South High School - Tiger Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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that organized support which is always essential to true success. An old plan—but one which, when rightly applied, has ever been productive of great things. Organization is a necessity for the preservation of social health. There exists a little microbe, famous merely because of his insignificance and destructiveness. He gloats upon defeat and even embitters the sweet cup of victory with his gall. He is known everywhere. Miss Friendlander might call him the bugus eternus knockus. The best of us are not exempt from the ravages of this pest; altho 1 believe Flagstad is immune. As the knocking disease is exceedingly contagious, the microbe must be tabooed lest the institution die a moral death. The milder cases can be cured; but the more violently despondent patients should be ostracized. Organization is the only medicine that will really knock out that bugus eternus knockus. The teacher has her great part in the organization and advancement of the school. It is not my prerogative to criticize or advise her; but 1 would only remark that though she has earned her salary when she has left the class-room, she has not fulfilled her obligation to humanity until she has attended the various school functions. When one realizes that South High has met as a school scarcely once in four years, he is not surprised at its lack of organized school spirit. Deprived of her Auditorium, South has been in many respects as a blind man in a race with men who can see. Now, it is said, the Auditorium is to be restored. The healing balm is found ! Care should be taken, however, that there be enough remedy to cure both eyes. In other words we should see to it that the restored Auditorium be sufficiently roomy to seat our entire school—and any other high school as well. In fact it should be better all round than East Auditorium, principally, because to a greater majority of us South Siders, High School is our only University, and all conditions surrounding our last years of school should be the most convenient money can buy. Of course, this is no political argument—but school boards should not be influenced by politics. South should have an athletic field available at least for practice purposes. South should have a library that a Minne- !Jage eight

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Organized School Spirit OUTH High is the finest school in the world—its teachers are the best but it sadly lacks an organized school spirit. On the other hand, in individual examples of loy .lty and ability, we greatly excel other institutions which are far better organized. What other schools can boast of producing contemporaneously a scholar like Hixon; gridiron stars such as Haverstock, Flagstad, and Savage; popular idols like Presidents Dahl and Groettum; a business manager like Sleeper; an actor like Steinfeldt; singers like Mildred Ozias and Winkleblec; artists like Chatty Parkhurst and Morrill, Christianson, Smith and Gilkey; writers like Athena Martin, Borghild Dahl, Goetzenberger and Swenson:—1 pause, but there are scores of others! What other school can make such an individual showing? Now, why is it that under such extraordinary conditions, we don’t make Minneapolis forget she has any schools but South ? The mischief of the matter lies in the fact that we lack that intense unity which permits of rapid concentration. Organization is the only hen that hatches Unity. Why can’t we be football champions? Because we havn’t the hen that lays the egg that hatches the chicken that sustains the team. Why can’t we be debating champions? Because the same reason. Why! There’s nothing we can’t have nor be if we have organization; and without it Groettum can talk his grand old head off and we ll never progress one inch! If we would impress the outside world we must first impress our own people at home. Success lies in the proper evolution of the Freshman. He should be organized into a class with the “A’’ Freshman at the very first. Such a thing as the non-organization of the Sophomore is little short of criminal negligence on our part. The classes properly organized would have their own teams and their own councils. This would by no means segregate the school circle into four hostile segments but rather draw to a common centre the cream of all our abilities and render the school leaders Pa ;e seven

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apolis high school need not be ashamed of. The halls should be made sufficiently light on gloomy days that friends might recognize each other by the sense of sight. With the exception, possibly, of the A” and “B” rooms, all the rooms should be made more cheerful. We have been neglected; and one does not need the statistical mind of a Westerson to appreciate the system of rigid economy by which the school has been run. Why are we neglected ? There are two reasons which are really one. The board is busy-listening to grievances of other schools, and we have not asked for anything or if we have, it has been in an ineffective bean-blower style when we should have demanded with the concerted thunder of a perpetual cannonade. There it is again lack of organization ! With Organization and her daughters, Unity and Enthusiasm, like Monte Cristo we shall have our universe at our feet, and in that time—and it remains for you to say how soon South High will become in point of fact as well as in point of loyalty, the finest school in the world! HARRY COLLINS. Class of Jan. ’07 Page nine