Alton High School - Tatler Yearbook (Alton, IL)

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i8 “T II K T A T L E R ” recall any special thrill of joy when I entered the High School; this thrill was reserved until I was actually a member of the Senior Class. That was in 1876. and the Alton High School, with the rest of the country, celebrated that memorable year by turning out the largest ''lass it had ever known up to that time, and I believe that class still holds the record in that respect. There were forty of us. The graduation was a most elaborate affair. It was an all day function. It began in the morning at nine o’clock, and when it finished I cannot say, but I think before dark. We kindly allowed the poor, tired audience an intermission for lunch. We realized that the mental food we were offering them, in the shape of our essays and orations, while very fine, was not entirely life sustaining. Every one of 11s had a chance: we all spoke our pieces. For one I am glad of it. It is the chance of a boy’s or girl’s lifetime to get up before a big audi- ence and tell the world just what to do. You rarely get that chance again, and we old-time graduates are distinctly proud of the fact that that chance was given to us. while now-a-days you have to sit still and listen to a very learned and able man give advice to the world for you. But this is in conformity with the spirit of modern progress. All things change, and change, they tell us. is for the better. It has l cen for the Alton High School. The time has been extended from three to four years. You have laboratories and scientific apparatus, where we had nothing but dry text books. The classes graduating now are better equipped, educationally, than we were twenty-five years ago. There has been vast material progress and an intellectual awakening in the span from 1876 to 1905, and this development may be observed in the history of the Alton High School during that period. We who belong to the older generation glory with you of the younger in this advance, and we are as proud of the school to-day as we were when scholars. If I may humbly suggest it. I think our High School requires an Alumni Association. Yot for the material advancement of the school itself, because the people of Alton will attend to that, but to cherish its memories and keep alive the kindly spirit of fraternalism. which should animate all those who have been blessed with the favors of the same institution. H. S. Baker.

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 T II E T A T L E R l7 SOME REMINISCENCES HE High School of the Middle West is distinctly a national pride. It is turning out a very finished product. It is the university of the people. While some of its branches may be trimmed here and there, it is my belief that it will go on growing with the steady and beneficial growth of the past twenty years, until it will be possible to give by its means not only a practical, but a finished education to all except the specialists. This is the tendency to-day. and those who have received the benefits of its kindly help and mental stimulus should aid that tendency all within their power. I have no statistics before me. I am, therefore, unable to say with exactness the number of graduates of the Alton High School. There must, however, be a goodly crowd of us. Roughly shaking, there must be some eight hundred. Some of them, let me say, in sorrow, arc not here to help us by their counsel and their friendship. When the Alumni Association of the Alton High School is organized, as I fully hope and trust it may be. the historian of that society will tell us in detail the humble beginning of our Alma Mater. I think I was present at the time it was launched, but the memories are simply those of a very small boy, and yet. goodness knows. I am old enough to remember a great many things pretty far back. So you will sec that our High School has quite a few years to its credit. It also has a host of graduates who have Ijeen an honor to its teachers and its Educational Board. In the beginning, as I remember it, the line of demarcation between the upper grades of the Common School and the High School was not very distinct. Of course we had no building to ourselves. We were on the top shelf at No. Two. At that time it was a three years’ course. The high class in the grammar grades and the low class in the High School were pitch-forked in together, and yet I think that we were entirely happy and content. I do not now

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THE T A T L E R 19 99 THE ALTON HIGH SCHOOL O far as can be ascertained the first high school in Alton was established in the basement of the Unitarian Church in the year 1866. At this time there were in Alton only two small public school buildings. These schools soon proved inadequate and through the influence of Moses Atwood bonds were issued for the erection of a twelve-room building, long known as No. 2, but now called Lincoln School. A room in this building was set apart for high school work and a two years’ course of study prescribed. The Superintendent of Schools acted also as Principal of the High School and for the first two years all pupils were required to pay a tuition fee of one dollar. The first superintendent and principal was Mr. Raimend; then came Mr. Smith, who had charge for two years; he was followed by E. A. Haight. During Mr. Haight’s term, in the fall of 1870, the course was changed to three years and as the attendance in all the schools was increasing, it was decided to relieve the superintendent and at the same time to increase the efficiency of the High School by appointing a separate principal for the High School. Miss Parker was the first principal, serving from 1871-73. She was followed by Mrs. E. A. Haight. In the fall of 1875, R. A. Haight became principal and held this position until 1880. when he was elected superintendent. In this capacity he still serves and we can see how capable a superintendent he is by the number of years he has served and the great progress that the schools have made under his care and direction. Mr. F. D. Rude succeeded Mr. Haight as principal. From 1882-84 the High School was in charge of J. D. Roberts; from 1884-90 Mr. W. R. Tarbet, a highly educated man, a fine scholar and musician, was principal and through his efforts the High School was greatly improved. Geo. A. Shepherdson next served for three years and was followed by G. Wilkinson, who was principal for three years and later served as a member of the Board of Education. During his term a change of great importance to the High School was made. For some time there had been a prevailing .