Latin School of Chicago - Sigillum Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 13 text:

SIGILLUM THE SCHOOL BUILDING 18-20 E. D1v1s1oN STREET FROM 1899 'ro 1926 ally incorporated as The Chicago Latin School, and its motto, fldelitas, was adopted. Mr. Bates and Miss Vickery became principals and added to the school a strong and able faculty. Miss Vickery supervised the younger boys and Mr. Bates was responsible for the upper classes. The school concentrated on intensive preparation for the College Entrance Examinations, which it did most admirably. So far back as 1916, The Chicago Latin School had for ten years fitted more boys for Harvard than all the other schools of Chicago both public and private combined. Twice as many were prepared for Yale, and no candidate recommended by the school, had ever been rejected by either University. In the spring of 1926, Mr. Bates announced his intention of retiring. The need of a school such as Chicago Latin on the near- North side made it imperative that it continue. The parents of the pupils in the school held a meeting and decided to carry on with a parent owned institution. A building committee was formed. It was necessary to raise funds, choose a location and erect a build- ing before the fall term. Some favored a country-day school and a site in Sauganash was considered. However, the present location

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SIGILLUM There in Division Street the school remained for live years, grew from twelve pupilsAthe number to which it had been limited while in private housese-to one hundred twenty-five, and won for itself a permanent and honored place in the community. ln September, 1899, the building, located at 561-563 East Divi- sion Street was erected and owned by Mr. Bates and Nliss Vickery. The site was only a block away from the lake front between State and Astor Streets. It was then in 1899 that the school was form- l l ROBERT Pack BATES

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SIGILLUM at 1531 North Dearborn Parkway was decided upon. In the fall a large and modern building was ready for occu- pancy. Edwin Clark was the architect. A group of parents, headed by Mrs. Busby, persuaded George N. Northrop for six years head master of the Bearley School, New York, to come as Head Master. Mr. Frank S. Porter was chosen president, he was responsible for the splendid success of the re-organ- ization. Mr. Northrop brought great vision and enthusiasm to this new project. He was most fortunate in selecting an excellent faculty to assist him in carry- ing out his ideas. Mr. Northrop added greatly to the intellectual prestige of the school. Not only was the Upper KERSEY COATESREED School greatly augmented but the Lower School was modernized and given better facilities. In 1930, the schools future development was greatly increased by the generous donation of Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed and Mrs. Charles Schweppe. This gift made possible the Kersey Coates Reed Campus given in memory of Mr. Reed, whose vision and efforts were so largely responsible for the progress of the school during its reorganization. Eventually the Trustees hope to move the Upper School to the campus, making of it a country day school most adequate and modern. A field house has at present been erected and the grounds include a football field, tennis courts and baseball diamond. This campus is beautifully and conveniently located, and is due to the school bus, in constant use. Again in 1937, a group of parents interested and alive to the needs of the school, raised a fund for the erec- tion of three splendid squash courts, and an excellently equipped boxing gymnasium. In 1933 Mr. Northrop left and James O. Wood was chosen to succeed him. Mr. Wood's splendid leadership and keen under-standing of boys FRANK S. PORTER