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

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fifil Dr. Albert E. Wilson The Man 99 ilson as principal ol Manual Arts High in 1909. Dr. Wilson now, who is presently residing at South Laguna An institution is but the lengthened shadow of a man. This is par- ticularly true of Manual Arts High School. Albert E. Wilson was born in a Swedish community in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1872. He says that he spoke his family ' s mother tongue before he spoke English. When he was but a few months old, his family homestead in Turkey Creek, near Ragan, Nebraska, where they lived in a one-room sod house. His early education was in frontier schools, though the family did later move to Denver, and his final preparatory work was done at Bethany College during its first years of founding. After graduating from Augustana College in Illinois, he had some practical experience as a contractor in Ogden, Utah. He also read law for a year. But teach- ing drew him ever more strongly, and he taught for a while in Uventa, a country school district back in the mountains. For four years he was principal of Ogden High School and then a professor of modern lan- guages at Utah Agricultural College. After doing some summer gradu- ate work at the University of Chicago, he spent three years in Europe, completing his advanced studies, and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree with Magna Cum Laude from the University of Berlin. During his time abroad he spent his holidays in travel, one one trip visiting his relatives in the old family home in Sweden. It is with delight that he tells of having worn out three motorcycles in travel during those years. Doctor Wilson ' s first position in Los Angeles, after his return from abroad, was the head of the modern language department at LA. High School, then situated on the hill near old Fort Moore. When Olive Street School was opened to receive the overflow en- rollments of B9 ' s from Los Angeles and Polytechnic High Schools, the Board voted Dr. Wilson as principal. His keen interest and confidence in youth won for him the loyal devotion of his students, and many who had left Olive regretfully at the end of each of her three semesters returned to the campus of the new Manual Arts High School when Doctor Wilson opened it on Vermont Avenue in September, 1910. Building together, taking pride in never asking that anything be done for them that they could do for themselves, they established traditions and forged strong links of self-government and school spirit that lasted through the fifty years. Always the sturdy middle-of-the-road philosophy of Doctor Wilson held things steady when war, restless youth, earthquakes, progressive education loomed on the horizon. I never had a creative sense of humor, said Doctor, but I think I had an appreciative one. I en- joyed the students and I enjoyed the teachers, and I entered into all of the fun that didn ' t promise disaster. About discipline he said, I kept my eyes open and when I saw signs of trouble, I gave friendly counsel. When you told them where their actions could lead, they usually took care of things themselves. This same permissive spirit gave joy to his faculty, for he supported them in their beliefs and endeavors and left them free to express thir own ideas in their work. Dr. Wilson possessed the rare skill of develop- ing leaders. As one administrator today puts it, Dr. Wilson gave us student body officers the feeling of participating in our school activities, a feeling of belonging and of contributing to our school. Graduates from the school are to be found in high positions in every walk of life, and amazing numbers of teachers have gone to adminis- trative positions in state and city systems. Behind the success is the attitude of the man. He has given teachers and students alike the opportunity to assume responsibility and utilize their initiative. He has defended them against threats to their integrity. This has enabled them to experience the satisfaction that comes from work well done and to feel that they are partners in the undertakings of the school. Yes, one finds it hard to separate Dr. Wilson, the man, from the school not built with hands that is the embodiment of his beliefs and ideals. Who can measure the influence of a great personality? asked one alumnus. Well may Doctor say of the jubilee reunions that have re- sulted from the magnetic pull of the Manual spirit upon her alumni, They have revitalized me.

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First Decade on Olive Street ' ' Do not forget the faculty meeting of the new school. You will surely be present, said Dr. Wilson to one of his colleagues who was to accompany him on the new venture. In 1909, the schools of Los Angeles faced a crisis, caused by insufficient high school facilities for the fast growing population, recalls a student of those early days. The newspapers had been picturing lines of children standing through long night hours waiting to enroll as high school freshmen in the morning, and hoping to be among the lucky ones admitted to the two high schools then in existence, Los Angeles High and Polytechnic High. The opening of Olive Street High, for the B ' 9 grade only, was a desperate measure to take care of those for whom there was no room elsewhere. It was housed in an old grammer school build- ing designed in that nameless and ugly architectural style that was anciently used for Los Angeles schcools. Painted a drab gray, made dull by the dust and weathering of years, this two story structure occupied a hillside lot on the west side of Olive Street between Fourth and Fifth, tucked in between apartment buildings and high retaining walls which served to keep the banks of dirt from sliding over the school building and grounds. The buildings and walls also kept the sunlight away from the school, so that electric light was often necessary. Wide eyed children from all over the city were there, all high school beginners who had never before ridden the street cars to school. Since this was before the time of junior high schools, they had never before known the thrill of having a different room and a different teacher for each subject. Present day opponents of frills in education would have been gratified to see that school. It certainly had no frills. There was no gymnasium. For exercise, Marion Morgan directed groups in work with Indian Clubs and dumb bells in the small rectangle of ground behind the school. But her theory that physical educa- tion must be fun made even those cramped quarters ring with laughter. A picture of their gaiety found its way into a city paper. In addition, faculty members were encouraged to participate, and perspiring, redfaced, but ambitious candidates began there that do-it-together spirit to be remarked upon many times in later years by appreciative student bodies. The coaches had ample, if not too skillful, faculty support. They had no auditorium, says Mrs. Shaw, but assembled in a large class room ordinarily used for a study hall. There was no instruction in art, in dramatics, in shop or in domestic science. The study hall was an awkward room, long and narrow without window shades against the hot sun at certain periods. School wit was lot lacking even here, however, remembers a teacher of that period. One day certain pupils removed the appropriate big chair and desk of the hall and substituted for it a small primary table and chair. A great hub-bub was ex- pected as the teacher arrived, but with a quick survey she rose to that occasion as to the many other inconveniences of the environment, sat down at the little desk, and spread her chart for roll-call. Dr. Wilson, happening by, was surprised by the dis- arrangement. To his inquiry the teacher replied, It is all right; I am quite comfortable. Some one wanted that furniture in the corner. Dr. Wilson, however, with his usual acumen for spot- ting the guilty, requested certain boys to kindly replace the fur- niture, and the amazed culprits, too surprised to protest, sheep- ishly set about undoing their unworthy efforts. Original, creative writings of the students from their English classes were read at the first of these assemblies, by Mr. Lillard, the vice-principal, who entered into the spirit of comparative endeavor. Since there were no distractions, recalls Mrs. Shaw, we had no excuse for neglecting our four solids, algebra, English, Ancient History, and language. But from the indication of the farewell assemblies held each term, all of the classes contribute their share to practical entertainment. On the green and silver souve- nir program that was their farewell gesture of that first term is printed, in addition to the numbers to be enjoyed, three school songs and two yells, and the participants in their student organi- zations. Here, indeed, may be seen in embryo the areas that were to make Manual Arts High School well known in the years to come: Creativeness and school spirit in the songs and yells; Musical achievement in glee club and orchestra; Student government as seen in the list of officers containing among its six members a chairmen each of boys ' and girls ' self gov- ernment; Drama in the skits and solo numbers of the program. And last, but by no means least in its prognostication, Athletic interest and support in the lists of the members of the boys and girls baseball teams.