La Porte High School - El Pe Yearbook (La Porte, IN)

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Page fixt 7 H E M A P L E La Porte High School. Lii Porte. Indiana

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Page four T 7 E M A P L li jForcfuorb 7T 11KKK are an hundred faults in this thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beau- tiful. But it i needles:». A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. It is with these words of Goldsmith running thro our minds that we send forth into the critical world of journalism this book, the child nf our fano We rec- ognize its weaknesses and glory in its successes. We have put forth a mighty effort to make it full and complete and beautiful. Besting now from our labors, we en- trust it to our fellow students, to our friends and patrons. We sincerely hope and believe that it will meet with their unstinted approval anti hearty welcome. In launching this initial number of I he Maple we wish to offer our heart- felt thanks to the School Board for their earnest co-operation in this publication: to our principal. Mr. Kittinger, for all the encouragement he has offered in times of doubt and hesitancy: to Miss Matheny for the invaluable aid she has given us in the preparation of our articles; to Mr. Conner, our faculty treasurer, for his able assistance to our business manager ; and lastly, to our esteemed and worthy fellow students for their most willing and constant co-operation, for their readiness to comply with and carry out the requests of the start' and for their support of the publication : and to any others, who. without our knowledge, may have given ns assistance.

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 ’•» • fix T H li M A r L H lustnru nf the Ha Jartc iJiglf riuml JASPER PACKARD HH N the year 1833 the first school (v) house was built in the citv of La- t’orte. It was constructeil of logs not unlike the cabins of pioneer days, 'flic graded schools were established in 1856, and in the same year a school building was erected in each ward. After the first term a grammar department was opened in an old frame building belonging to Y. I). Farnsworth, which stood not far from the present location of the high school building. A high school department was soon organized which was first taught by Jasper Packard, who later served with distinction in the army and still later was elected representative to congress. The upstairs of the old Porter school was used for the first high school classes. In 1863. under the direction of Judge 1 lannah. Rev. Noyes, and Lafayette Crane, the high school building known now as the Central School was erected. At this time only the first floor was fin- ished. the high school classes using one of the upper rooms, unplastered, for rec- itation. At this time, too, Noble Street between Clay and lackson Streets was dosed, thus giving the entire square for school purposes. The school year of 1869-70 enrolled sixty pupils in the high school with an average attendance of forty-five. This school year consisted of ten months. There were two course offered: tire English department, which required arithmetic, grammar, natural history, physiology, chemistry, rhetoric. English literature trigonometry, moral science, botany and astronomy; and the classical department, which required Latin, arith- metic, physiology, book-keeping, Greek, algebra, trigonometry and astronomy, and offered French as an optional study. The class of 1869 enrolled two gradu- ates: the class of 1870, ten. Non-resident pupils were charged ten dollars for the first term and eight dollars for each sub- sequent term. In 1872 the upper story of the Central building was completed. The assembly room was fitted up with furniture of the latest and most approved pattern, seats to the number of 144 being provided and an organ added. Soon after, a school bell, the purchase of which had been urged for some time, was hung in the tower so that it shall speak with no uncertain sound to all the city and its environs. Its ab- sence has proved demoralizing to both teacher nad parents.” In the school year of 1872-73 the course called English de- partment was changed to the term, gen- eral course, and that of classical depart- ment to college preparatory course. In 1873, the library can he said to have had