Elwood Community High School - Crescent Yearbook (Elwood, IN)

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of about twenty members each. As the classes were not yet well organized and the work somewhat monotonous, the students did not take a very marked interest at first, but, nevertheless, that interest was destined to grow until now there is not a student in the high school who does not feel a certain pride in the gymnasium. The second year (1904-5) brought a wonderful development in the gymnasium. With the returns from a musical and athletic entertainment and field day, both held in May, 1904, the gymnasium was placed upon a firm basis and much new apparatus added to its equipment. It now contains among other material the wooden horse, parallel bars, horizontal bars, mats, Indian clubs, dumb bells, horizontal ladders, and besides these for outdoor field work are the vaulting pole, shot, hammer, discus, etc. The most valuable addition to the gymnasium at the present year consists of the apparatus for physical examination. By this means can be determined the exercise which the student most needs, and in this way he may secure the greatest possible benefits from the gymnasium exercises. With the beginning of this same year a girls’ class was organized as well as the two classes for boys. At present the girls’ class has an enrollment of twenty-five members while that of the boys has an enrollment of about fifty members. The teachers for the present year are: Mr. Herbert Niece, the instructor for the boys’ class, and Miss Ola E. Sheets for that of the girls’. A special class of the boys has been organized in both 1904 and 1905 for taking part in the Spring Entertainments. In 1905 a special class of the girls was formed by Miss Sheets for the same purpose. Both classes became very efficient and were especially so in their drills. These have been thus far one of the most successful undertakings in which the teachers and students of the High School have engaged. They have consisted of drills and gymnasium exercises by both the boys’ and the girls’ special classes, music by the High School Orchestra and High School Choruses, besides many minor parts by students. Since the beginning of the present school year 1905-6 an Athletic Association has been formed for further er.couraging athletics, and especially

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At h Ultra Physical exercise is a direct stimulant to mental culture, for with increased health and strength comes increased intellectual powers. With this result in view the athletic work was begun in the Elwood high school which is, however, a new department in the routine of work. Previous to the autumn of 1903, foot ball and basket ball had been the only athletic sports indulged in by the students of the high school and, moreover, these games furnished exercise for only a very limited number of persons. But late in 1903 an interest in gymnasium work was started among the students of the high school, which has since grown rapidly and become well established. The success of the gymnasium work is especially due to the active interest which all the teachers have taken in it. The beneficial effects resulting from this gymnasium work, whit h was the more especially necessary since there is no space afforded the students for out-door exercise, near the building, are soon very apparent to I N those who participate in the exercises. The gymnasium classes are now well organized and the exercise which is considered as regular school work and conducted as such, is given by thoroughly competent teachers in both morning and evening classes. This athletic work has, through the field days and spring entertainments, now substituted for the former class plays usually given at the close of the spring term, enabled the high school to place itself much higher in the estimation of the general public. Near the close of the foot ball season in 1903, Mr. Owen, now high school principal, announced that a gymnasium class was to be organized and a room in the building equipped for the work. The apparatus necessary at first was paid for by teachers and students and later by monthly taxes paid by members of the classes. As yet only the boys were permitted to take part in the exercise's and they were divided into two classes

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football and base ball. The rules and regulations of the association will be similar to those of the j State Athletic Association. The officers of the association are as follows: President, Joe Stretcher, of the Sophomore class; vice president, Clarence Armfield, of the Junior class; and secretary, Walter Holland, of the Freshman class. The students named, together with four teach- ers: Mr. Everet W. Owen, Mr. Elmer E. Petty, Mr. John S. Bordner and Miss Helen L. Brown, form an executive committee for attending to all business of the association. It is to be hoped that this, with many other influences, will aid the athletic work in ever retaining its present elevating influence to the same ultimate result, the advancement of our school. iM