Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

Page 18 text:

lf is my sincere belief fhaf fhe greafesf fribufe fhaf may be paid anyone is fo say fhaf he has served faifhfully and well. This sfafemenf was never more frue fhan when referring fo David Burcham. During fhirfy-four years as Principal of Long Beach Polyfechnic High School Da- vid Burcham has builf an insfifufion fhaf is second fo none. His graduafes are fo be found in every sfafe of fhe Union. To his kindly spirif and helpful manner may be affri- bufed many of fhe successes made by Poly graduafes. If is a privilege fo add my word of praise and appreciafion of one who has made a profound impression on my life. Harry B. Riley Presidenf Sfudenf Body 'IO Sfafe Confroller Many years ago I heard a school man receive whaf seemed fo me fo be fhe supreme fribufe. l heard his superinfendenf say he was fhe besf high school principal wifh whom he had ever worked. Thai' was Mr. Sfephens, a greaf superinfendenf, pay- ing his respecfs fo Dave Burcham, a greaf principal. Whaf such a fribufe means in ferms of loyalfy, cooperafion, indusfry and vision only fhe inifiafed can undersfand. To one who has worked side by side wifh Mr. Bur- cham, fhe years have only broughf added confirmafion fo fhe frufh of fhe sfafemenf. lf has been a privilege, Dave, fo know you and fo work wifh you. l have seen your handiwork wriffen in fhe hearfs and minds of Poly graduafes, and l know fhaf fruly, you have made your confribufion in making fhis a beffer world in which fo live. We shall miss you af fhe council fable, buf we shall have fhe consolafion of knowing you are sfill wifh us in our communify lending your well wishes and supporf. -Bon Voyage. John Wilson-Principal, David Sfarr Jordan Whaf could be more appropriafe fhan fhe dedicafion of fhe l94l Caerulea fo David Burcham? Nofhing. If fhere ever were a High School Principal who wenf more fhan half way wifh fhe sfudenfs, fhaf man is David Burcham. His abilify as a school adminisfrafor is recognized fhroughouf fhe Unifed Sfafes, and as one of his former sfudenfs l am proud of fhe facf fhaf l had fhe benefif of his leadership and in- spirafion during my school days. May fhe fufure be filled wifh pleasure and happiness for our friend, David Burcham. Lorne D. Middough Sfudenf Body Presidenf, 'IZ l am happy fo learn fhaf fhe l94l Caerulea will be dedicafed fo Mr. Burcham. His has been a greaf service fo fhe sfudenfs of 'lhe old Long Beach High School and Poly High. All who ever affended eifher school love and respecf him and feel in a very definife way fhaf he direcfed and assisfed fhem along fhe upper and beffer pafh by his unfailing fairness, kindness, folerance, and undersfanding. The members of fhe Class of 'll ioin me in sending congrafulafions fo Mr. Burcham and in exfending fo him and Mrs. Burcham besf wishes for many years of happiness. Harry J. McClean Presidenf Sfudenf Body, 'I l Afforney af Law David Burcham has confribufed foward fhe upbuilding of Long Beach more fhan any one person now living. As he refires, he leaves a herifage unmafched by any educafor in Los Angeles counfy, and possibly unequaled in fhe nafion. He leaves a new Poly High School planf behind him. lf is a sfrong insfifufion de- signed fo resisf shock or fire. Principal Burcham musf furn fhe school buildings over fo a successor, buf he will mosf cerfainly fake wifh him fhe love and everlasfing appreciafion of fhose he led in- fo useful and happy lives as American cifizens. Their usefulness in mainfaining our Democrafic way of living will mean more fhan any sfafue or busf fo fhe memory of a loving, kindly, oufsfanding educafor. Thad Omohundro Presidenf Summer School Graduafing Class, l923

Page 17 text:

I am proud fo be a member of fhe i908 graduafing class of Long Beach High School, fhe firsf fo be presenfed by David Burcham. We began our senior year wifh a new principal. He was young, fall, dark, and of serious counfenance. We soon broke fhrough fhis reserve and found Mr. Burcham a real friend and counselor. Under his leadership fhe school af once fook on new s irif. Enfering info every phase of our school life he led us fo new heighfs of accomplishment Affer graduafion he confinued fo follow fhe varying forfunes of his former pupils wifh pafernal inferesf. Many of us have had fhe deep safisfacfion of seeing our child- ren under his guiding hand. If is nafural for us fo fhink of him as our beloved Daddy Burcham. During Mr. Burcham's years of service, Long Beach has grown from a village by fhe sea fo a mefropolifan cify. His vision, undersfanding and leadership have kepf pace wifh fhe growfh of his cify and his school. lf is in fribufe fo fhis greafness as an educafor fhaf fhe fhousands who have had fheir lives enriched and sfrengfhened by his personal influence rise fo do David Burcham honor. Franklin W. Robinson Presidenf Senior Class '08 Presidenf of Board of Educafion We lose fhe counsel of one of our mosf freasured friends fhis year when David Burcham leaves fhe porfals of Poly High for a well earned resf. Mr. Burcham has been fhe hearf of Poly fhese pasf fhirfy-four years, during which he has been ifs leader. Through him has passed fhe warmfh, sincerify, and un- dersfanding for fhe youfh of our cify whichihas made our school fhe insfifufion if has been and is foday in our communify. No sfudenf fhaf has ever been under his in- fluence can buf admif wifhin himself, Here was a friend indeed and l am a beffer cifizen by having had fhe opporfunify fo be under his undersfanding and kindly guid- ance. Besf wishes always. David Burcham, if has been a ioy fo fhe members of your Parenf-Teacher As- sociafion fo have had fhe privilege fo work wifh you. Mrs. R. V. Mercer Presidenf Poly P.-T. A. As one who had fhe pleasure of serving for eleven years as vice-principal under Mr. Burcham, l can vouch for his infegrify and his loyalfy fo Polyfechnic High School. Under his leadership, Poly has grown from a small suburban high school fo fhe largesf in fhe sfafe and ifs gracluafes have gone forfh fo serve 'rhis communify wifh honor. lf may well be said fhaf Polyfechnic High School is buf fhe lengfhened shadow of fhe man who has served if so faifhfully and well for fhe pasf fhirfy-four years. To you, Mr. Burcham, fhe faculfy and sfudenf body of Woodrow Wilson High School, your friendly enemies across fown, say goodbye wifh regrefs and wish you success and happiness in fhe years fo come. Harry J. Moore-Principal Woodrow Wilson High Mrs. Clyde Doyle and fhe undersigned bofh affended Long Beach High School in l909. Daddy Burcham was our Principal. ll' was fhen fhe only High School in Long Beach and was locafed af Ninfh Sfreef and American Avenue, and had abouf 525 sfudenfs. So, we boys and girls who fhen were privileged fo have Daddy Burcham as our principal, had fuller opporfunify fo know him personally-and for him fo know us personally. Then, as now, he was a grand genfleman. His fairness fo us, his loyalfy fo fhe principles of personal and communify conducf, which always build up moralify and highly efhical conducf, have all fhese years been an inspirafion fo fhe Clyde Doyle family. Our youngesf daughfer, Dorofhy Doyle, insfead of going fo Wilson, in which dis- fricf she resides, insisfed fhaf she musf go fo Poly fhis year of I940, in order fhaf she could have Daddy Burcham as her principal fhe same as her parenfs had. His fineness of mefal never rusfs ouf, corrodes or disappears: if endures forever. Clyde Doyle Presidenf Sfudenf Body '09 Afforney af Law

