Sandwich High School - Reflector Yearbook (Sandwich, IL)

Page 11 text:

SANDWICH Among the older citizens of Sandwich, the old, red school house will be remembered as the first school. It stood upon North Main Street and was erected before the village of Sandwich was surveyed or even contemplated, and was used until 1856, when it was sold at auction. In the winter 1854-5 a company was organized for the purpose of erecting a building and maintaining a high school to be known as the Sandwich Academy. The school was opened in the spring of 1855 by Prof. J. L. Hendrick, who continued it as a high school until the spring of 1856, when the directors of the public schools of this district purchased the building of the shareholders and continued Prof. Hendrick as a teacher until the spring of 1857. In the fall of 1857 the directors graded the schools and placed Prof. H. F. Needham in charge as principal. The present system of grading, which consists of eight grades below the high school, was adopted in 1877. The schools were then in a fine condition under the superintendencr of Prof. C. I. Gruey. The school property was valued at $10,000. The graded schools of Sandwich have had W. W. Woodbury for city superintendent during the last twenty years. He had been connected with the schools previous to this time being principal of the Grammar School. Under A. J. Blanchard the first graduating exercices of the school were held in 1876. The course of study at that time covered a period of three years. In 1890 the course of study was extended and covered a period of four years. The school had been on the accredited list at the HIGH SCHOOL University of Illinois and the leading colleges of the Mississippi valley. Aside from Latin, no languages were taught in the public schools until 1900, when German was added. At present, the standard and attainments of our school are high. Six competent teachers are employed. There are 104 students enrolled, which number is about one-fourth of the pupils in all our schools. It often has l een remarked that our graduating classes are noticeably large. This year there will be graduated 17 of the 35 who entered as Freshmen four years ago. The course of study is good. We offer 4 years English, 4 years Mathematics, 4 years Science, 4 years History, 3 years commercial subjects, including Shorthand and Typewriting, 4 years Latin, 2 years German and 1 year of French. One great drawback to our high school is the lack of room. We are patiently looking forward to a new school building that will be complete in every respect, providing a library, both of reference books and fiction; an auditorium with a small stage for plays and other social events; a lantern with slides to be used for science, history and literature; Manual Training Rooms, luncheon rooms for out-of-town students; a gymnasium for our energetic and enterprising fellow students. Not only is our work above the average, but school enterprises continue to flourish. We have put out the S. H. S. Reflector for two consecutive years, have had two public Senior-Junior debates, have had three annual bazaars, and many other events. As a whole, we are very, very proud of our old S. H. S. and oh, how we Seniors do hate to leave it! 3 —

Page 13 text:

THE F MR. WOODBURY, our superintendent, So staunch and so stern, Has guided the students through High School. Throughout his twenty-year term. He teaches Algebra and Physics, Filling other duties as well, He assigns us long lessons, But this we will not tell. He thinks foot-ball is fine And likes our bazaars, But our serious (?) attitude, Beats all under the stars. MAUD WEBSTER by name, Has been with us four years, She’s endeared in hearts, of each classman here, She teaches us English Trains us for plays And her endless enthusiasm Accounts for her ways. We’ve had Year Books, Bazaars, And debates once a year, Much work and much pleasure Since Miss Webster came here. S. J. COON, has our history classes He teaches us of the world that passes, From the beginning of time to Wilson’s election We can rattle it off without a correction. If he’s absent a day, we get along not at all. So please Mr. Coon, don’t again slip and fall. He honors us with many a reference From two to twenty pages long It’s the only time throughout the years That we’ve wished he’d forget or else be gone. UTLTY MISS FRANCES BUNNEL. Greetings! She teaches every hour of the day Even after four has a meeting, She likes originals in Geometry And spelling-down in German, She teaches Latin too, you see. So she hasn’t time for a sermon. Her heart is in the right place too, Her wit is over flowing And even though her teaching’s new, Her classes keep on going. MISS IDA JOHNSON, The next teacher in line. As the head of Commercial branches And teacher of writing is fine Her courses in shorthand and book-keeping, Are exceedingly popular you see. Her department is bound to grow And will both large and prosperous be In a business like manner. And her social affairs, — Well, them we’ll not mention. Our young music teacher So jollv and fair Is MISS BESSIE McKINDLEY With a voice very rare. She trains choruses and glee-clubs. In a manner that tells And her baton is to be watched, Or it will probably be felt. We understand it, (sometimes) And the way we draw scales Proves the strength of our minds. S. D. ’13.