Jamestown High School - Red and Green Yearbook (Jamestown, NY)

Page 14 text:

MISS ARMSTRONG Those of us who know Miss Armstrong realize that in her is a leader of rare capability f or Junior High School work. For many years she has com- petently led the South Side School, one of the leading grammar schools of the city. Her new position as the principal of the Sherman Street Junior High, will differ little from that which she has long filled so well.

Page 13 text:

GUSTAVUS BENTLEY For many years has Mr. Bent- ley been sought by undergradu- ates and found ever ready to aid them on their Way toward knowl- edge. How many of us have not at some time gone to him with our school problems, almost innumer- able at the beginning of our High School career. His understand- ing and clear insight into the daily difficulties of students has meant more to most of us than we shall ever realize. Each of us has felt at some time that the knowing of this man has made us better. That the Washington ,lun- ior High under his leadership will be one of the best of its kind there is no doubt. It is everything to have a man of such ability at the head of a school for younger high school students. HUZH GILLIS ' m lgbigiice 'i l'lVHl of Mr. Gillis at our school it has been the most natural thing in the world to consult his not only about mathe- matics but about school life in general. To the boys with whom he has been in contact his com- panionship has meant much, and l1is cheerful, interesting classes have been sought by all. Possess- ing those qualities which make a successful teacher and an upright leader, his leaving to take charge of the Lincoln Junior High will leave a vacancy in our school, by no means easy to fill. He has ever shown a clear knowledge of hu- man nature and especially that of young people, a quality which is invaluable to him who accepts such a responsible position as the head of one of the new schools.

Page 15 text:

V 1 CTHE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SIJSTEM realization of the Junior High School system in this city has at last come true. Two such high schools, beautiful in construe- tion have been erected, the Lincoln High School on Front Street, 'M' which will accommodate all students residing on the West and South Sides of the city, and the Washington High School on Buffalo Street, which will accommodate students from the North and East Sides. Nothing whatever has been neglected in making these institutions of learning com- plete. The buildings are modern in every way, each school having large auditoriums and gymnasiums as well as facilities for physical and recrea- tional purposes. Gustavus E. Bentley, who is now serving as principal of the ,lunior High School at the main building, has been appointed principal of the Washington .lunior High School. Hugh L. Gillis, at present bead of the mathematics departemnt at the Senior High School will be principal of the Lincoln Junior High School. A .lunior High School plan in this city was for a long time a vague question to the citizens. Many disapproved of the project because it would necessitate the issuance of bonds for the expense. Others were unfamiliar with the supervision of such a system and thus rejected the important im- provement to our educational system. As time elapsed, and the congested conditions at the Senior High School became more apparent, the projectors, including members of the faculty and men and women of the community be- gan to appeal to the taxpayers for their support. During the time when people were debating the possibilities of solving the problem, the local news- papers did their part in conveying the functions of the ,lunior High School scheme to the public. Speeches by men of the community were never com- plete unless they made some reference to the 'churning question. Finally, after the taxpayers had become convinced that their educational system was handicapped for more room and better facilities they voted for a five hun- dred thousand dollar bond issue, the approximate cost of constructing the two schools. For those unaware of the benefits derived from the Junior High Schools, the following stand out as being most prominent. In the first place the erec-