Lanphier High School - Lan Hi Yearbook (Springfield, IL)

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fort made to correct it. In 1858 there were 2800 boys and girls be- tween the ages of 6 and 21 years of age and only 1328 attending schools altogether. Attendance percentage was figured according to those en- rolled, but very little is said of those who did not enter school at all. By an absence of eight half days or four days in four successive weeks, a scholar had to forfeit his seat, and special permis- sion from the superin- tendent had to be ob- tained before the student could re-enter. A pupil was considered absent if he did not attend school at least one-half of the regular school session of the half day. In 1860 the average daily attend- ance in the high school was 59. Various factors contributed to bring the daily attendance up to par. XVritten excuses, monthly reports both to parents and to the office of superintendent, and daily distribution of graded cards among the primary classes aided in bringing about this re- sult. The report of Superintendent Cutcheon, 1859-60, stressed these facts. During the 1862-1863 year, the percentage of absence had greatly decreased due to the strict enforcement of the attendance regulations. The teachers were directed to notify the par- ent or guardian when a pupil was absent because the teachers were supposed to know where their pupils were at all times. In May, 1870, 182 were enrolled in high School with 114 in attend- ance, averaging a little less than 63W:. This year enrolled in the public high schools are 3255 pupils with an average of 95.476 in at- tendance. STUDENT REGULATIONS l'he requirements and regulations of students so many decades ago were not altogether differ- ent from those required today. Children had to be five years of age in order to be admitted to the schools, and they had to register in the dis- trict or ward in which they lived. If they lived out of town, but attended school in Springfield, special tuition was required. A certificate of ad- mission had to be obtained by the parents or guardians from the superintendent before a child could enter school. School supplies, such as THE TRAPP SCHOOL, ONE OF THE FIRST PUBLICLY-OWNED BUILDINGS books, slates, etc., were provided by the pupils themselves. WVhen the bell rang, if the pupils were not in their seats, they were counted tardy. In case of absence, a Written excuse from the parent or guardian was required. The pupil could not leave school without special permission from the teacher. FACULTY REGULATIONS The principal was to open the school building twenty-five minutes before school session began and was to see that the pupils conducted them- selves fittingly on the way to and from the school. When a student willfull and persistently vio- lated any of the rules ofy the school board, the principal had the power to suspend the student. The principal also had exclusive control of the school-house clock and the ringing of the bell, and he was instructed to. keep his clock in time with the town clock. Teachers had to conform to regulations as rigidly as the students. Some of the revised rules from the report of 1860-61 by Francis Springer started a pattern partly followed until this day. Teachers were to devote exclusively their time during the school hours to school work. They were also to supervise their pupils during recess. The teachers were required to open their rooms ten minutes before school and to stay in the room, permitting no disorder. If the teachers failed to keep this rule and were late to school,

