Mabel Dean Bacon Vocational High School - Torch Yearbook (New York, NY)

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for girls in the United States. was opened. Although not worlcing people themselves. the founders could see that large numbers of immature and unskilled worlcers in industry presented a problem to society. The founders visualized the school as a short-time trade school to provide enlightened training, enabling needy, young worlters to become self-supporting as quickly as possible. By 1906 the five-story brownstone building at 235 West 14th Street, which housed the experiment, was outgrown, and a loft building at 209 East 25rd Street was purchased by the directors to accommodate 500 girls. At this time the school was dependent on voluntary contributions, frequently from appreciative worlcers. It became difficult to continue to finance the school privately, and so in 1910 the school became a part of the public education system of the City of New York, with Miss Florence Marshall as the principal. and a register of 299 pupils. The present eleven-story building at 127 East 22nd Street opened in 1919 with an enrollment of 600. ln 1932 we acquired the Hebrew Technical Institute Building at 240 Second Avenue, to be used as an annex. ln 1938 the school became a four- year vocational high school, and Mrs. Mary Cassidy succeeded Miss Nlarshall as principal. Through the years of the schools transition from a privately supported institution to an impressive unit in the New York educational system, the ideals of the founders have been consistently maintained. Z Our .Ania eI' By DORIS MATTERA, Ianuary '49 You will always linger in my memory, In the secret chamber of my past. 1 will always remember dreamingly The essence of high school days unsurpassed. Your guidance was like a sheltering tree, Protecting its buds from threatening showers. Your work was not in vain, you see: The buds have blossomed into Howers. The time has come when we must bid adieu. The rain drops are our tears, a quiet sound. Your memory will inspire us in all we do Remembered in our hearts the year around. 21

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Wage! lean acon ucafionaf 3400! The change of name of one of our country,s oldest vocational high schools from the Nlanhattan High School of VVomen's Garment Trades to the Mabel Dean Bacon Vocational High School is a tribute to the accomplishments of an outstand- ing humanitarian. Mabel Dean Bacon held office in many civic and welfare organizations. She was active in the Vanderbilt Clinic Auxiliary, the Day Camp, the Social Service Committee of Presbyterian Hospital, the New York Tuberculosis and Health Asso- ciation, and the Social Service of St. 1..ulce's Hospital. In 1916 lxflrs. Bacon was appointed to the Board of Child Welfare by Mayor Mitchell. She served with the American Red Cross overseas during and after the first World Vvar. Mrs. Bacon served with distinction as a member of the Advisory Board of the Board of Educa- tion of the City of New Yorlc, the Public Education Association, and the Depart- ment of Health Committee, which initiated, sponsored and carried to a successful conclusion the health demonstration conducted in the West Side Continuation School from 1926 to 1929. This led to the development of health techniques and services, later installed and successfully operated in all vocational schools. In the course of her service as a member of the Medical Advisory Committee of the Advisory Board on Vocational Education, Mrs. Bacon worlced continuously until the time of her death to promote the health of school children. Her interest resulted in the development of health services by which very child in the vocational schools is given a complete physical examination annually, an important aid to proper vocational placement of pupils on the basis of physical capacity or handicaps. As chairman of the Joint Committee on Education, Mrs. Bacon was a prime mover in the survey made of the continuation schools. She was instrumental, too, in securing approval by the Instructional Affairs Committee of the Board of Educa- tion for the course in nursery education. Nlrs. Bacon's devotion to educational and welfare causes was ever an incentive to her colleagues. Her contributions in civic and community worlc are among the most valuable recorded in the history of the Vocational Division. The example of service set by Mabel Dean Bacon provides an inspiration for students and teachers of the school now honoring her memory. The exercises in honor of the new name of our school toolc place in our own newly painted building on January 19, 1949. First lcnown as the Manhattan High School of VVomen,s Garment Trades, and now as the Mabel Dean Bacon Voca- tional High School, our school has had a unique history. In November 1902, the Manhattan Trade School for Girls, the first trade school 20

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jlze Wexf jing ecard By DORIS IVIATTERA, Ianuary '49 In the next titty years education wiII iniziuence worid peace, wiII help us strive for a hetter government, and aid us in working for further advancement in other ways. VVorId peace wiII reiy on the mentai status and inteiiigence of our chosen repre- sentatives who serve us in government positions. They must he ahie to analyze problems and promote the Ioest possihie soiutions. It is necessary for us to have worid peace, if there is to he a worId. We must Iearn to cooperate with one another. We must compromise on certain issues and he understanding. This can he made possible with the soiid foundation of education and the wiII to Iearn. Education aiso piays an important part in domestic affairs. Our government, aithough the hest in existence, has some faults to he considered. With educated citizens we can make our government more perfect. Vve must have weII informed Ieaders who heIieve in freedom for aII and wiII enforce our civiI rights. It is up to us to set an exampie for other countries to adopt. Therefore, we must he stronger, not so much in power of arms, hut in strength of government. Advancement depends upon education and interest. The scientist is interested in finding cures for diseases and Inanishing the causes, if possihie. Inventors through necessity wiII devise new machines to improve industry and make Iiving conditions more and more comfortahie. Through science and invention we now have the many conveniences which we have Iearned to take for granted. These incIude radio, teIevision, automohiies, modern homes, automatic cIothes and dish washers, refriger- ators, and many other aids to easier Iiving. With proper education, scientists and inventors wiii continue to make this a hetter and more comfortahIe worid for more peopie. In conciusion I'd IiIce to quote from our Iate president, Frankiin Delano Roosevelt, uVVe owe it to our posterity, we owe it to our heritage of freedom, we owe it to our God, to devote the rest of our Iives and aII of our capahilities to the huilding of a soiid, duraIoIe structure of worId peacef' GRADUATION QUALIVIS By RUTH FULDER, january '49 I mustn,t trip as I walk across: I'Iow I wish the speeches were over and throughI My stomach is turning and in chaosg I think I prefer some homework to do. The right is the first hand I must extend: I'm supposed to have a cheerful Iooicg IPI mix this up, then that's the end. I prefer to he reading an interesting hooIcI Now are forgotten the quaims and fears, I feel unhappy and am shedding sad tears. Now is the end of school education: It is the great day of GRADUATION.