky ' s painting was chosen by the art association and was auctioned to art lovers for the highest bid in the purchase of bonds. It was bought for $4,000. When the Treasury of the United States per- mitted schools to participate in bond selling campaigns, Manual printed pamphlets on the subjects, and students and faculty were asked to promote the sale of war bonds and stamps. A goal of $75,000 was set that Manual might send a bomber to Jimmie Doolittle. On a platform constructed in front of the shop building, the Victory House, com- petition was keen among Manual Arts clubs for the highest sale of bonds. Victory House was taken over for two weeks at a time by different clubs. The Aeolian Club, under the direction of Miss Mottern, advertised that, for each $25 bond purchased, the purchaser would be given a package of chewing gum or a chocolate bar. These luxuries were difficult to obtain during the war. The German Club offered purchasers a swat at a portrait of der Fuehrer. The scholarship Society auc- tioned off its members as homework slaves for bond purchases. In the spring of 1943 a drive for $200,000 in two weeks was declared. When Manual went well over their goal, the Aeolian Club initiated and completed negotiations for bringing to Manual, on April 14, 1943, brought Spike Jones and his City Slickers to the school. That month Manual put on its first show at the Victory Booth in Pershing Square. Since Manual was able to show $350,000 to its credit, the student body requested that a flying fortress be given the name of Tommy Toiler. The request was granted. On June 12, 1943, a Manual Arts home-coming in the Shrine Auditorium featured Erskine Johnson and Rudy Vallee, and the Aeolian Club. Manual ' s second show at Pershing Square featured Lawrence Tibbet, singing Glory Road as bonds were sold to the public. Soon Manual had reached a total of $100,000 worth of bonds and requested that another flying fortress, Annie Artisan, be christened in her honor. The Aeolan Club was credited for $140,000, one boy, Henry Culuertson, bringing in over $80,000 worth. During the war years students worked after school to help support the war effort and to aid their families. Many worked under the 4:4 plan. Students took their studies seriously. Each war Artisan contained a list of names of the Manual alumni who had died defending their country. At the close of the war 120 Manualites had given their lives for democracy. The home economics department presented the school with a flag with a star for each Manualite that had joined the service. The stars num- bered over 2,500. The war brought a shortage of essential materials. As a result of the scarcity of paper the Artisan became a pamphlet. The lavish supplements put out previously by the Daily were discontinued as a result of the war, and the famous Daily gradually came to look as it does today. Beginning October 23, 1942, meatless days were de- clared and strictly followed by the cafeteria. Chickens raised at Manual by Mr. Woolley supplied eggs used in the cafeteria and living instruction in farming to those who were interested. Following the war were the first peaceful years that students had known for five years. A GI bill allowed schools to grant diplomas to veterans and to give them credit for their service in the war. Thus Manual had vet- erans on her campus for a few years. Many of today ' s alumni took advantage of the opportunities offered to receive the diplomas for service experience, in part. To honor the spirit of Manual Arts which had re- sponded so valiantly to the war needs in W ' 46, Good- win Knight presented Doolittle ' s battle jacket to the stu- dent body. It is displayed now in the ROTC office. In 1947 Mr. Adamson took the position of substitute principal at Manual and his identification with Manual ' s aims and philosophy resulted in a very happy year for all. During the war the dramatic productions, mostly mu- sicals, which Manual had had, were very few. The most outstanding of these had been Cleopatra by the Aeoli- an Club, a production by the Lyric Club, and magic performances by Marvin Levy. During ' 47 and ' 48 a pupil, Ray Henderson, helped bring back the old spirit of the stage to Manual by his musical performances and compositions. The peace after the war was dimmed by the cold war which loomed forbodingly in the background as the end of the decade saw the shadows of the Korean War. Thus began and ended Manual ' s fourth decade with unrest. 17