South High School - Lens Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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SOUTH HIGH ANNUAL Twenty-tfwo Years of Alumni Activity BY C. IVIELVIN FRANK, 1907 During the early days of June 190-1, in the dear old buff press brick building at Deshler and Bruck Streets, there was born an association of gradu- ates which today ranks as the best organized graduate High School .body in the City of Columbus. To the great spirit of one, Carl A. Becker, Presulent ot the class of 1903, is due a large degree of honor and thanks as it was. he who with the aid of the class of 1903 and 1904 fostered and established this association. In these early days many functions pertaining to gatherings of South High graduates, were held. A real initiation into this select graduate body, was in order at each graduation time. Carl Becker presided as chief executive tor the earlier years, and to him much praise is due. I11 later years such graduates as Arthur F. King, Frank Kienzle, Xklalter Heer, and the writer, carried .on the work and steadily added to the growth and prestige which the association gained through each added year. During this period one of the outstanding features of the June meetings was a presentation of a life-size photograph of our dear friend and counselor, Charles S. Barrett, which for some years prior to the death of our loved prin- cipal, stood as a silent token to him each day, as he passed through the halls of the old building. NVe shall never forget the touching ceremony which attended the unveiling of this picture, in the presence of our friend, Mr. Barrett. In our humble estimation nothing probably could have been done to touch his heart more than this token of our love and esteem. Some years later the asso- ciation presented a group picture of all of the past presidents of each gradu- ating class, as well as a bronze memorial plate commemorating those of our ninnber who had served in the great XVorld's Xklar. At the close of the war, the time honored custom of having two of our members run for the office of President was cast aside and Dr. Edward E. Smith of the class of 1904 was signally honored by the association by being elected without any opposition as its 'President in the year of 1918. Dr. Smith was the one graduate of the school attaining the highest rank during this world conflict. For this period the association gained in membership very rapidlv, though it must be said that the number of graduates aftiliating with our association was not as large as during the earlier period of its growth. This we think due to the rapid change of times, but, here the writer as an older graduate feels that as the years roll along, those graduates who are not affiliated with the association will be the losers. In the course of the association's life f f f c '1 eature which was instituted in thel earliuer years. has been, with few exceptions, carried through, by holding a. mic- f - t win er ieunion and dance at one of the down-town hotels The last of , I . C these was Just recently held at the Neil House and attended by the largest number ever brought together for such an occasion. I Buring the years of .1922 and 1923 certain organizations prevailed upon the School Board to consider re-naming the various schocils of our city At this time also an appropriation was voted b ' K i I - I I y the Citv of Cohn l ' t . four new H 0'h S h I ' - - 'I ' J il ms 0 meet , i ls G' oo s, including one foi the South Side. Wath this great building program in view the organizations referred to were able to haye 't majority of the- Board of Education to officiall l 'E i A C , f Y H1013 new names for each of the four new lngh schools, wlnch were to take the places of dld South lxlgrth 1 ' . ' . ' ' 7 7 Citlltfflla and E51-S15 H1311 SCh00lS.. Sensing the importance of this radical change w nci would absolutely for all times do away with the time honored foul, 19,121 . . - Im: I I II I I I IIIIIIIuIIIIIIIIIIInIIII I II II III 'I I I I 1

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ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ARTHUR KING IWELVIN FRANK CHARLES SHRINER ARTHUR LAUDERBACH BERTHA NICE 59

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SOUTH HIGH ANNUAL ing high schools, our association officers, headed by Ben Ratner, who was then president, started a campaign to have our Board of Education retract their former decision. NVith the aid of the graduate body of the other High Schools we were able to have the original names of the old schools restored. It was only after many months of intensive campaigning with all of its frills, that the change was made possible. Again the association took a very active part in the purchasing of the new South.H1gli School site, as well as to the location of our fine new building on that site. It has been the association's aim never to enter into any political affairs other than that which pertained to particular school matters and for this reason along with the fundamental principles laid down by the founders of this organization, it has continued through these twenty-two years of un- broken association, and today stands as an active body of more than one thou- sand graduate members, with their accurate addresses and whereabouts rc- corded with the Secretary, who for the past few years has done wonderful work in revising a11d reehecking the list in a manner which places us in a very envi- able position i11 the eyes of the other graduate associations of our community. In conclusion it would be unfair to the present association head not to mention the fine work being do11e in t.he production of the animal Alumni Revue, which made it possible for our organization to contribute several hun- dred dollars to aid the music department in purchasing a very fine piano. This sterling fellow, Charles Shriner, is again leading many graduates in producing the second annual revue and with the funds derived from this production the association contemplates presenting the School with a gift which in a Very forceful manner will demonstrate that the South High School Alumni Asso- ciation is still working for the betterment of the present school and shall always strive to be the backbone in the outer circles of the school, whenever the occa- sion arises. Crazy Milt Revue HE CRAZY QUILT REVUE was given April 29 and 30 at South High School. The Alumni gave a very good presentation, Iretta Berry opening and closing the show with her delightful presentation of The Song of the Flame, which was the theme of the play. Orlando Copley, his usual. self, was almost the whole show. The movie featuring Mr. Copley was something new, and the idea of Landy coming on the stage from the picture was unique. Others who were very good were The Kemp Sisters, Arthur Wleber, and the Dumb Bells, featuring John Todhunter and Orlando Copley. The scenes that would compete for the first prize for their beauty in stage settings and vocal selections would be those of The Little Dancer,, and A Cottage Small. This year the Seniors had a part in the Revue for the first time, those par- ticipating were: Marabel Root, Helen Jones, Barbara Ochsenwald, Maxine Hicks, Sylvia Bogatin, Ruth Knollman, Marjorie Todd, Elizabeth Zapp, Rose McCollum, Josephine Hutchfield, Ruth Schumacher, Helen Derby and Esther Phelan. The boys were, Claire Mackan, Hyman Freedman, Fred Hoffman, John Poepplemeyer, NValter Zwiclcard, XNTilliam Collison, and Herbert Loechler. The Second Annual Crazy Quilt Revue was a. success due to the hard work of Charles Shriner, the president of the Alumni. 61