Elgin High School - Maroon Yearbook (Elgin, IL)

Page 15 text:

O THE NEW BRICK high school, the English and classical, each requiring four years for completion, were adopted. The year 1872 was a memorable one, for on Iune 27,of that year the first high school graduating class, consisting of the Misses Helen C. Kimball, Euphemia A. Martin, and Iulia A. DuBois, held its exercises in the Opera House. Each read a lengthy essay. The following year the control of the schools passed from the city to the state under the new general school law, the citizens having voted the change. The Hrst real high school building was erected in 1883 on the central part of the present location, just east of the old brick, which was later torn down. Although part of this new building was used for grammar grades at first, it was not long until all twenty-Five of its rooms had gradually been taken over for high school classes. The Hrst Mirror was issued October, 1897. The Mirror was then a monthly publication, a magazine with a stiff paper cover, mainly literary. In 1900 the proceeds from this were diverted into at very worthwhile project, a scholarship loan fund. In 1901 this amounted to 15300 and was used by two students. Today it amounts to over S3000 and has been used by over sixty-five students. That same year the first true football team was organized and at the same time a club was formed for athletics. At that time a variety of courses and a wider Held of subjects were offered to the stu- dents. The students could select from three courses: Latin, German, and English or commercial. There were now nine teachers in high school with E. C. Pierce as principal. Though just inaugurated, the work done that year by the commercial department, which included bookkeeping, stenography, typing, and arithmetic, was very encouraging. Music and drawing were added as minor subjects, although not more than two credits

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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

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4 THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL of these were allowed for graduation. As an outgrowth of this addition the glee clubs took form. Something new for commencement was started when the class of 1900 voted to put on a play instead of the regular commencement program. They selected for their play The Merchant of Venicef, The following class chose Midsummer Night's Dream. Two new departments were started in 1903. An official from the watch factory agreed to supply the material for a manual training course if the Board of Education would allow the expense of a teacher and the up-keep. This was done, and as the Elgin Woman's Club offered to supply the laboratory equipment, a course of domestic science was adopted at the same time. Plans for the erection of the high school building as we know it today were begun in 1905. At that time Franklin School was being used for the overHow students from high school. That summer, ground was broken for the new building. The construction was rushed and soon there arose a beautiful two-story structure. The old high school building was still in use, but at the middle of the year classes began to be held in the new building as well. Soon, however, it was seen that more room would be needed with the rapid growth of the school, and another story was added. Next the old building was torn down, the gym and auditorium constructed in its place, and the west wing added. That same year the graduating class published the first Marconi, containing pictures of the faculty, of the seniors, and of such activities as debating, glee clubs, orchestra fthe first formed in Elgin High Schoolj, football, and baseball. Three years previous the Mirror had changed from a monthly to a weekly publication, and was more newsy than before. The courses offered in the high school were: English, general, foreign language, science, business, normal training, household arts, and a two-year business course.