Manchester High School - Somanhis Yearbook (Manchester, CT)

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SOMANHIS EVENTS 31 students, this fine High School building was erected. In the fall of 1904, the students began work in this building, using only four rooms on the second floor. At this time part of the building was used for a grammar schooi, but the whole building has been gradually tak- en over for the High School classes. In 1925, we spread out still further, taking over the Franklin Building for the fresh- man class with a special freshman fac- ulty. There were but two courses of study in the first curriculum: a college pre- paratory and a general course. In 1912, a commercial course consisting of sten- ography and typewriting was introduced and limited to juniors and seniors. The following year bookkeeping was added for the sophomores. In 1916, a co- operative high school trade school course was introduced and was primarily for those who wished to become efficient in some trade, such as carpentry, drafting, or study of silk. This course leads to a high school diploma, with a trade schooi diploma on the completion of 4 800 hours of shop work. In 1925, there was an- other addition to the curriculum, that of community civics. At the present time the course of studies contains all the sub- jects necessary to prepare for college, normal school, or business life. The graduates of this High School have been very successful in life. There have been, and are, successful business men, lawyers, doctors, college professors, teachers, ministers, and politicians among our alumni. We can boast of graduates from every prominent eastern college, and many of these graduates have obtained the highest possible hon- ors at the various colleges. A fact worth noting is the exceptionally high number of our almuni that have attended a nor- mal school and become teachers. We can further boast that many of our grad- uates took part in the World War, in which five made the supreme sacrifice. Most of the graduates of this school attribute their success to a great extent to the wonderful building in which they have studied, and the fine materials with which they have worked. The High School building was built, owned, and maintained by Cheney Brothers until the spring of 1928, when the property was purchased by the town and the name changed to Manchester High School. From the time the building was erect- ed until now, it has been in constant use. It has been used for years as an evening school. When the grammar school burn- ed, the building was used both as a grammar and a high school. ‘There was a session for grammar students in the morning, and one for high school stu- dents in the afternoon. It has been used for town meetings, entertainments, con- certs, lectures, dances and other func- tions of town interest. From these illus- trations you can readily see how import- ant and indispensable the high school has been to the community. Now the high school building and the institution therein belong to you, towns- people. Are you going to carry on the good work accomplished by Cheney Bro- thers the during last twenty-five years? I hope so! I have tried to show you what an important part a high school plays in the affairs of the community, and [I am certain that, if in the future every person has the interests of the school at heart, it is bound to progress as it has in the past. Ludwig Hansen ’28 VALEDICTORY With these exercises the members of the Class of ’28 bring to a close their active part in the work of Manchester High Hehool. Through the four years which we have spent here, we have come to realize the opportunities which it of- fers—opportunities which we cannot now fully appreciate. These have been four crowded happy years—years of work and play; years of sociability and comradship; years of loyalty and good sportsmanship. Many of the members of ’28 have been outstanding in extra- curriculum activities; all of us have giv- en some proof of our love and loyalty to Manchester High School. Now the time has come when we must turn over our power of leadership to oth- ers and go into the world to learn in the