Page 19 text:

Thirfy-four years of unswerving devofion fo fhe high cause of secondary educa- fiong fhirfy-four years of earnesf adherence fo sound principles and fine ideals: fhirfy-four years of quief consfrucfive leadership, followed loyally and frusffully by of long years, David Burcham. sfudenfs and feachers alike. These words describe fhe public life of our dear friend He has richly earned fhe opporfunify fo resf a bif-fo do some of fhe personal fhings full fime fhaf have herefofore been crowded info infrequenf infervals only possi- bly available in his life of unflagging service fo ofhers. We hope he will be well and secure in his enjoymenf of fhe lovelier fwilighf hours of his full life as he has occasion fo confemplafe refrospecfively fhe resulfs of his labors-vivid in fhe lives of fhousands of Poly High men and women. David Burcham may refire from fhe offices, halls, classrooms and assemblies of old Poly, buf never from his own personal place in our lives, never from our hearfs. Harry Buffum Presidenf Sfudenf Body, 'I3 Presidenf Buffums' If is an opporfunify bofh professional and personal fo be asked fo wrife a leffer of fribufe concerning Mr. David Burcham who is refiring from fhe feaching profession fhis year. My firsf feaching posifion in Long Beach was af fhe Polyfechnic High School where l came fo know and appreciafe fhe kindliness and sincerify of him as a principal and as a friend fo all members of his sfaff. The work of Mr. Burcham has been oufsfanding. The splendid rafing mainfained by fhe Polyfechnic High School is adequafe proof of fhe professional qualify of his leadership. The Cify Teachers Club is proud fo claim Mr. Burcham as one of fheir group and exfend fo him besf wishes for fhe leisure he so well deserves. Glee Duncan Presidenf Cify Teachers Club Mr. Burcham, affecionafely known fo sfudenfs from my fime on as Daddy Bur- cham, has been fhe spark-plug and mainspring of Long Beach High School and Poly- fechnic High School. We bofh sfarfed High School af fhe same fime in l907, Mr. Burcham as principal and myself as a freshman. l fhink fhaf he has been a friend and counsellor fo every sfudenf who has affended eifher one of fhose high schools since fhaf dafe, and we all have a feeling of love and devofion for him which we do nof exacfly have for ofher people, because of fhe peculiar qualifies fhaf he has exhibifed fhroughouf his long sfay in our school work. The excellence of Long Beach Polyfechnic High School is mainly due, in my opin- ion, fo his quief and efficienf guidance, and l believe all of his sfudenfs, of fhe presenf and fhe pasf, will always feel fhe effecf of his wonderful spirif. My own love and admirafion for him will never cease. Leslie E. Sfill 'I0 Judge, Superior Courf, Long Beach To be able fo pay fribufe publicly fo Mr. David Burcham is an opporfunify l have long awaifed. Buf my fribufe can simply confain fhe whole-hearfed appreciafion fhaf every sfudenf under Mr. Burcham has felf, and l feel fhaf if is buf an echoing voice en- suing fhe fhousands of worfhy praises showered upon him. If is easily conceived fhaf men of Mr. Burcham's qualifies are giffs fhaf few com- munifies receive. And when men wifh such affriloufes donafe fheir life work foward fhe feachings and profecfion of our American ldeals, fhere is really no reward rich enough fo merif fheir confribufion. Wifh fhe feachings of honor, frusf, and service, fhere musf be a living example affer which a coming generafion may paffern ifself. Buf fo mold oneself affer fhis man would necessifafe a comparafive lifefime of consisfenf foil and a measure- menf of sacrifice, an example difficulf fo follow. Thoughfs of grafifude and admirafion conclude fhis fribufe fo a man whose paf- fern many of us are affempfing fo approximafeg indeed, an ardous fask. Gene Pickeff Presidenf June Class, '39