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

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 THE CRESCENT '920 f History of Elwood High School IX 18S8 H. F. Wiiekie tcc k i p Is is dutits us superintendent cf the Elwood schools. At this time the schools were not graded. Mr. Willkie prepared a ccuisa and presented it to the Board of Education for adoption. As an instructor in the high school he taught Algebra, Arithmetic and Latin. The other teacher in the school was Daniel King. In the winter of 1889-1890 Mr. Willkie filed an application for a commission. The high s hool did net come up to the standard and as a result Mr. Willkie's efforts were cf no avail. Mr. T. F. Fitzgibbon succeeded Mr. Willkie as supet intendent in the fall of 1890. At that time the high school course was of two years’ duration. Mr. Fitzgibbon was the sole instructor of the forty-two high school pupils. In addition to his duties as a tracker he was obliged to spend one hour each day in the inspection oi the seven grade rooms. In order that he might sec t’ e different phases cf the woik he arranged his schedule so that his hour came at different periods. It was sug- gested that the janitor should come in and watch over the high school during his hour but Mr. Fitzgibbon refused to follow this advice, saying that he could trust his little band of forty-two to report on themselves if any trouble arose. Everything went well for a month and then one evening a boy remained after dismissal. Mr. Fitzgibbon inquired, “What can I do for you, Charles?” “Nothing,” was the reply. “I wish to do something for you.” “Well, what is it ? asked the teacher. “Everything has gone well and no one has tried to take advantage of your trust in us until today,” he said. “I brought an apple to school; cut it into pieces and passed it among some of the students, but don't you know net a one would touch it, and the apple is in the waste basket now.” “Why didn't you eat it?” inquired Mr. Fitzgibbon. “Well’ just because I couldn’t.” “Charles” is now a prominent business man. In 1891 and ’92 the total enrollment had increased thirteen, there being fifty-five enroll- -r r

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To those of you who have already entered through the door of the preceding page, we welcome you to this, the Crescent of the Class of 1920. We, have attempted to publish another edition of “The Crescent,” not because it is a custom, but because we think it necessary to show more clearly the growth of this, our High School. The Editor-in-Chief wishes to assume only the faults of this issue, and to accredit the good qualities to all those who have so ably assisted in its production. Yours for a greater, better E. H. S., DONALD MASSY, Editor-in-Chief.

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 od. Mr. Meeks was made principal in 'D1 and assisted Superintendent Fit .gibbon in teaching the high school. Late in October. 1891, Mr. Fitz-gibbon asked the State Hoard of Education for a commission. In reply to this request L. ,11. Jones, superintendent of the Indianapolis Schools and head of the district, which was composed of the Eighth Congressional District, came to Elwood and spent a day visiting the classes, lie reported next week to the Hoard of Education and recommended the school for a commission, complimenting highly the work of the Senior class in Geometry and Latin. As a result of his visit and recommendation, Elwood Secured its commission during the fall of '92. The course of study changed and now a four-year course was offered. The subjects were as follows: 1st year—Algebra, Englisn, Latin and Physical Geography; 2nd year— Algebra, Latin. English and Botany; 3rd year —Latin, English, General History and Plain Geometry; 4t'n year—English. Latin, Physics BOTANY LABORATORY In 1893 it was decided that a new building would be erected and the old eight-room school s was tern down. School was held in the Linwood building for two years. The contractors had promised the new building for the fall of ‘95. Owing to an unavoidable delay they were unable to fulfill their premise and after hav- CHEMISTRY LABORATORY and Solid Geometry, the first half cf the year with a choice of Civics or Commercial Arithmetic the last half of the year. This was the only elective. A small building of eight rooms first served as a high school and grade school. The high school classes were held in the upper corridor, which was about nine feet wide with a stairway in the center and a stove at one side. The blackboard was four feet square. For the study cf Physics the school possessed no opparatus and the students and their teacher made from wood a few pieces of apparatus such as levers, bal-rrces. etc. The class went to the plumbing shop for the study of air. gas and water pressure. Paco Five