Carnegie High School - Voyager Yearbook (Carnegie, PA)

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60 Years ln the year 1894 Chartiers and Mansfield bor- oughs were united into one borough called Car- negie in honor of Andrew Carnegie, the great financier and steel master. One year later a joint school board of six men was elected to consider the new boroughis edu- cational needs. They decided an institution of more advanced standing than the existing schools should be established. Many citizens of the bor- ough opposed such a school because they felt that the resulting taxes would be too high. Some felt that the unpreparedness of the children would make it difficult for them to undertake advanced work, and, also, that there was not a centrally located building which could adequate- ly house such an institution. The board, firm in their feeling that such an institution was a neces- sity in order to provide high educational advan- tages for the youth of the community, continued their preparations for opening a high school. In September, 1896, Thomas 1. George, who had been elected principal of the second ward school, gave up that office to become principal and or- ganizer of the high school. Fortunately, the W. C. T. U. building was secured to house the new high school. This building was located at the present site of the Elks' Hall and became the third high school in Allegheny County. At first, the high school education of an individual was 6 Mr. Thomas I. George to last only three years, but a fourth year was added. At that time pupils from Midway and Oakdale came to our high school for their sen- ior year. The first class was comprised of students ea- ger for a higher education. The faculty consist- ed of Mr. George and Miss Florence P. Davis. During the first year two literary societies were organized. They were named the Philoi' and the Potter.v Money obtained by a small ad- mission charge for their performances was in- vested in pictures, pianos, victrolas, and some statues, although most statues were donated by local clubs. Every student belonged to one or the other of these groups, and there was intense feeling among members, such as the rivalry to- day among modern college fraternity members. When these clubs presented their debates to the students in later years, the library was filled to capacity.

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60 Years it ,, I

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Carnegie High Schoolis football team made its appearance in 1897. The squad was dressed, according to the times, in padded suits, with nose and shin guards. Their 'Enever quiti' spirit still survives in the spirit of the team members even to this day. Twelve students made up the first graduating class in 1899. The commencement program of that year must have been very interesting indeed, for it included a debate on a very touchy prob- lem at the time, Should Women Have the Right of Suffragefw The two debaters were Keturah Reno and Mary Lea. The first valedictorian was Clyde Atchinson of the classical course. Also on the program was an address by Dr. J. P. Duff. The commercial course, which still ranks high in importance in C. H. S., was introduced in 1904 by Professor R. S. Doyle. It included sten- ography, typing, commercial arithmetic, com- mercial law, and English. Also in that year was the first class basketball team. The outHts worn by the players resembled more or less those worn in football today. Mr. George became the first superintendent of the Carnegie public schools in 1911, when the superintendency was created. The standing of the high school in 1908 is revealed by the following, quoted from an of- ficial report of W. S. Hertzog, state high school inspector: of school and community, very excellent, av- erage age of graduating class, 1735, attitude of school directors, very excellent, very strong work is being done. This is the strongest three- year high school 1 have visited in the state. The orchestra, which had a humble beginning in 1912, was the first organization for instrument- al music in C. H. S. Prior to this, there were various small groups of instrumentalists formed by students. Since this time music in all its forms has had an important part in C. H. S., and at present there is a swing band comparable to an orchestra. The first operetta ever produced by the high school was given in the early spring of 1913. It was produced solely by the senior class and was held in 1929. When Mr. Glasser first came here, there was no paid coach for the football games, and our chief rival was Crafton. In 1913 after three quarters, the game was called be- cause of a terrible fight caused by a biased ref- eree. In those days there was only one oflicial, instead of the present three. One annual was published before the first VOYACER, and that was in 1915. The name of that first yearbook was The Censor and a policy, which has since been abandoned, that of solicit- ing funds, was used to get that first yearbook published. William Love and Mike Bachrach were instrumental in getting those funds collect- Character of instruction, very good, spirit ed. cis, fig! ,fi7i5l745i3ii 1fQ4'WZ g:zfQ !4fb'f?ff-2-,ass-255456 f,f,.,1 of -.1fg-5a-- ---1--..F X '? ,11' 5 inf ,iff . - , 5 . ag r 2 T laflllil' E -5 f 1 ., 1- rl-. Ma 1 4 2 Q- I, ii i Till H13 if J f f f z A- , -- .. Z- , f. ff' .gf le f fi - 5- - T1 1 . .-1 Clio 'f E lf W, if - c .7 -X of f-el - f-:fi Q Q 'Q7 '3IiX3- -1' r X, f ' xg ix owl QE f' H' ' igmrwr 'lr V U ?i 22+ g fi a 'TN-'l -5 wx 4 1 1 - ' of -. - li 9 ll f,i3re'fZ2ifv 4 ,l 2f-4, 2 f 7 Z, T g X, v4 'HQ i J -j f' 2 'rv-.mi .' '-4' f, h f - V ff. ,, - L A52-f i - ff? r 1 - - ff fe - -allli- Qf'6' '1?L - -' Y' f4'7 Y A 5 ' 'ff T si Y 'f i 'Xf4.:? ev 'Y -T' i ' f ' 77 -- , f--- , l if j -ia V -fa f -' - ff I I ---1 1921431-f'Lc,fl' . The first high school in Carnegie, ,ly-riff? .1-eg -601 M-71,5 - . V 5 A ', pal ,faq - My g f. .7 11 -- Ill .-1. 1 located on Elk Street, was leased 7156! :1?Ai'4f4QL----Z. ig, - ef.. ' 1 rf .ziygfgfl f yy 4 ff 1 f . -21 '41, Y ff K Lf '.7:1lf1,4 rom the W.C.T.U. zjmag, 1 J: - K -C - gg, , . .513-',',.'Hi 17-ff ' ,- K:-X: - of :N 4 ,f mv' 'tiff :QM gi, 7 - gfgf 7,-B CQ? - A -QQ ff? f Ns, ,WM K i! gf ,,,, - , Riga J Y X! ff, . ' g, - ' f-gags. -I L- .aigfflwsfas-W ur Migigu fi ,,:x - ' ll I .l'i 'c -iffy ,.,M.xM,JN Qkfiif' 7