Alton High School - Tatler Yearbook (Alton, IL)

Page 14 text:

“THE TATLEK.” I 2 5. Unselfishness.—The other elements mentioned belong to the individual. This trait pertains to the individual as a member of society and the State. Unselfishness prepares for citizenship and society . The unselfish man is sympathetic and right minded. Selfishness shows itself in egotism, envy, jealousy, vanity and inordinate greed. It may show itself in a thousand ways—it claims the best seat, it demands the most attention, it craves prominence, it grasps for artificial honors and sometimes breaks out in violent form. In my judgment, there is no place in the world where this lesson can be so successfully mastered as in the school. Finally, the school is a little world where all the energies of soul, mind and body are actively developing trait of character. From this little school world the pupil enters the big real world where lie curses or blesses society and his country, J. E. Turner. T a fiords me great pleasure to have an opportunity to send greetings to my former pupils and fellow-, teachers, and congratulations to the teachers and pupils who have just completed their first year in the Alton High School. The High School has passed through another successful year. This I know, because I have received every assurance of it throughout the year from both teachers and pupils. 1 am reminded every day of what I have given up when I see familiar faces on Second Street going t and from school. 1 here is a great deal of satisfaction, however, in the daily contact with many of the graduates win are engaged in different vocations in Alton and St. Louis. This reminds me that in a few years the High Schoo students of today will be conducting the business of the city, the state, and the nation, M greatest desire is tha f you who have the opportunity to attend school and graduate, may not fail to do so. I feel especially interested in the class of '07. because we entered the High School in the same year. May all oftl you be successful in your undertakings. Very sincerelv yours, tl Rout. I.. Bird. 03-07. h J

Page 13 text:

“THE TATLE R.’ ’ 11 2. Honesty.—The world needs open, frank, straight-forward, upright, just men—men that are sincere to the core, incapable of fraud, trickery, treachery and insincerity in trade or politics—men of high principles, who will ‘ not betray a trust. Integrity of character lies at the foundation of all true nobility of life. These may seem small things in the school, and hardly worth noticing, but remember that “the boy is father to the man”—the boy that acts the lie in a recitation will act one on the judge’s bench or in the senator's chair. The dishonest scholar makes the dishonest merchant, clerk, lawyer or statesman. In this age when such sentiments as, Do your neighbor or you will be done by him” are uttered in a tone that is not all jest, we are nearing the danger line in this regard. 3. Self-reliance.—This element naturally grows out of the preceding two. The boy who learns to rely upon his own exertions has learned a more important lesson than if he had found a grammar machine that would convert all his uncouth sentences into elegant English. Nothing can take the place of self-reliance in life’s earnest struggles. Without it we have parasites instead of men, idlers who rely upon luck instead of pluck to win them fortunes. If society could only rid itself of its parasites, it would rid itself of pest-houses, jails and the expense of police force. 4. Self-control.—It matters little how great is a man’s power of endurance, how perfect his honesty, or how complete his self-reliance, if he fails to keep his powers under control he is a weak and helpless being. The Greeks held self-control to be the highest of human virtues. It was trained into them from childhood. They gained it in their numberless games and sports as well as at the feet of their great teachers. There is no virtue more sadly wanting in our American life than this. “We are a race of immoderate, intemperate, inordinate men and women.” We need to learn that our highest enjoyment and greatest usefulness depend not upon quantity, but quality. The self-disciplined man is the ruler of his world. He that has mastered his own powers has taken the longest step toward the mastering of others. It is a high honor to stand at the head of one’s class, but it is not the highest honor if attained at the expense of one’s body. I have seen wrecks that I pity and yet admire. They have graduated at the heads of their classes, but at the end of healthful, vigorous lives. I am not attempting to discount scholarship. but 1 would discourage one-sided development. Cicero said that an intemperate youth hands over to old age a worn out and useless body. Nothing is more true.

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TA TLER 3 ior his health, prosperity, and happiness. R. B. C. RICHARDSON, the new principal of the Alton High School has long been familier to the pupils of the High School, and to the citizens of Alton. Born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, he received his early education in the Academy at Mexico, New York. After a year’s experience as teacher in a country school, lie entered Syracuse University and there received the degree of A. B. in 1893. He became a teacher in the Alton High School in 1895, was made assistant principal in 1900, and has since been identified with the school and its interests. His familiarity with the school and its methods, his long acquaintance with the pupils, and the respect and affection entertained for him by all the members of his classes, have made it possible for him to perform successfully a difficult feat—to succeed a man like Mr. Turner, who, during a prineipalship often years, had made himself almost indispensable, to carry on the work without friction or hindrance, and to make the present year one of the most successful periods in the history of the school. Mr. J. E. Turner, whose years of service in the High School will long he gratefully remembered by the present students and by the Alumni who enjoyed the benefit of his instruction, counsel, and sympathy, carried with him, upon his departure from our city, the heartiest wishes of all the pupils They felt that the present high rank of the Alton High School among the schools of the state is largely due to his intelligent supervision and to his wholesouled devotion to the interests of the school. They have transferred their allegiance to Mr. Richardson and are ready to support his efforts to raise the standard of the school and to make it more efficient than it has ever been before; but loyalty to the new and highly esteemed principal does not forbid an affectionate recognition of the long and valuable services of his pre-lecessor.