Wilkinsburg High School - Annual Yearbook (Wilkinsburg, PA)

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1 , I c WM .4 my MNNGMW A wma -- X SE1uPLE SCHOOL For the second time the Horner School building burned to the ground. and the present junior High School replaced it in 1018. The johnston School was also destroyed by tire and rebuilt in 1922. Allison School was then built so that the lower grades mightl be separated from the congested junior High School. Turner School was then built for the convenience of the students who live in that district. During the next few years the lack of adequate health facilities was felt in the school system, and for that reason the Open Air School in the McNair building was open- ed: this was followed by an Opportunity School for retarded pupils. In 10.22 a dental clinic was started in the junior High School. The work of this clinic was done by the Senior Class of the Dental School at the University of Pittsburgh. The same year school banking was introduced in the schools, and has in every way proved a success. For many years the only publication of the students was a magazine called the Rl'7'ft'7f7, which appeared several times during the year. The last issue of each year was known as the Commencement Issue and serv- ed as our Jmzzmlx do today. In 1021 the Commencement Issue was discontinued and replaced by a yearbook. An appropriate name for this book was sought but the un- assuming name of Thu Amfmzl seemed to be MR. WM. SLATER .-1 Hcfn'lf1'1l 7'cm'hcl'

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6 The period from 1900 until 1911 was one of A rapid growth, not only in the number of students but also in the variety and size of the curricu- lum. A few years before, most of the academic sub- jects had been added. In 1901 physical training and drawing had been adopted. During these eleven years the student enrollment increased from 1300 to nearly 3000 and the number of teachers and principals from 45 to 72. The class of 1900 THE HORNER Sci-toon-1887 Cqmgigting of nine girls was the first to complete the three year course in the high school department, and the class of 1907 the first to complete our present four year schedule. Because of the overcrowded conditions at this time. the Board of Education let contracts for johnston School in 1906, and for the high school building in 1911. f1'revious to this time, the high school had been housed in three rooms in the McNair building and later in the entire third floor of the Kelly school.j For the first time, the students of the high school department had a building all to themselves in which they could take the courses and have the entertainment and enjoyment that they wanted. Heretofore there had been no gymnasium, no science rooms. no library, nor study halls, the new building was equipped with all these. The students were quick to make use of these necessities, and in those years started many of the enter- tainments and social activities that we have today, such as the Gym Exhibit. the junior and Senior Proms, and many of the clubs. Under Mr. XY. C. Graham's supervision athletics made great progress. In 1903 was organized the first varsity football and in 1906 a paid coach was hired, and our first W. P. I. A. L. champion- ships in football were won in 1914. 115 and '16. In appreciation of Mr. Graham's work. the new athletic iield. dedicated in 1914, was named for him. In 1915 when the evangelist Billy Sunday had his tabernacle here. in VVilkins- burg. a number of the students of the high school and a few citizens of the borough. infiuenced by his preaching, asked that the School Board prohibit dancing in the schools. The School Board approved this plan, and until 1930 no dances of any kind were allowed in the school buildings.

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suitable and has never been changed. In 1930 the Rfwivzcf was entirely discon- tinuedg in its place is published the bi-weekly newspaper Thr Hi lfVay.v, which be- gan in 1928 as a school page in the local newspaper. Once more, as before the building of the high school, the same complication of over-crowded rooms and classes seemed to be arising. 'l'he situation soon became so serious that the two corridors along the auditorium balcony were enclosed and turned into study halls. These we know today as rooms 2ll and 212. It was necessary to suspend chapel in order to use the auditorium for a study hall, and the mechanical drawing classes were forced to lower the curtain and meet back-stage. The school also installed lockers in the halls for those who were without cloakroom facilities. Finally when it became impossible to accommodate the increasing num- ber of students, the School Board added the new addition to the High School. As we know, the new addition, including the boys' gymnasium and the auditorium, has improved conditions temporarily. but even today it is almost impossible to seat the whole student body in chapel. This has been the story of the rapid growth of our schools. NYe are indeed in- debted to Mr. Anderson. Mr. Martin, Mr. Allison, Mr. Graham. and the school boards who without any remuneration have served so faithfully, and also to the many other men and women who have served their community by serving their school. In appreciation of their work, let us hope that our generation and especially our class may continue to maintain their line standards and may in some way repay them by our co-operation and loyal school spirit. --fm' illarry JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL