Gratz High School - Gratzonian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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All 0ur Yesterdays nn-ndous advances in both the quantity and quality of its material. For several years The Spotlight has been recognized as outstanding by the Columbia Press Conference. The nanie of Simon Gratz has been synonymous with leaders in every con- ceivable educational and sporting field. During 24--L0's stay at Gratz, we have been the proud recipients of the Public High Soccer, Tennis. Chess, and Basketball chznnpionships as well as the coveted Basketball Crown. Our Gala Nights have been rated as among the best student productions in the city. These extra-curricular activities have been instituted to offer the recreation necessary for the maintenance of a sound nlind in a sound body--an asset that is truly American. Simon Gratz, our school. has contributed its share toward breaking down the barriers of ignorance and darkness to replace them with the Torch of Free Edu- cation. WVe Americans have nourished that flanie and have watched it grow until today its brilliance lights the wav toward unprejudieed education of the massesi thc ideal upon which America was founded. MARBLE HALL V W ,Luis Wig. ' rm,,,,, L, , V mggggu,mm,,m K B, rm V

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ur Yesterda crlucating thc thousands that would cntcr its portals in scarch of a highcr :incl worth- whilc cducation. lfrmn thc tiinc Uratz was mlcclicatcml in 1927. thc school has grown with thc surrounrling connnunitics until. from an original cnrollnicnt of thrcc thon- sancl. wc now havc inorc than forty-thrcc hunclrcrl studcnts guimlcll hy onc llllllIll'K'tl thirty tcachcrs. Gradually all thc clcniocratic principlcs of thc outsiclc worlcl wcrc :uloptccl with a fcw ncccssary modifications. 'l'hc primary fcaturc was a stuclcnt govcrnnu-nt. known as thc Stumlcnts Association unclmr thc capalilc guiclancc of Mrs. Marion Wvallacc. lvnclcr this systcin. thcrc is a group of stuclcnts who arc clcctccl hy thcir fs-llow classniatcs to rcprcscnt thcni in thc Scnatc. Court. ancl Housc of licprcscntatircs- thcsc arc closcly niorlclcd aftcr thc l'nitcd Statcs Congrcss and Suprcnmc Vourt. Thus a ina-ior stcp has hccn takcn to procurc unity among thc stuzlcnts. a mlcniocratic unity-fa syinhol of Anim-rica's lihcrty and frccrlom. 'l'hc cntirc school connnunity was shockccl at thc passing of our liclovcrl prin- cipal. J. lillwoocl Calhoun. on lfclxruary 8. 19238. His intcrcst in school affairs had cnrlcarccl hini to thc hcarts of all. Mr. f'alhoun's succcssor. llr. li. Carl XVQ-rncr. has carricrl on our latc principal's work with gratifying rcsnlts. Dr. YV4-rncr is familiar with thc prohlcnis of our school as hc was fornicrly thc hcatl of our coni- lncrcial mlcpartincnt hcforc hccoining principal of thc Pcnn Trcaty Junior lligh School. 'l'hc first issuc of thc school papcr. christcnccl Thr Spoiliyllf, appcarcal on lll'Ck'llllN'l' 19, 1927. laulcr thc ahlc litcrary guimlancc of Mr. lidgar .l. YVilli:nns and thc financial dircction of Mr. Bcnjaniin Kuykcndall, thc papcr has niaclc tru- SIMON GRATZ HIGH SCHOOL sax we wg ,, MM W he 131.1 f ew gr, H is my -zz: vz fwsfwfz--Ml: -.M Lev:-wi. ML Q G 1 . mir K 2, , Q ' V sws ffT3Q.j .jg' f5i'i1.f'SSw:?sf2 . ' . -try ,At N f-? S13rsfbg Qffqiii iii ' - i Q., 14 IH . t X ,. L, Xxx' 'Ig-is X an ' tif-K f 4 1: f 4'

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Du. t Ani. ln. XX nu Princilml rincipalgs essage ' ' s it r i -V Q . , i N ICI! 'l'o 'ruic t'I,,-xss or JUNE. 19-LO: ln thcsc stirring and critical tinics you havc choscn a very appropriate thcmc tor your ltccord Hook. It is most fitting that you should sclcct as your topic A-Xnlcrica---its past. prcscnt. and tuturc. lVc lovc our country for its iilcals. its institutions and its traditions. VW- hc- llcrc in l ful for 1 t lc valuc of thc connnon man and his illiinitahlc possibilitics. YVc arc thank- mur puhlic schools which kccp opcn thc floor of opportunity for thc chilmlrcu of crcrv racc and cvcry crccrl. f . lhc pionccrs of Aincrica wcrc inihuccl with a spirit ot' faith and couragc that cnahlcml Yvashington and his halt'-starvcd. halt'-clothccl soldicrs to survivc thc hittcr agonics of Vallcy Forge. Thcsc carly Americans had faith in the sacrcilf ncss ot' thcir causc. Thcir couragc. sacrificc. and patriotism won for us thc frccrioni and thc hlcssings which constitntc our American hirthright. In thc onc hunclrccl anal sixty-four ycars that wc havc hccn an inclcpcnrlcnt nation, wc havc inadc unparallclcd progrcss in thc arts of civilization and harc hc-- CUIIN' 0111 - of thc gre-atcst nations in thc world. As wc look forward to thc unccrtaintics of thc futurc. wc nccd thc sainc qualitics of faith and couragc which cnahlcml our sturdy forcfathcrs to ovcrconic all ohstaclcs ancl hring this contincnt unilcr dominion. Thc prcscrvation and dcvclopnicnt oi' this hcri tagc will soon hc cntrustcrl to you. May thc spirit of our Anlcrican patriots and pionccrs givc you thc faith anal courage- to carry on ancl hcqucath to succcccling Y' Ecncrations our idcals and institutions and thc hlcssings of Aincrican lihcrty. Sllll't'T'l'ly y0lll'S.