Peoria High School - Crest Yearbook (Peoria, IL)

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'EHR GREST ln Memoriam T is with deep regret that we view the tragic death on June 28, 1929, of Mr. John Parkhill, one of Peoria High's best known and best loved instructors. Coming to P. H. S. in 1924, he became a member of the Science and Mathematics departments. He took keen interest in athletics, coaching the golf team, and setting an example of true sportsmanship for all with whom he came in contact. He was interested in aviation, both civil and military, and had established an enviable reputation as an efficient and trustworthy pilot. The airplane crash which caused his death cut short a promising career. riosoi- A Page21

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Lis s.w.SsLs,maLr- r CL ,CA Q, .--,-M , Active l-lours IGHTS burn late in some of the rooms at Peoria High School. There are members of the faculty who work on after their duties as teachers are finished, whose un' ceasing work makes school more interesting and worth while for the student. Let us take a stroll through the building this afternoon long after the mass of students has surged through its doors, glad of the release from the day's duties. Let us go in the front entrance, and, as one of the assembly doors is open and a light glimmers through, let's step in- The Wishbone Revue is being practiced, and Miss Buswell is supervising the production, instructing the students in stage technique, planning stage settings, and marshalling forces. Whenever anything in the line of dramatics is going on, or decorating is needed, fremember the decorations at the Senior Hop and Junior Prom last year?j Miss Buswell is always the first person consulted and asked to help. Let us leave the auditorium now and walk down to the front corridor-a light in Mr. Murphy's little office, and we see him trying to make debits and credits balance, for Mr. Murphy, besides being Dean of Boys, is the money man of the school. That is, he is the school treasurer, which means that he has the charge of all finances for the Opinion, for all tickets to games, for all the clubs and organizations, and that he has on his shoulderS the huge job of financing the Crest. As we walk through the back corridor, we see Miss Crowder busily working at her desk, for Miss Crowder is the literary adviser of the Crest, a task which requires much of her time. Now let's go upstairs to the Art Department, which is one of the busiest and most necessary for all the outside activities. Miss Mahoney's students, during six months of school, have made 198 posters used to advertise school activities: Wishbone Revue, Senior Class Play, Crest Subscription Campaign, Basketball Tournament, Jusendra Play, etc. As we walk downstairs to the first floor, we are met by a tall, lank figure, bounding upstairs three steps at a time. Mr. Whitby, of course! He always hurriesg he is always busy doing something for somebody. 'Way downstairs we find Mr. English working in the press room. Mr. English and his staff have won an especial honor this year for the Opinion in the form of a silver plaque given by the Quill and Scroll, the national honor society for high school journalf ists, for having the most outstanding achievement among high school papers in two months. Under Mr. English's supervision, the Opinion has become a real paper, and one of which Peoria High School should be Very proud. - As we walk through the front corridor on our way to the side entrance, we see a light in Mr. Sedgwick's room. 'iBob Sedgwick is another busy teacher, for he is fine ancial manager of athletics. There are many others in our faculty who are constantly working after hours at some outside activity. Mr. Epstein coached the Jusendra evening production this year- a task of no small proportions. Miss Cornelius has in the past few years coached a num' ber of big plays, this year she directed the Senior Class Play, 'iThe Hottentotf' In addition she trains the students in the public speaking department for the Big Twelve Contests and for various oratorical events of the year. Miss Randall has a similar work in the Music Department. Then, the class sponsors are always busy, particularly those who advise the junior and Senior Classes. We complete our tour of inspection, appreciating more fully the work of these teachers, and are inspired by their efforts to make our lives as full as theirs. -- -H -H19 3 O ll--' Page 20

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EHR GREST A Now aw M And Then HIS page closes the Faculty section, a group of 68 capable teachers, of whom we are justly proud. Our faculty changes considerably from time to time, only this year Peoria High has acquired ten new instructors. Miss Lamberton came to us this year, and is in the Commercial Department. Mr. Shields, Mr. Shepherd, and Mr. Stevens are all new instructors. Miss Smiley took the place of Miss Sankey, who left us for another field of work, and Mr. Cobble replaced Mr. Damon, who is now principal of the Lincoln school here in Peoria. Miss Oekel and Miss Garland were both married during the summer months, Miss Perdew is teaching Spanish in Miss Oekel's place, while Mr. Williams is assuming Miss Garland's work. Miss O'Reilly, our music instructor, left during the first semester to become Mrs. Bernard Seiler. Her place is being adequate' ly filled by Miss Elizabeth Randall. Our girls' gymnasium teacher, Miss Beulah Philpot, was the last to leave us, she departed at the end of the first semester for California, where she is taking a special course of study. Mrs. Haynes is filling this vacancy. How very different from our present beautiful High School the first quaint building bearing the name of old P. H. S. must have been! Located on the second floor of a build' ing recently destroyed to make room for a new and better structure, Peoria's first high school boasted of a principal and two assistants, who administered learning to 60 students. At that time, Peoria was a thriving town of 20,000 population, and claimed the honor of being one of fewer than 50 cities in the United States that supported a public high school. One can easily imagine how proud Peorians must have been of their Brst high school and the first class of four members, graduated from that school in 1858. The next home of our high school was the basement of the Methodist Church, at the corner of Madison and Fulton Streets. This was only a temporary arrangement, due to the crowded conditions of the school. In 1862 a new building on Fisher Street was ready for occupancy. This stood on the site of the present Lincoln School, and was considered quite commodious in its time. It proved adequate for twenty years, but then, by 1884, it had outlived its usefulness, and the building on the corner of Monroe and Fayette Streets, now the headquarters of the Board of Education, was erected. The parents of many of the present members of our student body can remember the 'gGood Old Days in this building. For 32 years this was the seat of advanced learning in our city. Then, in 1916, our present splendid building was erected. We feel that our fine school is a fitting culmination for Peoria High's 70 years of existence. Not only has the building grown, but the student body has increased immeasurably. We now have enrolled over 1,800 students, who are being instructed in the most enlarged and enriched courses of study by a wellforganized body of teachers. 1- My --- a-a--- --M 41 1 9 3 0 1l---'- Page 22