Street cars, fraternities, FDR, Nazis, and the "New Deal' are no longer a major concern of the students of Lakewood High. These topics did, however, hold the interest of students 35 years ago, according to Mr. Harold Gilbert, president of Gilbert Publishing Company, a member of the LHS class of 1934.
Receiving his initial training in printing from the Lakewood High print shop, Mr. Gilbert has gone on to become the president of the publishing company located on Detroit Ave., in Lakewood.
There have been many physical changes in Lakewood High in the past 35 years. According to Mr. Gilbert, there was no L-room, Civic Auditorium, football field, or boy's gym when he attended school. The double assemblies were held in what is now the Tryout Theater, speech room, and the library. The library was then located in the second floor hall between the Science and Main buildings, where the English office is now located. The cafeteria was on the third floor of the Science building where chemistry and physics classes are presently held.
The swimming pool was 'quite new, and Lakewood was proud to be one of the first in the country to teach swimming," commented Mr. Gilbert.
"On the first floor in the corridor between the science and arts buildings was the Arcade," he explained. "It was all built of wood, instead of the masonry that is there now. In the arcade there was a stand that sold hamburgers and chocolate. The students would gather there during lunch to 'socialize.'"
Fraternities, sororities, and outside clubs, now forbidden to LSHers, existed 35 years ago. These clubs featured "big dances downtown with big bands."
The football season in 1934 differed from 1969's in that there were lightweight and heavyweight teams. Because of the lack of lighting facilities, the teams played on Saturday afternoons on what is now the baseball field.
"Students mostly walked or biked to school," explained Mr. Gilbert. "I'd say that fewer than 30 owned cars. They could take the street-car for three cents that rode up and down Detroit, Madison, and Clifton. A few cross-town busses traveled down Warren and W.117th."
"Money was a definate concern in an economic sense because of the depression," commented the Lakewood printer and publisher. "Young people now are interested in other things because they have the money."
"After getting out of high school and having had 35 years of seasoning, you begin to appreciate the teachers and what they were trying to do for you," concluded Mr. Gilbert. "Conditions have changed and LHS has changed with them."
This article was written by Mary Petrasik
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