Waggener High School - RingBrothersHistory.com

The Voice of St. Matthews:1955 Advertisement & OtherFebruary 2, 1955:Virus, Flu Pay Schools Annual VisitSt. Matthews schools are under fire from two old enemies—Flu and virus. Theyshowed up on schedule again, right at the last week in January, when there’s a greatup and down movement in the temperature.School officials expect it to blow over, as always, with no fatalities and everybody alittle paler and weaker—and the doctors and drug companies a little richer.The annual epidemic started as usual with the teenagers at Eastern, who’re a littleunder par from not getting to bed as early as they ought to. Now, it’s worked downto the younger students.Principal Jack Dawson said Eastern was hit around Tuesday of last week. By Tuesdayof this week, the causalities were at the peak, keeping about 200 students a dayhome out of an enrollment of 1,600. It started getting to the teachers this week.Three were out by Tuesday.Waggener Junior High was also hit last week, and reached the peak this week.About 185 pupils out of 850 were out Tuesday, Principal John Lowe said some ofthem were not sick, but were kept home by parents to keep from catching anything.Chenoweth School is under siege for the second time this term. The first was beforeChristmas, but was nothing compared to the present one.By Tuesday about 100 pupils were out, according to Miss Marguerite Lewis, principal.Chenoweth’s enrollment is 595.Stivers with 635 students and Greathouse with 850 haven’t been spared. At Stivers,the epidemic started Monday, and hadn’t reached all through the school by Tuesday.But 17 pupils out of one third grade class were missing, and about 80 altogether,according to Mrs. Ruth Osborne, principal.“It usually goes all through the school before it stops,” she said. One teacher wasout last week, and returned Monday. Another was out Tuesday, but she wasn’t sick;it was her son, a student at Waggener. She stayed home to take care of him.Greathouse was at the peak Tuesday, with over 200 missing. One first grade teacherhad only 12 of 28 present, said principal Kenneth Farmer. The casualty rate onteachers is about two a day.“Next comes chicken pox, measles, and mumps,” said Mr. Farmer.December 8, 1955