Westbrook High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Westbrook, ME)

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Y. if ff Qizfff r Giga . ... ' S. I, . l . g::,1r.giF' non - Xl s is s s - 'E S iw 5 . 1'-I? -' .. . ff Q 1 .- . 5'-?3'2:-1 1' X 1 252 v- f' 51? 153' ..'4E1i'.i-E- fri1-1a-2'5:-f-.i- .-., 2 ' - ,'-:-5.,11gy.,,,,. Q , , -- A -:::3:.-,3.5:.5.- - A -' 1 . , 'I' TERCENTENARY OF THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL In 1635, the first American High School was dedicated in Boston. Settlers of Virginia had previously attempted the construction of such an establishment for the education of the American youth, but their efforts were brought to a standstill by the great Indian Massacre of 1662. Boston. too, had its difficulties before Boston Latin School opened its doors to the eager generation of boys and girls who sought learning. To these pioneers of American civilization this school was the realization of their dream, the fulfillment of a cherished ambition. In 1935 Boston Latin School stands as a symbol of ideals of our predecessors in the colonization era. Thousands of high schools are now spread over all our American soil. Millions ofstudents, the young generation of the twentieth century, are uniting through publications of all sorts to commemorate the tercentenary of the American high school. The BLUE AND WHITE has absorbed the spirit of the hour. This annual has collected the thoughts, the accomplishments of the high school student of today. After three hundred years of organized teaching the difficulties of learning have greatly diminished, the means and ways of procuring a good education have been made much easierg yet the progress we have made appears slight in consideration of the facilities offered. I IVe have blended our Work into one publica- tion for the people interested in our advance- ment. VVe hope it proves satisfactory and that the judgment passed on us be not too harsh. AIME FOURNIER, '35. HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL Three hundred years ago the people of Boston founded the Boston Latin School, the forerunner of our modern high school. Before long other cities followed their example and by the end of the seventeenth century about forty Latin grammar schools had been estab- lished in New England. The colonists sup- ported these public institutions by grants of land, tuition, bequests, taxation, and other means. The school itself, which stood on School Street, near King's Chapel, for 200 years, re- sembled a brick colonial dwelling house. Most of the boys, who were admitted at the age of nine, were sons of citizens wealthy enough to send them on to college. Among the early graduates were the Adams brothers and john Hancock. Benjamin Franklin also attended for a while, but did not graduate. Most of their time the students spent in learning and recit- ing Latin conjugations and declensions, and in translating and composing Latin and Greek. However, one writer says that football was often played on the Common between the Bos- ton Latin School and Dixwell's private Latin School. Judging from the form of punishment in vogue at the time, one would think that mis- behavior must have been rare. It wasn't even safe to scratch one's head in the Latin School. Although scratching the head might be indis- pensable in solving some weighty problem, the eagle-eyed master would probably misin- terpret the activities. The innocent offender would be shaking with fear, not daring to look at the piercing eyes under the bushy brows as the master briskly strode towards him. In his

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EDITORIAL BOARD Seated Qleft to rightj-Evelyn Hansen, Mary Peachwall, Marjorie Shaw, Beatrice Doughty, Katherine Sullivan, Anna Verrill, Theresa Straw, Ruth Wheeler, Mary Jack. Second row, standing Cleft to rightj-Robert Knowlton, Thorwald Hansen, Margaret McAloney, Constance Peters, Eleanor Cragin, Betty Robinson, Leah Smith. Aime Fournier, Edward Kennie, Emerson Anderson, James Daly. Third row Qleft to rightj-Theodore Crowell, Phil LaFond, Robert Bryant, Raymond Turgeon, Axel Hansen, Lawrence Farr, Thomas Verrill, Paul Smith, Ernest Speirs, Leonard Emery.

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Westbrook High School i 'QDQ A 7 hand he would have a remedy sure to cure any itching scalp-an iron comb with a handle. If the boy were a frequent offender and the master cruel, the scalp might be bleed- ing instead of itching after he was through. Another cruel punishment was the stocks in which the boy's feet were locked while the master whipped the offender. A milder punish- ment, perhaps to be used when a boy couldn't remember a declension, was a small, flat piece of wood, sometimes wire-covered, with a handle on it. The master could make a boy's hand sting very easily with one of these. The mildest punishment was the Dunce's or Ass's Board. It had a picture of an ass on it and was hung around the neck of stupid, lazy, bored, and mischievous scholars. The course of study which these early schools offered seems today unbelievably nar- row. Their only purpose was to prepare the scholar for college, therefore, their curricula depended on the entrance requirements of the colleges. At that time the colleges demanded a thorough knowledge of not only Latin, but Greek also. Since one of the main purposes behind the founding of the school was to pro- vide Boston with an educated clergy, all of the students, whether they had any idea of being a minister or not, were well prepared for it. The only way for a boy to learn law or medicine was to serve an apprenticeship. Only a few of the largest cities boasted schools where banking, trade, commerce and industry were taught. VVhat a great difference the modern high school has made in the oppor- tunities offered young people! The early educational system is spoken of as a dual system, because the secondary school had no connection whatsoever with the elementary schools. Therefore, there was usually a large gap between what was taught in the last year of elementary school and what was taught in the first year of Latin school. In 1828, the Regents in New York State re- quired that before the pupil be admitted to the English course, he must show proficiency in the subjects usually taught in the common schools. This established a relation between secondary and elementary education' and soon all the states followed in abolishing the dual system. About 1700, the control in the communities began to shift from the clergy to the industrial and commercial men. They naturally de- manded schools broader in scope and more practical. The result was the American acad- emy. One of the finest and most progressive of the academies was the coeducational one ,founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1751, now the University of Pennsylvania. The subjects which were taught at the acad- emies included almost everything anyone could name that was known in those days. The academy was not closely connected with the college but did offer a classical course preparatory for college. The broad curriculum made secondary education seem much more desirable to the young people than it had be- fore. Since the academy was open only to those who could afford it, much bitterness and jealousy was created among the poorer people and the advocates of free secondary education. By 1850 there were 6000 academies in Amer- ica, most of them in New York and New England. Naturally all of the owners and backers of these institutions were strongly opposed to any form of free secondary educa- tion. Also, men who could afford the academy for their own sons were against paying taxes for someone else's son to attend a public school. The iight for the high school has not been an easy one, nor is it easy here today. To come back to Boston, we find that the Boston Latin School is one of the few gram- mar schools which were not forced to close during the academy movement. Incidentally, this school is still in existence today. It was then in no way connected with the common or elementary schools. There was, therefore, no school for boys who had gone to common school but could not attend either the academy or the college. In 1821 a Boston committee which had been appointed to study the situa-