Watkins Glen High School - Senecan Oracle Yearbook (Watkins Glen, NY)

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4 THE ORACLE. AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL, FORMERLY WATKINS ACADEMY. The early history of most institutions is one of transition ami adjustment. and it is evident, from a published report of the board of education. issued under date of September 30, 1873, that Watkins Academy and Union School, now Watkins High School, did not escape the trials and troubles incident to such transitional period. Organization. The Watkins Union School District was organized by an act of the legislature passed April 3, 18G3. Charter Members. S. L. Rood. D. S. Magee, Daniel Howard, Rev. F. S. Howe, F. Davis, Jr., T. H. Abbey, George G. Freer, Orlando Hurd and M. M. Cass. The three last named, being life trustees of the (then) existing “Watkins Academy Fund,” (so called), left by bequest of Mrs. Cyntha Ann Freer. They hold office “so long as they may respectively choose to act.” The term of office of the first three named expired the first Monday in January, 1865. The term of office of the next three expired the first Monday in January, 1866. Vacancies are filled at the annual school meeting which occurs the first Monday in October in each year. Of the nine charter members named above, all except F. Davis, Jr., and M. M. Cass have passed away. Principals. A. C. Huff, from April, 18G3, to March, 18G7. Jacob Berry, from March. 18G7, to July, 18G7. J. Wadhams, from September, 1S67, to July, 1868. Edward Abbey, from September, 1868, to July, 1869. J. L. Mack, from September, 1869, to January, 1874. A. C. Pike, from January, 1874, to July, 1874. Samuel S. Johnson, from September, 1874, to the present time. Since September 7, 1874, until the present time, Watkins High School has been under the supervision of one and the same principal, hence we shall consider its history as divided into two periods; the first period beginning with its date of organization, April 3, 1863, until September 7. 1874, the date at which Samuel S. Johnson became its principal. The second period, from the last mentioned date until the present time. During the first period there were six grades below the academic department and the time required to complete the work of each grade was two years. It will thus be seen that if a child entered school at the legal school age, five years, and kept up with his class, he would be 17 years old when he reached the academic department, an age at

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THE ORACLE. O 1906 ORACLE STAFF. iCclitor-in-Chief : k Verne J)unham. LULU L. WILLIAMS, KATHLEEN B. MILLER, AMELIA L. SEBR1NG, EDNA C. PHELPS, C. EDNA JAMES, Assistant Editors. THOMAS E. REED, JAY W. RAPLEE, LOUIS D. CLAWSON, OLIN J. BAKER. FAY C. NICHOLS. EDITORIAL. For the past, five years it has been the custom of the Senior class of the Watkins High School to edit a publication known as the “Oracle.” Following the custom, we, the Senior class of 'uti. have striven to issue an edition as good, if not better than any heretofore published. As to the success of our efforts, we leave the public to judge. This edition contains not only a catalogue of the school, but, in addition thereto, a few “happenings,” which go to keep up class and school spirit. By reading them the alumni will be reminded of their by-gone school days, and will thereby be enabled to compare their good times with ours. Our chief aim has been to please all and to displease none; but should anything displeasing be found within these covers, we assure the reader it was not the intention of the editors to wound the feelings of anyone. We hereby thank the members of the. board of education for the financial aid extended to us, for, without it, it would have been impossible to publish this “Oracle.” To our principal, Samuel S. Johnson, our thanks are due for his valuable aid in supervising its preparation. In conclusion, we thank the school as a body loi the help the} tendered, and we hope that future editors may be as fortunate as we have been. With these few words, we make our bow to the public, hoping we may be judged not too harshly, and that the reader may get as much fun in reading it as we have had in writing it. L. V. D., ’06.

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THE ORACLE. 5 which he should be fitted for college, or have completed a high school course of not less than three years. There was no graduating course for the academic department during the first period. During the early part of the school year of 1874, an addition consisting of three rooms, two recitation rooms tor the academic department, and one room for the primary department, making seven grades below the academic department, was made to the building. A new course of study was written for the grades and a three years’ course was provided for the academic or high school department. The time required for a pupil to complete the work of the entire seven grades being seven years, a saving of five years over the old course, while the work done was practically the same in amount, or, in other words, the same as was accomplished in twelve years under the former course of study. Under the new course of study the child would graduate from the high school at the same age that he would enter the high school under the old course of study. Great as had been the advancement during the first period. Principal Johnson soon discovered that much yet remained to be done to bring the school up to his high ideals and place it in the front rank with the schools of its class in other parts of the state. Parents as well as teachers were apprehensive that if the children were required to do the same amount of work in seven years in about the same time they had formerly done in twelve years, their health would be seriously impaired, if not entirely ruined. Time has, however, vindicated the wisdom of the change from the old to the new order of things. The regents of the university have gradually added to the list of subjects in which examinations are offered, until now, instead of the six preliminary subjects, more than fifty advanced subjects have been added covering the larger part of human knowledge. The first class to be graduated from the academic department in June, 1883, consisted of but one member, namely, Mary Minnie Freer, the daughter of George G. Freer, a charter member of the board of education. Since that time a constantly growing class has been graduated and has gone forth to bring credit and honor upon its Alma Mater. For many years the greatest disadvantage under which the school had to work was its small and inconvenient quarters in a building which had formerly been the Presbyterian church in this village. But this old building having been destroyed by fire, there arose in its place a spacious and well planned building, now the pride of the village. It was first opened for the reception of students in the fall of 1898. In this new building a room was provided for a teachers’ training