The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEHigh School Traces Nameto Famous Roman OutpostYears ago, as today, there stood in Germany an old city calledTrier. It was one of the early Roman colonies and site of manyold Roman ruins. One of them was the huge three storied gate-way called the "Porta Negra." People came from this city ofTrier to the United States and located over 100 years ago in thesection now known as the Gross Point area of Wilmette. Theycalled their land New Trier after the old home city.Many years later, when the NorthShore was being rapidly populated,there arose a heated controversyover the matter of founding a highThe High Schoolschool. The eligible students had togo to Evanston or Chicago. ThedreamIt opened its doors of building a township highschool was finally realized in 1899on a blustery day inand the erection of New Trier Town-February 1901 to 76ship High school was begun. Frompupils and seven teach-the "Porta Negra," New Trier tookNew Trier Township High school in 1901.ers. Now the $5,000,000its school seal, a copy of that oldgatewayplant serves 2,400halls and library), dining hall, audi-vided, it has been possible to develop.a high degree of participation inFebruaryscholars,torium and a transverse wing. Shops has 140 teach- 4, 1901, New Trier openede also added to the north of thevarsity and intramural sports, andits doors on a blustering, blizzardyers.wer Once it almostbuilding but were removed whenboys and girls utilize the facilitiesdWayit to 76 pupils 40 boys and 36 girls.closed for want ofthe present shop building was com-tc capacity.h them through the storm sevenfunds. Because the or-pleted.* * *teachers struggled to reach theirIn 1923, the old lunch room wasnewiginal settlers called theParalleling the growth in phys- posts of duty. One of thesewarebuilt as it stands today and asical facilities has been a growth Miss Elizabeth Packer who re-township "New Trier"mainesmall three-story section was builtdia citizenship activities, in organ- with the school until herfrom their old home indirectly north which added four class-retiremenizations which exist to help thet in 1941. Another memberGermany, the highrooms on each floor.ofschool and the students by fur- the first faculty was Miss AliceBurchardschool is able to trace * *nishing the opportunity of prac- (now Mrs. Louis Melind)whose term of service was almostits name to the ancientIn 1928, the present physicalticing citizenship.as long.city which was once aeducation building was added and * **named, "the. Leslie. Freeman * *Roman citadel.TherGateNo sketch of New Triers historys gymnasium" to honor aewould be complete without an ac- is startling contrast be-board member who had givencount of the service rendered intween the early school and thehimself without stint in its planspresentime of war.t New Trier. Seventy-and dining: hall stand was anand construction.sixDuring the first world war more pupils and seven teachersathletic field. In place of a din-* havethan 400 graduates were in service grown to 2400 pupils anding hall, students and teachers140In 1931, the present industrial artsand 20 gave their lives. teachers. The original build-ate in a basement beneath thebuilding was built on Woodland ave-In the second world war 3180 wereing with the tower has spreadfront stairs at first cold lunch-aroundnue and bonds were voted for a newin service and 137 died for their it the present plant: thates brought from home, laternewclassroom unit and a new natator-country. and unknown institutionaugmented by something hotnowium, but construction was delayed* * * has a national and inter-prepared in what Is now thenationaon these.l reputation.janitorsBronze plaques in New Triers room, and served by*The "new building" the unit severacorridors contain the names ofl school boys over aThfarthest north was built in 1934, andethese boys and the words of one first graduating class of twolittle counter directly under thethe present swimming pool was fin-of them, Dinsmore Ely, who in hisis in contrast to the present grad-stairs. For an auditorium theyished in 1936. This pool is a specialuatinglast letter to his parents said, classes of 600. Eighty perfirst used the gymnasium.source of profit and satisfaction, not"It is an investment, not a loss,cent of New Triers graduates go on only making it possible for highwhen a man dies for his coun-to college and can be found theLater an assembly room was fin-school students to have the fine op-try."year following their graduation in ished on the third floor.portunities it affords during the year125* * * institutions from Maine to Cali-Until 1912, when a library of 1200but allowing hundreds of smaller chil-Superintendents of the high schoolfornia.volumes was established, the booksdren to swim and dive in summer#have been: Frank L. Smart (1900- * were kept in the rear of the as-and attend Saturday classes. LastA1902), Edward Manley (1902-1904),t first there was only thesembly hall and were so few in num-summer 800 elementary shool chil-onBertrand D. Parker (1904-1905), Wal-e central building with theber that none could be taken outdren had regular swimming lessons.ter S. Asher and Elizabeth E. Pack-tower. To the north, east andover night. This library has grown * weser, acting (1905-1906), Frederick L.t was woodland and swamp-to the present 14,000 volumes.The small school which openedSims (1906-1910), Henry E. Brownland. Where Winnetka avenueIn 19non that cold February day in(1910-1918), Elizabeth E. Packer, act-Wohwe rruns was a muddy road. 12, many new buildings wereadded among them gymnasiums1901 now has value, if you in-ing, (1918-1919), Eston Valentinee the present auditoriumand a natatorium (present studyclude grounds, buildings and con-Tubbs (1919-1923), Elizabeth E. Pack-tents, in the neighborhood ofer, acting (1923), Frederick Edson^5,000,000.Clerk (1923-1930), Elizabeth E. Pack- er, acting (1928-1929), Wesley L.SoBrown, acting (1930-1931), Matthew much for its material growth.ThePage Gaffney (since 1931). spirit, ideals, and services ofNew Trier have kept pace with itsphysical growth. The curriculum hasbeen sufficiently flexible to allowstudents to prepare in great num-bers for the most highly competitivecolleges in the country and yet ithas provided rich opportunities forthe boy and girl for whom it meantthe end of formal education. * *There have been many dra-matic moments in the life of theschool. One came in 1931 whenthe school had to sell tax war-rants to raise money for oper-ating expenses. Suddenly thebanks stopped buying warrantsand the school faced a crisis.The students went out one after-noon and in a door-to-door can-vas sold warrants in excess of$130,000. * Bond sale campaigns during theNew Trier Township High school in 1947.war made school history.Additional wings and buildings could not be shown in one picture.Because of the fine facilities pro-Matthew P. Gaffney