Lafayette High School - Oracle Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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'A presence, strong, beneficent, striving Your students, on their way, pausing near the window ledge, Saw the cattle, deep in clover, grazing in the sunlit fields. But Time brought changes, the prospect alters, as to the builder's plans it yields But your building, strong and handsome, a pears as in its early prime Despite the thousands housed within it, stild unscathed by hand or time. Through those quiet years and peaceful noble standards high were set For splendid scholarships, for progress standards never lowered, always kept. ln later years a world in turmoil brought new cares and fears to all. i Witnessed vast transitions, saw political and economic systems fall. ln your task you never faltered though responsibilities Severe Brought heavy burdens, endless effort growing greater year by year. No, there was no withdrawal from those high standards early set, Every duty was fulfilled, every obligation met. Oh those years brought many changes, brought the threat of danger near Danger to our homeland threatened as distant foreign foes a pear. Our sons heard the call of duty, such a call they'd not neglect, Left to fight in far-off battles, their countr 's safet to protect. And our honor roll of heroes as we read it through the years, And pay our homage to their memory, although read through mist of tears Brings a solemn pride and glory, as in gratitude we give To their noble work, our tribute. Oh, through all the ears shall live That honor roll of glory. Through coming centuries shall be read Our hallowed roll of heroes - Roll of our honored dead. As these fifty years we measure, looking back in retrospect A We realize the debt we owe of gratitude and respect To all those men and women who unceasingly have sought To bring success to every effort, who throughout the years have wrought To uphold her name in honor, her success their constant care, Her continued welfare - her well being, always their earnest prayer. Today we pay our tribute, too, to three great leaders, men of force Who, standing at the helm, have kept the huge ship on her COUTSC, Men of strength and courage, who in this work they chose to do Whether in past years or in present, brought their counsel wise and true, Their iud ement firm - their sympathy, an understanding heart As througllm half a century, each has carried on his part. Oh Lafayette, true picture of the schools throughout our land, As here at this half century mark, today with you we stand, May we look into the future of that final half ahead, And ask for you a better era, than this whose years have sped? Ask these blessings for your future, ask for years of peace When nations learn to live in concord, and wars, at last, may cease, When swords shall have turned to ploughshares, and the dread atom bomb Shall give to industry its helpful service, in a world of calm, Give its vast power to the task of better- ing man's condition here on earth, The only real service, the only task of actual worth. - May you carry on your noble work in those earlier years begun Unhampered by world tragedies met, when the century was young. Ever widening the aphelion of your in- fluence year by year As you have done through this earlier cycle, since you came among us here. Ever since upon our western border, through fifty years you've stood ever toward the good. Effie Farnham Burns Poet Laureate of Lafayette ML Mellen- ML Detmersl Mr, Gott 9

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The Year! I0 Her Belong The Queen Whose Praise Our Lips Confess PON the western border of a domain extending wide, Encompassing our city, and all the satellites at her side, Throughout the cycle of a century's half our Lafayette has stood A presence strong, beneficent, striving ever toward the good. Within this spreading region many thousands now reside, Many thousands of her graduates who speak her name in pride. As they review in retrospect, across the intervening years, In the light of life's experience, the full significance then appears Of the service she has given, and they say, in understanding of the benefits bestowed, Oh how great their value, how deep the debt of gratitude owed To you, our Alma Mater, for your guidance and your care, For your great gifts, so freely given - for benefits rich and rare. To your doors we came as children, they opened to our call, They opened wide in welcome and that welcome was for all. You opened windows of the mind to vistas then afar Fields in arts and sciences we could in later years explore. So we grew in mind as well as stature, increasing year by year, Those powers of mind now forming in a favorable atmosphere. And greater gifts than these you gave, as we can measure now, Oh heritage of priceless worth with which our young minds to endow, That desire for