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

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KLIN C w A TTENTION!

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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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-4, 6 -' Q ,fif C fri- if ae -- ' fi Y H f 72.5 '-i ' '--- -- L hr X f- K , E 7 K fl ' -4. '- ,., - 1 4- , is - y-41' S ' ?'?e :E gr' ' ', ,,. 55,,.i3.: -- A. -SRX The Soldan Battalion Q N these days cf national danger, 1'5 it makes us proud to know that 'H Soldan has again come to the Lg? 5 front. This time it is no vic- Q . tory of the athletic field, or the the debating rostrum, or some record of scholarship. Instead. it is a rec- ord of patriotism. Two hundred and sev- enty boys have expressed their desire to help their country and themselves by band- ing together as The Soldan Battalion and having army oliicers detailed by the Government to drill them. Other high schools in the city have formed companies, but Soldan has as many recruits as all the rest of the St. Louis high schools com- S bined. It was an awkward squad indeed that lined up for the first drill in March. The i-fi ,erm-.m lm 4.1325 5,,g,,,,,,MCg,,u,,,,, ranks resembled a row of Mutts and jeFfs, Mutts predominating. That has changed. The battalion is now arranged according to height and has learned the Schools of the Squad and Soldier under the supervision of Major Stoddard and Sergeant McGowan. The battalion has now been divided into groups and is being drilled by those who have had some previous military training. The army officers now go from group to group. Thus more is learned in a shorter time. The expert squad have been meeting Saturday mornings, in addition to the drills on school days, so as to better fit themselves for positions as officers. When first given charge of squads of rookies these experts got so fiustered that they gave commands that even General Wood had never thought of. The officers detailed intend to divide the battalion into three, or possibly four, companies. This division will probably be made before this article is printed. The commissioned oiiicers for the companies will be those who have shown themselves most adept at learning and who have had the most experience. For those who do not know the difference between commissioned officers and non-commissioned ofli- cers, or non-coms , an explanation is in order. The commissioned oiii- cers have commissions given to them by the War Department, while the non-coms are given warrants signed by the officer in charge. Those 55