Saginaw High School - Aurora Yearbook (Saginaw, MI)

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VVE DEIDICATE In grateful appreciation for the many years of service which he gave to Saginaw and its schools, the AURORA staff, speaking for the students of Saginaw High School, dedicates this 1957 yearbook to Mr. Chester F. Miller, Superintendent of Saginaw schools from 1928 to 1956. Loved and respected in educational circles throughout the city, looked to for guidance by public as well as parochial administrators, Mr. Miller deserves the highest praise and heartiest congratulations for a difficult job, well done. Dr. Chester F. Miller was brought to Saginaw to serve as its first superintendent after the consolidation of the East and West Side Schools. Since March 7, 1928, when he was chosen Superintendent over sixty-four other candidates, Mr. Miller has organized and guided our educational system. A look into his past reveals that Mr. Miller was born in Vandalia, Illinois, a little town in the southern part of that state on July 14, 1885. Because his parents died while he was still a youngster, Mr. Miller's boyhood was spent being shunted from one relative to another. For- tunately, during his early teens, he lived with relatives in Lebanon, Illinois, the site of McKendree College. Like so many students of the time, Mr. Miller became a college freshman without ever having graduated from high school. While still in the eighth grade he took and passed the high grades that he a diploma. basketball scholar- college and in 1905 McKendree's football after playing on the and '04 seasons. Then Teacher's Exam, scoring such was admitted to McKendree without With the aid of football and ships he worked his way through Quarterback Miller captained team to a conference championship Varsity team during the 1902, '03, he went on to captain the school's conference basketball Qhamps in 1906, A year later he was graduated and by 1909 had earned enough credits to obtain his Master's degree. ' Mr. Mil1er's first job was at Tiskilwa, Illinois, as a teacher and coach, but Upon arriving he WaS asked to be' come Principal and by the close of the school year he had advanced to Superintendent. Two years later, in Polo, Illinois, Mr. Miller met his future wife, the former Miss Florence Hedrick. During his administration as Superin- tendent at Galesburg, Illinois, this outstanding man found time aside from his numerous duties to write a civics text entitled America In the Making. In addition Mr. Miller is the author of other fine books, many of which are being used today. On July 2, 1928, Mr. Miller arrived in Saginaw to take the position as Superintendent of the newly-consolidated Saginaw School Board. Never wasting time, or loafing on the job, he started off by recommending that an ele- mentary school should be located within a three-quarters of a mile limit for every child. By 1932, four Schools had been provided for in the annual budget, thus marking the completion of the first phase of his long range goal. It would take several years to achieve the second goalg a junior high school located within a one and one-fourth mile radius of every child. The years of depression also added to the delay as the school board was forced to cut all expenses to the barest essentials. However, by the middle of 1937, a S400,000 fund toward the construction of two new senior high schools had been started. Shortly afterward a resolution from the board authorized Superin- tendent Miller to file an application to the Federal Government for a grant to assist in the construction of a new building and on April 20, 1938, the project was granted the allotment and a new high school was erected. Hampered for funds again during World War 11, Saginaw has since then progressed steadily forward. Since 1949, we have had five new schools erected--our own Saginaw High School, the Arthur Eddy Junior High, South Intermed- iate, and the Nelle Haley and Jessie Rouse Schools. Thus, have the busy years of this great man been filled not with personal gain, but with dedication to the people of Saginaw and their education. Truly can we say that the history-of education is Saginaw is the biography of one man's life--Mr. Chester F. Miller, to whom we proudly, and most grately dedicate this 1957 Aurora. lr 5

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MR. CHESTER F. MILLER Superintendent of Saginaw Schools 1928-1956

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ADNIINIS RATION These are the men who keep Saginaw school standards high. Standing: Dr. Raymond A. Hart, Mr. J. Robert Grube, Mr. Roswell Burrows, and Mr. Edward C. MacRae. Seated: Mr. Robert Grant, Jr., Mr. George Pross, Assistant Superintendent in Charge of Finance and Business Administration, Miss Dorothy M. Senkpiel Secretary to Mr. Pross, and Mr. Charles C. Coulter, Acting Superintendent of Saginaw Schools, Two members Of the Board, Mr. Hiel M. Rockwell and Mr. Walter A. Leesch, are absent from the picture. During the past ten years Saginaw's education program has advanced tremendously. Begun by the people them- selves when they voted a tax increase to build new schools, the program of better educational facilities has continued to prosper under the direction of able civic and educational leaders. Among these whg have given freely of their time and talents are the members of the Saginaw Board of Education. Drawn frgm all walks of life and from various professions, these people have demcnstrated their desire for a progressive educational program for Saginaw. In addition to the new Saginaw Higl School, several other schools have been replaced, and Saginaw has become the proud possessors of two additional swimming pools, so necessary to the development of our youth. We honor those who have led the way in the Administration of the Saginaw Public school system. 6