Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

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Winning His “M.” Kenneth Wilson, ’14. Jimmie Brown stepped off the train and started towards St. Mary’s campus. He was full of jov because after two years of hard work he had at last become St. Mary’s star quarter miler. As he entered the athletic field he was rather disappointed that he was not given a better greeting. The other boys passed him hurriedly or talked excitedly in small groups. Upon asking what was the cause of the excitement he was told that Black, one of the best quarter milers. in the slate, had entered St. Mary’s. At this Brown’s hopes for winning his “M” were shattered, he would again have to be second best. As the term progressed both boys practiced faithfully, hut before many trial races had been performed Brown saw that lie was badly beaten. The first meet in which St. Mary was going to take part was with her old rival, St. John’s. A week before the meet trial races were to he run to see who would make the track team. To Brown this was a more important race than the one in the meet would be. There were five other boys trying for the quarter mile, but Brown and Black were the principal ones. From the start Black led the field and was never passed. This was one of the greatest disappointments in Brown’s life. Although he had won much glory in other sports, he wished that some day lie might say to his friends, “I was a St. Mary’s track man.” Just as he was on the point of gaining this honor, Black had appeared and defeated his plans. The next day the team was given a rousing send-off by the school and loaded on a train for St. Johns. Brown went only as a spectator. When the team arrived at the college they were well received and spent the rest of the day with their opponents. At one o’clock the next day the track meet began. The meet was very closely contested by both schools and when the runners for the last race, the quarter mile, were called out, both teams had the same number of points. This event would decide the meet. The runners jogged slowly up and down the track impatiently waiting for the race. Suddenly two runners collided and St. Mary’s team saw their best runner being carried out with a broken arm. The coach at once found Brown in the crowd and told him to get out on the track as quickly as possible. Then he hurriedly gave him a few last instructions and the track was cleared. At the bang of the gun Brown sprang into the lead. Close behind him were the other two runners, but as the race went on they dropped behind and at the finish Brown led by ten yards. At last Brown could say, ”1 was a St. Mary’s track man.”

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fair to become one of the foremost lawyers of the country in a few years. Casper Smith also began his school flays under the instructions of Miss Lydia Biggs in the Primary room of the Atwood public school, and, from the same school where he began, he will take his departure. We have always tried to set a good example for the lower classmen, and we hope that it is worthy of being followed. We wish the following classes the happiness and success which we have had. Now and again, for the last time we bid farewell to you, dear Alma Mater. Adieu. PATRONS’ NIGHT. Mii.drbd Riggs, ’12. On the night of December Hi, 1910, the school building was for a second time lighted, for this was the annual Patrons’ Night. The teachers had the work which the various pupils had done through the year attractively displayed about their rooms and after a leisurely inspection of this, the parents gathered in the High School assembly room, where a short program was given. Professor Hayes of the University of Illinois, who delivered the address to the Seniors last commencement, was the speaker of the evening, lie talked of books and of their value to education. The Glee Club of the High School rendered several selections. After this, refreshments, which the School Board was kind enough to furnish, consisting of neapolitan ice cream, wafers and macaroons, were served. The object of these annual Patrons’ Nights is to bring the parents into closer touch with the teachers of the school so that they can see better what their children are accomplishing. They are always well attended and the teachers only, wished there was more room, so that more could be accommodated. THREE DAYS. There were five boys. The day was dark and gloomy, so gloomy in fact that the dullness of the weather had a dampening influence upon the spitdi of all. But how did we get into the school house? Who knows? Well, any way, we were inside, but we were also outside (in a short time), also outside—in a short time. But after the storm all was sunshine. We had, as a boy would say, more fun than you could shake a stick at. We played forty-two (how wo learned is a mystery worthy of invesi i-gation by Sherlock Holmes himself), but just the same we played. Snips and Dutch played checkers and give away. Snips got one king in checkers, and nine in give away. The odd man, for there were five of us, if you remember, studied ( ?) while the rest played. There must be an end, so we are told, to all things. So on the third and last day of our story, the scene changes again to the school room. But why so much excitement ? Fritz is delivering a speech, equal, if not exceeding, the eloquence of the Philippics or those of tiie Lorimer ease. Other speeches of comparative eloquence were delivered. The applause was terrific.

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The School House Question. There has been a little talk within the last few months about a new school house. And it seems as though some of our school patrons are not in favor of the plan. .Just why you do not want a new school house in Atwood is not positively known; but those of you who are opposed to the plan certainly do not know how badly we need a new, first class, up-to-date school house. There are many and strong reasons why we should have a new building in Atwood. Among others, tin following are some of tin most important: First, we need a new school building, because the one which we now have is entirely too small to accommodate the present needs of the pupils. There are not enough rooms for the High School classes, the primary rooms are overcrowded, and in fact every room in the whole building is crowded to overflowing. As a corollary from the above statement, it may be said that this overcrowded condition would make perfect ventilation impossible, even though the rooms were equipped with modern ventilators. But if there is anything around those ill lighted rooms that looks like a ventilator, it has never been found. By trying to ventilate the rooms with the windows we are freezing cold one minute, roasting hot the next and suffocating all the time. Next it would be well to consider the general condition of the house itself. Did you ever have the pleasure of listening to about a dozen cats fighting out by the garden fence some night when you were tired and wanted to sleep? If you have, you have experienced some of the pleasure which we enjoy practically every day. We do not have any cat fights, nor do we wish to sleep, but when it comes to making noise we have some windows in that old school house that would make a serenading party ashamed of itself. The architect who planned those stairways was by no means a genius. Both stairways lead down to the center of the building, and twist and angle around like a snake’s track. Just suppose the building should catch on fire near the center—such things have happened in other schools—how would the pupils in the upper rooms get out? You will say that there are fire escapes, and we will admit that there are; but in case of a fire they would he almost as inaccessible as the stairs themselves. Another interesting feature of this old landmark is the weakness of the structure. Some of the alumni write back to us occasionally and inquire if the school house has yet fallen down. No, it has not done that badly, but who can tell how soon it ma ? When the wind blows the whole building reels and creaks like a ship tossed about by a storm. These are only a few of the noticeable features of our school house, but it is hoped that they will convey to you some idea of its dilapidated, ramshackle condition. It might be a good thing to compare our school house with the buildings of some other schools. Bet us look at tin other principal schools of the county, namely: Mansfield, Monfi- eello, Bement and Ferro Grordo. Ii will be noticed that each place named above has a modern, well 'quipped school building which far surpasses ours in every respect. Please notice that we have not said school, but school building. For it is well to note that Atwood is now one of the few High Schools of the State which is fully accredited with the University of Illinois, and which ranks high in all of its school work. Does it not behoove us, as citizens of the United States, and especially as citizens of Atwood and vicinity, to build a school house on the site of the old one that will accommodate our