Withrow High School - Withrow Annual Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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The old spring house-now the wild flower garden manual Skinner organ. Mr. Heinroth. one of the world's greatest organists, and other noted artists have favored the students by playing for them. The Class of '21 presented to the school a bronze tablet. which was placed near the organ, as a testimonial of gratitude to Mr. LeBlond. The organ screen, which adds beauty and symmetry to the stage, was built by the Board of Education. The organ has played a prominent part in the Annual Concerts which have con- tinually increased in popularity sinceitheir inauguration in June. 1920. They are rendered by the Junior and Senior Orchestras, the Girls' Glee Club, the Boys' Glee Club. and a Mixed Chorus. These musical organizations, under the leadership of Mr. Surdo. have become very proficient and their performances always receive a favorable reception from the public. With the funds of various organizations the school was able to purchase several cellos, violas, clarinets, trombones, snare and bass drums, and tympani. The auditorium was equipped with a motion picture machine and screen through school funds. The stage furniture, consisting of Windsor chairs and velour curtains, was purchased, and recently the addition of the drop curtain has made the stage complete in every detail. , Thus passed the second year of the wonderful life amid these beautiful surroundings. The Class of '21 inaugurated the custom of holding the graduation exercises in our own auditorium. They also started the pretty and impressive practice of marching from the northeast door to Madison Road, returning across the bridge, entering the door of their alma mater for a last time as students, and then taking their places in the auditorium. Our stadium ten years ago 15

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Womenfs Garden Club also showed much interest in the embellishment of the grounds and presented the flagstones which surround the fount. In September, l9l9, the school. which can accommodate 2.500 pupils in its combined units, was opened with an enrollment of thirteen hundred students which seems a small number when compared with our present family of 2,100 pupils and 90 teachers. These were drawn from Hyde Park. East End, Oakley. Madisonville. East Walnut Hills, Evanston, Pleasant Ridge, Kennedy Heights. and Mt. Washington. Mr. Edmund D. Lyon. who earned an enviable reputation as principal of Hughes High School, was chosen to head the staff of 65 teachers. Electric lights. class bells, parts of the laboratory equipment. the gymnasia, and the manual training equipment were lacking. Two buglers served as the announcers of class periods. Since the library was yet unfinished, the pupils were denied the use of it for several months. The lunchroom was opened, but so incomplete in equipment was it that the students were obliged to bring their own silverware. That which is now the teachers' lunchroom then housed a manual training class. The stadium was still in process of construction. andthe athletic field was not yet leveled. School spirit sprang into an early existence. and the Senior and Junior classes chose orange and black for the school colors. Teams there were. indeed, and the boys walked a mile to and vf' 'Tn K ,- wmv '1 I W The old driveway from football practice with no visions of a shower awaiting them at the end of their labors. The basketballers were also handicapped in being forced to use a room in the Industrial Arts building for practice work. Other branches of activity took form and later added zest to the curriculum. The Junior class established a precedent by giving the Seniors a reception in March. Then came the end of the initial year, and joint commencement exercises were held in Music Hall. When school reopened in September, 1920. a transformation met the eyes of the students who returned, The corriders were lined with neat lockers in place of the unsightly holes of the previous year. There were two completed gymnasia and two large swimming pools ready for immediate us. Furthermore. the wonderful stadium with a seating capacity of 8,000 had been completed. The clubs of the preceding year were reorganized. and many new organizations were formed. The work of the Garden Club is worthy of special mention, for they planted a wild flower garden in the ravine and ceaselessly labored to beautify the grounds. Now, in the nook beside the girls' gymnasium, there is a hardy garden growing about a bubbling fountain as a further monument to their efforts. The pupils were highly delighted when. on the second of December, the magnincent organ presented to the school by Richard K. LeBlond was dedicated by the great French organist. Joseph Bonnet. The wonderful instrument, which is perhaps the best in Cincinnati, is a four- 14

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The summons to learn in the fall of 1921 held no terrors for the students. and the pleasant routine went smoothly on. The Tower News was formally launched on its illustrious career, not as a magazine similar to those of neighboring schools, but as a biweekly paper sup- ported entirely by subscriptions and containing no advertising matter. The Tower News is printed in the school on a Kelly press, and the printing and setting of type are done by students. Its success is shown by the number of subscriptions and by the fact that with its profits the staff has bought type, desks, lile cases, and has purchased an oil painting for the school. The furnishing of the model apartment was accomplished in this year by the School Board and several donors who in their generosity contributed much to its completeness. This apart- ment is a feature seldom found in any school, and the household arts students delight in caring for it. The Class of '22 was so justly proud of the pre-eminence of its alma mater that it pre- sented a beautiful trophy case for the ever-growing display of awards. The year beginning with September, 1922, was conspicuous for the athletic triumphs of Withrow. In every sport. football, basketball, swimming, track. and baseball. our teams out- distanced all competitors. Our wonderful stadium with its athletic field and cinder path was in some measure responsible for these successive victories. In the spring of 1923 the entire athletic field was sodded through the generosity of the Class of '23 together with a popular subscription among the student body. One of the outstanding events in the year 1924 was the naming of our school. Although it had never been officially named such, it was generally known as East Side High School, or simply East High School. On May 19, 1924. the Union Board of High Schools voted unani- mously to honor the retiring President of the Board of Education, Dr. John M. Withrow, by conferring his name on East High. This mark of recognition was granted to Dr. Withrow because of 'his long years of service on the School Board and his efforts in behalf of the cause of public education in our city. 16