Elmira Free Academy - Torch / Sagoyawatha Yearbook (Elmira, NY)

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.1-.-.--.1-wgqrm 5-Taxa Q succeeded by Principal James R. Monks. It was during his adminis- l tration that the course of study was changed from a three to a four year course for all students. Previous to that time, the college pre- paratory course had been four years and the general course three years in length. Principal Monks was succeeded by Herbert M. Lovell who ad- ministered the school from 1887 to 1895. It was during his adminis- tration that the second structure on the school site was built. During his time the Regents standard for graduation was adopted, football was introduced as an extracurricular activity, and only college graduates were permitted to teach in the academy. From 1895 to 1900, Mr. Charles VV. Evans was principal. It was under his leader- ship, that the school paper, the Vindex, was launched. During his , regime the school population more than doubled and the school l was registered by the Regents as a high school U8981. Mr. Howard HOWARD CONANT Conant, who was principal from 1900 to 1906, did mtlch to develop school Splfll and to unify the student body around the growing traditions of the school. A symhol of this unity was indicated when in 1903. the Alma Mater was com- posed by Miss Florence Volbrecht flater Mrs. Frank J. Allen of Sharon, Pennsylvaniai. Mr. Francis F. Parker became principal in 1906 and for thirty years guided the destinies of the school. During his administration the present building was built and the greatest increase in student population occurred. The change in the character of the student body from a selective to an all-inclusive group called for an expanded curriculum. During the past year, Industrial and Vocational Arts courses have been opened, the building facilities expanded and the faculty enlarged. On April first, nineteen hun- dred forty, the one hundredth anniversary of the Incorporation of the Academy was appropriately celebrated in the newly decorated auditorium. The program at this event was as follows: MR. THOMAS S. CRAIG President of the Board of Education, presiding March Carnavalesque ....... F riml ELMIRA HIGH SCHOOLS ORCHESTRA ' ' I I I MR. GEORGE J. ABBOTT, Director of Music, conducting Opening Exercises O Beautiful for Spacious Skies The Lord's Prayer One Hundred Years of Educational Opportunity DR. ALBERT 8. Hr:LMR,,xMP, Principal, E. F. A. Recollections MR. FRANCIS R. PARRI-LR, Principal, E. F. A. 1906-136 Koosheeo fCradle Song! ...... Ferris E. F. A. GIRLS GLEE CLUB MR. W. FREDERICK SCHAAII, Directing Greetings MR. EVERTS H. HOWELL I President, E. F. A. Parent-Teachers Association Future Plans FRANCIS R. PARKER MR. OSCAR F. KERLIN, Superintendent of Schools America Acknowledgement und thanks are hcrehy given for much information contained in this brief review, to the splendid historical article written hy Miss M. Louise Godfrey for the Yearbook of 1909.

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is-.--f v-wF-.unrf1r'1- . -V- Glau In September 1936, a new group of ugreeniesl' opened the doors of the Elmira Free Academy and tiptoed in. The surroundings were entirely new to us, but it was not long before we found the echoes familiar. Shortly we elected Haines Gridley president, Sally Hoffman vice-president, Beth Burke secretary, and Morris Shepard treasurer of our class. ln the period of a year we crawled the usual distance to become sophomores. and now, after wondering about the various activities, we were eligible to find out. Thus the organizations were crowded by young bloodsf' Paul McConnell, Beth Burke, Eleanor McCarthy and Sheldon Lewis were elected to head our class as presi- dent, vice president, secretary and treasurer respectively. The year went by swiftly and it was not until April that we held our first social activity. Having a spirited class, approximately fifty persons attended. This was our first depression. Finally, we reached the mark which privileged us to be called uupperclassmenf' Now we could attend some of those good assemblies-the great desire of our younger days. We again chose Paul McConnell to head our class, with Mary Ruth Gill as vice president, Eleanor McCarthy, secretary, and Henderson Riggs, treasurer. Henry Rathbun and Sally Hoffman were appointed co-chairmen of Junior Day, and through the combined efforts of the chairmen and the committees a successful day was held. Alas and alackl The day arrived when we felt self assured to push open those same doors which awed us in our Freshman days. After three years of sojourning here, we were fully acquainted with the routine of 'fthe first day, and thus we were prepared to settle ourselves at once. But we were fooled. During the summer, old E. F. A. had been changed, and those rooms which had never been numbered higher than forty-two were now numbered up to three hundred and twenty. It was very con- fusing. Two new gymnasiums, the pride and joy of the school, had been added. Our old gym was used as a cafeteria. The good old days of singles were no more. Although it took quite a while to become accustomed to the new routine, the seniors had to go on and plan their last, and perhaps best year. Joseph Schwenkler, Mary Lou Denton, Eleanor McCarthy and Emil Vogel were chosen as class officers. Judy Ott was appointed chairman for the annual senior musical--the show for which every senior sold all his tickets fmummi, and, believe it or not, it came through with flying colors, both financially and otherwise. Thanks to those new gymnasiums, we were able to hold our senior dance, the first of its kind ever to be held within these walls. Next on our schedule was the annual play in which Cappy Gill and Duff Rathbun brought down the house. On May 22 the traditional Senior Day was held. Four years ago we dreamt of this day when we could boast our position, and now that it had come, it stunned us to realize that in a few weeks we would be leaving. In the following week, we held our annual banquet and dance, thus ending the activities of our class. For the four years that we have been here, we have gained much knowledge, not only from books, but from experience as well. Our stay here will soon end. and it will all be a pleasant memory, never to be forgotten. It is with deepest regret that we say farewell to the school that is dear to us always. znamggzw HL- ,... . .T P l L Y A A 1 U M tv'- ff f t V .. . 1 i ' ' ,T