Lane Technical High School - Lane Tech Prep Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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The Lane Tech Annual for June, 1935 Page ll but it was no use. He couldnt figure out the an- swers. Now take yesterday, for example, he said to himself. he had been given three days discipline- - for what? lfor innocently playing catch in the lunchroom. lf that wasn't enough, the teacher who caught him also took the ball. The ball he had saved money for by not going to a theatre for a couple of days. Why couldn't they be human? 'l'here was that other incident in the cafeteria. One day he had gone up there to eat. just as he was a- bout to sit down a rough voice told him, Saved, buddy! Several attempts to get a seat proved un- successful. He ate his lunch standing. The follow- ing day he tried identically the same thing. He was going to save a chair for liric when J'No saving seats! The chair was grasped out of his hands by some fresh senior with a letter on his sweater. him to get his work in on time. As if he wasn't try- ing his best to do so. It seemed to Billy that they were always complaining. He would give anything to be back in grammar school, where he knew prac- tically every teacher. In high school he only knew the teachers where he had classes. Then also, there was the discipline room, He had become acquaint- ed with the teacher there. Harris was well on the verge of giving up the whole business when Eric told him of the Tech Prep Short Story Contest. Sure, Billy, you ought to enter it. You've a good chance of copping first place. You are a pretty good writer. I remember that story you wrote for our grammar school paper. lt was a peach. You never received anything for writing for that paper. Here you get a prize. If I could write like you l would enter it right off the bat. How about it? Q4 The Ilffftlfflllftll HtISkl'fI1lIH Tournament wrls II popular 1't'ez1l. 'l'o break part of this monotony Billy joined the Aw, I probably wouldnt even get honorable track squad. He didn't get a place on it. Older mention. l think they play favorites. Some guy and more experienced fellows were given berths on from the staff would win it. the team. He came in last always. Another thing f-NU, that is Where you are all Wrong. 'I-he Sm!-f he was a tlop in. What was the use? No one took is not eligible. The contest is divided into four div- any interest in him. Teachers were always nagging igionsg Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior and Senior

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Page 16 The Lane Tech Annual for June, 1935 of all his subjects. For this reason he fiunked in three subjects during the first quarter. Perhaps that is why he became so adapt at signing his father's name on his report card every five weeks. Somehow Sid managed to pass in all subjects at the end of the semester. Eric and Billy fared in somewhat the same way. The three were among the lowest in scholarship in their division. Although Harris received good marks in wood shop and science he did not do so well in the other subjects. And here they saw the plumbers johnson liked the same subjects that Billy did. He received a good mark in wood shop. Epstein did not like anything and therefore barely passed the 1-B semester. just as the newcomers became accustomed to their fellow classmates, rooms, teachers and sub- jects, the new semester began. The filling out of innumerable cards was a procedure which had to be repeated. Again the hubbub and the confusion of incoming freshmen was witnessed by both, teachers and students. New rooms-new faces-new teachers-different courses of study. These were among the first characteristics of the 1-A semester. It was during this year that Harris was the victim of somebody's prank. Billy was eating a cream- filled tart when his arm Was rather roughly pushed by another boy. To his amazement, he realized that the tart and its filling was smeared all over his face! The freshman had an idea the jostling was done on purpose. However, the other lad was a lot older and stronger. Billy let it pass. Then he went to his locker. He discovered that Eric, with whom he shared his locker, was standing near by. 'fWhat are you waiting for, Johnson? Why don't you open it up? 