Palatine High School - Spotlight Yearbook (Palatine, IL)

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Some high school memories stay for life Lost to us are the memories of Palatine High graduates prior to 1900, but we know that only 121 had been graduated in the school's first 25 years. The memories here are unique as would be those of any of the 8650 graduates. The pictures are symbolic. They could be a combination of any five of the 8650. Comfortable success has followed many. and all represent a cross section of American life. First graduation exercises were in 1879, members of the earlier two classes could petition to get their diplomas, and that is why Vashti Lambert's name appears in the 1880 program. Until 1891, programs stated that the Palatine Public School was holding closing exercises of the high school de- partment. Speeches on such weighty subjects as The Influence of Steam, The Nobility of Labor, Make Haste Slowly and The Trapper's Place in Civilization were given by each graduate until 1914. Elvira Schmidt, 1911, was moved from Long Grove to Palatine be- cause her mother said, The children are going to have an education. She remembers going to Chicago to the library to gather material for her speech on Civilization and Woman. She has a copy of it with her report cards and a couple of schoo pictures. Elvira, who later worked for 32 years in the post office, orated, No standard of advanced civili- zation that fails to yield to genuine womanhood the highest places among the social agencies that refine humanity and make the world better can receive intelli- gent sanction. And she concluded, When we look back to the past and see how woman was deprived of all rights, how cruelly she was treated and how she was looked down upon, we are glad to think that we exist in the present when woman not only enjoys her freedom but is also revered and respected by everyone. The other two in the class also spoke. Alice Hanns' talk was on The Commercial Benefits of the Panama Canal, and Sarah Rennack told of The Reaction Against the Classics. Addie Filbert, 1900, remembers monthly educational activities in the assembly hall such as debates and reading student written poems and essays with the boys throwing in a few jokes for levity. She remembers skating parties on week ends. She remembers her father dying of a gunshot wound in March before graduation. He had been shot in September in an attempted bank robbery when a young robber arrived by train, walked the few steps from the depot to the Batter- man building planning to make his getaway on the next train. After graduation, Addie's mother gave her 60 cents for train fare to Chicago and the Sl fee to take a teacher's examination. She passed and taught for 32 years. On two sheets of ruled paper in the Godknecht attic was found the history of the class of 1902. It is from such bits and pieces that history is created. Theirs was an enthusiastic endorsement of the joys of learning starting with Latin and going through algebra and on to botany in the spring. Delia Knigge. 1903, continued her education at the art institute in Chicago and remembers that she drew the design for the 1913 grad- uation issue of the Mirror but was not given a credit line. Daisy Paddock, 1905, remembered Bible reading and prayer in the opening exercises. She remembered W. L. Smyser with affection, but she also remembered being sent home by the new principal, F. E. Newton, to remain at home until she apologized for walking out of class. Like Vashti Lambert and Addie Filbert, she became a teacher. School was for learning, but one met with school friends for fun activities such as hayrack parties. sleighing, picnics, tennis, Croquet and skating. And there was lots of singing. Skating was a village natural in winter on the many ponds. Insurrections have been gentle. In 191 l students went on strike because they thought they should not have to go to school on Wash- ington's birthday. Led by a band. they paraded around town singing patriotic songs. They stopped at the home of the board president. Florence Smith Parkhurst's hearty laugh rings out as she remembers when she was a 'unior in 1920. The class of eight girls had the money collected for the senior dinner given by the juniors when an order came from Mr. Kimball, the principal, that all organi- zation money must be turned ing the funds of all classes must be - put together. Led by Mildred Frey, class president, the girls had their party at the home of Alice Harz. The menu, listed in the Palahi, gave the date as April 24 and the food as grapefruit in smilax, creamed chicken, mashed potatoes. corn, hot biscuits, banana salad, ice cream, cake, coffee and mints. On Monday, Mildred turned in the balance of the money and an itemized account of what was spent. The girls with the exception of Esther Eich were expelled. The girls went to the home of Tom Hart. board president, and presented their case. At an April 28 board meeting. it was decided that the girls were to be on probation for two weeks, they were then reinstated, and the board took over all activity funds. Leighton Mangels remembers that in April 1933 Pieter Vervloet was released as a teacher. Board min- utes mentioned a hassle over a starting gun and someone else said that he had campaigned against a board member. Mangels clearly remembers that some of the students lined up on the sidewalk in front of the school with signs reading, We don't want him to go. Princi- pal Butler was released from his contract, and Mr. Vervloet was reinstated with a S200 raise. No credit is given the sign carriers. In 1970 a group of seniors led by Ed Dolik and Jeff Graubart wore black tassels at commencement in protest to the Viet Nam war. This class donated S250 to a needy family because four groups played free at senior farewell. Two graduates. who went on to leave their marks heavily upon Palatine high school, were Mercie' Heise, 1919, and William Fremd, 1920 Miss Heise returned in 1926 to teach Latin, French and English. The best language teacher I ever saw, wrote Clarke Garrett, 1952. By 1936, librarian was added to her duties, and English was an off and on subject. By 1952, her onlyjob , designation was librarian, a job she fulfilled until her retirement in 1965. When the new addition A was completed, the spacious library was named for her. Miss Heise, an accomplished organist and pianist, . often served as accompanist. Bill F remd was known as the smart one. according to Madge Gibbs, 1920. And Florence Smith, 1921, tells how he did math for those having trouble. Bill Fremd walked to school from his Rand Road farm home and walked back again to night activ- ities. He was class historian and instigator and editor of the Palahi. He used his fine sense of . history to make and record school history in Palatine his 46 years as a school board member, 10 of which he served for district 15. He was most proud that he had never voted against a referendum. Cutting hall became the site for graduation activities in 1929, and

