Appleton High School - Clarion Yearbook (Appleton, WI)

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SILVER A NNI VERSA I? Y A Letter From Miss MeNervin DEAR MARGARET: To grant the request for a word of greeting, or a reminiscence in honor ol the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Appleton High School, is to turn my thoughts back into the yesterdays and recapture a thousand memories that brought at that time so much interest into our lives as we were associated and worked out the problems of Appleton High School together. In the autumn of '04, Appleton High School had headquarters and some class rooms in the City Hall building, but most of the class went on their merry-go-round way from the City Hall and Library class rooms to the Lincoln School, to the Appleton Theatre, to Lawrence Collce. Some of the science classes, and all of the expression classes were held in the basement of the City Hall. Strangers thought it was a wild animal zoo, or Bedlam, for there were always puzzled looking spectators lined up out- side the basement windows. Later in the spring when the warm weather came and windows were opened, curious children and grown-ups, and even the uncommon council, put their heads in through the windows to see what was going on. It was usually a class downing the Romans , it may have been the Charcoal Man calling his wares, or the ocean Rolling On , or it may have been Bert Lennon bringing to an untimely end The Man with the Iron Shroud . For our play that year, we undertook the presentation of a very pretentious one called Rosedale in which there were several acts, and numerous scenes in each act. I often wondered if because of that play and its complicated presentation at the Appleton Theatre, we were in any measure responsible for the stage manager of the theatre having lost his mind the following summer. The following year we were installed in the new building, and what a marvelous and happy change it was! Busy years followed, days and nights crowded with activities and programs. Eager boys and girls swarmed into school each year and surged out again,- always with faces glowing with hope, radiant with the joy of life, exuberant as only youth can be, curious and hungry to prepare themselves for their great venture in life. And what a blessed thing it is now to feel, reflected from that long procession, so many happy memories and the warmth and loyalty of so many priceless friendships. To the faculty, the alumni, the students of those memorable days, we extend our hearty greetings. In whatever remote corner of the earth you may be established, know one and all that our fond thoughts are with you, and we are sending best wishes for much success and joy and blessings. E f . l Lama , wa. M Page fwclrty-om'

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Tllli CLARION The Bnirnzing of Ryan High School To some, especially to those who are particularly averse to going to school day in and day out, the burning of the school at which they regularly assemble would seem to be a rather unusual stroke of good fortune. To others, who perhaps are a trifle more broadminded or have a better conception of what a school is for, it would be more of a catastrophe or at least something to stir the emotions. But disregarding the emotions aroused I think it would prove to be an exciting time for all. Think of leaving for school on some cold wintry morning. As you came near to the school you saw the heavy cloud of smoke and flames rising from the school. Natur- ally excited, you hurried on until you could plainly see the building. There stood what was left of the former school-a great roaring mass of smoke and flames. The firemen rush about like ice-coated maniacsftheir efforts long since have proved to be futile. People standing in awe, watching the destructive work of the demon, Fire. Watching a good fire would stir the soul of any man, even if he had the profoundly simple soul of an angleworm. ln january of l904 the students of Ryan High School, which stood on the site of the present High School, and the residents of Appleton experienced all the thrills and excitement of a good fire. The fire was first discovered by the janitor, who, on account of the severe cold, had been coming to the school at four o'clock in the morning in order to get the building warm. He was about to enter the building when he noticed flames shooting out of one of the the windows. He sent in a call immediately for the fire department. Although the department responded quickly, by the time they arrived they could not get into the building because of the thick smoke. It was said that the fire originated in the furnace room and spread through the Ventilating system. By eighi o'clock nothing but two brick walls of the building was left standing. These were ready to fall at any moment. The firemen were greatly hampered by the sixteen degree below zero weather. Although it was not a windy day, pieces of burned paper and book leaves were found as far away as St. Elizabethls Hospital. All the records, textbooks. manual training equipment, physical equipment, etc. were burned. The entire loss was estimated at 550,000 At this time Appleton still had the District System of schools. By this system each district had a high school of its own. After the fire, plans were immediately made for a new Union High School, that is one large high school for all the district schools. ln a few months work was begun on the present Appleton High School. -WRUSSELL WICHMAN, '30, l'ugft' licwify

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SII. VER .l.V.X'lV1fIfS,t1fY if he ww c- a N g Y iillii' --s :fi , J ,,,,s'L'f'f 0 ri' 'Y' J ,ff 'pf X14 XXX , I nf lil W, V 'f v:',,h tivo IEREEMYEMBEEW t'lH'lr t '7 V-vw X , f 'rf , 5. J fa ll .XWWQ gills ll 4 ,L N so cess... X lk? me f -1lr:'15::Pfff?j The girls wore wire hats and hair-ribbons too big to see in the mirror, and the powder puff was a chamois skin? Some bright student put a sign on the bulletin board: Election Day-No Schoolu? And there wasn't! We had classes at seven o'clock in the morning? The faculty came to the football game in the police patrol because they were ac- cused of not supporting the team? We used to prance clown the middle of College Avenue every time we won a basketball game? 208 and 210 were boys' and girls' locker rooms? We had a recess? The students used to go to Bilter's bakery and get filled doughnuts at recess? Ruth Saecker took the part of the school teacher in the senior class play, and the paper reported next day: Do you remember that parting scene in the first act? More than one gulped about that time, each gulp a silent tribute to Miss Saecker's stage abilityu? Basketball games were held in the school gym and dances were held afterward? The boys had a mustache club and the one with the largest mustache at Christmas was to be presented with a razor? We had baccalaureate addresses the Sunday afternoon or evening before Com- mencement and the seniors marched in a body from school to the church? The junior-senior banquet was an all-day excursion to High Cliff-and on a school day too? lVlr. Bjorkland used to cut the tops off his shoes and make slippers when spring came? George Dame's debating vocabulary? Deci Salisbury was chairman of the social committee? The faculty went to their picnics in lVlike's truck? Miriam Peabody got caught on the trestle and had to hang onto the side while the train went past? 1'llfll' I-:willy-l':.'i1