Brookline High School - Murivian Yearbook (Brookline, MA)

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MR, RALPH W, TOTMAN Housemaster of Lincoln House DEDICATION We, of the 1943 Murivian Staff, take pleasure in dedicating this book to Lieutenant Ralph W. Totman, U.S.A.A.C., Master of Lincoln House, as a humble token of our appreciation. His sincerity, unfailing interest, friendliness, initia- tive, patience, and wisdom have guided us through four trying years. We regret that Army duties prevent our housemaster from being with us for our gradu- ation. And we join with the entire schoo l to wish him the best of luck and a speedy return. 9

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There have been many changes at Brookline High School this past year. Some have affected a large num- ber of us, others only a few. However, the one that we regret most deeply is the departure of ten of our faculty. And so it is with genuine sincerity and appre- ciation that we acknowledge the following: Miss Annie Burnham has retired after many years at Brookline. During her tenure, the Social Arts Curriculum was greatly enlarged, aided by her extensive interest in sewing, needlework, and related household arts. Lieutenant (j.g.) Samuel Gould’s presence has been felt throughout the entire school. As housemaster of Packard House, faculty advisor of the Dramatic Society, and teacher of English and Radio Appreciation, he has given unselfishly of himself. Miss Faith Hale resigned this year in favor of a new job as Mrs. Charles Ferguson of Spring- field. Her versatility in the many phases of Art, including the costuming for Class Day emphas- ized necessary values for our cultural side. Mr. Ralph D. McLeary, who contributed sub stantial ly to our Math Department as its head, is now Superintendent of Schools in Great Bar- rington, Rhode Island. Lieutenant (j.g.) August C. Miller ' s history classes have become a legend. We who graduate eagerly hope that future students will have a chance to know him in coming years. Miss Florence Perkins retired after twenty-two years as an unfailing member of the Mathematics Department. She is held in esteem by our faculty and student body alike. Lieutenant (j.g.) J. Newton Rodeheaver. object of many freshman crushes, has a real wan- derlust. He’s lived and taught all over the U.S. We hope, though, that the end of this war will see him firmly re-established at Brookline. Mr. Benjamin Roman, a popular member of the Latin Department and head of Vocational Guid- ance is now principal of the John D. Runkle School, where furture B.H.S. students are benefit- ing from their association with him. Private John Wall has not been with us very long; yet in his year and a half at Brookline, he has successfully met two crises, marriage and the army. We hope that the conclusion of this war will see him back with us. Mr. Alfred Webber was one of the most en- thusiastic and well-liked members of Brookline’s faculty. His teaching of Science inspired all who came in contact with him. 8

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The history of the Brookline High School is the story of a humble beginning and of gradual adaption to changing conditions and to increasing needs in its growth. In 1841, it was voted in town meeting that it was expedient to have a high school. In 1843, being au- thorized to go ahead, the School Committee seized the opportunity presented by vacant town property and by means of an appropriation of $300 equipped for high school use a room in the old stone town-hall removed to Sherburne Road, now Walnut Street. The tov n seems to have been fortunate in the choice of the first master — Mr. Hezekiah Shailer, a graduate of Brown University. As long as he re- mained head of the school, discipline was good and the attitude of the students toward their work com- mendable. The School Committee’s report of 1847 comments frankly as follows; — The school is well managed and orderly but unsatisfactory, and in some respects does not compare favorably with similar in- stitutions in this vicinity, because the one teacher can- not do justice to the task while he has to hear so many recitations and allot only fifteen minutes to each. Therefore, your committee recommends that there be appointed a female assistant in the High School to take charge of the girls in a separate room. The proposed change would obviate in a measure the scruples of those who object to the instruction of both sexes in the same room by a male teacher.” In accordance with the above recommendation, an assistant was em- ployed. The year 1852-53 marked the beginning of a bad slump in the High School achievement, due primarily to frequent changes in the teaching staff. The ques- tion was raised whether the High School should be discontinued as such and blended with the Pierce Grammar School in a single institution. It is in fact,” says the report of the School Committee, nothing more at present than a grammar school in which a few advanced studies are partially and imperfectly taught. Notwithstanding this discouraging report, the committee did not despair, but recommended steps to change the deplorable condition. The school was too heterogeneous; a more rigid examination for ad- mission was necessary to weed out the unfit. More- over, appreciating the truth of the old adage As is the teacher, so is the school”, it urged the payment of liberal salaries to get and keep the very best teachers. The recommendation of the School Committee was adopted. Out of blackness of despair suddenly came the dawn with the appointment of Mr. John Emory Hoar, from the high school in Cambridge, to the prin- cipalship. I his skillful teacher and remarkable char- acter began at once to help mightily in bringing about a swift change for the better. Mr. Hoar attacked vigorously the evil of irregular- ity in attendance and succeeded in awakening a public sentiment in the scholars against tardiness and absence. He was constructive in other measures that made for a better school. He called for reference books. A good library , he said forms an indispensable part of the apparatus of a high school. The knowledge where to look for information is by no means an unimpor- tant item in a man’s education.” Within two years there were in the high school library two hundred and forty volumes. In 1884 Mr. Hoar secured again the appointment of an additional woman instructor. With the approval of the School Committee, he also secured the adoption of a five-year classical course of study. This approval was only a matter of form, for the committee had recom- mended this extension of the classical course in their report of 1880-81. In July 1888, Mr. John Emory Hoar resigned the principalship after a splendid service of thirty-four years with scarcely a day’s absence in them all. His consistent aim from first to last was to combine the main features of two such representative schools as the Boston Latin and the English High Schools and so incorporate the composite results into Brookline High School that the latter institution would become the peer of any in this Commonwealth in all respects. Mr. Frederic T. Farnsworth, Principal of Bristol Academy in Taunton, Mass., succeeded Mr. Hoar. The new headmaster modified the course of study, securing more freedom in the matter of elective studies. One of the two courses was now called the General Course and the other the College Preparatory. Selections from the former fitted the candidates for M.I.T.; the latter afforded thorough preparation for Harvard and other colleges. Mr. Farnsworth remained as principal only three years. He was a strict disciplinarian and an excep- tionally skilful teacher, so successful in getting his boys into Harvard College that he earned the commenda- tion of the School Committee who expressed them- selves as convinced from the result of college exam- inations and the gratifying high scholastic standing in college of recent B.H.S. graduates that Brookline scholars can get all needed preparation in this school to enter creditably on their college or institute course.” Mr. Samuel T. Dutton entered upon his duties as Superintendent of Brookline schools in September, 1890. He brought Mr. Daniel S. Sanford to succeed Mr. Farnsworth in September, 1891. Mr. Sanford was an able man with social graces and suited in every way to cooperate heartily and efficiently with Superin- tendent Dutton in an educational new deal . 10