'fYou can open it if you want tof' answered Eric. As Billy made his way toward the locker he saw why Eric had not attempted to touch the lock. That piece of brass was entirely covered with someonels discarded cream tart! A tedious job of slowly re- moving the pastry was now begun by the locker partners. While doing this they realized that they were the 'goats' again. Eric and his friend were among the few unlucky fellows who had classes in portables. Harris, as usu- al, had found everything wrong with the make- shift classrooms- t'The fellow who named these the Fireless Cook- ers' was right about 'em. In the winter time you freeze to death and in the summer you pretty near smother. Together with that, the roof is like a sieve. Whenever there is a storm the supposed tiny holes seem to open up as if to receive the torrent. What do you think of this portable idea, Eric?', i'Well, Bill, you might be stretching it a bit but you are just about right. Remember the cold spell we had the other day? We had to run out of the warm building into a cold portable and back again. Nice way to catch a heavy cold. I hear they have those uCookersl' at Adams and Franklin, too. Sure, theylre all around, but what else can they do with all of the kids? I guess it is the only way out. Oh, well, let's go to science. Harris led the way toward their next class. He had gone half Way around the building when he exclaimed. On the wrong side of the building a- gain. I don't know when I'll ever learn to get around this joint. Odd numbers--this wayfl It was just about this time of year when young Harris was beginnng to get fed up with school life. He was discontented. Yes, he was a student of one of the largest technical schools in the country but what of it? Day in and day out work had to be done-lessons prepared-oral recitations-very lit- Very soon they heard of the radio club tle time for recreation and fun. The work was be- coming monotonous. Harris saw others as he saw himself. All walking around in sort of dim daze. Why were all of these boys coming to high school? Because it was compulsory? Because of their young age? After all, what price education? Sev- eral times he had spoken to older boys who were graduates of high schools throughout the city. They were unemployed. Did their education do them any good? Billy tried to answer these questions

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Page 18 The Lane Tech Annual for J une. 1935 L There goes the bell I bet you could get first place without half trying. Besides, you might be able to get in good with our English teacher. When she sees you a contest win- ner she is sure to give you an EH or HSM. 'tYeah, and then every time I would come into the room I would hear half of the fellows saying, teachers pet! No, not for me. Iive seen it hap- pen too many times. So, you're yellow, huh? Got a streak down your back. You can't take it- Eric knew that this would bring Harris around to see his point of view. Bill was the type who would do anything on a dare. In a moment this kind of taunting brought the desired result. UAH right, wise guy, I'll show you. I'll write a story that will knock you off your feet. I won't care what they say in the English class. When does the contest end? How many words? Does it have to be in ink?7l Wait a second, Edgar Wallace, I haven't all the details but if you go to the Tech Prep Office they'll give you all of the rules. So Harris was officially entered in the contest, several days and a week-end were conscientiously spent in his effort to write a prize-winning story. He was helped by his English teacher and at one time he was allowed to read it to the class. The ap- plause he received for his effort was deafening. If this meant anything toward coming events, he was sure to cop one of the prizes offered. Harris anxiously awaited the issue of the Tech Prep for the following month. It was in that issue that the winning stories were to appear. However, Bill was informed that his story was one of the prize winners even before the issue was put out. He was even more flattered when a Daily reporter sought him out one day to give him a write-up in the school paper. His name in the Daily while still a freshman. The write-up is one of Harrisls most treasured mementos. When the magazine did come out Harris was the envy of his entire class. Even the teacher congratulated him. Though the hero worship did not last forever it made Bill take a greater interest in his work. It certainly made a fellow feel good to see some of his classmates point him out as, t'That's Harris, the fellow who won the short story contest. Nevertheless, in the spring a young freshman's fancy turns to staying out of school as much as he can. The young author and his friend were no ex- ception. A walk to the lake front in the morning hours of a warm school day was a lot better than staying in a hot portable. Or else they might take in a show in an air-conditioned theatre. The matter of signing one anotherls notes from 'fhomell was a small detail which could be accomplished with a little practice. Friday, the last school day was e- specially suitable for taking the well-earned rest from school activities. Harris could not see why some boys would stay in a hot school room trying to do their work when the out-of-doors was such a beautiful place to play hookey. However, there was always the return to studies on Monday. Then the hustling to make up back Our first Indian chief---Mr. Beebe work. Drawing boards to be taken home and plates to be drawn. Though Epstein's company was not exactly pleas- ing to Billy he still kept up an acquaintance with