Shaw High School - Shuttle Yearbook (East Cleveland, OH)

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The Third Shaw Academy. sary to describe this new building, for nearly every one From the start, all seemed imbued with the spirit of of us was familiar with its gray woodwork and white- progress, which manifested itself in everv way. Through washed walls, around which many recollections linger. the influence of Mr. Pratt, the principal, their first efforts ' 15

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division. The number of students decreased rapidly, and it was not until a couple of years later that it was again raised to its former condition by the efforts of Mr. Stanton. He was very successful, and the school Hour- ished under him as it had never done before. It is said of him that he loved a joke above all things, and it seemed as if the young people were infused with his spirit, for they had some jolly times together. During the next few years there was a frequent change of prin- cipals, yet everything moved smoothly until, in 1868, the Painesville Seminary drew largely from the attendance at Shaw. It was at this time, too, that the school grew so small that only the common branches were taught, and those who wished higher instruction attended the high school in Cleveland. Soon after, the dispute about high- er education arose. 1-liowever, this was not settled until tl1e spring election in 1875, when Mr. P. 0. Phillips was made superintendent, with the instructions to grade the schools and establish a high school. At last this was accomplished in 1878, and a high school was organized which continues to the present day. The last years of this second Shaw Academy were uneventful except in one instance--and that was the first graduating exercises, which were held in 1879. There were only four in the class, but they have the honor of being the pioneer alumni. Four years later the building, with many fond memories clinging around it, was torn down. The first half of the following school year, 1883, during the erection of the new building, school was held in the old Congregational Church. The conditions were such that they afforded both teachers and pupils much merriment. While one teacher would be conducting a recitation from the platform, another might be hearing a second class behind a green screen or else clown in the basement. There were large holes in the fioor for the purpose of letting the heat come up, and, often acci- dentally on purpose, things dropped suddenly on the heads of the people below. Under these circumstances it is a wonder that anyone learned anything, yet the pupils really did gain much both in knowledge and in pleasure, and' those five months passed only too quickly. On the evening of February first the Board of Edu- cation mct in the third Shaw Academy. With this event the building began its useful career. It is hardly neces-

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were directed successfully towards obtaining a piano. Education advanced rapidly. The curriculum has been enlarged and mechanical drawing and music have been added. Through the energetic and enthusiastic efforts of Mr. Kirk, Shaw High School now ranks with the highest in the State. The examiner appointed by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools has placed it on the accredited list of those schools which are permitted to send its pupils, without examina- tion, to any college or university in the Northern and Central States. Our library, which, in 1892, was started in a small way, has gradually grown by donations and the proceeds from the commencement exercises, until now there are over two thousand books for our use. Athletics for the first time received attention. A gymnasium was fitted up in the attic, and outdoors the boys had their football and baseball, and the girls their basket-ball. At the suggestion of an ingenious lad, Field Day was intro- duced, and the boys entered into it with a vim. It might be well to say here that the school has always received the hearty co-operation and assistance of the superin- tendcnts and teachers. Yet with all the advantages of this building over its predecessors, ityhas been found deficient, not only in equipments, but also in room. The demand for more space became imperative, so in the summer of 1904 the old brick building was demolished to give way to a larger and handsomer structure. For the season of 1904-1905, we must be content with the annex built on to the grammar grades on Pros- pect street. Yet in spite of that inconvenience, the school is Hourishing and gives every promise of a bright future, after its establishment in the fourth Shaw Academy building.