Oregon City High School - Hesperian Yearbook (Oregon City, OR)

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sf ADMINISTRATION :f-F-M-iles OREGON CITY HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. History of O. C. H. S. The first high school of Oregon City was situated on the present site of the Barclay Building. It was then occupying part of the Hold seminaryf' From '68 to y7O, there was just a three-year course, so the class of 1870 with its six members was the first to graduate. From the years '70 to '85 as there were not enough pupils to have a high school, subjects were given in grammar school. After 1885 the pupils taking high school subjects numbered about the same as those of the first graduating class so the three year-course, separate from the grades, began again and continued until 1890. During this time the number of pupils still continued to increase. In 1890 the present Barclay Building Was constructed and the high school occupied a part of this. At this time three years of history were compulsory. English history was not studied, only French, ancient and American history. Mathematics was then considered the most im- portant subject, so every pupil was required to take three years, including algebra, plane geometry and trigonometry. There was also a science course in which botany, chemistry, physical geography and geology were taught. Three years of this course were required and this made the subject rather elective because the students could take the three sciences they wished out of the four. They Were also allowed to choose their courses in foreign languages, taking either three years of French or three years of Latin. Then, of course, the three years of English were compulsory. This made each pupil take five subjects. After the year 1890, the course was changed to a two-year one. This was continued until 1907 when the four-year course was started. At this time new subjects were also added. hlany of these were made elective, however, there were also many more compulsory subjects than before. These were four years of English, one and one- half years of algebra, one and one-half years of geometry, one year of ancient history, one year of American history and one year of physics. Besides these every one had to take physical culture. 9

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e E ADMINISTRATION lie On. lVIonday morning the pupils had a ten-minute period given to devotional or ethical and quotation workg Tuesday, lessons on morals, manners and various virtues, VVednesday, topics of history, biography or geopraphyg Thursday, nature study, hygiene and science, Friday, current events, readings and recreations. This differed a great deal from our present school program. This student body also had many organizations. It had a large athletic association, which had an executive committee composed of three students and two faculty members, with the superintendent as chairman. It had football, baseball, tennis and track teams and became a member' of the Clackamas County School League. It published , The Hesperianf' which had been started a few years before and also took an active part in debating, essay, declamatory and short sto-ry contests. In IQIO, O. C. H. S. won in the short story and declamation contest given for all high school in Clackamas County. At this time, also, both boys and girls had glee clubs. In the year IQIOQ, the high. school was moved to the present Eastham Build- ing where it remained for two years. At this time the eight grades of grammar school and the four years of high school occupied this one building which was not so large as it is now. In I9I0, the new high school was built and was completed so that the students entered it for the first time in the fall of IQII. The system changed then so the pupils were compelled to take three years of English and one year of American history. All the rest of the subjects were made elective. lVIanual training, domestic science, and domestic art were all then first introduced. The first class to graduate from this new building, after completing four years of work in it, was the Class of I9I4. Each year the number of Freshmen so increased that it became necessary to build an addition to the high school. In I9I4-I9I5 there was an exceedingly large class of Freshmen and the poor f'Frosh,' were put any where just to get them out of the way for the time being. The '4Froshl' even had to stand during the assemblies so that the upper classmen could have seats. So the construction of the addition was started as early in the year as possible, and the assembly was much enlarged. During this time a portable building was built, where some of the classes were held. This building was divided into two rooms, which were well ventilated and heated. These rooms are now used as the manual training work shop. Imagine the poor 'fFrosh', after being penned up all this time! Of course they all made a grand rush for the back seats and then think of their disappointment when they were told that they would have to be arranged alphabetically I In I9'I5, the high school had a very good debating team and good squad debaters. Besides the debating teams the other student body organizations were the Orchestra, Athletic Association, Glee Club and lit-erary societies. In IQIIS the school cafeteria was started for the teachers and pupils who could not go home for lunch. The meals were served and cooked by the domestic science girls, supervised by the domestic science teacher. '4The Hesperianf, our school paper, is still put out each year. The Hesperianu for a time was published several times a year but this was changed in I9I8 and since then we have published just one issue each year. The Senior Class still gives a play at the end of each year and besides this, several benefits have been given, several for the Athletic Association, one for the school library. and this year one was given for 'fThe Hesperianf, All the classes partake in these benefits. When the drive was made for the Junior Red Cross, O. C. H. S. proved her patriotism by having the whole school one hundred per' cent, and we are surely proud of that. We, also, showed our patriotism by having a very good showing in the War Stamp drive, in the Victory Boys and Girls campaign, and in 10