1928 - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Yearbook Collection
A Step Forward
"EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SLUMBERS ON," •'COUNCIL DEFUNCT," and
other such charging statements, spread out in headlines at the beginning of the year
announced to East High School that it was existing without any student control;
that student government, and through it massed student expression, had fallen into a
state of stupor. The student body read these degrading statements, smirked easily
and unmovedly, and produced as their only reaction a detraction of the respect and
honor that was accustomed to go with election to the highest student body of the
school. Yet, in several cases this semester the very persons who wrote these articles
were members of the Executive Council who were attempting to arouse student opinion
to such a degree that reform would be inevitable.
East High had sunk to such depths of nonchalance and indifference that it seemed
nothing could make the pupils feel that they must act. If it were true that student
government had ceased to exist, it was also true that the school was getting on very
well without it. The few pupils who took the interest to discuss the topic of student
government expressed the opinion that a student governing body was an unnecessary
and purposeless thing in East High School.
In spite of these discouraging reactions a few student leaders held the firm conviction
that with student government of a wholesome sort, East High School would be a
better institution. If for no other reason than to give boys and girls the training in
citizenship that comes with tackling civic problems in high school, student government
must be. In the eyes of these pupils East High was far from perfect; something
was lacking in its honor system, in its social life, in its courtesy, in its support of
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