Charlotte High School - Witan Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

Page 13 text:

10 THE WIT AN In Memoriam fciimarft jfrrrklrtnti BORN DECEMBER 26. 1905. DIED MARCH IS. 1922. FOLLOWING AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT Suddenly, without warning, he turned from a life pulsing with happiness, ambition and endeavor, to meet face to face that messenger whom the bravest of us cannot regard without a qualm. Mortally stricken, his first thought was of the safety of his comrades, his mind, sorely stunned, yet resolutely cleared itself until he could absolve his companions of all blame. The courage, tenderness and unselfishness which marked his life, illumined his death.

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THE WIT A N 9 “Age For Counsel; Youth For Execution” It is never too soon for young people to learn the advantages of a sound banking connection. tj Nearly seventy years of banking ex- perience have provided us with the means of sound financial advice. Our new office—youthful in equip- ment and personnel—makes possible a maximum of efficient service. tj This young-old bank stands ready to serve you. THE Traders National Bank of Rochester, N. Y. 41-43 45 STATE STREET Since ’52

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TUE WIT AN 11 Literary Department Retrospect NOTE; ll it ju«t thirty year since the Charlotte Union School charter wti air anted. This lact.ntul the fact that this ia an alumni number, make .t especially appropriate that our hi(h school pa per should contain a history of the school. I he (icatcr part ot the information coocc’o'ni the early biatory ia due to Mrs. Emma Pollard Greer of Lake Avenue, who wot a teacher in the 0‘« and 90'a. The Charlotte High School is the oldest of the present Rochester high schools. East High was not built until 1903 and the Rochester Free Acad- emy, which preceded it, is now the Municipal building; but this does not signify that Charlotte is any less modern than they. Indeed the growth of the Charlotte schools parallel the growth cf common and high schools all over the country. About a century ago the first school was established in Charlotte. An exact date is not agreed upon by all, but it would be safe to say that it was built between 1817 and 1825. It was located just south of the Union Trust Company on Lake Avenue. The first teacher in this school was Miss Ade- line Holden. It may be interesting to know that this old school, which was a small, low, one-roomed frame building, after two changes of s ‘te, is still in use, though built over, as an Italian restaurant on Latta Street. The poor little structure served its purpose until 1837, when a new build- ing was er: ted on the north side oi Stutson Street, just about on the old village line. There is now, near the sidewalk, a small slab of stone over which the pupils used to step. This new building was of brick, but was little 1 otter than the o-d one. Indeed, when asked about this old school, one of the Id res.dents exclaimed, “Bah, fit for the pigs! This opinion must have been shared by many of the other people of the village for there was always at least one private school in the days of the ‘old brick’ as the building on Stut- son Street was termed. A teacher would rent a room in a private house and there hold school. On one occasion a new bam, which was not to be used im- mediately, was fitted up for school. At another time an unrented store made a much more artistic school than the ’old brick In the school on Stutson Street the stove was located in the center of the room, and in w ntcr everyone faced the stove. Thus the pupi’s spent then day, with their faces scorching and their backs freezing. Their fingers would be numb from touching the frigid slates, for the use of paper to write on in a school was unheai d of. In those days there were no grades. Graded schools were an innovation which did not even come into use in Rochester until about 1875. There were roughly, three classes: the small children, the intermediates and the older boys and girls. They went to school until they got tired of going; that is, until they thought they learned all they needed, or until they were compelled