West Philadelphia High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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- lj Class History BY EUGENE SHORE CIENCE marches on! For purposes of carrying out this project a new experiment is begun twice during each year at the XVest Philadelphia Laboratories of Science. The purpose of these experiments is to implant useful and valuable knowledge in the minds of those who are subjects. Persons who come as subjects of experimentation can be either sex, and are under sixteen years of age. They are prepared in lesser labor' atories for eight years, some few for nine years. As these experiments progress some are found to be more difficult than others. Those which are less difficult usually are more successful. It is our sincere hope, therefore, that we have not been a diflicult experiment. We were the experiment of june, 1934. Most of us entered the imposing portals of the West Philadelphia Laboratory in the Fall of 19?-Og some number of us in the Fall of 1931. We were greeted and advised by the new Chief Chemist of the Laboratory, Mr. Roberts, as was the custom. Mr. Briggs, an able assistant to Mr. Roberts, told us the purpose of the experiment and what would be expected of us. Alere Flammam - nurture the flame, we were advised, as have been all previous classes and as probably will be all future classes. Thus it was intimated to us that the implanting of knowledge was not a mere process of osmosis or assimilation, but that we must work, and work hard,--successfully to terminate our experiment. Because we were new to the manner of things in a great experimental laboratory, we took possibly six months to become acquainted with the magnificent institution which is one of the largest of its type in the country. And later when we were joined by those who had had a longer preparation, we took them to us as brothers and taught them all that we ourselve knew, that they might not be behind us in the experiment. During this time, and it was a program which continued to the end of the experiment, we were daily except on Saturdays, Sundays, and special vacations, in' jected with chemicals. Chemicals such as English and Latin and Algebra, which were to bring about a successful termination to the experiment, so that we might be Twenty-six

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THE RECORD 1934 3? I

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1 THE RECORD l934 able to leave the Laboratory at the prescribed time, which was eight terms after our entrance in the Fall of 1930. During this time we also found there was another phase to the Laboratories, the activities. Many of us joined activities such as musical organizations, athletics, and dramatics, which were carried on with members of experiments which had entered either before or after us. When we became 11B's we were informed that there was a social side which was for our benefit and which was to be governed by ourselves with the aid of some little advice by sponsors. Mr. Ball and Miss Davis, popular chemists of the Laboratory, were named our sponsors and we elected as officers to govern us:-Stanley Arnold, president, Bergliot Natvig, vicefpresidentg and jane Thurwanger, secretary. A council was also elected to carry out the functions of a governing group. Our first action as a group was to order the ring which the majority of us proudly wear to show our relationship to the Laboratory. At first there was heated discussion as to whether we should have onyx rings but a motion to this effect was defeated at a Council Meeting. ' When our class colors were announced as Red and Tan, it was decided to buy charms bearing the colors. It was felt that this was necessary to link the members of our experiment more closely together and distinguish them from members of other experiments. From a group of caricatures of many famous scientists including Popeye, Herbie, Skippy, and Smitty, I would gladly pay you Tuesday --Wimpy was selected as our class mascot. VV e were sorry to hear, at the end of this term, of the resignation of Miss Davis because she had been a real friend and advisor. It was announced that Miss Worcester, popular worker of the French Chemical Department would be our new sponsor. Then the summer intervened and we were fullffledged seniors when we returned. We got under way immediately by electing Henry Hofmann president of our class, Cecile Englander, vice-presidentg jane Thurwanger, treasurerg and William Ottinger, secretary. To aid the officers we electd a Class Council. Vsfe now were surprised and dismayed to find the highly scientific literary efforts of the school greatly abridged. Our magazine, the Scientific journal fGryphonj was discontinued after one of its most successful seasons. This continues to remain an COUNCIL Front Roxx'-Williaiii XV. Ot' tinger, Iane Thurwangcr, Henry Hofmann, Cecile Englander, Butts Kardon. Second Row-Louise Carpenter, Sylvia Fogel, Miss Vvforccster, Dena Kokonos, Louise Cooper Third Row-Phillip Zeigler, Gladys Spiers, Herbert Seidelman, Ethel Mann, Leonard Mirsky Top Row-Mr. W. C. C. Ball, Charles Phillips, Kenneth Farr, Sol Rosncr Twe ntyaseven