Central High School - Forx Yearbook (Grand Forks, ND)

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FOIQX athletes. Of the first nine meets held, Central teams won five, never placing below second or third in the intervening years. Hockey has been instituted in more recent years and each season the Central skaters have finished with an excellent record. Interclass athletics have always been given considerable attention. The school has produced numerous marvelous athletes, of which the Boes, Jarrett, Schave, and others, remain most freshly impressed upon the fans. J. C. West, our present Superintendent of Schools, came to us from Bemidji, to occupy the chair left vacant by the death of Mr. Stebbins and has continued to perform the duties of his ofiice in as efficient and thorough a manner as has previously been done. Mr. West is a true scientist and conducts the schools on a thoroughly scientific basis, adding greatly to their efficiency and decreased expenses. Largely through the efforts of Superintendent West, a new Junior High School has been made possibl.e and is now under construction. It will be a large S200,000 two-story structure and will be entirely modern, contain- ing an excellent gymnasium in combination with an auditorium. As in the High School, it will have the latest in equipment, contain many conveni- ences, and be entirely fireproof. Its completion will relieve the present con- gested condition and make our system of grade schools complete. Today, our Central High School represents the reward of a half-century of progress, a half-century of conscientious labor by school officials, admin- istration and faculty, and a half-century of wholehearted support by Grand Forks citizens. It is a pleasure to review and contrast conditions within the school today. A faculty of over forty teachers offer an excellent variety of subjects from which, with considerable liberty, the student can choose a course of study with a view to his own preference and future vocation. Aside from his studies, he may further develop his talents by participation in a variety of extra-curricular activities. Music, dramatics, oratory, debate and athletics are all open to the student as is membership in the numerous student organizations. Service on the staffs of the Centralian, school paper, and the Forx, yearbook, provide excellent training. A school library of approximately 3000 volumes is provided for student references. These and many other advantages make life at Central so pleasing that few are those who do not regretfully graduate with delightful memories of their high school days stamped indelibly upon their minds. We, then, the 3300 pupils attending Grand Forks city schools, can extend our appreciation to those who have prepared for us these remark- able facilities by deriving from them the greatest benefit so that we, in turn, can do as well for our successors. Page Sixteen is f . .

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A-A eFOl2X- -H- training in a specihc line of work, although some subjects remained con- stant in all the courses of study. Although this definite division of courses is not made at present, each of the individual subjects are retained. Central officials have never been adverse to making experiments to determine, if possible, the best methods of instruction. The last of these was carried on during the past year when Mr. Butler successfully conducted a Sophomore English class of 81 pupils during the last nine weeks of the first semester. It was found that, providing physical properties of the class room are of the best, a single instructor, with clerical help, could conduct a class two or three times the normal size with a marked saving. Two years ago, an especially bright Sophomore mathematics class, under Mr. Crossman, covered considerably more than a year's work with ease, which, too, proved suc- cessful. As a whole, Central has always been well represented in athletics. The foot- ball team of 1898 was the school's first athletic team. Albert Ole Collins, an end on that team and still a Grand Forks resident, has the distinction of having made Central's first touchdown. The first contests with Fargo were in 1903, re- sulting in losses by the usually narrow margin. The team that year averaged but 137 pounds. Under the expert coaching of Skuli Skulason, a former University star, Central won the state titles in 1905 and 1906. Each year the Central team would engage in one or more contests with the University eleven, and though the High School never registered a vic- tory, several games were decided by a close score. In addition to the first and second teams, each class boasted a foot- ball team and heated inter-class contests resulted. Despite natural slumps, the foot- J. C. WEST ball situation has constantly improved, until, at present, three coaches mould the squads, the last of which was the best in the state. Basketball was introduced in 1909. Central's first game resulted in a 43-30 loss to Emerado. The same Central team, however, later proved to be the best in the state, losing the state championship to Fargo by a curious misfortune when a Central guard was injured in the second half and there being no one to replace him, a Fargo forward proceeded to score 26 points to win the title by four points. The school has generally maintained a high brand of basketball. Perhaps the greatest achievement by a Central ath- letic team was made by the basketball team of 1927-28, which placed third in the national tourney at Chicago. For years, Central remained one of the strongest powers in North Dakota track and field competition. The interscholastic meets held at the University began in 1903, were often dominated by Central track men and usually each team entered had as its aim the defeat of the Grand Forks Page Fifteen . X x . , ' n xl, A U ggMZf.f7'

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-e FOIQX -- JOHN C. WEST QOLVING many perplexing prob- B lems and pointing out the better way for more than a thou- sand students is the difficult but well executed task of Mr. Lehman. On entering school we were some- what in awe of our principal: but, in the years that followed, we have found that he was not only a help- ful adviser, but also a worthy friend. QINCE his entry into our school 5 in 1930, Superintendent West has exceeded the expectations of all who have any connection with the high school. We are deeply in- debted to him for introducing sci- entific methods of teaching into our school system and will always re- member him because of his friend- ly advice and heartfelt goodwill. P. H. LEHMAN Pugv S1'l't'll1l'l'II XX ,ix 'f X , it 11111, , X ff I f . ff ff'