Thomas Carr Howe Community High School - Hilltopper Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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rf' is ill For years the hallmark of the Howe campus, where the eye is immediately drawn has been the tower. The clock is a familiar sight to Irvington resi- dents, and its tower rises above the skyline of eastern Indianapolis. When the new addition was started, it wasn't much to look at. But from this maze of construction came the needed classrooms for Howeites. Thomas Carr Howe was a president of Butler University when Butler was located in Irvington. Before becoming presi- dent, he was a professor of language. He was a very prom- inent businessman interested in education. For this reason, our school is named Thomas Carr Howe High School. On May 20, 1937, the first spade of earth was turned to start the construction of Howe High School by the president of the Irvington Union of Clubs. The cornerstone was laid in November with Superintendent of Schools DeWitt S. Morgan presiding, and our school was dedicated on September 29, l938. Howe's doors were opened in September, l938, to 549 stu- dents comprising a freshman and a sophomore class. On No- vember 29, l94O, a new Iunchroom and gym were dedicated. A wing consisting of English, math, social studies, shop, and music rooms became a part of Thomas Carr Howe High School in l954. During the spring of l962, the Board of School Commis- sioners voted to add a new wing containing an auditorium, science labs, lecture rooms, and new cafeteria. Now, our new wing is a reality and has added a lot to the beauty of the school. As the spring semester drew to a close, there were still many finishing touches to be completed before Howe students returned this fall. Temporary plank ramps had to be replaced by cement steps and walk- ways, power Iines had to be permanently laid, and a general cleaning up was necessary on the grounds. I

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Jolwv Pifggwmldf , Mr. Thomas Stirling addressed the student Thanksgiving assembly on Wednesday, November 27, I963. Pupils, recently shocked by the slaying of President John F. Kennedy, were challenged as they heard their princi- pal say, America looked into a mirror last Friday. It was a large mirror, a magnifying mirror. America cast a beautiful image. But suddenly that mirror was cracked and splintered by an assassin's bullet. Some parts of the broken mirror distorted and darkened America's image. It was a dreary fall day in the North-it was foggy in Europe and dark in the Orient, but the sun was shining bright- ly in Dallas before that fatal shot. Then for a period of time the shattered glass reflected only chaos, then gloom-dark penetrating gloom. The whole world looked over our shoulder and interpreted what it saw according to the angle from which it was peering and the reflecting image which it sought. Our image was tar- nished. In Europe the mirror reflected a saddened and momentarily bewildered giant, a giant that could be depended upon to do the right. Sympathy and renewed friendship were evidenced from the western powers. The image came true from the clear part of the mirror, while other parts of the world took varying views from the tarnished part. I To us at Howe the things that had seemed so important only a few minutes before seemed suddenly trivial or lost completely in the shadow of an overwhelming tragedy. The PRR, the ball games, the banquet, the wrestling match dwindled to nothing in the enormity of the moment. Life must resume now-and the things that are dear to the life of a high school pupil must again be important to him. But they must still be held in their proper perspective. The PRR, the banquet, the basketball games, the wrestling matches are important to you as they should be. But we must balance the shame of an assassination with the pride of a nation that stopped for a dignified period of humbleness to regroup its forces for right. We must balance the sorrow of a nation and the sorrow of the Kennedy family with pride in the little girl who adjusted her white gloves as she stepped up to the flag-draped cofhn of her slain father, in little John-John, who saluted at the procession, and especially in the demeanor of the wife and mother who bore the grief of a nation in such magnificent dignity. We must balance the sorrow of losing a President with thankfulness that ours is a country governed by laws and not by men and that the new President will receive all of the re- spect and co-operation afforded the departed. Above all we must be thankful that we Iive in a nation that can and will rise above the present sadness, that we have homes dedicated to the rearing of upright children, that we have schools that believe in ideals as well as knowledge, that we have churches and synagogues teaching the values that transcend man, and that we have been so magnificently en- dowed by the giver of all gifts. All of the ingredients for repair are here. We can and will repair that mirror until the beautiful image of America is again reflected to the world. uemgawumw Once standing in the shadow of the profile of President John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson now has the great responsibility thrust upon him as Prefi- dent of the United States. iPhoto courtesy INDIANAPOLIS TlMESl Junior Senator Birch Bayh and Governor Matthew Welsh welcome Senator Kennedy on his last visit to Indianapolis in October, 1960. iPhoto courtesy INDIANAPOLIS TIMESJ

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tor ',astlwmewr iscompieteob Xi lt Looking across the campus from the West, students may see the tower, middle wing, and the new cafe- teria-auditorium-science department wing. Approxi- mately twenty-two hundred students and teachers cross the front campus everyday on their way to classes. This year was -the first year to use the brand new wing which contains the auditorium, cafeteria and some really nice science and lecture rooms. The new cafeteria was so spacious that we no longer needed the third hour lunch, much to the relief of many stu- dents. Our dances are now held in the cafeteria because of the extra space. There is room for a band and a good place to serve refreshments. The patio is a good place to dance when the weather permits. The stage of the new auditorium is more than four times the size of the old one. A narrow spiral staircase goes to the left of the stage where the scenery and curtains are worked. The brand new curtains cost approximately twenty thousand dollars. The stage crew had a large job unraveling the mystery of the ropes and switches. Although the auditorium is too small to hold all-school assemblies, it is such a great improvement that no one minds that inconvenience. u l Preparing the new wing for student use, a painter has climbed up on his ladder to cover the walls. Crews of painters, electricians, and carpenters worked even after school had started in September on the new plant. In their new home at last, students, teachers and parents enioy the facilities of a modern school. Through the halls, built in i938, l94O, 1954 and l963 walk many friends who, hurrying to class, wave a friendly hil