Archbold High School - Blue Streak Yearbook (Archbold, OH)

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1931-1941 Consolidation came to pass in 1937. The equipment from the rural schools was moved in and the schoolhouses sold. Some of those buildings have been remodeled and some torn down. With their passing the last vestige of the old regime will have gone except in the minds of a few people who hold the memories of the rural school close to their hearts. Since consolidation it has been necessary to revamp the grade building. The large room upstairs has been divided to form two rooms, the manual training room has become a store room, the girls' toilet has been divided into two rooms accommodating both boys and girls and the boys' toilet has been refinished for a band room. In the new building the home economics room has been refinished with new cabinets, gas and electric ranges, electric sewing machines and the very latest equipment in every way. The history of these individual departments of the school will be discussed later. xi QI .J a 'tx 4' . 'f .4 a A Q. , 1 . J? X DO YOU REMEMBER? PURPOSE OF EDUCATION In these fifty years the school has had a varied idea of what education is. In the be- ginning it served as the institution of learning for only those very fortunate, chosen few who were privileged to attend. Latin, German and English were emphasized because it was thought that they were cultural and culture was a thing to be learned from books. It mattered little if the student leamed anything of the facts concerning every day living. They could learn those things at home. The harder the mathematics and science taught, the more mental training and the more value the subject would have. In the early twenties schools began to encourage children to participate in school activi- A

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high school built there. These movements relieved the pressure of numbers on our school and postponed the building of a new building here until 1930. ln 1925 the Peter J. Vernier house on Stryker Street was purchased and rebuilt into a Domestic Science Cottage that for several years was the marvel of its day. The State Department of Education kept urging districts to centralize or consolidate their territories and eliminate many one-room rural schools. These schools have been dear to the hearts of many people and such a movement has always met with objections from ma- ny people. The brick school did serve a good purpose in its day, but times change. The movement was anticipated somewhat by the Archbold Village District when in 1930, the New High School Building was built at a cost of 596,000 Plans were drawn by Carl Britsch of the class of 1906. Grads who were students in school at the time will never forget the breaking of the ground for the new building. Others always recall the raising of the 18 ton beam to support the ceiling of the gymnasium. Then came the finishing touches-- plaster, woodwork, equipment, and then school began. Dedication day was Nov. 7, 1930. Archbold now has a fine building set up---so fine, in fact, that some other building com- mittees have copied our buildings in part. ln 1931 the teaching force consisted of R. L. Lorton, Supt., T. L. Parker, Prin., J. Kre- mer, J. Derringer, M. A. Farber, D. Armstrong, L. Smith, M. Nofziger, V. Jones, R. Fagley, O. Buehrer, E. Rufenacht and M. Bernath. The janitors were E. Bourquin and W. Bruns. The Board of Education consisted of Dr. E. A. Murbach, O. A. Bourquin, A. Siegel, H. F. Stotzer and H. Walter. RURAL SCHOOL STUDY HALL AND STAGE ELMIRA SCHOOL DISMISSAL TIME ZONE SCHOOL HOME ECONOMICS

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ties. Children were thought to learn best by doing the thing they wanted to do. About 1930 an extreme was reached when a busy, interested child was the desired situation in the school. Wcnrkshops, industrial arts, home economics, art, etc., became quite the style. Today the school is looked upon, not so much as a place where heads are filled with a multitude of facts and figures, but as a place where children can make the most of themselves in every way. Some are equipped to earn a good living as soon as they graduate. Others are given the inspiration for further training. Still others look upon school as a place where the state required them to spend four of the best years of their lives. For these life begins at about 18 years of age. Present world affairs have required the public school to assume a new responsibility. The country is committed to a policy of democracy as a form of government and it behooves the public school to help preserve it by being in itself a democratic institution. The course of study has been enriched by making more subjects elective and fewer required. Social activi- ties have been emphasized and school has become more like a business concern, with each student an employee having within himself the possibility of reaching the top. The athletic program has been broadened to include other sports than basketball, calisthenics has been in- troduced in gymnasium and the whole plan is designed to develop the whole physical make- up of as many pupils as possible. The public school, together with the church and Sunday School, is trying to build men and women developed to their fullest capacities, physically, mentally, morally and spiritually. The measure to which she succeeds in these respects will determine her worth in this democ- racy. A complete summary of all the events of these fifty years would take volumes. lt is our sincere hope that the mention of a few of the incidents will bring back to you some of your own escapades, and as your memory dwells fondly on them that your heart will be stirred with thankfulness for those good old days spent within these halls of learning. May you breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for all those friendships, ideals, and inspirations you gained. May these remembrances cause you to lead a better life. NOTES OF APPRECIATION Much of the credit for the excellence of our I r school must be given to Dr. E. A. Murbach, whose i untiring efforts during the 45 years of his tenure on the Board of Education, have exceeded the term of any teacher or worker in the school system. Dr. Murbach has always been interested in education and particularly in our school. He has inspired when things were dull and disappointing, he has acted as a balance when in time of stress and pres- sure, he has been a stabilizing influence for good in the school as well as in the community. His abili- ty as an executive has been an important factor in the upbuilding of this institution. His exalted ideals and sympathetic kindliness have been an in- DR. E. A. MURBACH Spiration 'O all' With deep gratitude and appreciation, we wish to thank Dr. Murbachfor his sincere devotion to the school.