Valley High School - Tiger Tales Yearbook (West Des Moines, IA)

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Y - Y s i Q V , l ANNUAL E Y 0 V 0 6 5 lt IS W D M fig, f A ,L x if1LX,ff, 17 t for - X l WJ' -WM J ,VZ '4fl'3 .W SAMA QL.. -as 1 f , , .fl 'hr 1 fyfiff, , I ji A , 1 , I , Q7 t C 1 1,1 MQ, Y , X W g? N .ff,jf',jif F, '- .asuuwt , , F , This little sketch is the result of a very hurried review of some of the more interesting facts of our high school history, and it is anything but a satisfactory account of the very interesting history of our school. The author would be glad to receive material and suggestions from former students and others preparatory to the preparation of a more correct account of the school at a later date. 5 OTHING could be more modest or unassuming than were the beginnings of West Des Moines High School. On the second floor of a little brick school house situated at Sixth and School Streets, on a portion of what are now the grounds of Crocker School, a few pupils, with one lone teacher, assembled some time in September, IS64, to in- augurate the work of the new high school. The first formal step toward the establishment of this school had been taken May 30, l864. On that date Rev. Simon Barrows, county superintendent of schools, appeared before the board of directors of what was then officially known as the School District, City of Des Moines, West Side, and urged the necessity and propriety of opening a high school. Thereupon the board appointed Messrs. l-l. McClelland, W. H. l..eas, and M. S. Dicker- son a committee 'lto examine into and report upon the propriety and feasibility of establishing a high school next fall. Acting upon this report the board decided on July l to establish a high school in the fall, elected Mr. Barrows principal, and requested him to furnish a schedule of studies. Some time in September an examination of candidates for admission was held by the board, assisted by Mr. James S. Ross, 50 per cent being the passing grade. At this exam- ination Miss Louisa Napier won the honors with a grade of 94 per cent, a fact which secured for her shortly after a situation as teacher in the schools of the town. A committee appointed by the board October ll, to classify the schools and draft a course of study with special reference to requirements for graduation, reported about two weelcs after that the course was not yet ready owing to the recent excitement on accountgafw rebel raiders in the state. But the members of the committee must soon have laid down their arms and returned to the pursuits of peace, for a somewhat extended report was made by them and adopted November 9, l864. The following was accordingly the first course of study of the West Des Moines High School: fifteen