Classen High School - Orbit Yearbook (Oklahoma City, OK)

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owboat to ex 'k The Story of the Comet Student Council. Amen!! by iek reen The Classen student council, the ship of state, and at times the rowboat of diplomacy, began its voyage this year above the waves. This of course amazed critics who had seen the great ship of state dwindle into a paddle propelled, dilapidated old crate with leaky side boards. ln fact it was a submarine by necessity and not by choice. Ostrich-like, it had its neck beneath the waves every time it wasn't doing anything, which, of course, was very close to one hundred and one per cent of the time. The old creature was hauled out of the mudg Tom Miley was elected captaing and they said, There she is. Sail her the best you can and we'll be on hand to catch you the third time you go down. They further attempt- ecl to aid the cause by electing a delightful little group of masterminds to help him. Well4at least it was a little group. Dick Breen, lWary lVlcVVhorter, and l-larry Cook were elected vice-president, secretary, and treasurer re- spectively. The treasurer's position was no temptation to Cook because the student council is not a very close second to the Continental Trust Company in total currency on hand. They collected a quarter in dues in 1929, but three picnics, a parade, and the depression reduced the stipend to eleven cents, which was later misplaced in the great lndian head penny campaign of 33 . At the beginning of the year somebody thought a brilliant thought, which surprised everyone because it later developed that it was a council member that thought the brilliant thought. Why not have an Easter vacation? The ingenuity ot the idea electrified everyone. A committee was appointed-more ingenuity. For the third time in a row people were surprisedg be- cause the committee functioned. This unlieralded, unheard of occurrence happened at the Board of Education meeting, at which time the com- mittee met with the superintendent, where it developed that because of a prearranged calendar vacation for the EXECUTIVE COUNCII Walters Cook .Milcy ZLIcW'horter Breen Cunningham White INTER-SCHOOL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES White Gunter Excalante Miley Scot: C123

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oard of Education nk The Story of the Energetic Higher-Uppers by Laurie Lisle Continuing its enthusiastic promotion of Classen High, the board of education has kept a helpful and protective eye on the school during the past year. With each term the feeling of cooperation and willingness to assist grows stronger and more evident, and though nothing as spec- tacular as the completion of another Taft stadium or a fresh supply of glittering band uniforms has been per- formed, over S6880 was spent on Classen alone in the last few months. The Comets have always realized that their wants are attentively noticed and that every effort is untiringly made by these of- ficials to obtain anything within reason- and of that, only the finest. The past year's program conclusively proves that the Blue and the Gold are never even acci- dentally neglected. Many sums have been carefully appro- priated and thoughtfully spent by the ceaselessly-working board members: Otto Rose, president, Roscoe Price, vice-president, C. K. Reiff, superintendent of schools, G. Stearley, clerk and business manager, and Mrs. S. Poole, E. W. Spivey, Fred jones, Earl johnson, P. Harris, Ancel Earp, and E. E. Dorsey. To meet legal requirements, the body convenes the first Monday night in May of each year to elect a president, vice presi- dent, and clerk. This insures their actions as being of- ficially authoritavc. Elected in pairs, during odd-numbered years, from the city's wards, and with one member at large, this group bears the grimly official title of the Board of Education of the City of Oklahoma City. ln spite of the awe-inspir- ing coldness of the name, this administrative body has kept itself alertly aware of Classen's welfare and needs. Four-hundred study hall desks have been ordered, new bookkeeping desks are awaiting installment, plans are pending for new showers and dressing rooms and many other improvements are planned. Building repairs have cost SI7I6.5O, repairs for equip- ment and furniture have totaled 33,6072 35272 covered the upkeep of the grounds, additions to the building have come to 5115, to the equipment-51170. Changes in schedules and subjects are worked out by Mr. Reiff and the individual principals. But the school board hovers ever ready to lend aid and encouragement. These city fathers can well be proud of their past work, but resting on laurels is not for them. The new cum Otto Rose gym, the imposing stadium, are only milestones in the glorious marathon that leads ever upward and onward. The familiar brick building at Fouth and Walntxt has been thc nucleus of many Classen improvements. The gym stands as the most outstanding of the many additions and improvements for which the board has been responsible. Built only last year, the gym is already becoming imbued with Comet tradition, and years from now the gym, probably still called the NEW gym, will be a familar and beloved I part of the campus. The Oklahoma City school system re- sembles the city manager plan of govern- ment which has been adopted by the capi- tal city of Oklahoma. Both plans have the same general advantages. As a result of this system, City schools are recognized generally as being among the most pro- gressive institutions in the United States. The school board functions without pay, and exercises the right to criticize and make suggestions and improvements in the gov- erning of the schools. It is the principal above the principal. The school board has served for many years to link the schools, especially the high schools, with the rest of the community. The fact that every member is a success- ful business man who is very much in- terested in our schools is, to a great extent, accountable for our progressive system of high schools and junior highs. On the other hand, the members, being business men, and their receiving no pay for their labor causes perfect under- standing between the board and the citizens of the city. The board is able to recognize the weak points in our high schools, and point them out in such a way to both the citizens and the superintendent-of-schools that action is usually the result. Probably the most remarkable thing about the board of education is the way in which it cooperates with the officials and authorities of the various city high schools. Classen's principal, Mr. Ira W. Baker, works in harmony with the board, he makes suggestions for improvements, and they criticize and fulfill the requests. It is doubtful if any school could succeed without the influence of some governing agency, such as the school board, which acts as a combination legislative and judicial body. Controlling, as this bureau does, the life and welfare of every city child attending school, the great success of its enterprises, and the infrequency of its fail- ures are mute testimonies to the work done by the Okla- homa City board of education.

