Santa Rosa High School - Echo Yearbook (Santa Rosa, CA)

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THE BiCH.oO rt EDWIN CLAPP WENDELL WILSON Editor Business Manager HELEN CRANE STEWARD McINTYRE Associate Editor Assistant Manager

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THE ECHO Editoran-Chiets tens: das shen tee cers ieee aoe Cee ere oe eee Edwin Clapp SISINeSS sMataeyensan wesc adn aoco selene es es eee eee Wendell Wilson Associate Editor------------ Santee ees scm tee acs sene ames Helen Crane Assistant Managers Alex Trachman (| Steward McIntyre Assistant Editors itetat y=] esse === Daisy Grahame School Notesas---s55a5 Frank Fenton Boys’ Athiletics----- Shannon Turner Girls’ Athletics-----=- Mildred Button SOGLeivaman= =e -----Beatrice Allison MSA ves eee Henry Schaefer Bxchaneesaas---— Wentworth Barnett Si PSMOlss ase =e | Beatrice Allison | Howard Kirby Howard Kirby ( Bess Godman Staff Photographer--Alex Trachman o { Hector Mitchie ATE otatheace ose 4 = ; | Bess Godman Cartoonist. =eeess ae Joe Dearing { Miss Fisher Miss Machette | Miss O’Meara Staff Advisers----- :

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THE ECHO EDITORIAL Student Body Government The control of high school governments by the students them- selves has been much discussed of late years. There have been arguments for and against stident control, and in some high schools and also in colleges, actual experiments in this type of government have. been carried out. The problem is of particular interest to us of Santa Rosa Higi: School, as a form of student control has recently been proposed here, and is as yet so new and untried that we do not at present know how it will develop. In the first place, what does student control mean? Is it com- plete government by, for, and of the students? And if so, how extensive is student power? The ideal high school government would be one in which the principal of the school would not have to retain the veto because he would be sure that the students were capable of self-government and that no legislation to the detriment of the school and its traditions would be passed. Under perfect conditions, the teachers might ieave the buildings, the students being left in absolute control, and their regular work would go on as usual. The students should have full control of government, knowledge of how their government acts, and the power of the student body should extend to every activity of the school. Why is this impossible in Santa Rosa High School? We have taken our first step toward self-government. Let us not hesitate to go still further. Professor Hanus, an authority on the subject, has said, “No school is a good school until it governs itself.” So let ts put all activities under the jurisdiction of the students, social as wel! as athletic affairs, business as well as scholastic. Let us make self government worth while, not only financially, but morally and intellectually. Self-government will do this. Students who are capable of controlling the affairs of a school will be capable of controlling the affairs of a state or nation. Dr. David Starr Jor- dan of Stanford University has said, “Self government means self- control.” And as at Stanford student control has been tried and found successful, he knows whereof he speaks. Student control is practical. Wherever it has been tried the students have risen to their responsibilities, and student control has meant more school spirit, and a higher rate of intelligence among the students. Many examples might be cited. In New York city, at the De Witt Clinton High School, on the edge of the East Side district, student body government has been tried and found a success. Here a regular judicial court is maintained, composed of students, who bring to trial offenders against the school laws; and a “strong-arm” squad, likewise composed of students, carries out the decrees of the court. Another case is that of a privite school for girls kept by Mrs. Sperry, oo