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

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A THE ECHO where the girls make their own regulations, see to it that these regulations are enforced, and voluntarily undertake whatever seems necessary for the betterment of the school. The organization of the school should be cooperative. As Dr. Charles W. Elliot has said, “’Yeachers and students should alike be members.” [n some schools, study hail control is left to the students, The pupils of each study hall period elect a monitor and an assistant, and 2 teacher to whom the monitor may appeal in case of need. The monitor has control of the study hall and is re sponsible for the preservation of order. In other schools the honor system is used. At the University of Washington, the student body has the miiiative, referendum and recall, and the judicial authority is placed n the hands of a board, not in those of the president. This respon- sibility seems to give good results there. These examples show what student control has done for some schools and could do for us. Whether all or any of the different kinds of government mentioned would work well in Santa Rosa High we can find out only from experience. But even if we do make mistakes, it will be worth while to institute student control, if if will secure us greater interest of the students in school affairs. And by all means, let us have meetings of the whole student body. The students as a whole should know what is going on; they should take an active interest in the government of the school as well as in electing representatives to the governing board. The new constitution should provide for this. Our neighbor to the south, Sonoma High, has held student body meetings, once a week, for some time and more real school spirit is developed in this way ‘han in any other. ‘The possibilities of student control, once well begun, are endless. So soon as the students show themselves capable of nandling one thing, they can be intrusted with others, and as soon as the students begin to take an active interest in government, they will demand more powers, and they should receive them. ‘Then let us make a good beginning of student control here in Santa Rosa. Let us find out who our representatives to the gov- eraing board are and tell them what we want done, what we think the new constitution should contain. Let us take an active interest mm our school. Let us boost for student body meetings, for absolute student control, and we will get them. Jt is hard for us to realize what an organized student hody is capable of doing. If we want to see more school spirit, more democracy, a bigger, better school, finer in every way, if we really care for our old High we will get out and boost for student body control. Let us think it, talk it and vet everyone else to do likewise, and all good things are possible for Santa Rosa High School. 13

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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

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THE HCHO In Moemorian Russell Mitchell Died -- Hebruary 28, 1914 Claire Roberts Died - - - May 2, 1919