Classical High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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Clio-Clio singing of famous deeds restores the past to life. Cl usoniusANomina Musqnum

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ONE HUNDREDTI-I ANNIVERSARY history of classical high school The town fathers of Providence in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and forty-three found themselves em- broiled in a bitter struggle. It began when some citizens suggested a free public high school. Instantly the town was divided into two camps: and feeling ran high on both sides. Social and financial leaders shouted that the idea was extravagant. They said that such an education would cause a social revolution among the sons of the lower classes by instilling in them an ex- alted notion of their rights and privileges. The townspeople replied with equal vigor that their sons and daughters were entitled to equal opportunity, and that they them- selves would bear the burden of erecting and maintaining the institution. Finally, at a mass meeting of the citizens, after lengthy and near-violent argument, the resolution was passed. Thus was born the Providence High School. It was housed in an imposing building erected on Benefit Street at the intersection of Waterman and Angell. It occupied this home for thirty-five years. CThe building still stands, and has been used by the Supreme Court, and by Federal and State agenciesj Among the early teachers there were Henry Day, who left in 1846 to accept a professor- ship at Brown University, and Albert Hark- ness, who wrote a Latin grammar which is still in use today. In l855 Edward H. Magill divided the boys' school into two groups: the Classical, and the English and Scientific. In l878, when Edward H. Cutler became principal, the school moved to the building on Summer, Pond, and Spring streets, becoming the English High with a Classical Department. This building also still stands, now known as Annex A of Central High. In l88l came Dr. William T. Peck, as principal, a position which he retained until his retirement in l93l. He gave fifty years of service to the school and the community. During his pincipalship the city erected in l897 the building which we know as Classi- cal High. Thus, forty-six years ago, at the Hstaggering cost of S300,000, its third home was established. It consisted of twelve class- rooms, as many recitation rooms, a physics laboratory, two gymnasiums, a lecture room, two lunchrooms, and an auditorium. In time the gyms became cafeterias, and the campus, a parking lot. The guidance oflice supplanted the lecture room, and room 8 was enlarged to form a library. In I93l, when Charles E. Paine, former Latin teacher, became the third principal of Classical High School, many changes were made, and new extra-curricular activities were added. Heretofore athletics were in a sorry state: football and track teams had had no success whatever. Mr. Paine inaugurated a campaign for better teams. Track was the first to be affected. In l936 the lirst indoor track championship was won with a score larger than that of all the other teams. Since then our track teams have won twelve championships under Mr. Thompson. Once we had gained success in track, Mr. Paine turned his attention to football, and decided to begin a training camp for the football team at Quonset Point. This camp, under the direction of IVIr. Buonanno, was later moved to New Hampshire, and for the last three years has been located on Cape Cod. During the last six years the team has defeated every opponent at least twice, and in I94-O it won the divisional championship. This year the team lost the championship to Aldrich in the last nfty-five seconds of the game by a score of 6-O. Not satisfied with these results alone, Mr. Paine is now trying to arrange for a hockey rink at Roger Wil- liams Park to be used by Classical and Central. The success of these sports and athletics in general have been the result of Mr. Paine's increasing work. This effort is especially apparent in girls' sports which at Classical had a very modest beginning. In September, l942, however, over 750 girls signed up for at least one after-school sport. This year all the girls, with the exception of those graduating in June, take some form of gymnastics twice a week in accordance with the Victory Program. Classical also takes time out under Mr. Paine's sponsorship for social activities. The Dramatic Society, begun in l934, produces three plays a year: they are usually very well attended by the students and alumni of the school. Last year the society was asked to become the first Thespian troup in Rhode Island. Having accepted this invitation, the Classical Thespians made their debut on