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30 SOMANHIS EVENTS JUNIOR RESPONSE Mr. President, Seniors, undergrad- uates and friends: A year ago the Class of 1928 accepted this trewel with the responsibilities of seniors. You made promises to carry on the activities of the school and these promises you have executed to a not- With your graduation, the under-classes lose a great friend and leader. Some of you have attained high scholastic honors in this school, others have won note-worthy places in inter- scholastic business contests, and many of your boys have led our teams to vic- tory in athletic contests. It has been your class athletes that have given Man- chester High School her state wide rep- utation this year. The success of the dramatic club, debating team, and So- manhis Events has been due, in a large way, to the efforts of the Seniors. able degree. Another year has passed since you be- came seniors, and it now becomes our turn to accept this trowel. This we do with pleasure, keeping ever in mind the record you have set in all school activ- ities. We will do our best to be indus- trious upper-classmen, worthy to be call- ed Seniors. We hope that we shall have a large honor roll and that our athletes will lead our teams to victory as yours have. If we can do what the Class of 1928 has done, we will accomplish some- thing of which we may really be proud. Mr. President, and members of the Class of 1928, in behalf of the Jun- ior Class, I bring to you our most hearty grectings. It is our hope that each of you will be successful in life and we trust that on your way to the top you will have few impediments and disap- pointments. Though your future will be much harder than your past, let that not discourage you, but let its difficulties be inspirations to: do your individual tasks well. Again we thank you for the inspiring example you have set before us and again we promise to do our best in car- rying on the responsibilities of Seniors. SALUTATORY We, tle class of 1928 extend a hearty welcome to you—superintendent and members of the school board, who are the executives of this fine school tem; principal and faculty, who have prepared us for our life’s work; parents, who have sacrificed continuously for our education; friends and relatives, who have been our well wishers during the past four years; and schoolmates, who have helped make our high school life a pleasant one. We are glad to have you here tonight to enjoy, we hope, the last ceremony in which we as Seniors may participate, and to witness the gradua- tion of the first class from Manchester High School. A high school is one of the most im- portant institutions of which a town can boast. This fact was realized about thirty-five years ago by three far sight- ed people and resulted in the establish- ment of the South Manchester High School. Those to whom we are indebt- ed for this wonderful institution are Mr. Charles S. Cheney, who served thirty- five years as a committeeman of the Ninth School District; Dr. O. B. Taylor, for nearly forty years Secretary of the School Board; and Mr. leroy Collins, for Sys- several years principal of the Ninth School District. The first high school consisted of three rooms in the old building that was also used for a grammar school. Mr. Verplanck, besides his duties as princi- pal, was one of the three teachers that made up the faculty. Before the first year had ended, Mr. Peterson was added to the teaching staff. He later served as principal for seven years, and was in- strumental in preparing many boys and girls for college. Fifty-five pupils were enrolled in the High School during the first year of its existence. In June, 1894, the first class, consisting of six pupils, five girls and a boy graduated from the High School. The boy was Reuben Gray and his resi- dence was where this building -now stands. During the next few years there was a rapid increase of pupils, necessitating a proportional increase of teachers. As a result of the increase of

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32 SOMANHIS EVENTS school of experience. Wherever we go, we shall all carry with us the ideals which we have learned here, and we shall cherish as our dearest memory these years in S. M. H. S. When we part, let us not say “Goodbye”, but rather let us say as the French people do, “Adieu’— “God be with you till we meet again.” Schoolmates: We are now giving in- to your charge our duties and respon- sibilities. May cach and everyone of you accept them gravely, realizing the extent to which you are now responsible for the future of Manchester High School. 1928 will always expect that you will keep the standard high, and that you will carry on in the future as we have carried on in the past. Classmates: Soon we shall no longer be members of a unit, but each will be out in the world to work for himself. Let us carry with us the thought which Doane expresses in his poem “Life's Sculpture”: “Chisel in hand stood a sculptor boy With his marble block before him, And his eyes lit up with a smile of joy, As an angel dream passed o’er him, Ile carved the dream on that shapeless stone, With many a sharp incision ; With heaven’s own light the sculpture shone,— He'd caught that angel-vision. Children of life are we as we stand With our lives uncarved before us Waiting the hour when, at God’s com- mand, Our life’s dream shall pass o’er us. If we carve it then on the yielding stone, With many a sharp incision, Its heavenly beauty shall be our own,— Our lives, that angel vision.” Emma Elizabeth Strickland ’28, THE VAL UE OF EXTRA-CURRI- CULAR ACTIVITIES Within the past few decades certain changes have taken place in America which have greatly affected the individ- ual. Better citizenship has been demand- ed; a new economic order has come into being; and people have come to enjoy more leisure. With these changes have come new problems, and it has been the task of secondary school to reorganize to mect these demands for their young people. In 1916 a commission, appointed by the National Education Association, drew up a report in which they set forth seven cardinal principles of secondary education as follows: 1. Health. 2. Command of funda- mental processes. 3. Worthy home membership. 4. Vocation. 5. Citi- zenship. 6. Worthy use of leisure. 7. Ethical character. Before this time the secondary schools had fulfilled only one of these aims, com- mand of fundamental processes. Since these elements were not included in the academic program, the school authorities turned to other fields to supply the needs. This brought about extra-cur- ricular activities. The aim of teaching good health rules is, of course, met by athletics, the most outstanding of extra-curricular activities. The ideal of a physically fit body, to- gether with the realization of the neces- sity for coordination of mind and muscle, could be taught in no better way than by sports. In addition, sports teach the idea of “playing the game” — another name for ethical character. “There's a breathless hush in the close tonight— Ten to make and the match to win— A bumping pitch and a blinding light, An hour to play and the last man in. And its not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame, Sut his Captain’s hand on his shoulder smote-— “Play up, play up, and play the game!”