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<*• f,T : .. ' : , r • •: •v* •&*•••< - -vf,.;. v ' > *: "*' 'rv' ~ V " " ' " 7 * ?y " -« s --' ^ ' * ' - . , , •** &<S ' * : . - . ' :~-±~ -- - ~- l - >t < v.: •:m^ >W.r 7tV ••'•-:• .;-/>• 0>. •"-•(;v,\ -"•• ' ••.• ••• •. .., ..." ' •" , ••:><.-Xa:.\ -,V'- i'-;•f t-S•i•ii r .. >* - •;?••••,v: .v.-.--.. ' - .• * * . . * ' , + • _ ' k r* * *' • *'i " • ".7," > '• f"v-•\7:..-. :•• ••- -">•.• V\ih•^ir^-:•• • • • >(•;:•*.•- 4:--? '• •> ": " •'4. :•,-"••••'.•.. • ' • < V: -* ."••••?. - *V^., < : *>Vr- - - -c / ' f i > y ' ' * £ ' • v ' " V . / i yX ? • " > T 7 7 " " > * ." h ' : - > ;* '• • >•• y to ttimm m No organization--no business - has £ history that holds for local residents such great interest or fascination as that of th* McHenry Community high school. Thousands of young men and women, some of whom have been leaders in the growth and progress of this and other communities, have passed through the portals of M.C.H.S. since 1892. A small part of this long his* •ory is remembered by a great number of these former students, but only if the walls could talk could the innumer esting' details of the happenings within the stately structure' over this period be revealed. Among the graduates of 1892 are three who still reside in this city, Mrs. Loretto Walsh, Mrs. Mary Hoelscher and Dr. Joel Wheeler. Mrs. Walsh and Dr. Wheeler, almost sixty years ago classmates, have for many years j-esided as neighbors on Maisi "street in West McHenry. They must often recall, in contrast, the changes in education and in students today as the teen* agers of 1951 make their way 4#% by their doors. # ^ ^ Jk * i A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT Preparing Studtnit For Adult Lif. . H. »CKEB furnishing of worthwhile Activities for four years of a student's life and the preparation of tke youth for adult- The four years of an indiTidual's life from 13 through It years of age are extremely important. To s*e that the youth has a worthwhile life during that time is paramount to every community. The high school furnishes such a life. One of the most essential elements in the training of youth is to keep them busy. The modern high school program accomplishes just this. The child has a regular program for six hours •ach day and besides this has a full program of extra curricular activities. In the McHenry school he has a full roster of such interests as varsity, junior varsity, freshman and intermural teams, noon-day athletics, wrestling, archery, golf, tennis aqd various other activities to engage every student. He has class playsi band, orchestra, glee club, ensembles, a school paper and m well developed social program. Every parent needs to appreciate the value of such a program to his son or daughter. Fifty years ago it was considered that the sole purpose of a hlffh school was to prepare for college and the professions. This Is still a primary purpose. However, it is now realized that only a portion of our youth attend college. Our high school must prepare every youth for his adult life, whether professional or The school now tries to accomplish these ends. Every student Is checked repeatedly to see that <he or she has token subjects to prepare for college if that is his desire. Each student is urged early to choose a college which he may attend and to prepare to meet entrance requirements for that college. The increased number of students attending college today makes thii part of the high school extremely important are now offered. Industrial arts have been (Continued on page 16) :'-T Until 1919 the high school district included only the city of McHenry and was sup- / jfortid by a comparatively* small distict. Impelled by a few leading citizens, an election was held Sept. 20, 1919, for the purpose of forming a, new high school district. By a vote of 312 to 87 favoring the proposal, the boundaries of. the district were changed. The new district included all of McHenry township with the exception of a half-mile *trip four and one-half miles along the,, northwest side. It also included a two-mile strip of Nunda township, with the exception of four square miles lying just south of Lily Lake. . With the enlargement of the high school district, the school boasted ninety students, of which thirteen were to become the first graduates of the Community high school. These 1920 graduates included William Brunswick, George Barbian, Genevieve Carey, Jennie Mae Cooley, Frank Doherty, Blanche Myers, Clarence Niesen, Harvey Nye, Rosemary Nye, Kathleen O'Reilly, Mary Smith, Elsie Vycital and Robert Weber. Little did these graduates of 1920 realize that within thirty years a new school and a new addition would have been added to accommodate the growing student body. Until the erection of the new high school in 1924, grade and high school classes were held in the same building. In 1921 it became the hope of McHenry residents that the city would have a new and modern school building and in a special election in Tpecember of that year their dreams came true. The majority of the 1,019 voters who %/ent to the polls voted in favor of issuing $125,000, five per cent bonds for the erection of a new school. It was not until 1923 that the bonds were sold and in that year erection of the new structure began. In 1940 Wonder Lake was added by petition and the present district includes sixty square miles. The history of the new addition, necessitated by the steady growth of the comrnunity, is known to most everyone. Climax of the building progress came in January of last year when the dedication of the beautiful new building was held, at which time the fifty-eight year history was recalled in pageant form. „=The progress of this period is so widespread that i^ ifr impossible to enumerate in a condensed history. It includieess the addition of new courses, new recreational facilities and, just as important, a new program designed to adjust each student for the life ahead of him. The history of the McHenry high school has been enriched by the contributions of knowledge supplied by faculty members, the wisdom of the men who have served on e board of education and the co-operation of the townspeople in general for more a half century. A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL. -McHenry May Be Proud Of lis Youths < by CARL BIXOEE: ' We who work with, the young people in McHenry Community high school are proud of the ambitions and achievements of this tine group. It is true they never let too many sober and serious views of life interfere with their enjoyment of the present. ^Tith too much confidence in their own ability and luck, they regard the future as.a realm of adventure rather than one of retirement; an'attitude, by the way. quite annoying to some of their elders. When critics of the "younger generation" become vocal in their irritation, they ignore the credit side of the ledger. For every boy who drives stupidly and carelessly during our school day there are ten who attract uo attention. For every loud, discourteous youth who annoys others, there are twenty who go quietly and courteously about their business, setting an example which many adults could profitably follow. For every love-?mitten youth who makes himself ridiculous by the "gooeyness" of his conduct, there are scores who handle their romances with dignity and good taste. For every irresponsible, youngster who brings discredit on his generation by complete lack of dependability, there are twenty who are carrying responsibilities in and out of school which wo«hi tax the maturity of their elders. To each generation is given the duty of training its chUdrcs in manners, attitudes and character. To be too consistently critical of the "younger generation" is a round-about admission that the criUcs have been derelict in their duty ' .Our young people, as a group, are made up of Individuals who differ as widely as do the individuals of any group. Our high school people neither deserve the criticism nor praise growing out of acts of one or a few of the group. It might be well to focus as much attention on the acts and attitudes of the fl»e majority as we do on the thoughtless and undisciplined McHenry citiiens can enjoy and be proud of their and sirl^.