Manual Arts High School - Artisan Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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s,s THE A R T I S A N S ' 3 6 G lETHALS— BUILDER ( )F PANAMA By Virginia Merril A man stood up in Panama and the mountains stood aside. — Percy MacKaye The Panama Canal lias been called the greatest engineering work in the world. Important changes in the plans were made within eighteen months after Colonel George Washington Goethals took charge, so that it became a far more tremendous undertaking than as orginally planned. In the dozen locks were erected forty-seven pairs of steel gates, each as tall as a six-story building. In addition fourteen million dollars worth of fortifications had to be built. A remarkable characteristic of chief engineer Goethals was his de- tailed knowledge. He made himself familiar with every part of the work. When congressional committees came to inspect and criticize, if division- al engineers or department officers were unable to answer some ques- tions of detail. Colonel Goethals was always ready with the desired infor- mation, showing he really had more intimate knowledge of each special part of the work than the man at its head. Goethals was born of Dutch immigrants in Brooklyn in 1858. In 1880 he graduated from West Point, ranking second in a class of fifty-four men. Following a study in an engineering school he held many government jobs. Then in 1907 President Roosevelt appointed him chief engineer of the Panama Canal. It was a tremendous task to undertake. For three years surveys had been made and various routes considered by Spain, France, Columbia and the United States. When Goethals took charge American civilization had already been introduced into a tropical jungle and disease had been overcome. As day by day the chief engineer went from place to place, inspecting the prog- ress of the work, it was his habit to greet every man, woman, and child he met, white and black. Many by name. In a friendly fashion he would talk over the work with the men and he so inspired them that they worked hard- er and better because he had been with them. It was not his way to threaten any consequences of failure to obey his orders. The men soon learned that disobedience meant dismissal. And when the men soon came to know him they economized the justice of his action. His knowledge of every detail and the personal attention he gave to all parts of the work commanded a respect for his decisions. By President Wilson Colonel Goethals was appointed the first gover- nor of the Canal Zone. The world owes its respects to George Washington Goethals. A soldier who has set a standard for the conduct of civic works.

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;0 T 1 1 E A R T I S A N S ' 3 6 CLUBS AND OFFICERS B( )YS ' TARDY B( ARD The Boys ' Tardy Board had the following officers: President, Bob Swanburg; vice-president, Al Anderson: secretary, Bob Hills: lay members, foe Derse, Dave Coale, and Ed Russell. The sponsor is Law- rance Walker. GIRLS ' TARDY BOARD The Girls ' Tardy Hoard officers are as follows: President, Emily Henderson: vice-president, Betty Turner; secretaries, Lorraine Heiberg, Lois Scheuermann, Margaret Ingold. The sponsor is Lawrence Walker. CURRENT POLITICS CLUB The Current Politics Club consists of the following officers: Harold Fine, president ; and Josephine Maynard. secretary. PHOT( IGRAPHY CLUB Officers of the club follow: President, Clinton Jordan; Nice-presi- dent, Leroy Sorenson ; secretary, Lorraine Girard ; adviser, Mr. Woods. CHESS CLUB This term ' s officers of the Chess Club are : Charles Engler, president ; Milton Goldberg, secretary-treasurer; and Robert Benson, sergeant-at- arms. SALES CLUB The officers of the Sales Club for this term are as follows: Leo Sinclair, president; Chet Maeda. vice-president; Joy Davis, secretary; Bob Marsh, treasurer; Don Miles, sergeant-at-arms ; and Miss Mc- Cluskey, adviser. EUODIA CLUB The Euodia Club members elected the following as officers: Carol Loring, president; Alice Witham. vice-president ; Va Albert and M. lura, secretaries; Irene Pleasant, treasurer; and Miss Phelps, adviser. CALIFORNIA HISTORY CLUB The following people are the officers of the club : President. Armando Sanchez; vice-president. Ida Krull; secretary. Margie Ingold; treasurer, Helen Mae Hodgson; advisers, Miss Young anil Miss Stephens. M (VIE CUT, Mlicers oi the club follows: Chairman, Remi ( ' Conner; vice-chair- nma. Dot Henry; adviser, Miss Sprenger.