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

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The Present School JAMES O. WOOD NASMUCH as my period of service in the Chicago Latin School extends over the brief period of five years I shall not have very much to report. It is my intention to outline the progress made during this period and to pay my respects to those who have so ably assisted. I have often stated that a school is made up of four component parts, i.e., Trustees, Faculty, Parents, and Pupils. With these four classifications in mind many items of interest pertaining to each can be discussed. The standards of academic training at the Chicago Latin School have always been set high and will naturally remain as such. Dur- ing this early period, as was the case with so many other schools, our immediate question was one of finance. Under the able guidance of Mr. W. W. Dixon, who was President of our Board of Trustees, a new bond holders agreement was arranged and carried through. It was at this time that Mr. Edward I. Cudahy established the Nora Brewer Cudahy Memorial Fund of 550,000 in memory of his late wife. It was a most appropriate tribute, for Mrs. Cudahy was keenly interested in the school and was one of its most loyal supporters. Our Executive Board at this time, composed of W. W. Dixon, John R. Winterbotham, F.. I. Cudahy, Clarence T. Seipp, and Wm R. Carney, was of great assistance due to frequent meet- ings pertaining to policies to be followed and the great amount of detail necessary to the completion of the Bond Holders Agreement. It has been a pleasure to work with such a co-operative group. It is not enough for this school to continue on its reputation. In- dividuals must catch the spirit through interest in order to make this an outstanding school in secondary education. Time does not permit detailed information regarding the benefits and useful facil- ities of the Kersey Coates Reed Memorial Field. Our new football coach, Frank Rokusek, has been a great inspiration to our boys for the past five years. We are indeed indebted to Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed for her continued financial support in the up-keep of the field. During this time, Mr. Thomas F. Geraghty, head of the athletic committee of the Board of Trustees raised a fund to

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SIGILLUM he had never before been asked this question. He beat a hasty retreat and we gladly resigned from the Association and were free to choose a faculty nourished on stronger fare than the unappetizing messes brewed by teachers, colleges. Without that freedom we would have been debarred from the selection of men who have given the school much of its intellectual distinction. It was un- pleasant to find that education was not exempt from racketeering. It was satisfactory to discover that we need not be controlled by racketeers. ' I am afraid I am not a good veteran. If I sit by the campfire it is less in a reminiscent frame of mind than it is in a futuristic one, planning for tomorrow. IVIy dreams deal more with what lies ahead than with what has passed. This does not mean that I am forgetful of old friends and cherished scenes. Perhaps it merely implies that 6'Free from the sick fatigue, the languid doubtl' I still preserve my delusions of youth, even in this oldest of America's private schools. However, I do like occasionally to put an old reel on the memory machine and sit back and count like a miser my gold of recollection. That gold is principally concerned with the personalities of the youths I learned to love and by whose confidence I was honoured during those seven not-uneventful years spent in the heart of our great country. All one's efforts were validated by that experience. In its light one's illusions fade and one's disappointments disappear. Fifty revolutions about the sun take only fifty years to accomplish. The natural laws of the universe have taken care of that, without our help, since The Chicago Latin School first saw the light hit the waves of Lake Michigan. A school continually renews its youth, and really never gets any older. The masters fade, curricula change, the children of trustees grow up and new trustees come along, but the school remains forever young. Boys, page Ponce de Leon! You have my blessing and my felicitations on your birthday, whatever you want to call it numerically. But don't let any one, not even a 'fstuffed-shirt,', tell you that you aren't young. You can't help yourself, and you don't want to.

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SIGILLUM outfit our teams and gave unstintingly of his time to extend the interest in all fields of athletics. Parents of the school are linked directly to the student activities, both academic and extra-curricular, through the media of our parents, groups. I take this occasion to express my sincere appreci- ation of the co-operation received from this group which has been so ably headed by Mrs. Augustus K. Maxwell and Mrs. William T. Alden. The suggestions of this group have been most helpful. In turning to the faculty, it is difficult not to over-stress my appreciation of the fine spirit evidenced and the loyal co-operation given by the entire group. A school is often considered as strong as its faculty and it is with great pride that we point to the fact that Mr. Thomas J. Bosworth and Mr. P. L. Whiting have each given thirty-five years of service. Recently copies of the Sigillum have been dedicated to these men and it is needless to say that their efforts have been appreciated. And now, a few words of interest concerning that important factor of our school, i.e., the pupils or student body. I would like to list the five Senior Prefects and pay tribute to their great assistance. Our first able leader in 1933 was Thomas F. Geraghty, Jr. and he has been followed by: Gordon Spens, Robert Antonsen, Charles Ford, and Edward Bennan. In addition to the usual athletic activities and annual Cvym. night, students have been busy with the following student activities: Student Council, student publications, i.e., News, Folio and Sigillum, the Glee Club, Orchestra, Debating, Dramatic Club, School Dances, and Boy Scout work. At this time it is very essential that we take notice of the outstanding work done this year on the school publication by Conrad Seipp, our editor of the Sigillum. He has labored untiringly in making this book a fitting testimonial to the goth Anniversary of the School. In closing I wish to thank the members of our present Board of Trustees for their assistance in raising an Anniversary Fund at this time. This is very essential to the progress of the school and means that more people will take a financial interest as time goes on. I hope that the members of the class of 1938 will feel that they will always find a hearty welcome at our school and I trust they will take an active part in our alumni association. Please remember that you are representatives of our school. I shall watch your progress with the greatest of interest and Wish you the best of success in your new surroundings.