John Marshall High School - Marshallite Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

Page 21 text:

James C. Harwood Fourth Principal i N THE fall of 1903 further effort to improve the scholastic po standing was made. Examinations were abolished for all except the graduating classes. The standard adopted for these classes was an average of eighty per cent with a minimum of seventy per cent on a subject. In the spring of 1906 a committee ap- pointed by the board made a study of the standards of the high schools throughout the State and reported the Richmond High School as among those requiring the highest standard. In 1905, upon the resignation of Mr. Thomas, James C. Harwood became principal. At this time there were but two courses in the school: the regular course of three years and the two-year business course. All who selected the regular course were required to take every subject in the course. In 1907, upon Mr. Harwood’s recommendation, the course was extended to four years, allowing greater latitude in the selection of subjects.

Page 20 text:

Outside Quarters of the School T he John Marshall House and The Jefferson Club tice of renting outside rooms was begun. This continued until June, 1909, when the school occupied every available shall House, and the old Jefferson Club. Before 1903, however, it became evident to the School Board that the building at 805 East Marshall was hopelessly beyond improvement and totally unfit for a twentieth century school. They used every effort to secure funds for the erection of a new school. In’ 1904 they succeeded in obtain- ing half of the lot on which the building now stands. Plans for the new school were submitted, but before any work was begun, the citizens, headed by the School Board, the Richmond Education Association, and the daily press, so vigorously pressed the question of securing the whole block, bounded by Clay, Marshall, Eighth, and Ninth Streets, that in 1905 their efforts were crowned with success.

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John Marshall High School Erected 1909 SHIROUND was broken for the new building in the spring a of 1908. The following fall the cornerstone was laid. In Y 6S ee) a Toa SY, plete, the school entered its third home. In November an entire day September, 1909, although the building was not quite com- was devoted to the dedication of the building. Before the completion of the building the name of the school was changed to John Marshall High School. In February, 1911, the plan of promoting pupils by subjects was put into effect. A pupil making seventy-five per cent on a subject was advanced in that subject. The pupils became more interested in their work, and the good results of the plan were immediately evident. The following summer the vacation school was established so that pupils who so desired might have an opportunity to continue their work in the summer. In the fall of 1911 the Teachers’ Training Department was moved from the high school to the William F. Fox School, and became the City Normal School. | qe