Berkeley High School - Olla Podrida Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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THE OLLA PODRIDA 29 The Forum, this year, has every reason for encouragement. The debates have been good, the new members of the right caliber, and all rough-housing has ceased. The Consti- tution has been changed, and as it now stands it meets the needs of the Forum much more successfully than before. All the members seem to take a great .interest in the debates, those of others, as well as their own. The old Forum members will doubtless recollect the con- dition of affairs last year. ' At that time the members, with the exception of a faithful few, did not even interest themselves in their own debates. This deplorable condition of affairs, combined with dissentions among the members, resulted in our defeat by Oakland last May. But this year the Forum seems to have taken a new lease of life. At every meeting, competent critics have been present and have materially added to the interest in the debates. Mr. James, Mr. Hackley, Mr. Alexander and Mr. Young have acted as critics so far, and we hope to have more of the faculty at future meetings. The new members who have been drawn from the two upper classes, have already taken as much interest in the Forum as the older members themselves, and a number of them have already debated. There is much good material for the Oakland debating team among these new members. A new series of five debates with Oakland will soon be arranged. Oakland High School won the last series, being victorious in three out of the five contests. The representatives of the Forum in the debate against O. H. S. were all good speakers and nobly upheld the honor of the Berkeley High School. Many peo- ple thought that our boys should have been declared the victors, by reason of their superior- ity in argument, but it is no use crying over spilt milk. The best way to retrieve the de- feat of last year is to win the next debate and we are hopeful that we will be able to do this. Of the members of last year ' s team, but one Bert Chaplin, the leader, and the best individ- ual speaker of the evening, is attending the High School, the others, Mr. Miller and Mr. Monroe, having left school. But the record of last year ' s debates is not al! defeat. The Forum sent to Alameda a de- bating team who were able to conquer their opponents. Alameda High School was sure of victory and when defeat came took it with an ill grace. Many of the B. H. S. boys will re- member that debate, especially the rough house that followed it, when many white Alameda caps were stolen. The debating team against Alameda was Messrs. Chaplin, Adams and Girvin. The officers of the Forum for this term are: President, Win. Andrews; Vice-President, P. Girvin; Secretary, L. C. Hawley; Treasurer, C. Newhall; Sergeant-at- Arms, Bert. Chaplin.

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28 THE OLLA PODRIDA ASSOCIATED STUDENTS. The New High School has come and with it many of the things that were promised. We now dwell in the midst of splendor and modern convenience; hut in spite of this, there is one element in the life of the B. H. S. that is sadly lacking. This is the entire absence of unity and common interest. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Until we all unite together, and each and every one puts his shoulder to the wheel, we cannot look for- ward to any marked success. Now that the new year is approaching let us all, as we return from our vacation, resolve to do our utmost to further the interests of the student body. The Associated Students were organized over five years ago to promote greater interest among the students of B. H. S. in every undertaking of the High School, and to bring the students into closer relations with each other. We are all in duty bound to carry out this purpose and if we do not do our best we have failed in our duty. The unfinished condition of the laboratories has necessitated the use of these apartments in the old building. Thus at no time in the day was it possible to have the entire school gath- ered under one roof. But now that the new laboratories are completed, this difficulty has been overcome and we look forward to the spring term and prophecy better times. We have admitted a baby class into our fold. Many of its members do not as yet ap- preciate the importance of High School fife. It is imperative for the future of the B. H. S. that this class be carefully nurtured and trained in the way it should go. There has been but one meeting of the Asso- ciated Students this term. This meeting was held to arouse greater interest in our Football Team, to stir up a greater interest in the 011a Podrida both financial and literary, and to give Mr. James an opportunity to prod on those who had a tendency to avoid their studies. In the coming term, a greater num- ber of meetings, and renewed interest in the common undertakings will promote a stronger bond of union amongst the student body. Bert Chaplain, President