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year would be an impossibility. Arrangements ...ide for placing it on the agenda for next year, there- isuring the consideration of the board. Ar this point Nlrs. lVlarguerite Flood, who had up to thi., time considered herself a non-militarist, was elected Nlonday afternoon captain of the Battle of Rejected blo- tion. From then on everytime the council made a motion it was in a forward direction. Night life, insomnia, and strenuous study had by this time taken its toll. All of the council members were fatigued and were in dire need of sleep-so Harold Nlorgan came to the rescue. l-le wrote a constitution and read it before council . . . Everyone ratified it drowsily. The council woke up one morning and found that for the first time in history it had a constitution. After it had been explained to the sophomores that a constitution had nothing to do with the physical health state of an indi- vidual, it began to dawn on everybody that there were some rules to obey. This of course outraged the members until some enterprising gentleman called them The Fathers of the Constitution. Their vanity this pleased, obedience followed, and the administration had done two things in one year, which of course isnlt quite cricket. The quota of activity apparently being satisfied until ioqo, the council again blew the top off of convention by doing something else. It planned the homecoming pa- rade, and even went so far as to execute the same. It even forstalletl a rainy afternoon, which is no small accoznplish- STUDENT COUNCIL Toi' Row:-Iientley, Sawbill, Smith, Kilo, Cunningham, llflilarn, West, Ru.w'l1, lVlI.von, Carter, Holland, Hayden, Scott, Cook. Siicosin Row:-Strong, Griffy, lltt, Finley, lllelton, lVeir, Vllbite, Ifscalante, Lvtzns, Clay, Menifee, llf14rVVhorter. l:lRSl' ROW:-lolanson, Coggin, Bowen, Gill, Fox, Breen, ilf0Tg!l.I, Cli'.'7Y1lf'J, Caldwell, Davis, Gunter. ment when you look at it from the weather in.in's view- point. Sand being an appropriate place for Longfellow to keep time, the council decided that it was not for Classen, so it promoted the idea of installing a score clock in the new gymnasium. lt was installed and although it takes a mastermind to decipher the score, it's pretty and it cer- tainly fools the visitors. They all think it has something to do with technocracy, Einstein's theory, or something. It is shiny though and the opposition never knows whether it's behind or ahead. The latest of the council activities is the publishing of the VVednesday bulletin for stimulation of interest in school affairs. This 'lmimeograph miracle was conceived recently and further boomed the smelling salts business by turning out successfully. The cafeteria contest, the Orbit sales, the Fillies and the National Forensic League Tournament, were all pro- moted by this unique method. Such is the momentious history of the Boys of Bull Run. Easter Vacation, constitution, Homecoming events, time clock, and the promotion bulletin- all in one vear. So that's the Classen Student Council, ehP, questioned the old timer, the rowboat ship of state? Balderdash manl thatls no rowboat. That's the S. S. Rexf, A 1- 4 .A 4 Too Row:-Stoeletotz, Sawyer, Dennis, Earley, llloslzy, lllilzze, Harrison, Quinn, lVest, Smith, 1 ottelle. Suioism Row: -d Marsh, bdwards, Loudon, Kilpatrick, Ifox, Carlin, Hightower, Breen, Holloway. FIRST ROW:--Peoples, lennings, Gage, Miley, Porter, Utt, Milam, Rmcb, Hale. C135 l