Lake View High School - Red and White Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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1874 0 + 1949 jkrougk die ward On the morning of May the fourth an excited group of seventy-three students, who had previously taken an entrance examination, assembled for the first classes. Out of these, only eight were undertaking high school studies, the remaining sixty- five all being enrolled in a two-months preparatory course. The entire faculty con- sisted of Augustus F. Nightingale, appointed by the trustees as the principal, and also serving as sole instructor. His students faced a life at home and in school, which was very different, and in many ways more difficult, than the comfortable existence familiar to most Lake Viewites of today. When the school was erected, there was scarcely a house within a mile. Several toll gates could be found between Fullerton Avenue and the northern limits of the township. The sole means of transportation in any direction was an old dummy car which rattled along from Diversey Street to the Graceland Cemetery at what is now known as Clark Street. From there to the school ran a three-planked boardwalk over which the students trudged daily, unless they chose to walk the long distance between home and school by way of the open prairie. Along this un- trailed route, they could gather armfuls of sweet-smelling violets and delicately-colored shooting stars, or lunch on wild strawberries and hazel nuts as they went. ln the soft warm days of spring and autumn classes were often held outside under the great old trees surrounding the school, though, during the long hard months of winter, even the roaring furnace and heavy protecting walls seemed a poor fortress against the biting unceasing wind that swept across the countryside. Throughout the early years of the school each morning began with an assembly. This consisted of a reading from the Bible, the singing of a hymn, and the recitation of the Lord's Prayer. Though many races and forms of belief were represented in the student body, there was never, during all the time this custom persisted, a murmur of complaint from any parent or pupil. At the close of the exercises the principal would sometimes speak on the proper characteristics of a worthy life, the qualities of true citizenship, and the importance of college and university training. His words and influence left a definite mark on the students as evidenced in their work, which soon gave Lake View High School the highest scholarship rank in the State. The first time this superiority was acknowledged was in February of 1876, when a request came from the Superintendent of Schools of Illinois that a special examina- tion be given the students. The completed papers were to be sent, uncorrected to the state authorities, who then would forward them to the International Exposition which was held in Philadelphia that year. Although both students and teachers were wearied from the recent mid-term examinations, they all exerted themselves in an effort to bring honor to their school. Toward the end of February Dr. Nightingale was notified by the chairman of the Educational Committee that Lake View had received the highest possible award, a diploma lcertificatel for its distinguished work, so outstanding that it ranked above all the school work submitted by students throughout the world. At the close of the Exposition an additional honor came in the form of a letter from the president of the French Educational Commission which requested that Dr. Nightingale send some selected papers so that excerpts from them could be published in the report to the French government. During this period Lake View received ninety per cent of the awards given by the State for scholastic achievement,-more than sixty-five diplomas and over four hundred dollars in money, in the form of premiums, One year the school received fourteen out of the fifteen premiums offered. The reason for this remarkable achievement lay to a great extent in the marking system. A youthful pride can accomplish almost anything, and Dr. Nightingale capital- ized on this bit of wisdom by inaugurating the practice of regularly making public the grades of every student. Four times during the semester the whole school assembled in the auditorium, and the marks of each pupil, starting with the lowest and ending with the highest, were loudly and clearly read from the platform. Needless to say, failures were almost unheard of, and grades were carried out to fractions to insure absolute fairness. 1. THIRD LAKE VIEW 5. EXCURSION TICKET, 1893 2. MEMORIAL SERVICE, 1901 6. GRADUATION EXERCISE, 1899 3. EXCURSION TICKET, 1899 7. CLASS OF 1899 4. PROM sin, 1899 I5

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1874 4- 4 1949 jkrougfr due Mani Final examination papers were sent in a sealed envelope by the State authori- ties. The principal opened it in the sight of pupils and teachers, and immediately, the students began the test, working under an honor system which required them to sign a pledge that they had neither given nor received information. After the papers had been carefully graded, the awards were given. The girl receiving the highest marks received the gold Kerfoot medal worth twenty dollars. The boys had their choice of a gold Saint Andrew's Cross or books. There was also an award for those outstanding in botany and mathematics. Beniamin Franklin McConnell, sole graduate in 1876, was the first alumnus. Two years later Ella Mead, a very beautiful young girl, who was one of the eight graduates of the class of 1878, became Beniamin's bride-and the first class bride of Lake View. Graduation Day was a momentous event requiring weeks of preparation and planning. For several days before the ceremony the boys, after wheedling permis- sion from Dr. Nightingale, would take every wagon and buggy available, and drive merrily into the nearby woods lForest Preservesl where they gathered spruce, ever- green, hemlock, and arbor vitae to decorate the halls and auditorium. The fragrant boughs were deposited in the basement, and there the students fairly fiew when- ever a moment could be spared, the boys cutting the branches and the girls weaving wreaths or sewing arbor vitae on the cardboard letters which were to fashion the school motto, Ad astra per aspera. The week before graduation the Seniors were given a gala party by the Juniors. Unlike our proms, it consisted of games and dancing, the games proving so hilarious that dancing was always forgotten. Commencement night found almost the whole town thronging into the auditorium to admire the nervous graduates-the girls in starched white dresses and the boys in high collars, and always tight new shoes. Dresses and collars wilted visibly as the students awaited their turn to speak, for each one was required to give a thesis of a thousand words. In addition to these, the two ranking students had to present the valedictorian and salutatorian addresses. Between 1876 and 1884 there were sixty- seven graduates-forty-one girls and twenty-six boys, of whom, about forty per cent entered college. The remaining sixty per cent took courses in manual training and bookkeeping which were offered even in those early days. The enrollment gradually began to increase as did the faculty. Former students began to return as teachers-Miss Flora B. Andrews of the class of 1877 became sec- retary to the principal and an instructor in mathematics, while Miss Emma Johnson came back to teach art. Miss Eleanor Larrison was elected to teach English and his- tory. During this period members of the faculty also included Miss Clara Clemm, Miss Helmuth, and Mr. Martin Anderson. Laura C. Hills, class of 1878, joined the faculty as a teacher of French in 1882. At the same time James H. Norton took charge of the Science Department, and a few years later romance entered Lake View, for Miss Hills became Mrs. James Norton. lt was around this time that one of Lake View's immortals, Miss Mary T. Cochrane, arrived on the scene. She was a combination assistant-principal and teacher of English. Although she is remembered for many outstanding accomplishments, the mention of her name often brings to mind one amusing, yet almost tragic, incident. It occurred during the winter of 1883, the most severe in the history of the school. That the pupils had to struggle through the biting cold and freezing wind was bad enough, but when the dummy car was abruptly re- moved, it became necessary to take drastic measures to provide some means of transportation, since three-fourths of the faculty and student body lived too far away to walk to and from school. 1. MR. B. F. BUCK, PRINCIPAL, 1900-1912 3. GIRLS' BASKETBALL, 1-904 2. BASKETBALL TEAM, 1903 4. FOOTBALL TEAM, 1908 l7