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cipline and improvement of mind and morals. The Second Ward School, a three story brick building located on Second and Mason street, is still standing today. Familiarly known as the Old Trapp School, it is now used by the Arm- bruster Manufacturing Company as a warehouse. Then - 1858 - Springfield had four public school buildings, today - 1954 - fifty-four schools are in Springfield, thirty of them publicly owned. The School Board passed the resolution july 27, 1857, to establish a high school in some central, convenient location. The lirst term was conducted in a small building in the Third W'ard, the following year, in the Fourth 1Vard School. Placing pupils, ranging from five-year-olds through high school age in the same room with the same teacher caused many problems: dis- cipline, subject matter, method of presentation, materials, and seating arrangement. These diffi- culties, plus an increase of 100W in population, demanded more adequate accommodations for high school boys and girls. In the recommendation of the Board to the City Council, the values of a centrally located school were expressed: Such a school will pay, in the increased wealth, population, intelligence, and im- proved morals of this place. It will honor the present and benefit the future. It was further recommended that if the City Council did not deem it expedient to erect a build- ing for the purpose of a high school, suitable rooms, in some central location, be rented, in order to accommodate the high school students more satisfactorily. In 1861 a building, located on Fourth and THE EXTERIOR OF AN 1854 SCHOOL BUILDING Market and capable of holding 90 pupils was rented and used. All modern conveniences, including an up-to-date lioor plan enabling the pupils to change easily from one room to an- other, were used in this building: it was well lighted with hanging kerosene lamps, it was heated by a wood furnace, it was furnished with the fashionable one-seat desks, and it boasted the newest visual-education aid-black-boards. From this one high school of 1864, the secon- dary level of education in Springfield has ex- panded to three. Feitshans High School became a four year school in 1933 and Lanphier was built to replace Converse elementary and high school and began to be used in 1937. CURRICULUM Most of the common branches were taught in the early Springfield School System, however, other school systems were being watched. The Boston Schools and Oswego Schools were models that were kept under consideration and their methods and practices were extensively copied. Current subjects of the day were taught in the early high school: First Year English Grammar and analysis, higher arithmetic, elementary alge- bra, physical geography, outlines of history, psy- chology, Second Year algebra, geometry, book- keeping, natural philosoph , botany, rhetoric, Third Year mensuration and, surveying Coptional with ladiesD, trigonometry Calso optional with ladiesD, chemistry, astronomy, intellectual phi- losophy, moral science, political economy, decla- mations and compositions, Fourth Year CClassical Course to be pursued by those intending to enter collegeD English grammar and analysis, higher arithmetic, elementary algebra, algebra-extended course, outlines of history, Latin grammar and reader, Caesar, Cicero-select orations, Virgil, Latin prose composition, Greek, grammar and reader, Xenophon's anabasis. New subjects and classes were added as progress was made. Music, art, and physical education were introduced in 1858. Domestic science and manual training were first taught at the Trapp School in 1890 and later introduced into high school in 1903. Business courses were lirst taught in 1900, night schools for foreign born were organized in 1908, a school nurse was first em- ployed in 1911, and special education began in 1925. ATTENDANCE Irregular attendance was the rule rather than the exception in the first schools of Springfield. The evils of this practice were recognized and much ef-

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they had to report to the principal as tardy. Classes opened precisely on time with the open- ing exercises and closed at the end of the day, and not one minute earlier. Instructors were also required to attend all institutes held by the board of education. DISCIPLINE Discipline could be administered in the form of private admonitions, appeals to conscience, monthly reports, public reproof, detention at re- cess, suspension in the case of more serious offenses, and as a final resort in some instances, the use of the rod. Strict order was required at all times, and under no circumstances was a pupil or faculty member permitted to chew tobacco. Any person carrying deadly weapons was suspended from school and had to report to the board of education. Absence from class on examination day caused the seat to be forfeited. EXAMINATIONS At the beginning of the public school system, public examinations were held at the last of the school ear and for high school pupils, at the close of, the fall term. This practice was con- tinued until about 1862. VVritten examinations, held first monthly and later weekly, were intro- duced into the public school system at the fall term of 1862. just before the Christmas vaca- THE FIRST CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL WAS HELD BUILDING --'- IWW., , .... . 2 , ,c . .ii 8 tion and again at the close of the school year, the candidates for admission to the high school were examined. This entrance examination con- sisted of 100 questions of which 60'Z: of the questions had to be answered correctly. In the directions for taking one of these entrance exam- inations in 1870 is this advice: Never be afraid of a big-looking question, it may be like a cloud, large, but easy to go through, but a small ques- tion may be like a rock, solid, and hard to deal with. An example of the questions asked follows: Name ten principal towns in Illinois, five rivers in Illinois, including any that form its boundaries, if you wish, and say in what direction you would travel from Chicago to Quincy, from Quincy to Decatur, from Decatur to Cairo. Give an outline of a voyage, by water only, from St. Louis to Nantucket, name all the water on which you travel, the most important places you pass, island, groups of islands, and any other noticeable things. Give an account of the taking of Stoney Point. How did the French assist our nation in the Revolutionary XVar? Name some French officers, and say whether they were military or naval, and what they did. After paying out one- third and one-fourth of my money, I have S10 left, how much had I at first? CTO be solved mentally. D Albert Brown gave a note dated june 6, 1860, for 5516, at 10 per cent interest. June 6, 1861, he paid on it fS67.60, Dec. 6, 1862, he paid S317.50, how much was due at the Iinal settlement, August 14, 1864? A wall 30 ft. long, 24 ft. high and 1 ft. thick is built of bricks, which cost S72 when bricks are S5 a thou- sand, what is the cost of bricks for a wall 128 ft. long, 37 ft. 6 in. high, and 16 inches thick when bricks are S6 a thousand? Perform the calculation by com- pound proportion. IN THIS RENTED