Central High School - Warrior Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

Page 8 text:

IT TAKES A HUNDRED YEARS To Colonel J. W. A. Petit, father of free public schools in Memphis, in appreciation of his untiring efforts to this end. : : On this centennial of public schools, we at Central plan to show our gratitude to those enlightened men who made possible the humble but proud beginning of free schools. In 1848 a charter provided for free schools for the white, setting aside for this purpose ¥g of annual revenues. In spite of vio- | lent opposition men of vision, led by Colonel Petit, worked long and hard without pay to prove the worth of such a radical idea. They looked to the day when all citi- ee er zens would be alive to the necessity of equipping their children with an education. The efforts of these enlightened men have been rewarded. Schools have come a long way! Starting with four rented rooms, we now have fifty-four well-equipped build- ings, attended by 46,000 pupils. One third of the city’s income goes for their upkeep. In this yearbook, we propose to show life in a modern high school of 1949 in appre- ciation of that first school in 1849. Page Four

Page 10 text:

Dreams Come True—Mr. R. E. King, Principal, goes over plans for the new gym with Mydelle Lane and Porter McClean, Editor and Business Manager of the Year Book, and Horace Branch, Captain of the ’49 basketball team. Busy Community—Such A School Is Central TODAY’S HIGH SCHOOL is a busy community adequate equipment to develop fine scholarship, where qualified teachers and self-disciplined stu- strong leadership, unselfish service, and integrity dents work together in pleasant surroundings with of character . . . such a school is Central. ROUND UP OF TAR- DIES—From the of- fice, nerve center of our school, Misses Margaret Kenny and Clara Hazen, secre- taries, coordinate and synchronize 1100 stu- dents into a smoothly run unit. They phone if we are absent; weigh our excuses; keep our records; and heartily render friend- ly advice and assist- ance. bak