Los Angeles High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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Biography of William Harvey Housh As the pervading spirit of a great tree inspires its growth ever upward and outward, ever becoming more beautiful because of lofty endeavor, so Mr. Housh has been the inspiring spirit of L. A. through many years. Few, if any, educational institutions have been blest as L. A. has been with the guidance of a great spirit like that of Mr. Housh. Thirty years have pass-ed since he first entered the life of our school, thirty years of self-devoting service to embody his ideals in the most lasting of marble, the throbbing, living souls of human beings. Thousands of men and women throughout the country cherish the memory of the dayis which they spent under his tender guidance. His has indeed been an inspiring life, and one at which we cannot too much marvel. All his accomplishments have been possible because, although a cheery companion humanly ready to understand all, he has kept the ideals of per- fection and service before him. Whether his early training influenced his character, or whether his character influenced his early training might well be asked, for the combin- ation of the two has proved ideal. On a large farm in Indiana, Mr. Housh was born and reared during his early childhood, the eldest of ten children. When but a boy of ten he saw his father march off to the Civil War, leaving the lad, his mother, and a hired man to work the large farm-, and care for the lively brood of brothers and sisters. The boy, taking his responsibility to heart, became the staff of the family. To the many brothers and sistens it was always, Brother will make it right, and brother always did. He was the ideal of the children, al- ways thoughtful of the rest, never ostentatious. Even as a child he loved best to read and study, musing alone over his problems, yet he was the allround boy with a healthy body as well as mind, a leader in athletics as well as in school. Baseball thrilled him even als it does the boy of today, and he was the ideal of every aspiring youngster in all kinds of sports. But best of all he loved to ice skate, sometimes engag- ing in the races and feats of his companions, and often gliding over the .smooth ice by himself, thinking and hlling his soul. But the most common sport was that of working hard on the farm. He was ready to join in the fun, but never played pranks or willingly harmed anything. Far from being considered goody-goody, he was respected by all his school-mates. This is the marvel of all and the secret of his present gentleness. As a child, and throughout his life, there was never any friction, any quarreling or angry words. His parents brought up the family to believe in the right of others and to live peaceably with their neighbors. Afterwards, Mr. Housh entered Fort Wayne High School, where he excelled in all activities, yet was ever reserved and appreciative of others. His courses chiefly centered around the Sciences, which were his chief delight. As a fitting honor he was valedictorian of his class. After his father died, the resources of the family were low, and so with- out complaint Mr. Housh gave up college and became a teacher in a little grammar school near his home, yet did not give up his hope of future education, Night after night be spent poring over his books, taking his college courses by correspondence, a pupil of Ann Arb0r College- At twenty-one, since now both hiis parents were dead, and he felt that the spirit of the Middle West could not hold him, he came to California. He was a teacher and principal at San Juan, Salinas, and Pasadena High Schools. At Salinas, he married an artist, refined and lovely, the help- mate of his future efforts. Then he came to L. A., as a teacher of physics. Be- cause of his great ability, he rose to the head of the department, then to the office of principal. 18

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Beatrice Brand John A. Clark Ruth Gortikov Louis Kuplan Helen Reed Phil Lansdale Elizabeth Kilpatrick Dorothy Servis Joe Herman Ethel Emerson James Stewart William Kuert Milton Klein Andrew Wern Ben Gorchakofy' Marion Buck William Stern 17

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Through these years Mr. Housh had kept, besides his love of learning, his old love of sports. Funniest among his memories of camping life is one wherein, although the food was exceedingly salty, because of a trick of the cook, the campers were forced to smile and remark on the delicious taste of it because this was the cooperating spirit enforced on the trip. Mr. Housh's initiative and leadership have more than once made him a hero, a saver of fair maids. Early one morning in Monterey, he accompanied several young ladies on a boating trip on the ocean. Later a heavy fog came up, enveloping them, and impairing their chances for escape. In the gale the boat was washed again and again upon the shore but washed back before they could escape. All were frantic, but at the command of Mr. Housh, given at a well chosen moment, they jumped to safety. As a father, Mr. Housh was all that one would expect him to be. During the boyhood of his son, Harvey, the same spirit of unity and peace pre- vailed as in Mr. Housh's own boyhood. During these earlier years, Mr. Housh was even more reserved than we know him now. He spent all his spare time in studying and working over the problems of our school, yet he was ever the sympathetic companion of his boy. Harvey early learned from the example of his father the treasure found in books and the rewards of study. He graduated from L. A. in 1907. In 1908 Mr. Housh, with his wife and son went to Europe where they visited the art galleries beloved by Mrs. Housh. They went with a large party, but Mr. Housh remained after the others on business for the Board of Education. It was in England that he received the inspiration for our own beautiful building. Although the Board of Education and his friends thought it imprudent, Mr. Housh, confident of success, carried out the building of our school in the center of a vast open space with scarcely a house in sight. He worked es- pecially hard for our tower. It was said that the only time he ever became angry was when the School Board refused to give L. A. its crowning glory. Af- terwards, by his sincere interest this crowning glory, too, was granted. When the doors opened, the teachers held their breath, wondering if there could possibly be enough pupils to make the school a success. The spirit of the former L. A.ites was loyal, for from far away they came to finish that term at L. A. Thus they saved the day, for after they had graduated the country around was sufficiently built up. To Mr. Housh, every graduating class has something wonderful in it. He sees the best in the worst, and understands the worst in the best. Under his guidance, L. A. has grown to be a school of noble traditions and the highest ide-als of learning. One cannot become one of the large body of students without feeling the spirit of peace, unity, and idealism that hovers over the school, and is a very part of its being. Our principal has borne without flinching, sorrows of the greatest kind, the death of his wife, the calling of his only son to service in France. Not only has Mr. Housh been an inspired counselor of the youth of L. A. but to the community as well. He is a respected and beneficial member of the Men's City Club, Men's University Club, The Chamber of Commerce, and the President of the Principal's Association. It has been said of him that a his- tory of his life is a record of the development of the education of Los Angeles. The day the portrait of Mr. Housh was unveiled at L. A., Mrs. Susan B. Dorsey, the superintendent of schools, in speaking of the life of Mr'. Housh, closed her address by saying that our building symbolizes the soul of a man working throughout a life time to create and give definite form to the loftiest ideals. The motto above the stage expresses his life, Obedience to law, respect for others, mastery of self, joy in service, these constitute life. Mr. Housh is the counselor of the young, the friend and helper of the community, and the beloved inspiration of all. When he goes, he will leave behind an influence that, having become a tradition, will remain forever. His monument will be the thousands of lives trained in L. A. that will make the world at least a few steps higher in the pursuit of the ideal. 19