Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL. lb

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 15 would inquire as to the location of my house, find it, ring the bell and inquire of the one answering if I lived there. If he happened to ring at the wrong house he would not ask “Who is this?’ ' but he would ask for me and when in- formed that I did not live there, beg pardon and ask to be directed to my house. Is there any reason why he should change this polite way when he is trying to get communi- cation by telephone? Suppose he was hunting a man said to be on the street, would he accost every man he met and ask “Who are you?” and if he did not give the name he wanted, say he didn’t want him and go for the next one he met in the same way? Not one of us would do that. If he should be so impudent and impolite, the chances are that before he had gone a block some gentleman would kick him or give him a bloody nose, as he deserved, or have him arrested pend- ing an inquiry of lunacy. The way all of us would do: We would make an inquiry and, if in doubt, we would ask if the person we addressed was the one we wanted, and not ask Who are you?” Some of us forget all about this when we go to a tele- phone. We ring as if there was both a fire and a riot on in our dooryards. If we are not instantly answered we get nervous and speak angrily or impudently to Central. We hear a “Hello!” whereupon we yell “Who is this?” Our answer might be “Bartholomew,” then we, in a louder voice, ask “What Bartholomew?” Our answer comes “Lawyer Bartholomew,” and still louder we ask “Which Lawyer Bartholomew?” all because we had not the polite- ness in the first place to ask if the person addressed was the Mr. Bartholomew we wanted. But this is sufficient for illustration. How should a conversation be carried on by telephone? As kindly, considerately and as politely as if the parties were face to face. No one of us would ask “Who is this?” If we should do so we ought not to expect a better answer than “Who do you think it is?” or “Guess!” An example: Central — “What number?” W. — “592, please.” (A hello.) W— “Is this The Best?” Ans. — It is.” W. — “May I speak to Miss Stoddard?” Another: “Is this Mr. Golightly’s residence?” Ans. — “Yes, sir.” W. — “Will Miss Gwendolin favor me by coming to the phone?” (A soft hello.) W. — “My dear Miss Gwendolin, I have been exceedingly unhappy ever since I left you last night. I feel that the lan- guage I used to tell you of my love for you did not begin to give you its heighth, depth and breadth, and I want to unburden my » ” In the interest of good manners and of polite and pleas- ant telephone intercourse, let us bar the impudent and im- polite “WHO IS THIS?”

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL DESCRIPTION OP NEW CENTRAL SCHOOL. The Valparaiso City High School is a building of which the people may well be proud. The civil city being bond- ed to the limit, the state legislature passed a law that the school city might, by the vote of the people, permit the school board to issue bonds for the construction of neces- sary buildings. Two years ago our board complied with this law, and bonds to the amount of $44,988 were issued for this purpose. We now have a building consisting of twenty-three rooms to be used for school purposes. The basement is built of concrete and Joliet stone. The main part is the best quality of pressed brick. A tile roof adds much to the architectural appearance as well as to the durability of the building. The high school occupies the entire second floor which consists of an assembly room with a seating capacity for two hundred and twenty-five pupils. This room is finished in Dutch bronze which appeals at once to the artistic eye. On this floor are rooms for each of the following depart- ments: Science, Mathmatics; Latin, English, German, History and Typewriting. The library and superinten- dent’s office are also here. The rooms open into large hall- ways at the end of which are the toilet rooms. The first floor consists of ten well lighted recitation rooms opening into spacious halls. In these halls are lo- cated the open cloak rooms. The seventh and eighth grade departmental work is located here occupying five of the largest rooms. The basement is well lighted. In consists of Kinder- garten, Teachers’ club room, Chemical Laboratory, and two rooms, each ninety by thirty to be used for boys’ and girls’ gymnasium, manual training and domestic science. The building is heated by steam, and it is ventilated by indirect radiation which has proven very satisfactory. The school board should be commended for making some necessary changes in the material even though it cost a little more realizing as they did that the building would stand as a monument to the people for many years. School men and architects have pronounced it one of the best constructed and best arranged school buildings in the state of Indiana. Nothing more need be said. The building stands ready for inspection from basement to garret.