Streator Township High School - Hardscrabble Yearbook (Streator, IL)

Page 16 text:

B5 1936 the section of the building which erect the long awaited auditorium and new had been added in 1902 had become unsafe classrooms Work was begun on the new for use It was decided to dismantle it and annex in February, 1936, and the formal dedication occurred on March 2. 1937. In this aerial view we see the school as it is today, extending over a complete city block. Only a small portion remains of the large campus on which the original structure occu- pied but the small center portion. Yes, our school has grown.

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11 On Frldax Apnll 12 1923 not an un lucky dax a COI1t1aCt was slgned w1th 'Nlr E L Damon contractor and 1n Nlax glound was first broken fo1 the new bulldmg The old blllldlllg was dlsmantled and constructlon started The annex and the dCldltlO1'l of 1902 serxed as classrooms dur1ng the two xears the new school was under construct1on Dxfficultles lmpeded the constructlon but 111 September 1925 the new bulldlng was completed w1th fac1l1t1es for an enrollment of 600 students The new structure was dedlcated on momes What a great dax thls was ln the hlstorx of the school' Many prom1nent edu cators of the county the a1ch1tect the con tractor promlnent cltlzens and alumlll were present at the dedlcatorv ceremomes These began w 1th a luncheon at whlch Countx Super1ntendent of Schools Mr W R Foster gave the mam talk The mam add1 ess of the 1926 1937 after noon D1 ogram w ab gn en by State Super mtendent of Publlc Instructlon Nh' Francls C Blau The plmclpal speakel of the ex en 1ng was Dr Wllllam McAnd1ew superlnterd ent of the Chlcago publlc schools at that tlme Included IH the new buxldmg were a large gxmnaslum a fullx equlpped cafeteua a large swlmmlng pool and a four room model apartment There were four large studx halls a hbrarx new officea mam well l1ghted classrooms cookmg and sewlng lab oratorles an art room a crafta room a prmt shop a mechanlcal drawlng room and old addltlon of 1902 was converted 1nto a mach1ne shop and an enlarged woodshop The old assemblx hall was conxerted 1nto classrooms wh1le the sclence rooms remamed 111 thelr or1g1nal form The orlgmal plans had called for an audltorlum to be btlllt at the north end but financlal conmderatlons prevented 1ts constructlon at thlq t1me 'WT Q-aas1lA v . Q. , , , - - M . v N . , , - Y vi . , . . .' ,' , ' ' . ' ' ' v . . . . . , . . . - ' v V 1 . A .vr I I. . R. Q, . L' Q v ' v .1 L' - V ' ' . ' V -. l ' 'r Q Y, L ' A - cv 'I ! .v . I' 9 L L' Y. . , - v ' ' ' L. L- Lv , ' Lv, 1, yv v - n 1 L' n , . S V' - . 7 7 T 9 V I L1 . ' , I Y- Y November 16, 1925, with impressive cere- a well-equipped commercial department. The 1 y 4 l - 1 v va 1 v . . , , . N . 7 K, v 1 his K1 ' . K1 I D A , .... l , , I s .' , , A , .4 , ' 5. T., 4. ,.,,a,,fr'1' W Gia ff . Q

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li The classrooms were so arranged that, generally speaking, space on a given floor belonged to a separate department. On the top floor, for example, were located all the science rooms, including chemistry, physics, biology, and general science. All the science rooms were well equipped, the chemistry and biology divisions having large lecture rooms adjoining spacious laboratories. The second floor was the location of the social science rooms and a large typing room. Provision was made in each department for its own well-stocked library. The metal and wood shops, agriculture study room and laboratory, and the little gymnasium were located on the ground floor. The little gym, well equipped for many forms of indoor activity, played an important part in the extensive physical education program. The auditorium-ninety feet wide. one hundred ten feet deep, and fifty feet high- had a seating capacity of fourteen hundred If . , x thirty in its main floor and balcony. The accommodations included an ample orchestra pit, three dressing rooms and storage rooms under the stage, and excellent lighting facili- ties. Lighting effects and spotlights for the stage, as well as motion pictures from two modern motion picture machines, were oper- ated from a fireproof projection room. In recent years a few alterations have been made in the building. The gym balcony was enlarged: large study halls have been transformed into a library and a cafeteria, and the old cafeteria has become the sack- lunch room. The main office and old library have been combined to accommodate all the administrative oflices. The student body fully realizes how many opportunities are now available to them and gratefully appreciates the important part the citizens and taxpayers of Streator and the surrounding community have played in the development of their high school.