Meriden High School - Annual Yearbook (Meriden, CT)

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lx FRANCIS L. BACON, PRINCIPAL

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DR. DAVID GIBBS The superintendent of the Meriden public schools, Dr. David Gibbs, came to us in August, 1911. He is a native of Kingswood, New Jersey, where he received his gfallllll 1'-SChOO1 education. Dr. Gibbs graduated froin the New Jersey Stat Normal School in 1894, and spent the next five years at Harvard U iiversity, doing scientitic and post-graduate work. Clark University conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1906. Dr. Gibbs has, indeed, had a wide experience in school work. He has been the head of both district and gI'8.1l1lllZll' schoolsg held the position of superintendent of schools in Massachusetts and New York, and was district superintendent in the Philippines. He was later the head of the New York State NO11131 School, in Oswego, from which place he 08.1119 to Meriden to ta e his place among us.

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i FRANCIS LEONARD BACON Francis Leonard Bacon is a native of Kingman, Kansas, but he received his early education at Enid, Oklahoma, and Was grad- uated from the Kingman tKansasJ High School. He then entered Southwestern College, where he majored in political science and education, graduating with the degree of A.B. in 1912. His first teaching position was that of assistant instructorin the department of education at Southwestern College. Later he received an ap- pointment as instructor and also coach of all athletics at Black- well tOklahomaJ High School, of which he later became the prin- cipal. He then came east and after taking a course at Columbia University, received the degree of A.M. In 1915, Mr. Bacon came to Meriden High School as inst1'uctor of history and coach of athletics. Through his efforts, some of the finest athletic teams ever turned out by Meriden High were devel- oped. In 1916 he became principal of M. H. S.. and in that posi- tion very capably directed the administration of Meriden High until December 8, 1917, when he entered the United States Army. Mr. Bacon was stationed at Camp Devens, Mass., where he rap- idly won promotion from private to sergeant. As a sergeant, he was for some time on special work at the receiving station of the camp. He was next aiiorded the opportunity of a course at the Of- ncers' Training Camp at Camp Lee, Virginia. After completing the course, he received his commission as a second lieutenant, and was sent back to Camp Devens. There he was engaged in infantry work, and for two months he did special court martial work. He received his discharge from the service and returned on December 30, 1918, to his position as principal of Meriden High School.