Grants Pass High School - Toka Yearbook (Grants Pass, OR)

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THE TOKA 13 With the opening of the fall term of school it seemed as if school spirit in Grants Pass High was all that could be asked, but not many days had passed before the foot-ball squad, instead of becoming larger materially decreased. Many of the boys seemed to think that FOOT-BALL the payment of their dues for the maintenance of athletics in the High School, placed them among the most loyal to the school, and in consequence it was rare that many more than the necessary eleven men reported for foot-ball practice on the athletic field. Consequently, on October 12, when the foot-ball team went to Medford, we paid the penalty, and paid heavily. The lesson that has only too often been given was again administered and it taught that a team can win only when it has the undivided support of the school behind it. All will admit that it is indeed a sacrifice to get out and work hard on the foot-ball field for two hours a day, five days out of the week, but winning teams are not made of men who are afraid of this, and there must be at least twenty-two men in school who have sufficient school spirit to do it. However, a good result of this game was to arouse in some the spirit that had been lacking and since that time the school spirit behind the team has helped much. Almost enough men for two teams have turned out for practice regularly and the girl’s basket-ball squad, which has been behind the boys since the first, succeeded in transmitting to the rest of the school some of their enthusiasm and the rooting” has been a great factor in the rapid improvement of the team. Now, if the boys keep up their work, we are sure the girls will forgive them for not helping at first. • • • The boys of the foot-ball squad have greatly appreciated the enthusiastic support awarded them from the first of the season by the basket-ball girls, and their appreciation of the banquet given them and the Ashland boys after the game can hardly be BASKET-BALL GIRLS expressed here. It seemed as if the girls had already done all they could to help foot-ball this season, so their work in serving the splendid dinner to the home and visiting teams on the twenty-first is greatly appreciated, first because of the spirit it shows us is behind Grants Pass High, and also because of the opinion the Ashland boys will have of the Grants Pass spirit. It is indeed, from the spirit in a school that an outsider gains his opinion of the school. • • • The Improvement in the course of study of the Grants Pass High School this year is marked, and especially is the addition of Domestic Science and Manual Training to be commended. In all probability these two studies are directly res-IMPROVEMENT IN COURSE OF STUDY ponsible for a large number of the names on the present enrollment, for there are many boys and girls of the High School age, who w'ould not attend school merely for the benefit to be derived from the other studies alone, but when they can get these benefits and at the same time get a practical training in some other direction they will avail themselves of the opportunity.

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The Toka Published Monthly by Associated Students of the Grants Pass High School. Entered at the Postoffice at Gnuits Puss, Oregon, as Second Class Matter. Vol. V. Grants Pass, Oregon, November, 191 I. No. 2. THE TOKA STAFF. EDITOR LITERARY .... SOCIAL ATHLETICS .... LOCALS ALUMNI EXCHANGE .... COURT OF FOOLISHNESS . FACULTY ADVISER . . . . . . NIEL ALLEN.'12 . . . . BERNICE QUINLAN. '12 . . . . MILDRED CHURCHILL. 13 . . . . LEONARD MARTIN. '15 . . . . LAWRENCE UNDERWOOD. '14 . . . . VERNON BASLER.'ll . . . . MATTHEW RIDDLE.'13 BEATRICE WEBB. 12 . . . . CHRISTINA Mc LEAN Dusinexs Staff. BUSINESS MANAGER . . SUBSCRIPTIONS . . . . - IRVING KESTERSON. T 3 . . . . ROBERT HARRIS. 13 The young people of Grants Pass are fortunate in having such a nice and conveniently arranged high school home. The gymnasium on the basement floor is particularly well suited for parties and social gatherings that really should be a part of the experience HIGH SCHOOL PARTIES and education of young people. Already several very pleasant evenings have been spetC in this way. Doubtless there will be others as the session passes on. It is pleasing to note at these parties, so far, an entire absence of class rush spirit that has attended similar gatherings here in former years. Our young people are apparently “rising to the occasion” and are In no sense violating the privilege given them to use the building for social gatherings. It Is hoped that this spirit will continue throughout the year. These gatherings are always attended and chaperoned by high school teachers, who require that these parties shall end at 10:30 P. M. and on no condition ever later than 10:45; so every one should be at home by the seasonable hour of eleven o’clock. If on the night of one of these social gatherings, young people are later than eleven o'clock on reaching home, parents may know that it is not on account of the school party. Another wise provision made by the school authorities is never to permit these little gatherings on a so-called “school-night.” Thus lessons for the morrow do not suffer. As high school students we are to be congratulated on having such a pleasant school home.

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14 THE TOKA Sometimes as I pass a group of lusty, leather-lunged, virile High School students upon the street and contemplate the dynamics represented in their physical and mental make-up, 1 am led to wonder whether they have ever made a careful appraise-HOW ABOUT THK DIVIDENDS? ment of themselves and soberly considered their relations to the community. Have they ever considered their responsibilities to themselves because of their capacity for action? In their own estimation, are they merely raw material for the world’s laboratory and factory; or are they units of force by which to drive the world’s activities? They should find time between the “grind” of the class-room and the roystering of the foot-ball ground to make such appraisement, with a thought to their own future as well as to the future of the community and the state. “I’m not worrying myself about the future of the community; I’ve got my work cut out looking after Number One; see?” Just the sort of sentiment to be expected from Young America. But. my stripling friend, it is time for you to reflect that the state and the community have a lien upon you. It is time for you to consider that in a broad sense you are an asset, to be levied upon and exploited. A gigantic stock company has been organized in Oregon, with millions of paid up capital, and money has been lavishly spent upon equipment and fa'illties for the one purpose of exploiting you—YOU. The stock-holders are the state, your own community, your own family, and your own self. How about the dividends? The public school has been recommended to the easy-going public as “the best buy” in the market—a “dead sure thing”—an Investment that pays progressively compounding interest, not only in per capita wealth for the community, but in appreciated citizenship. On thi3 very supposition the property owners are being assessed mercilessly in order to facilitate your “coming on.” It is with this thought in mind that the old folks” are adding economy to hard work, and are seasoning their days with anxiety. How about the dividends? “You can search me.” Well, sir, it would be the proper thing for you to search yourself. The heaviest item of taxation is for the paramount purpose of insuring to the future of Grants Pass a moral and capable citizenship—a class of citizens who can do more than labor with their hands and earn a living for their families. The future will bring problems bigger than we are dealing with today, and you will be looked to by the responsible citizen to deal with them. Will you be prepared to “play the game?” Will you make good? Not if you quit your studies several years too soon. Just think of this when you contemplate “cutting” school, as too many of your predecessors have done, and going after a job. The tax-payers of this district are putting up their hard dollars for the purpose of producing a class of well-rounded, well-grounded citizens. Isn’t it a little like obtaining privileges under false pretenses for the young man to make use of one-half the advantages of the schools and throw the other half away? How about the dividends to the stockholders? —H. S. PRESCOTT.