West Philadelphia High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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ROI TGA f 'S I 'BJP , 1,11 l My lr .yi V 4' l 5 'Q . , .. H-.ll.1w ll 4 I lVf,,,y -, . ' Q : T Qmffizf 4' ill . Q X ' ' i lfy C! X X X il! an X '-P M l ' Q2 - , ff '- 9 , . lf, f f mam- ff '23 5 ' . ff! i197 V .sp im... 4 '-1' iff y f 2 gxl Ngfg' ' 7 Z 4 our years ago, at the beginning of AY' F L 5 ebiuaiy 1914 a laige ciowd of Freshmen was gathered on hw tl I 'l' hardly' seems possible that f I . . . , , . . . fgijgl-'fa ie corner of Forty-eighth and VValnut streets, anxiously wait- ing to make our initial entrance to the West Philadelphia High School for Boys. We went into the building looking about wonderingly with a spirit of eagerness mingled with awe. Everything was strange and new and the beauty of the building made us proud to say that we belonged to such a School. Ah! but how long would we truly enoy and reverence our Vlfestern High? For only four short years, long to look ahead, but only too short after one has traversed it 'ind lookin b lx . t , g ac ', can make 11 brief summary of all that has been done We entered the auditorium and sat down, full of curiosity as to what would be done next. A chatter could be heard all over the room and at times the treble voice of an . d ' ' ' ' ' excite P1 eshman could be distinguished above the rest. Suddenly everybody became quiet when Mr. Heyl, our Principal, started to talk to us and gave his welcome address, He told us about the various rules of the School, what stairways to use, how to go around the halls, and also that we must uphold precedents which the other stu- dents had set for us. It would have been extremely amusing to a spec- tator to notice the blank look on the faces of most of us. Our minds had not yet developed to the point Where We could appreciate minute details. We were then boys, and the' faculty of West Philly was there to trv to m k . . a e men of us. Yes, men, in intellect, but still boys in spirit. 21 if

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HONOR MEN S.xMliEL FREIUNIAN Hxlmlsux K. SAYIQN Firsl llmmz' Svrmzd llnmn' JOSEPH R. BAUER .ALBERT F. DAGIT Third Honor Frmrill Hmmr

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Q v 1 1 -wr. -2 22 THE RECORD 1918 Several days later, after we were given our rosters, We started school in earnest. Many were the complications and woes into which a Fresh- man fell. lfVe believed Seniors who told us that the lunch room was on the fourth floor and grinned sheepishly when we discovered ourselves the victims of a practical joke. When we found the lunch room, at the direction of one of the protecting faculty, we got into more trouble. Seniors were kidding us, other students were taunting us, and despite our efforts to appear like upper classmen we were always singled out. In the first and second years of our High School career many of our number left our midst. Some couldn't stand the bombastic epithets of an irate Professor, while others with a far more noble and lofty purpose left because they were unwilling to make Mr. Plitt suffer any indignities in his efforts to teach them Latin and Greek. Those were real martyrs! Our Class has always tried to live up to the precedents and even to surpass both athletically and scholastically those which had been estab- lished by former Classes. Many of our numbers represented the School in baseball, track, crew, football and swimming, and not confined only athletics, some devoted their time to literary and musical pursuits either by contributing to THE WESTERN or by joining the Glee Club or Orchestra. Now, having gone through our Hrst years of High School, we find our numbers sadly diminished. What had been one of the largest Fresh- man Classes to enter West Philly, by the time we had become Seniors, was one of the smallest Classes and our graduates number approximately only sixty. In February, '16, we entered our third -or junior Year, and when we looked ahead two years to our graduation- Well, what's the use, we're only half through, anyway. Even though the outward appearance of expectation was suppressed, yet there was not one who was not anxiously and eagerly waiting for the time when he could look back and claim Western as his Alma Mater. Each year of training and scholastic ex- perience seemed to make one feel a new sense of pride and dignity. On March Zd, 1916, we held our first Class meeting and for the first time met as an organized group. One week later we elected the following oliicers: Williams, President, Moss, Vice-President, Bauer, Secretaryg Fisher, Treasurer, Grubb, Gundaker, Hahn, Mahoney, Partridge, Council- meng Mr. Anthony, Class Advisor. Due to resignati-ons and to the de- parture of some from School, our officers had been changed frequently