West High School - Hesperian Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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mg the politician’s trickery and incapable of lying to pupil, parent or teacher. He had been something of an athlete, and during his principal-ship did everything to call proper attention to field and track training. On many an afternoon he could be seen in the street between the school-house and the church watch in hand waiting for the harriers to return from their practice dash around Lake of the Isles. He was greatly respected by the lads who won athletic glory for West High school, but whom he also held up to scholarship standards. He possessed the rare faculty of being able to converse on subjects removed from the mere business of school routine.” More School — More Fun! 'Who killed Cock Robin’? used to be a famous question; but 'who lengthened the school day?’ has challenged it. The one o’clock day with its op- L. N. McWhorter portunities for recreation and income-producing afternoon labor died out in this era. It was attacked by three forces, and could not survive. There were manual training and laboratory in- structors who had to clear away the muddle of the day’s operators after one o’clock and therefore seemed to be working longer than other teachers. Forgetting that English teachers especially had sheaves of papers to examine at night, they pressed their case John N. Greer vigorously. There were mothers whom the lure of the club and ready-to-wear was stronger than that of the delayed luncheon with their children, and who felt safer in the knowledge that these children were at school than they could otherwise feel. Finally there were business men distressed by the sight of pupils—and teachers—blithely leaving the buildings at an hour when they were just returning from their clubs to work an hour or so more before calling it a day. These three forces combined to add first one heur and then another to the school day— and that’s that. OVER THERE Playing its part in the world-wide drama which held the center of every stage during the years of 1917 and ’18, West contributed men, money, time, and boundless energy to such an ex-

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CORNERSTONES In 1915, the Board of Education voted to take steps toward acquiring a site and erecting a building, which would serve as a high school for the rapidly growing southwest part of the city. In 1906, the property at 28th and Hennepin was bought, and a contract let for the construction of the foundation. In 1907, a contract for the erection of the building was awarded and later it was officially named West High School. The school opened in September, 1908. The first principal was A. N. Ozias, who came from South high where he had a similar position. The enrollment was 700, about 100 less than the capacity of the building. Enrollment grew by leaps and bounds, and West soon was crowded. In April, 1915, more land was purchased, and in March, 1916, the contract was let for building an addition, the cost of which was not to exceed $200,000. West now had two gymnasiums, a music room, a lunch room, a greenhouse, and a new heating sys- tem. The capacity of the school was increased to 1600. Reminiscing E. Dudley Parsons, instructor at West from its founding until 1928, describes the first student body enrolled in the institution: Students at the new West High school were a mixed lot as was inevitable from the re-districting of the city. Having recently been enrolled in Central or East or one of the other schools, pupils found themselves face to face with a new loyalty. It was, therefore, quite remarkable that West High was not more given to cliques than it was. Three years, and Principal Ozias was dead—of a broken heart, it was reported. Then came 'the little man who was chief executive for six following years,” relates Mr. Parsons in his series of recollections. The 'little man’ C. W. Boabdman was named on the records as Riverda H. Jordan: he is known now as Doctor R. H. Jordan, professor of education in Cornell University. It was unfair, therefore, to refer to him as 'the little man.’ He was a reputable scholar lack-

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p tent that national magazines made favorable comment. Students and alumni who enlisted totalled 760, 24 of whom remained '’over there”. This is, as far as can be discovered, a greater percentage than that held by any other high school in the country. Those who remained at home were no less active in behalf of their country. Numerous drives in the school netted large amounts of money. In one campaign, sponsored by the War Chest Committee in 1918, West raised 8,442 and was the only high school to achieve its quota. Again, by means of a carnival where everything was sold at a profit”, 3,000 was procured for a Red Cross rest hospital. In addition to these drives, each student, contributing money earned by himself, made possible the purchase of an ambulance for relief work in France. This was purely a school project, all outside aid being respectfully but firmly refused. A fourth campaign in which West took part was launched by the Y. M. C. A. and was city-wide in its scope. Due to the energy of the boys, the drive, scheduled to last four days, was halted after forty-eight hours, for more than double the quota had already been subscribed. The war also gave rise to the X Club, organized for the purpose of carrying on war work in the school. Under its auspices 11,000 books were collected for American soldiers in training camps and trenches. The X Club also took charge of the distribution of thrift stamps in West. Many other clubs assisted by supporting French or Belgian orphans or maintaining war gardens. Through the efforts of Miss Maud G. Beck, mathematics instructor, copies of the Weekly were sent to each West boy in France and also to many boys from other Minneapolis high schools. According to witnesses, both teachers and pupils, West high as a whole treated the war as a serious and yet romantic adventure. During the war the school had as a principal L. N. McWhorter, who was appointed in 1917 and served five years. At that time he was elevated to the position of Assistant Superintendent. His place was taken by C. W. Boardman in 1922. Mr. Boardman was in charge for two years, then became principal of the University high school and now is a member of the Department of Education at the U. A concrete idea of an athletic field manifested itself as early as 1920. In that year, part of the mud pond” back of the school was purchased. Other plots were added in 1925, 1926, and 1929. The Board of Education gave West permission in 1929 to grade and condition the field for athletics. The entire project cost about 18,000 of which the Board liquidated 13,000. The school had paid for the rest by the end of 1930. During this project, John N. Greer was principal. Appointed in 1922, he is still leader of the school. In 1920 a student office was established as headquarters for such organizations as the Weekly, the Hesperian, the West High Athletic Association, and the Student Council. It co-operated with the main office and controlled student activities. SCHOLARSHIP For the female of the species is more clever than the male” can be applied with all verity to the students of West throughout its twenty-five years of existence. Records show that in only eight of the twenty-five years did the boys triumph over the girls. Boys landed valedictory honors in 1910, 1911, 1915, 1925 and 1931. Other years gave the males salutatory honors or a preponderance in the honor roll. As a reward for outstanding scholastic achievement the P. T. A. sponsored, in 1922, the Key Society, an honorary organization for students attaining high averages. Members received small gold keys. In 1932 West joined