of the Associated Students. ALUMNI NOTES. Mr. Fish ' 01 is attending Boones Academy this year. Miss Berneice Cusley ' 96 is at home on a vacation. Miss Marie Wilson ' 00 will leave January fourth for Shanghai, China. Miss Ruth Attenbury ' 94 and Miss Grace Henley ' 94 spent Thanksgiving in Berkeley. Miss Annie McCleave ' 99 and Mr. Howard Merrill ' 99 took part in the Junior song farce entitled Wing. Miss Amy Hamlin ' 94 and Miss .Maude Packard are scoring great success in Eastern theatrical circles. Miss Helen Bennett left Saturday for her home in Placerville after a long visit with Miss Matie Leonard ' 00. Mr. Ray W. Simonds ' 96 and his wife who was formerly Miss Edith Fineburg ' 97 are tak- ing an extensive Eastern trip. Payson Riggs recently returned from the northern part of the state where he has been mining and will enter college at Christmas. The engagement is announced of Miss Grace Dobbins ' 96 and Mr. John Ames of Napa. Thf wedding will take place during the Christ- mas holidays. Mr. Frank Simpson and his wife, formerly Miss Anne Mason ' 95 are at present touring in the East. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson met Mr. Harry Johnson 96 and Mr. Harold Bradley who are studying. o An amusing incident occurred in the main room a few days since. The teacher was try- ing to assist the scholar in telling what Samson slew the Philistine with, and in order to freshen his memory pointed to her jaw and said: What is this? The scholar suddenly recol- lecting, replied: The jaw bone of an ass, ma ' m. — Ex.

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30 THE OLLA PODRIDA Four meetings and two regular debates have been held. At the last one, on October 27, the question debated was: Resolved, that the Government should own and operate the rail- roads. Affirmative, S. Hume, C. Newhall, and Whitney; Negative, Bert. Chaplain, Muir McKelvy and Robert McKeown. Mr. Young was present and acted as critic. The debate was awarded to the negative by the judges, who said that although the affiramtive were superior in argument, the delivery of the nega- tive was so much the better that they were entitled to the debate. While the judges were deliberating on the decision, Mr. Young came forward and gave a very instructive criticism. The plan of having members of the faculty, and other competent critics present at every meeting, is a good one, and we hope to be able to continue in it. After the meeting several new members were sworn in. There was to to have been another regular meeting on the tenth of December, but on account of the en- forced absence of Mr. Brock, one of the speak- ers, the meeting was postponed for one week. J2? j£? j xcKanges In this final edition we have decided to devote our space to a general discussion of the Exchange column, presenting in a new garb some excellent ideas from other papers and supplementing a few of our own. There seems to be a tendency in the school and in others as well, to underrate the value of the Exchange Column. Although we do not con- sider this the most important part of the paper, nevertheless we feel that this intercourse ought to be of great benefit to the paper and to the school. It will be well-nigh impossible to carry on a paper on an isolated local basis, and keep it up to a high standard. The incentive to better work which rivalry engenders, the improve- ment in the literary department which always follows the exchange of ideas would be lacking, and eventually the paper would fall into provin- cialisms in construction and style. Besides furnishing ideas, the Exchange Column gives — what is perhaps more needful sometimes — en- couragement to the editors of other papers by praising worthy editions. We know from ex- perience that the Business Manager is always very anxious to know what the outside world thinks about his rustling ability, and is always greatly pleased and expanded whenever it is commented upon. In speaking of the Business Management, it can easily be shown how the Exchanges would affect it if only they were put in a place ac- cessible to the students as they ought to be. Many of the students will not subscribe to a paper because they say it is not worth it; that it is not up to the standard set by other papers. If they could see the other high school journals and should compare them with their own, very likely they would be willing to add their names to the subscription list. Again the most im- portant issues of a paper, the final editions, are materially helped by the Exchanges, for both the Editor and Business Manager are contin ually getting ideas of novel departments from their contemporaries. Indeed, one column, called Smiles from Exchanges, is entirely gotten up from the best joshes in the papers which reach us. Athletics are indirectly fostered by the Ex- changes. This may seem a rather bold state- ment, but it can be proved. If a track or foot- ball team is trying for the championship of a league it is always eager to know how its rivals are getting on, and the best way to find out,