Wilbur High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Wilbur, WA)

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The art display in the building has also increased steadily. Perhaps the most important additions were made in l909, when a special art exhibit was held in connection with the schools. A number of statues were presented to the school by prominent citizens: cthers were purchased from the proceeds of the L. C. S. A. A. meets. One of the latest additions is a beautiful oil painting of Mt. Raineer. lt is the generous gift of Mrs. C. T. Starr. During the last two years, thru the efforts of Superintendent Schmidt. unusual strides have been made in adapting the school to the needs of the community. Bio- logical, Home Economics, Commercial and Manual Training courses have been intro- duced. Agriculture and Chemistry are soon to follow. Thus the Wilbur High School bids fair, soon to become a real people's institution, not only of the town, but of the surrounding country as well. Already half of our attendance hails from rural districts. With all this growth, high standards have been continually maintainedq The position of the Wilbur High School as an accredited institution has never been jeopardized. ln fact every spectator, including state high school inspector, Prof. Twitmyer, has always spoken in highest terms of praise regarding the efficiency of the work and the nature of the equipment. Wilbur may justly be proud of its high school. But our progress has not always been on smooth seas. There are also those in our community who have been slow in recognizing 'the value of a first-class high school. Only five years ago a serious attempt was made to abolish the high school. However, those with broad humanitarian views carried the day. The addition of new courses during the past two years has also met with determined opposition on the part of those who cannot see beyond the dollar. But these crises are of the past. The broad-minded citizen constitutes a decided majority in Wilbur, and under his generous patronage the school will continue to flourish as the years go by.

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glililhur gjigh shoot I A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WILBUR HIGH SCHOOL The Wilbur High School had its beginning in a little four-room building which was occupied chiefiy by grade pupils. In I905, however, the attendance had increased to such an extent that new quarters became a necessity. Accordingly, a fine fourteen-room brick building was erected. This was equipped with an excel- Ient thermostatic heating system, as well as all other required modem conveniences. In the old building, referred to above, ninth-grade work was introduced in 1902, under the guidance of Miss Sara Roberts. The foIIowing year the tenth grade was added. For several years to come, pupils who had finished the wcrk of these two grades were compeIIed to compIete their high school training in Iarger schooIs at a distance. In I907, however, the fuII four-year course was added. Three years later, thru the efforts of Supt. Matthews, the school was placed on the state accredited Iist. Beginning with an enrollment of thirteen in l902, the schooI has rapfdIy grown. During the school year I904--5, forty-six pupils were in attendance. The present year Ieads with an enrollment of seventy. The corps of teachers has increased in proportion. In I902 one teacher was sufficient, the following year another was secured, gradually a third foIIowedg finaIIy, in I9I I, a fourth was added. Since then the number has increased to six, including the music instructor. AIong with the increase in pupiIs and teachers, improvements in equipment have been very noticeable. In I909 the Physics and PhysicaI Geography Iaboratories were thoroly equipped: the foIIowing year apparatus for the department of Botany received special attention: in I9I I, with the introduction of couTses in Zoology, BioIogicaI equipment was added, including four compound microscopes. Since then Manual Training, Commercial and Domestic Science Iaboratories have been secured at considerable expense. The Iibrary, too, has shown steady growth. From time to time donations were made by generous patrons. School entertainments have also been an important source of revenue. By I9 I 0 the number of books had passed the tweIve hundred mark. In I9I I, thru the efforts of IVIiss Sara Sutton and Supt. Schmidt, the books were catalogued according to the Dewey-decimaI plan. At the cIose of the present year the Iibrary contains practically two thousand voIumes. Two dozen of the best magazines are also available for the use of pupils.

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l l .uwltg Graduate, Oregon Institute: A. Ii. Willamette University. lfltlflg O. B. 19103 R. D. Kimball School of Theology. 1910: A. M. University of XVashinglon, Hill: University of Chicago, lSll2g Teacher and Principal. Oregon Puhlic Schools, ISHS!-19035 and l!Nl5-191361 Superintendent ot Schools, Wilbur, W:-sh., Iflll Ill. W. A. SCHMIDT Graduate, Hreat Falls lligh School, A. B., University of Washington, Hill: Instructor in German and Latin, Wilbur High School, llll l-lil SARAH P. SUTTON l Graduate, Tualatin Academy: A. R. Pacitic University, 19103 Instructor in Mathemetics and Physics, and Athletic Coach, NK ilbur High School, Hill-lil A. C. ROBlNbON