Manual High School - Mirror Yearbook (Peoria, IL)

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Our School- 1934 School Days-1933-1934 EPTEMBER 1933 ushers in the twenty-fifth year in the history of Manual. This year depicts the culmination of twenty-five years of progress and achievement attained through the untiring efforts of students, teachers, and community. As we swing into action at the beginning of the new and unknown year, what have we on which to build further progress that will be in keeping with the years gone by? A school building still in good condition, covering now an entire block, in which is enrolled a student body of sophomores, juniors, and seniors totaling approximately thirteen hundred, a faculty of some fifty or more members: our capable and efficient principal, Mr. Russell, ready for the year's work: and inspiration and enthusiasm embodied in students, faculty, and principal that will make for additional triumphs and successes. To our already rich curriculum we find added new classes in civics, history, art, and business English. As the year progresses there are many new developments. There is our band, now in complete black and orange uniforms, playing at the Thanks- giving football game, bringing to a close a successful season of this sport. The clothing classes take up a new project, which, when completed, make us justly proud, for soon our A Capella Choir appears in beautiful gold- trimmed, blue velvet robes, the product of these girls' handicraft. A new stage has been built in the auditorium. The senior class presents a folding platform for use on this stage, and now a campaign is under way to provide a new curtain and hangings. Flashing across the year comes another city championship in basketball, the fourth consecutive one for Manual. Then following is a victorious district tournament. Spring brings victories in numerous athletic events. And last we chronicle in the annals of the year a successful Senior Boys' Minstrel, a class play, a prom, class night, and graduation. The year comes to a close. lt has been a happy year, a year of progress, one that will stand out in the history of Manual, a typical Manual year, filled with true Manual spirit, a fitting climax to twenty-five years of promise and accomplishment. -SADIE MEEHAN. i934 THE MIRROR Page l'i

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Our School - 1989 Our Twenty-fifth Anniversary I-IE 1934 MIRROR would be incomplete without a brief resume of this grand old institution, which for a quarter of a century has held within its walls the hopes and aspirations of thousands of Peoria's noblest young men and women. After several years of planning, the Board of School Inspectors of Peoria, with Mr. D. S. Long as president of the Board, opened Manual Training High School, September, l909, with an enrollment of 158 students. The faculty con- sisted of W. N. Brown, principal Cdeceasedl and twelve instructors: Frank W. Bennett Cdeceasedl, Clara E. Barclay, E. B. Couch, W. W. Gorsline, I. A. Graff, E. C. Keeler, Anna A. Kellogg, Minnie M. Peterson, Elizabeth Persinger, Edna L. Earnest, David C. Hilling. The last two have the honor of still holding their positions. X The rapid growth of the new school indicated its popularity. It soon occu- pied a place second to none in its scholastic, athletic, and social activities. One of the early outstanding athletic events occurred in l9l3, when Manual lost the State Championship Basketball title by a score of 37-36 to Galesburg. The crowning athletic event of Manual's history was the winning of the State Championship Basketball title at Champaign in l93O. The year l922 opened as usual, but Mr. Brown resigned on September 30, and W. G. Russell was appointed to fill the vacancy. Mr. Brown was a school- man of rare ability in guiding young people. ln his passing Manual lost a true friend and wise counselor. The school has marched steadily forward under the splendid leadership of Mr. Russell, who soon made a place for himself among the student body, faculty, and community. Many of Manual's graduates have become famous in their chosen voca- tions, notably Louis Skidmore, who was head designer for the World's Fair Buildings in l933g Revere Wistehuff, a famous artist, and many others who are specialists in the field of education, medicine, law, art, and business. We regret that space will not permit due recognition to many faculty mem- bers, students and School Board members whose untiring efforts have made Manual's success possible. Peoria has been fortunate also in having had three school superintendents during the past twenty-five years, viz., Gerald T. Smith, Uncle Al Beasley Cdeceasedl, and E. C. Fisher, each of whom had no small part in Manual's progress. eDAVID C. HILLING. IQ34 TI-IE MIRROR Page l2

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l t t l l B C.FEHER Superintendent of Schools Our Anniversary N THE MANUAL of l9l3, the first recorded history of Manual, We read: The Manual Training High School is no longer in its infancy. CThe school was dedicated in 19095. This would indicate a period of advanced age. lt is not so, in terms of years, but Wholly true in terms of deeds. Manual lives in deeds, not years. This ideal has been the outstanding trait of the school since the day of open- ing. lt is in this sense l am thinking and believing. The builder looks Well to the foundation. lt must carry the superstructure. The foundations laid by the faculty and student body have been and are that fine Christian citizenship Which has ever and always found expression in kindliness, courtesy, cooperation, appreciation, and service. An oasis in the educational desert. Her graduates are legion: they are living examples of her ideals. Ever on with this prograrn. Congratulations! -E. C. FISHER. 1934 THE MIRROR Page l4