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The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., November 26, 1908, page 1

DEDICATION OF NEW BUILDING
High School Formally Opened
Good Crowd of Patrons and Children the Ceremonies Saturday Evening.

An event of much interest was the dedication of the new high school building Saturday evening, and in spite of the inclement weather there was a good crowd in attendance.
The exercises were held in the assembly hall, which extends the whole length of the north hall of the upper story, making an ideal place for literary and other entertainments in line with educational work.
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Prof. E.E. Coad, county and city superintendent of schools. The first number on the program was the singing of America by the audience, with Mrs. Newton at the piano. State Superintendent Ackerman was then introduced, who made an interesting address of twenty or thirty minutes. He said in part:
"I have been looking forward to this event for nineteen years, and fifteen years ago I said that Hood River would have a school system that would be second to none in the state. I always feel that Hood River is like home, as it was the first place I set foot on Oregon soil when I came west.
"The people of the Hood River should be congratulated on this magnificent building. You have built for the future. I predict that you will have in five or 10 years 500 high school students. You will have a room set apart for the teaching of domestic science, where the young ladies will learn to keep the home in the very best way. You will have another room set apart for manual training, where will also be taught elementary horticulture.
"The high school should not infringe on the pure college courses, but lead up to them, so that the graduate from the high school can go direct to college, or if it is desired to stop there, will be well equipped in education for the world's battle. You can build up a high school here equal to Portland.
"The high school was first developed in the Willamette valley. Ten years ago there were only five cities in the state that had a four-year course of study. There was no law at that time authorizing a high school system. The Oregonian advocated that there should be no free education above the eighth degrade, maintaining that if a student got that far and was interested he or she would get the rest at the higher places of learning. That paper fought a high school so hard in Portland twenty-five years ago, when the walls were up for the building that the citizens were unable to vote a tax to complete it. Harvey Scott fought the high school for 35 years, but at last said to me, 'You have beaten me out.' He is now a loyal supporter of the high school system.
"Eight years ago we succeeded in getting a bill through the legislature authorizing districts by a vote of the people to teach grades above the eighth. We were so fearful of asking too much and not getting anything, on account of the opposition, that the bill did not cover enough ground, and no mention was made of a high school in the bill. At the next season session the bill was amended with the words high school in it, and broadened its scope.
"In Lane county six districts came in and organized a high school district. It is a plan which will be followed in many places. In the organizing of high school districts state aid can be secured. If the schools did nothing more than keep children at home between the ages of 14 and 18, it would pay. That is the time when the children need careful looking after. It is the time when the parents should know where they are, and especially in the evening after school hours.
"I wish to relate an incident that happened a couple of years ago. While walking down Broadway, New York, with a friend from this state, we saw some beautiful red apples in a window. They were selling at two for 25 cents. I remarked that they must be Hood River apples, and also felt sure they must be from Hood River. Upon investigation we found that they were from Hood river and had the label on the box."
The next number was a selection from the Girls' Glee Club, which was heartily encored.
Rev. J.G. Tate gave one of his characteristic enthusiastic addresses, full of good advice for the boys and girls, and while he occupied more time than his predecessor, it was listened to with marked attention to the close. Rev. Tate is an orator of more than ordinary ability, and one of the favorites of Hood River's many eloquent speakers. His remarks were practical, interspersed with lessons from the Divine teachings, and left an impression for good upon his hearers.
Then followed a pretty exercise by eight young ladies of the high school. Each had a large card with the first letter of the name of the celebrated antiquities on the building, and each resided a short verse or history of the celebrated man whose achievements have made for him a place in history.

Virgil -- Georgia Prather.
Aristotle -- Lena Newton.
Ursinus -- Alberta Jackson.
Grasshus -- Helen Orr.
Homer - Kittie Bragg.
Aggripa - Lottie Kinnaird.
Napier -- Blanche Howe.

After a song by the Glee Club the crowd dispersed. The new building will be occupied by the high school next Monday, and these rooms now being held in churches and other places around town will be quartered in the old Park street school.