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,,,,,,.,.f-'f ,,a- ,f , -4 X K K X x Xxx -. ff MN--...W . . W. . N X . K 1 ' u. . . 'XQXQQQN XXSRSS - ,. i e 'T X in s Q . gs - X l LEFT: At the top. Palatine's first high school building flanked by Cutting hall on the left and a gymnasium on the right. The building was ample until suburban growth in the l950s forced an addition in l952. The aerial view shows the main building and the addition. By 1968 when the last addition was completed. Fremd and Conant were other district schools. ABOVE: The entrance to the science wing which was the main entrance for 40 years.

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caps and gowns were worn. But by 1959, it was too small: and the move was made to the boys gym. ln 1962 through 1967. graduation was in the Fremd gym. The Methodist church was a favorite auditorium in the early years. and St. Paul's church was also used. The 1914 exercises were in the assembly. The programs from then on through the 1930s indicate an outside speaker and sometimes the valedic- torian and salutatorian. The custom of three or four senior speakers appeared in the 1940s. By 1925. the school orchestra was furnish- ing the music. Earlier programs indicate the use of local soloists and hired orchestras. Class nights and baccalaureate services were part of graduation for many years. Class night gave Way tO senior farewell and that in turn gave way in the 70s to breakfast or dinner. The last baccalaureate was in 1969. Elvira Schmidt remembers the three girls in the class of 1911 were told they couldn't have pins be- cause they were too few, but the juniors in 1912 had pins. Rings were in vogue by 1925. The 1926 seniors returned their rings be- cause the onyx on several had cracked. They reordered. Students from Lake Zurich and Wauconda traveled by train at half fare to attend school in Palatine. The best of these students were given free tuition by the board. Elizabeth McCarthy, one of those who came by train, is remembered by Margaret Stroker. 1917, and even though Elizabeth is in Florida, they exchange Christmas cards. Margaret Stroker did stenography for principal A. B. Morris. She remembers that all thought so much of him. Home chores. waiting on table at her mother's hotel. kept her busy after school. An- other one who remembers chores is Mabel Wenegar. 1925. who married Harrison Kincaid. She said. I remember pushing the washing machine for 15 minutes at noon. Howl hated that job. When Robert Fosket was the only graduate in 1916, the board had printed invitations and a program June 15 in the Methodist church. Robert went on to be a member of Northwestern's school of dentistry staff for 35 years. Priscilla Heise remembers board action September 13, 1922, grant- ing her a diploma she having 15 credits necessary for graduation. The 1923 graduates had as their special guests the class of 1926. Those in school in 1925 remember the advent of a radio bought for S200 and a cabinet made for 59. Many remember the play days or area meets at Deer Grove. Ten years after the first gradu- ation exercises, an alumni asso- ciation was formed. It held annual reunions through 1940. Then class reunions took over. The early reunions were frequently dinner dances, sometimes with the dinner at one place and the dancing at another and always with a business meeting and program. At the 1918 meeting. the group moved to buy a service flag for graduates in WWI. It was purchased before the 1919 meeting and held 16 Stars. Biggest endeavor of the group came in 1928 when it was learned that the school board could not afford to furnish a cafeteria for the newly constructed school. The room for the cafeteria was that part of the science wing from 107 to the girls gym. That year alumni met nine times from May through No- vember. They contacted all alumni with their plan, visited schools with cafeterias and obligated them- selves for 32484.65 worth of equip- ment from Albert Pick 8: Co. Although their reunions were usually spring affairs, they waited until after Thanksgiving so they could hold their reunion in the new school. At the September 15 dedication, alumni had reserved seats. Those from 1877 through 1903 were on the reception committee, and the others were ushers. They served lunch in the afternoon and evening. By reunion time, they had S1 151.07 toward the equipment earned by serving a din- ner, giving a play and collect- ing donations. However, by late 1930, Pick was threatening to take out the equipment if the final payment was not forthcoming. After consulting Charles S. Cutting, they asked the board to pay the debt. Among Pa1atine's many graduates, Robert McKee, 1954. whose yearbook quotation following his senior picture read, All I want is horse- power, has brought national rec- ognition to Palatine through his McKee Engineering corporation dedicated to developmental engi- neering design and the rendering of ideas into working prototypes. Race car design and construction featured the early years of the company. which has now become deeply engaged in the electric vehicle business. Another graduate stretching her horizons is Janet Kelly. 1965. a physician in Oklahoma City. where she conducts a family practice. Mildred Weseman, 1928, remembers her love of typing and the hard times of the depression years. When her mother wanted her to fcontinued on page 2281