Elgin High School - Maroon Yearbook (Elgin, IL)

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.ft f , .9 A-L is T if - 2- 1.-ff ga-1' .-free 'iiie' t'rff 5g'N i X ' . a f-3' I , f Lr - 4-'1,,f ',, 1, x 1 , -5g3.,2A,Q. 4 f . Q 12 ---qs Q4 '5 ' 3, g ,f 7 ,. 1 ,. . 4' 4' -'J w 7 'U ' -f ' Lg-gli! f llfgqglfr ht f ' J' 'f lair'-T - - .Q if i -lf: N A' r 2 c. ,W ii f f -flrff, . - . 62' xv. age an-1, . -was - 4 1- Q S. A - - 'M ,, frtiqifvr X 'af' fr i is mr 2-',w.,.m,-.2 :S wi 'Tift . i n 5 ,f.. t. SU 9' -ff. -ginffqt-vfesa lgw 53' -, gg ..gf.. ,2 . dugg, . . . 254531.-a - . V- n is T .- f p. fw: 6 2.3 , r- t'1,,1.'P' 11- , A 'gjfwr 23--'i .ff P, f 1 ff I -. I A ',4f Wm, 'M 'M ' I f f---H C'9'll 1 illF4A'7'4!, , : , ,ff Ng s 'A , f ,' Q. ' Ne ff, t,. . ,Iii .a....ij.iSi:l:1'fI1Lf121212sf11f1qi1Ma4f2'fe'if': .L !f1 f : 3 t.:m,-45Si-'1 'Qrg. an :,i .Mt 1'wtf51:1I,fW..,.',i..-.nfsEat2:'eieiff .Ffa W L- 1 , I ' - ,, ' J-.rm .144 -'7,f',-' f'?f1',,,,, v 1- xii-X l'Q1 1f. Y, if 1..',?'?'. 'f1'?? '.5235'l.'ff'.i!t's.w,..N '2?-JKT ' 'W--4-aa 415 ' a ll -4 We . . , ,, - L ,E J .. .., . ma... 'f - ef' 35 -g,y,,,.,g ng-1,5 - ,M Y' ww-. S..-4ll1,, .,u:,?i ,'N 6-wnvaf.. 131' ,rink- Nzf -Q' WM, .AML 1- 4'--.Lg ana. atv-.EJ if as Nia '22, wif-2:11-if-QSNN fa., --'ixi 1:-3, '- 2.-4 5 ff-34475 f- , Sd ' 'I Nvshlwx-illlfqlwfllikbx 14, ,r 12 Q, --L-sw:-:Mx PP -'i Mnxyguon 'ii THE FIRST LOG CABIN INTQCDDUCTICDIXI lust one hundred years ago, two brothers, care-worn and weary, traveled over the rolling prairies of Illinois and came to a stop at a river. Everywhere surrounding them were the low lying hills, the rolling plains, and at their feet the sparkling river glided swiftly by. Because they were pleased and content with the beauty and fertility of the encircling lands, there they laid claims and built a small log cabin. From that lone log cabin a glorious city was to spring, for the river was the Fox, the brothers were Iames T. and Hezekiah Gifford, and the city is Elgin. On April sixth, 1835, the brothers borrowed the ox team of a nearby settler and plowed around a large tract of land on the east side of the river, thus establishing their claim. On this site Iames T. Gifford built a log cabin in order that his family might come and be with him as soon as possible. This cabin, besides being the first building ever erected on the original site of Elgin, was the first church, the Hrst schoolhouse, the first post-office, the first court of justice, and the first hotel. In the fall of 1835 the Gifford family came and settled in their new home. In this small log cabin, two years after the founding of Elgin, the Hrst lessons ever read by white man in Elgin began, Miss Harriet E. Gifford being the teacher who first wielded the birch. The next year school was moved to the Elgin Chapel at Geneva and DuPage Streets, where 'LAunt Harriet again taught the fundamentals of education. In 1841 Adin Mann and his wife followed as teachers, and in the same church Rev- erend Bolles later taught, while Mr. Mann taught in the new church of the Methodists. Besides these two, Miss Ballard taught in a small school south of the business sestion of town, for in these six years Elgin had grown rapidly into a large village.

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CGNTENTS INTRODUCTION FALL Administ t Undercla LATE FALL Boys Spo Girls Spo WINTER Activities Boys Spo Girls Spo SPRING Boys Spo Girls Spo JLINE Seniors Summary f Y Patrons

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' THE OLD BRICK The first regular school house was erected in 1844 by private subscription. There the students were tutored thoroughly by Miss Harvey and later by Paul R. Wright. This was a one-room building and is still intact today as a part of the store opposite the high school. The following year there was erected a two-story brick school house on the site of the present high school in order to meet the increasing demands of growing Elgin. Work through the grammar grades was offered in the first schools with opportunity for some students to go farther when they wished under the guidancei of individual teachers. In 1854 the schools came under the control of the city by the adoption of a new school law, allowing taxes to be levied for free schools. It was the birth of the public schools, and Elgin was the first community in Illinois to adopt this measure. This action was taken at a meeting which adjourned within five minutes before the opposition came. No one, had a chance to defeat it. Edmund Gifford was elected the Hrst superintendent of the schools. Three years later the new brick school was erected on Kimball Street, and F. S. Heywood was named the first principal. Here a part of the second floor was definitely set aside as a high school room, and advanced work was offered with regular instruction. K Ten years after the new brickv was completed, a three-year course was adopted which included all the studies that were taught in high schools at that time. Again in 1869 the schools were thoroughly regraded by the then superintendent, Charles F. Kimball, who prepared a systematic and complete course of study including a two-year course each for the primary and intermediate departments, I1 three-year course in the grammar school, and a four-year course in the high school. In 1871 a new study, vocal music, was taught by W. W. Kennedy. Again the course of study was revised and now it was published in pamphlet form. There were eleven grades from primary through the high school. Two courses in the