increase of knowledge into our minds you wroughtp In our pliant youth you shaped it, fixed that desire in our thought That habit of the mind to seek - to know - to learn - to understand That striving toward a farther goal - 'twas ever your command. And when the time for parting came, because these blessings we had known, We were no longer children, but to men and women grown. Many other happy hours we enjoyed along the way When work was laid aside, and play became the order of the day, Those assembly celebrations for athletic victories won The songs and cheers that deafened ears, for valorous deeds well donep The Press clubs and the Chess clubs, the Hi-Y's and the Glees We ioined at our own option, which ever seemed to please, The candy sales and masquerades brought their own share of fun Interests and amusements, through the years, for everyone. When flaring posters through the halls announced a carnival gay, When dramas and debates set forth our talents on display, At racing contests in the pool, we watched the champions swimp Oh the excitement through the school, at news of dances in the gyml The Yuletide Season brought its ioys that memory oft recalls Christmas hymns sung sweet and clear by strolling caroiers in the halls. The joy when former classmates 'twas our privilege to greet When friends returning at this season, could in sweet reunion meet. Then, when after steady strenuous effort, earnest work the four years through When in June we made the finals marking thus the end in view, And before the gathered multitude, stiff we stood, a solemn band, With serious face and mien sedate, that prized diploma now in hand, Oh those joyous youthful days, the days we don't forget When our young years were happy years,-those years at Lafayette. Your early years were quiet years, the ways of peace you knew Bordered by the pleasant farmlands stretching northward to the view, You enioyed unusual setting near the growing city's edgep 8

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' flkmorzkf CZMIIKV dbvul Thy Brzgfaz' Hall! CHE history of Lafayette High School actually began in i899 when West High School, an annex to Central High School, was opened as a part of elementary school eight- een. Under Principal Arthur Detmers, many of Lafayette's songs and traditions were formed. As the demand for high school training increased, Buffalo's two high schools, Central and Masten Park, became overcrowded and finally plans for a third high school were drawn. From thirty-two plans, including an oil painting, a committee chose that of Esenwein and Johnson. The site of the new school was Lafayette Avenue and Baynes Street, a piece of land described as meadow land fair. The building was to be of the Renaissance style built in the shape of a block E with the back of the letter fronting on Lafayette Avenue. Continued dis- cussion over the ventilating system resulted in supplying each student with not less than 30,000 cubic feet of air per hour. The original building has a tower rising l50 feet, contains 698 windows, and was built to accommodate l400 students. Finally on July 4, 1901, the ground was broken by Mr. Augustus Scheu, Superintendent Emerson, and more than a dozen other notables. Then Mr. Emerson, Mr. Philip Becker Goetz, andothers made speeches. Suggested names, West High and Jesse Ketchum High, were discarded in favor of Lafayette High School because of its lo- cation. The school was officially opened an September lO, i903 with a first day's attendance of l,050, of which 77 were possible seniors. Mr. Detmers with a faculty of thirty-six members began making Lafayette history in what was then the finest and most artistic school building in the city. Lafayette was now a real school with its colors, violet and white, its motto, Be strong and of a good courage, suggested by the principal, and an emblem in the form of a Guardian Angel designed by a student, Lawrence Hirshburg. In June l906, Mr. Detmers resigned to become an instructor at the Hill School in Pottsdam, Pennsylvania, and Captain Calvert K. Mellen, instructor of mathematics at Central High School, was appointed to succeed him. A circus at Lafayette Field. Cap Mellen, as he was fondly called, served faithfully as principal until retirement in l934. He made a lasting impression on the school, the faculty, and every student who ever came under his influence. Q I V lt was at this time that Lafayette developed many tra- 3 if il ditions such as the Arbor Day Program, led by the sen- ' ior boys, which included a play in May l908. The traditional Memorial Day Program, led by the senior girls, was inaugurated on May 29, l9l3. Senior re- ceptions were held by the faculty for several years. At the reception on April 20, i907 the faculty trans- formed the entrance hall and assembly room, which at that time had movable seats, into a cozy place with tables, chairs, love seats, pillows, and rugs. IO