Valley High School - Echo Yearbook (West Terre Haute, IN)

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The Hrstory of West Terre Haute Hrgh School In september 1906 with Mr Lambeth as superintendent principal and faculty West Terre Haute School had its beginnlngs in a little old brick building The year 1908 saw the present building standing with an enrollment of twenty five students In 1909 Mr George Grosjean became head of the high school faculty Forty three students were enrolled in 1910 This year was also one of the stepping stones as the school received 1ts first commission from the State Board of Education M1ss Kate Black and Mlss Katherine Rogers became members of the faculty Miss Rogers being the flrst supervisor of music and drawing Two of the charter pupils Sadie Craft and Ray Irwin were graduated 1n this year From this t1me the growth of the school was steady and rapid In 1913 Mr T V Pruitt was elected supenntendent with Miss Helen Ross as prlncipal The faculty numbered eight members wlth three teachers being new Eighteen students were graduated ln 1915 The above brief history was covered fully ln the Annual of 1916 under the title of A Retrospect ln 1916 Mr Glenn Brown became head of the high school department and Miss Merril The year saw a class of twenty seven leave their Alma Mater In 1917 the Senlor Class numbered sixteen The year 1918 was marked by the sincere devotlon and work to the cause of our country in World War 1 Many of the boys Joined the SGFVICG wh1le the girls knitted and worked in every way to do their bit Our high school introduced the subject of French Mr Holler belng secured as instructor The French classes did remarkable work supporting afflicted soldlers in France In 1919 Mr Holler and Mr Royer left to enter tne service of their country The last two paragraphs of history were obtained from the Annual of 1920 under the title of The Echo Followlng World War 1 Mr Carl Holler served as superintendent of West Terre Haute schools assisted by Mr Ivan Nobitt as principal of the hlgh school The school progressed rapldly under the able supervislon of tnese men and the high school was lovingly called Dear Old Valley by its students and faculty In 1926 the commerce department was established Then in 1929 Mr Holler was replaced byI K McCarter Mr Nickolson became superintendent of schools with Mr Alex Menestrina as princlpal High school senior classes reached thelr peak with the senior classes of 1940 and 1941 eacn graduating witn al students C I I1 I I 4 3 I I I l I I . . . I . I o - - - ' rr II taught Latin. Mr. Brown served as principal one year then accepted a posit ion at Muncie. I l 0 I I I I a ll II I ' ' . A . . . I . . ,, rr - - U I C 1 l ' I A 1 I o I ' I a I . 1 , .

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DORID KIRKPATRICK KATHRYN MARTIN MAXHNE NICHOLDOIX Commerce Mathematlcs sw 'Q ..sQ':., , a:'., Q Q. Q ' 'Q INZA OWENS Music as IVA PRICE MARVIN SMITH Home Economics Industrial Arts Driver S Training

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Then came 1941 and Pearl Harbor' Valley gave her share of boys many of whom never came back Pete Whltesell Wayne Punnels Iack Martln B111 McFarl1n Iohnny Smlth these were only a few of the flne boys who never returned Wlth the return of peace Valley too returned to normal Then ln 1957 a dream ma terlallzed when the West Terre Haute schools merged wlth Sugar Creek school to form the West VlQO Metropolltan School Dlstrlct So our h1gh school w1ll soon come to the end of 1ts way but always wlll we remember the blaze of glory set for many by our beloved Alma Mater Valley of West Terre Haute' Trwla of alley The Bobcat symbol became a part of Valley tradltlon ln 1938 when Coach Don Eastabrook wanted a flghtmg team and plcked the bobcat rt 1S small but exceedlngly flerce and dangerous At the tlme Mr Eastabrook Mlss Lotze ofthe muslc department and MISS Stogsdlll Clvlrs Cllnej set up the Bobcat Song, us1ng the muslc of the Washlngton and Lee SWIHQ Valley has many other songs that are tradltlonal such as our Hlgh School Song our Alma Mater Farewell and two or three pep songs besldes our Bobcat Song Our school colors purple and gold were adopted 1n the flrst years because they are royal colors denotlng r1chness and beauty Our school plant lS also qulte lnterestlng Orlglnally all grades were taught at Valley from the prlmary through the senlor year The prlmary grades met ln the annex wh1ch has always been affectlonately called the dog house perhaps because of 1ts d1m1nut1ve slze The gymnaslum occuples the ground where stood a d1lap1dated house whlch served as the lndustrlal arts department for many years The gymnaslum was bullt 1n 1934 to serve both school and communlty and was bullt by WPA workers pald by the U S Government The garage machlne shop 1S one of the newest add1t1ons havlng been added to the annex ln 1949 when auto mechanlcs and drlvers' tralnlng requlred add1t1onal space The Pete Whltesell athletlc award presented by W1ll1am Ketner an alumnus of Valley honors Pete an outstandlng and popular athlete at Valley who gave h1s llfe for h1s country wh1le he served as a gunner for the U S Alr Force ln Europe The award IS always glven to the senlor boy who has done most to foster school Splflt and team co operatlon ' l . I I I I - 1 . I I I 1 - . I . 0 0 , . ' I 1 ' . I I , . . . . . ,, ,, . . . . . , . . . . . . I 1 1 I I C . o