Central High School - Pemican Yearbook (High Point, NC)

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been a vague uncertainty became an assured fact. True, the question was far from solved for many years, especially during the few following when the Board of Trustees and superintendent had to do a great deal with a very little. Every year some improvements were made, as the school grew and de- manded them. New divisions and teachers were necessary in the primary department, and in 1902 a music teacher was installed who gave elementary vocal training in all grades. In the same year what is known as the Auditorium was built. It has since served as a chapelg where devotional exercises are held every morn- ing by the school, and as a theatre for Lyceum attractions, benefits of which go to the school. In the next four years teachers and grades were added until the build- ing could hold no more. Then, in 1906, a new eight room building was erect- ed on Elm Street, and to it several additions have been since made. A tenth grade, established in 1907, did much to raise the character of the school. In 1908 Mr. Crowell resigned, and in September of that year we come to the second mile-post, Mediaeval History. It was then that Mr. Howell, our second superintendent, took charge of the school, which he found splendidly organized, and consisting of ten grades, twenty-four teach- ers, and 1,141 pupils. E To Mr. Crowell High Point owes a great debt. He conceived a glorious work: watched over and trained it in its infancy, and until it had grown partially independent. Then came Mr. Howell, and opened up fields of ad- vantage, hitherto unknown, and gave ideas before unthought of. During the three years he was at the head of our schools he made many valuable suggestions which have resulted in changes and improvements of much benefit to the school. Under him the school grew to such an extent as to necessitate the erection of a new building on Park Street in the sum- mer of 1910. Near the end of the road looms the last mile-post, and on it we hang our last wreath, for Modern History. So much has happened since 1912, when our present superintendant, Mr. Thornwell Haynes, came to us! We have made so many strides upward under his direction. In the first place, another building was erected in the Third Ward in 1912, entirely modern in structure and equipment, and with renovations and additions in 1913 our old buildings are the same. In every respect are they fitted for the physical and mental comfort and convenience of the pupils. In the lower grades some special training is given in simple manual training, drawing and writing fthe Palmer system is taught.J Domestic science fcooking or sewingl is taught to all girls, and for several years we have had medical inspection, an advantage usually found only in the largest cities. In High School are several departments under the support and nominal IX

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CUR SCHOOL High Point, N. C., has one of the best schools in the state. It is com- posed of about two thousand children, who are under the instruction of nearly half a hundred teachers. These students are distributed in four buildings in different parts of the town, each building being under the direct control of a principal and the supervision of the city superintendent. They are instructed in the usual prescribed courses, according to the most ap- proved methods, and given in addition some unusual advantages. But, we must admit, it was not always thus. There was a time when we had no graded school. There was a time when we had only the begin- ning of one, and to best understand and appreciate our present school we must know something of that time. Look back and slowly scan the road, on every mile post hang some wreath of green. On the first mile-post we see written Ancient History and a date nearly twenty years old. At this time the leading men of High Point real- ized that not only to progress, but even to maintain their present standard they must have a bigger and better means of education. The situation was this: High Point, a delightful city of four thousand inhabitants, had no means for making the future generation a powerful one, because it had no adequate means of educating the masses of the people. The people had en- tirely out grown the county and private schools and the demand for one that more generally met the needs was imperative. A few men, among whom were: Messrs. J. E. Cox, F. N. Tate, R. A. Wheeler, R. C. Charles, J. A. Lindsay, A. Sherrod, W. P. Pickett, D. C. Aldridge, E. A. Snow, W. H. Snow, W. H. Ragan, G. W. Bradshaw, Wm. Tate, D. A. Stanton and J. J. Welch, lmembers of the first school boardl got together and talked and planned. They decided that a graded school was what the city needed, and once they had made their decision they be- gan to work for itsmaterialization. They met opposition, for such an under- taking always occasions it, but they over came it, and soon had the pleas- ure of taking the necessary legal steps for establishing the school. One of the first steps was the purchasing of the school building on the corner of South Main and East Green Streets. At the present time, when our school property is worth at least a huudred thousand dollars we can hardly realize that this building was then considered modern, and yet cost only seven thousand dollars 670005. Yet this was the case, and the Superintendent's Clvfr. Geo. H. Crowelll first report is in corresponding pro- portion. It reads: Number of grades 9. Number of teachers 9. Total enrollment of pupils 476. The first year of the graded school was a more decided success than even its most loyal supporters had dared hope for, and after that, what had VIII

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'i Z rs - s t F 3 I - I A I I I J Elm Street School control of the pupils. First in importance among these are the Societies. The Lincoln Literary Society was organized by the boys in 1910, and has prospered since the beginning. This year the meetings are held in the new Society Hall, of which the boys are justly proud. The Pierian Literary Society was begun by the girls in 1911, and proved itself both Ia pleasure and benefit for two years, and we hope can be reor- ganized next year. From both Societies, in 1911-12, were chosen a staff of editors for the Pointer, a delightful monthly magazine which was issued by the students under the guidance of Miss Shattuck, the English teacher. Athletics have held an important place in our school life, and in nearly all branches we have had stars. Our boys have played baseball, basket ball, and foot ball, with skill and enthusiasm that have won many victories, and on the field we acknowledge no equal, as we won last year beside many smaller honors the State Championship cup. There are many other interesting features of the school, too small to be enumerated, but combining with the things of greater importance, to make one great and successful whole system of graded schools in High Point. Louise Reitzel. X