This year marks The Campanile’s hundredth year in existence. Over the past century, The Campanile has covered a wide range of Paly-related topics. This month’s edition features stories regarding the Paly library, strange and distracting noises, and the class laning system, all of which are issues that persist today.

May 1, 1924:

Volume VI, No. 13

In 1924, the Paly library existed only as an idea. In the Bay Area, some large high schools did have on-campus libraries; however, Paly was not among those, as the concept of a school library was still rather new. Ms. Girdner, a Paly teacher at the time, attended a convention for librarians in Pasadena, Calif. in order to become informed about the function and management of libraries so that Paly could build and manage the best facility possible. Today, Paly has found itself without an official library. While we await the completion of the new facility, students and staff can commiserate with the people of Paly from a pre-library era.

May 12, 1927:

Volume IX, No. 14

An article titled “Demoralizing Noises in Lower Hall” complained of loud noises in a classroom due to construction and nearby train tracks, which was evidently as aggravating then as it is now. One of the teachers considered the idea of moving her classes to a different room to prevent distraction. Despite the noise complaints in the 1920s, students may have considered themselves lucky in comparison to the noise that students today are now subjected to. Although it is undoubtedly a privilege to have new buildings, the noisy disruptions during class leave students and teachers alike wishing for some peace and quiet without the constant sound of jackhammers in the background. Additionally, it is highly unlikely that the classes in 1927 were ever interrupted by the same artificial bird noises emanating from the trees above the art building that plague the school today.

May 5, 1966:

Volume XLII, No. 15

Fifty years ago, students were frustrated with the laning system for classes as a result of valuing grades over the actual learning process. While it was technically possible for students to switch into a more challenging lane, several people remarked that they noticed that in practice, this process was difficult, which discouraged students from attempting to change lanes. This is still a problem, as many students are placed in lanes in seventh grade and will remain in that lane until graduation, regardless of whether or not they are being challenged in class. Both then and now, many of Paly’s students devote more time to boosting their grades than to understanding the material and increasing intellect.

Visit palyjournalismarchive.pausd.org for more articles from The Campanile’s past.