Coopersville High School - Zenith Yearbook (Coopersville, MI)

Page 11 text:

The Annex chalk, bottles, doors, pencils, footballs, coal, trophies, books, paper, paint brushes, drums, lathes, dishes and attendance records? Is a school a six hour schedule with a free period? Is it a pay check every other Friday? Is it a Football team? Is it Dick Smitherine at his worst? Is it a body or a student body? Is a school a girl wearing a hoop skirt in a crowded hallway? Is it an upstairs or a downstairs? Is it a forest of room numbers? Is it 3:31 P.M. and a break at last? Is a school a bus number six? Is it Mr. La Duke’s liver? Is it a school noon duty? Is a school the hole in the rear window of Mr. Robinson’s car? Is a school a file cabinet in Mr. Conran’s office? Is it hot dogs for hot lunch? Is it a date for the Prom? Is it the thirtieth year in this business? Is it the Annex without any heat? Is it “Mr. DeGeus, do you have the roll ready yet?” Is a school someone sharpening a pencil while you are talking? Is it that trip to extension class every week? Is it Mr. Wetherbee’s subtle humor? Is a school a permission slip to “get my text from my locker?” continued 7

Page 10 text:

The High School What Is a School? By Robert DeGeus (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) Coopersville High School September 24, 1956 What is a school? I have been asking myself this question for quite some time now. I have not found the answer, but being the teacher that I am, I keep answering the question with other questions. I look to you, on bended knee, for much needed help. As a matter of fact, I honestly believe that if I do not find the answer soon I could possibly become a social outcast. Although this may not be as terrible as it sounds, it could mean a separation from my dear wife Pat, my dear daughter Peggy Jo, my dear son Robert, my dear son Timothy and my dear tax exemption for 1957. The separation would be unbearable and it would undoubtedly place me in the position of being unable to offer visible means of sup- port for my dear wife Pat and “ensemble.” This would probably lead to jail and trial for murder by starvation. Now, I’m not a person to fear a sentence for life in prison, but I do hate to think of the scandal that would “rock” the teaching profession. Therefore, I ask you “What is a school?” Is a school a public building? Is it a mammoth collection of chairs, desks, shelves, windows, continued 6

Page 12 text:

The Grade School Is it that couple holding hands by your door every noon? Is it a mountain of papers on your desk? Is it that boy that cannot hear your assignments when you write them on the chalkboard? Is a school a card in the mail box from a friend having a good time? Is a school a person that waits until he gets into your room to scrape the morning chores from his shoes? Is it looking up to a six foot-four frame to explain that J4 is one- half of ' 2? Is it a pupil that recognizes the suit you have on this week? Is it only three practice sessions before the concert? Is it the sliver on the chair that catches your hose? Is a school a waste paper basket too small to hit from the far side of the room? Is it the empty towel dispenser in the lavatory? Is it the Sentinel reporter that never gets the news in on time? Is a school so interesting that you have no trouble putting stu- dents to sleep? Is it three meetings during Home Room that require your presence? What is a school? It must be all of these things and many more, because where else can you find 68,f)90 minutes each year packed with happiness, sorrow, anticipation, friendship, war and peace. It must be all of these things and many more, because I like our school very much. 8