Charlotte High School - Witan Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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THE WITAN Honor Roll, Exemption from Examination and Probation Each time that the report cards are given out, an honor roll of pupils who have led in scholarship for that re- port period is published. A standing of MA' or “B” in ail subjects (at least one “A”) is the required standard. Similarity, pupils who have reached this same standard in any subject for a term are exempted from term ex- aminations. This does not include final or Regents examinations. The reverse side of the proposition is not quite so pleasant. Pupils failing in half or more of their work at any re- port period or at the end of the term, are restricted during a like succeed- ing period from engaging in any school activities, except those counted toward graduation. The Children's Memorial Scholarship Fund This fund was established on November 11, 1919, the first annivers- ary of Armistice Day. The purpose is two-fold: first, to serve as a living memorial to the Public School hoys who went from Rochester into service during the World War; second, to help children of promise who are financially unable to continue their education. Public school pupils who have either finished the Sixth Grade and are fifteen years of age or have fin ished the Eighth Grade and are four- teen years of age are eligible to the benefits. The value of a scholarship varies from $120 to $210 per year and is paid weekly. Part-time work is also found for pupils who have the strength and time for it. Recipients must maintain a satisfactory record in attendance» attitude and scholar- ship. The fund is maintained by volun- tary subscriptions from the school children paid through their respect- ive schools ami is augmented by gifts from public-spirited citizens, phil- anthropic organizations and by news- paper campaigns. This school pledges $50 a year. Training boys and girls for greater usefulness, not only for their own, but for the public good, is the aim. Inasmuch as these scholarships can be granted only as financial assist- ance is needed, the names of recipients are not made public. The fund is administered by a board of five trus- tees, of which Mr. Jackson Gallup, Principal of No. 18 School, is Chair- man and Miss Emma G. Case, Dir- ector of Visiting Teachers, is Secre- tary. The Class of 1919 Trophy One of the most remarkable classes to receive diplomas from this school was graduated in June 1919. Con- sidering a gift to be left at the school as a memorial of the class and an ex- pression of loyalty and affection, the group finally decided on thp presenta- tion of a large silver loving cup, which should for the succeeding five years be inscribed with the names of the first scholars in the graduating classes. The following is quoted from a letter written by Newell A. Ferris, '19, chairman of the Gift Committee, who has made all the presentations. The original conditions governing the award of the 1919 Scholarship Cup have been changed in order to conform with the present system of grades received by the pupils in the Rochester High Schools. The present regulations governing the award of the cup are as follows: 1. Competition shall be confined to students who have had their entire high school course in Rochester city public schools. 2. The award shall be made on the basis of three hundred and twenty credit and fifty-four Regents counts. 2

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j-tt c- H 5 the witan SCHOLARSHIP ENCOURAGED AT CHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL Opportunities For Earning College Tuition By Superior High School Work Meritorious Records of Graduates The opportunities and activities of high schools today are so broad and varied that we find within them that which may appeal to the desires of all. We find not only occupation, but diversion, not only the call to duty, but the means of pleasure. The school paper may attract the attention of one, athletics, the glee club, the orchestra, dramatics may engage the abilities of others. Some may find their major efforts being concentrated on matters wholly outside of school, in some hobby, em- ployment or social affairs. But when we think, we realize that all these are but the sugar coating, except as they help us to acquire skills and knowledge, and to form proper habits of thought and study. We know that the real purpose of schools is to afford a chance to study, and that the students who get the most out o school are those who are soundest in scholarship. We admit that when wc come to the end of the term, whatever else we may have done, however much we may have enjoyed ourselves, if we have not passed our subjects well, our term has been a failure. We learn that higher institutions admit applicant: to their student body according to their scholarship rank. We acknowledge that the completeness with which we have reached our aim in attending high school is in proportion to the excellence of our marks. We know that the general public established and maintains our schools for community betterment and that self-government may survive. We understand that the public judges its schools by the scholarship of its product. Some record of the encouragement and recognition given for achievement in scholarship may be helpful to all, inspiring to some. At least it will show that far from being neglectful of our opportunities, we at Charlotte High recognize the reason for our school's existence and have laid hold of some of the rewards of good scholarship. 1

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THE W IT A N For eligible students having more than this number, those subjects re- quisite to graduation from his course, shall be first selected and then those most favorable to the student to make up the required total. A term mark alone on a year subject shall not be used, full subjects only being com- puted. 3. In determining rank, “A’ shall be considered equivalent to 95%, “B’ to 90%, “C” to 80%, “D” to 70%, and “E” marks shall be disregarded. Each mark shall be multiplied by the number of school credits assigned, the products added, and this sum di- vided by the sum of the credits rep- resented. This gives the class aver- age. Similarily, all marks obtained in Regents examinations shall be multiplied by the respective counts, and the sum of these products divided by the total Regents counts. This gives the Regents average. Senior final Regents examination standings shall be omitted. The class average shall be given a weight of two and the Regents examination average one to determine the final rank. 4. The name of the eligible gradu- ate having the highest average stand- ing as above found shall be an- nounced at the Annual Commence- ment exercises and his name shall be engraved on the 1919 Memorial Cup. The recipients of the cup during the five years it has been presented have all been students of exceptional ability. The honor was first won by Miss Doris Barnes in 1920; the fol- lowing year the award went to Miss Clara Brown; in 1922 the cup was presented to Mr. Lawrence Richens. Mr. Roger Butterfield gained the dis- tinction in 1923. During the present year the cup has been awarded twice; in January to Mr. J. Carlton Richens and in June to Mr. Elwood G Meyer- hofT. The Class of 1919 has been endeav- oring to purchase another Scholarship Cup, so that the honor students of the Class of 1925 may be rewarded. This cup is to be awarded for the next five consecutive years under the con- ditions governing the award of the previous cup.’’ The Class of June 1924 Individual Scholarship Cups The following letter is sufficient to explain this award. The presentation will first be made at the graduation exercises of the Class of January 1925. “ ‘Scholarship’—what a magic word that is! Dictionaries define it as be- ing the ‘character or qualities of a scholar—attainments in science or literature—proficiency or adaptive- ness’. Is there anything for which a student should strive more diligently? The Class of June 1924 thought not, and in selecting a gift to be pre- sented to its school, decided that something which would act as a stimulus to the students to maintain the highest possible degree of scholar- ship throughout their four years in school as well as be a monument to the class would be more appropriate than a gift w’hich would merely serve the single purpose of keeping the class memory fresh in the minds of the undergraduates. With this point firmly in mind, it was decided that a 'Scholarship Cup’, fittingly engraved, to be presented to the first scholar in the next five grad- uating classes, would be most appre- ciated. These cups were to differ from the cup made possible by the generosity of the Class of 1919, in- asmuch as the cups presented by our class wTere to become the recipient’s personal property and the cup of the Class of 1919 was to be engraved each year with the winner’s name and re- main in the trophy case at school. With two cups in view for the first scholar in each graduating class, students should double their efforts to maintain the highest possible standard of scholarship during their four years at school. The class of June 1924 is glad to be able to further such a noble cause and the sincere wish that Charlotte High School will rank foremost among its contemporaries in scholarship, accom- panies our gift. Gordon Arthur Howe, President, Class of June 1924.” 3