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

Page 9 text:

T0 the memory of DR. JOHN M. WITHROW, the Class qf :32 imermtly dedicates this Yearirook.

Page 8 text:

FOREWORD N PREPARING this yearbook, we have chosen as a theme the life of Dr. John Murphy VVithrow, confident that the story of his life will inspire higher ideals in VVithrow students. The senior class pays tribute to the untiring efforts of this man whose soul we claim as our own. The staff is greatly indebted to Miss Corcoraifs typing classes, Miss Parks, Miss Green, and Miss Good for their assistance and co-opera- tion in editing this book.

Page 10 text:

THE LIFE OF DR. WITHROW HIRTEEN years ago East High School opened its doors to its first student. Standing on the steps among its graceful Counthian columns were two men, there to greet this first student. The one was Mr. Edmund D. Lyon, who has been principal of our school throughout its entire thirteen years. The other was Dr. John M. Withrow, the man whose untiring eForts are largely responsible, both for the high standing of the Cin- cinnati school system among other school systems of this country, and for the classihcation of our school as one of the model high schools of the country. Dr. VVithrow was especially suited for the prominent part he played in changing the schools of Cincinnati from the poorly heated, inadequately equipped buildings of 1900 to the modern, sanitary, well- equipped schools of todair with the most experienced of teachers, and in bringing about the change in the school board of Cin- cinnati from 21 stepping-stone for 21m- hitious politicians to 21 body of men weii-fitted for their task of making Cincinnati schools the best possible. John Withrow, the son of a farmer who lived in Butler County, Ohio, early began work in the field. Although he never was known to consider archi- tecture as :1 vocation, he showed an interest in this type of work. While still very young, he planned and helped build a house larger than the small frame house in which he was born on October 10, 1854. He came from a weil-educated fam- ily. His grandfather, Samuel Pottinger Withrow, was a man ofunusual learning and of remarkable character. There- fore, it is not strange that we find young John at an early age deeply interested in school work. Because of lack of funds, he con- tinually found it necessary to interrupt his schooling with a term of teaching. After attending Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, for two years, he taught a year at the country school ofJaCkson- burg tthen Jacksonbomi, Ohio. With the money saved from this year, he entered Ohio hVesl eyan Lniversity at Delaware, Ohio; but he was forced to work a year as principal at the school at Amanda, Ohio, before he graduated. After leaving Ohio Wesleyan, he re- turned to Amanda, where he taught another year. During this year he roomed with 21 doctor in a near-by village, riding to and from school on horseback. He slept in the doctor's laboratory, :1 room which contained seven skeletons, each ofwhich he named appropriately. It was perhaps his boarding here that changed his child- hood ambition to become a doctor into a fixed purpose. While teaching in Amanda, he was elected superintendent of the public schools at Eaton, Ohio. He accepted the position and remained there for four years, at the end of which time he entered the Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati. His student days were Characterized by hard work in the midst of much privation. During these years, in which he formed so many ardent friendships, his understanding of human nature and his sense of proportion were growing;