Latin School of Chicago

Background: Girls practice their posture in 1900. A report card from 1908. Six graduates of Boys Latin were killed in WWI. 34 languages, mathematics and sciences, English and American literature, both ancient and modern history and physical education. Miss Vickery and Mr. Bates added electives in manual training and crafts to their traditional classical curriculum as well as cooking for the girls. According to Women Building Chicago 1790-1990, "The inclusion of these subjects reflected Vickery's agreement with educators such as Parker and pragmatist philosopher John Dewey, then based in Chicago, who proposed a democratic education that combined 'culture' and 'useful work' for all students. These educators opposed a class-based separation of 'culture' for the children of an elite and the manual skills associated with 'useful work' for the children of the working class." Miss Vickery and Mr. Bates devoted themselves to providing students with individual attention and a distinct feeling of community. "It is believed that the best results are attained by restricting the number of pupils, so that the maximum of individual attention is possible, while the discipline and community life of a school are retained," the school catalogue states. In the upper grades, Mr. Bates focused on preparation for college entrance examinations. As a result, Latin sent more students to Harvard University than all the other schools in Chicago combined. Twice as many enrolled at Yale University, and over many years no candidate recommended by the school was ever rejected by either school. By all accounts Latin graduates where well prepared once they arrived at college. L AT I N M AGAZINE "The four years of college which followed and subsequent years in law school were comparatively easy after the thorough and effective preparation accomplished at the Latin School under the sympathetic and intelligent guidance of Mr. Bates and Miss Vickery and their admirable staff," wrote Tappan Gregory '06. "Their intellect and understanding made themselves felt throughout the school." Outside of the rigorous classroom work, there was little time for extracurricular activities. Students' main pursuits were writing and producing the school's publications Sigillum, Folio and The Rostra and participating in athletics, which were always taken seriously. World War I did little to interrupt the school routine, but the community came together to support the troops. Students in both the boys and girls schools sold war stamps. The girls school was very involved in raising money for the French Ambulance Relief Fund with the motto: "Give 'Til it Hurts!" The school also opened its doors for the weighing and measuring of infants as part of the Child Welfare Program. By the time of the signing of the Armistice in 1918, there were almost 200 graduates of Boys Latin in uniform, six of whom were killed in action. The prosperous 1920s brought a construction boom to Chicago, including the building of many of the city's landmarks. The city became a transportation hub with the openings of Chicago Union Station and Chicago Air Park (later Midway Airport). The school benefited from the prosperity and continued to grow, but uncertain times and big changes were just around the corner. n

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