Soldan High School - Scrip Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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, ' .H :J-2 A kr -f--N ffzr-V-f-A-H -- - .ff---.,?,- -i T--f '-,gr .f z-w ir. 51 r 1897, president of the University. By this time he had received the de- grees of A.B., B.S., and Pd. D. In 1901, he resigned this position to work at Yale, where he took his master's degree in 1902. There, in 1904, he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. That same year he came to St. Louis as princi- pal of the Yeatman High School, and a year later became principal of Harris Teachers College. Thinking that such a career should encourage the boys and girls of Soldan to try for a college education, I asked Dr. Withers if he did not feel that he would advise them to make the effort. He replied, By all means. I should tell them to get the best education possible, to make every elfort, if they have any leaning in that direction. And with such an example as his life before us, we certainly shall feel it worth. while to do so. Dr. Withers believes that our courses of study are I-illing a great need, both in preparing boys and girls for college, and in helping those who are unable to continue their education further than the high school. He says that the changes in those courses have been progressive, that the Board considers each change carefully, so that, when it is made, the movement is apt to be a forward one. Dr. Withers thinks that all branches of athletics should be generally encouraged, because, for the boy not physically fit for football, there is baseball, or track, or basketball. But he adds the warning that athletics must not be overdone. The school is primarily an educational institu- tion, and the academic side of school life must not be underestimated. In Yale, while I was there, he added, men on the athletic teams had to maintain a higher standing in academic work than those not on them, in order to be allowed to stay there. The task before Superintendent Withers is so great as to dismay a man of lesser ability. The thousands of pupils for whom he is striving to better our schools are with him, heart and soul. We of Soldan wish to know him. We know already that he is a great man. We should like, each and every one of us, to enjoy the privilege of his acquaintance. For this reason I asked Dr. Withers if he had formulated any plan for getting to know us better, and he replied that, though he had as yet had little time to make any such plans, he intended to do so as soon as pos- sible. And his words, in reply to our wish to know him better, run in my ear. You can't wish that more than I do. -Elizabeth A. White, 8. sa

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.. -,.--ff'- -g .2 ' -Q lf? G- - -- 541, 51,15-2 - 1,-'-f-jg.: ., .1 G1-HARD 'lS'EN5 JOHN W. WITHERS, Ph. D. Superinlendenl Sain! Louis Public Schools

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KLIN C w A TTENTION!