Lowell High School - Red and White Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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THEREDANDXVHITE L71 group, and a number also very n1uch larger than that of any of the schools showing a higher percentage. If a compilation should be made of the records of the highest third of the last Freshman class, the rating of the San Francisco schools would be even more favorable. The evidence for this claim may be found in the numbers of the Edward Frank Kraft Scholarship awards as reported early this year. These comparisons suggest the question whether or not the San Francisco schools possess any advantages over the East Bay schools in personnel of students or teachers, in buildings and equipment, or in the opportunities offered in the course of study. It might be discourteous to discuss the first point. A visit to the buildings would show that the advantages are on the side of the East Bay or are rapidly being made so. An examination of the courses of study will show advantages in favor of the San Francisco schools of value and importance. The chief of these is the five-study plan followed by all the San Francisco schools. Outside of San Francisco, high schools uniformly follow a four-study plan, that is, a normal program includes four subjects each entitled to a recitation period daily. Our San Francisco plan is based upon a program of five subjects each entitled to four recitation periods a week. The difference is that a San Fran- cisco student has the opportunity to study continuously the mother tongue, a foreign language or languages, history, mathematics and science. Other oppor- tunities as in drawing, music and vocational subjects are, of course, offered also. On the four-study plan some one of these departments must always be sacrificed. The student graduates with a much narrower acquaintance with the field of secondary education. A Literary Annual THE NEED of a literary annual is generally recognized. Surely the belles-lettres of our scholars should receive some attention and nothing is more encouraging to the young writer than to see his work in print. The constitution of the Lowell High School Students Association authorizes such a book in the following words: During the Spring Term, the Editor of the RED AND WHITE shall prepare f'or publication . . . at a specified date, the Literary Annual of the school. At the suggestion of Mr. Clark the work was to be issued on the day that we celebrate the birth of James Russell Lowell. Owing to a fault in our election system no action was taken on the matter for the year 1923. The difficulty is that our editors enter into office only a few weeks before the anniversary. It is therefore impossible, in this short space of time, to issue a publication worthy of so large a school. Furthermore, the same man is expected to edit the usual RED AND XVHITE. VVe suggest that the office of editor of the Annual be created separate and dis- tinct from all others and that the voting take place six months ahead of time.

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L61 '1' H E R E D A N n w H 1 T E The San Francisco High Schools By MR. FREDERICK H. CLARK EVERY YEAR the Recorder of the Faculties of the University of California publishes statistics compiled from the scholar- ship records of the members of the Freshman class. From these records a rating or percentage is computed for each high school represented in the class. This year the rating takes the form of a percentage of the number of the grad- uates of the high school who stand above the lowest third ot' the Freshman class. For example, the Sobrante high school sent twenty graduates to the Freshman class and fifteen of them stood above the lowest third of the entire Freshman class made up from all high schools-the rating MR. CLARK The Principal A significant feature of this method of rating is that the percentage is sure to be affected by the number of students in the high school delegation. This is a point commonly overlooked by newspaper paragraphers, but a moment's thought of the school was seventy-five per cent. will show its importance. If a school sent only one student who out-ranked the lowest third of the class, this school would stand 100 per cent. On the other hand suppose that some very large school contributed to the Freshman class more than two-thirds of the total number in the class, then some of its representatives would necessarily stand in the lowest third, and this school could not be 100 per cent. Of course no such large school exists, but the example illustrates the principle that the greater number of Freshmen a given school contributes the greater the number of chances of having some of them stand in the lowest third of the class. This year the Recorder has issued a special bulletin giving the comparative standing in numbers registered, numbers withdrawn, and percentage of repre- sentatives standing above the lowest third for all of the high schools in the Bay cities-Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco. Eleven schools in all are included. Berkeley High School sent the largest number-193. The Technical High School of Oakland stands second with 115, and Lowell High School comes third for numbers, registering 87. As explained above this point of numbers is essential in any complete comparison of the schools. In this comparison the San Francisco high schools make a good showing. The one school among the eleven standing 100 per cent is the San Francisco High School of Commerce on a delegation of five students. The Girls High School ranks second with 94 per cent on a representation of 22 students. The next two percentages go to Alameda High School and the University High School of Oakland with stand- ings of 83 per cent and 77 per cent respectively-Alameda represented by 25 and University High School by 33 students. Lowell High School has the fifth position with a percentage of 75 on a representation of 87, the third largest number in the

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L8l THEREDANDXYHITE Positions on the' business and editorial staff give valuable training to about 200 students each year. The result of their work is a newsy and interesting paper and a beautiful book, a permanent reminder of the happiest days in life. VVould any of the substitutes have any real sentimental value? Would they not be merely statistical, lacking the human interest ? Parents are concerned, not with any compilation of facts, but with the social, scholastic and athletic life of their children. Such information, written in the natural style of youth, is the mirror of future hopes and ideals. Value of Lowell Publications Fon IVIANY YEARS Lowell rested secure in the knowledge that she possessed the best annual and bi-weekly in San Francisco and all Northern California. Then doubts were raised and during the last two terms the question has been asked, Is the school getting full value from her publications? Counter queries might easily be propoundedg have those dissatisfied with present conditions any better plans, do Lowell students really want a prospectus in booklet form, or a loose-leaf collection of photographs, as has seriously been suggested? Yet some day an editor may arise who will alter the whole scope and purpose of the high school journal with the full consent and approbation of the school involved. It is true that Lowellites are paying a great deal of money for their paper and the RED AND VVHITE, collectively, but when we consider the large enrollment, the cost per capita amounts to almost nothing. Then, a portion of the sum is always obtained through advertising. This aid the business men voluntarily give toward the encouragement of our young citizens, that they may accomplish bigger things.