Philip Sheffield High School Yearbook Analysis

Out of all the yearbooks sampled, Philip Sheffield High School yearbook of 1937-1938 was the simplest. Although this yearbook may seem simple when compared with yearbooks yet to come, the times itself did not share this simplicity. It is common knowledge that in the year 1929, nine years before the release of this yearbook, an event called the Great Depression began. The beginning of the Great Depression started in the United States due to the crash of the stock market. Although the stock market crash began in the United States, Canada was not exempt from what was about to cripple society. Canada was too effected by economic depression. Employment was becoming evermore difficult to obtain, resulting in the ever-decreasing wages of the people.

The increase of the amount of students attending school was in correlation with employers rejecting dropout students, preventing the uneducated from finding work. Within schools, classes became larger in numbers due to the fact that more students were enrolling with less teachers to educate them. Overall, the Great Depression effected all of society, including education. Returning to the Philip Sheffield High School yearbook, compared to yearbooks to later come, the 1937-1938 yearbook is limited. Similar to other yearbooks, the students who the yearbook primary focused on was the grade twelves. The students of Philip Sheffield High School were divided into six divisions; each division was allowed a small section of the yearbook. Upon examining the class photos, it becomes apparent that each class was composed of two divisions. With a class being composed of two divisions each, meant that there as a total of three individual classes. The photos also demonstrated large class sizes, which was a response of more students and less teachers due to poor school budgets. The smallest of the classes was the divisions one and two class, numbering thirty-six

The girls league would organise both fun and community events. In regards to community events, the girls would organise events to help their community. Two pages of the yearbook is dedicated to school sports. The sports which seemed most important to Philip Sheffield High School was both track and field and basketball. Both males and females could participate in the sports teams. Philip Sheffield High School found more success with their track and field team. The track team won both the 1938 Track Meet, as well as the Fraser Valley Track meet. The remainder of the yearbook featured tales, school works, and fun jokes. Although the Philip Sheffield High School class of 1938 was during a time of suffering due to the economic depression, the students made the be out of what they had. What this yearbook reflects, is a sense of collective hope by the students. From the joist plays produced by drama club, to the jokes all throughout the yearbook, the students tried to make the best of what they had. Although the depression caused suffering, the students of Philip Sheffield High School remained strong and held on to hope. Little did these students know, the Great depression was about to end, but what was about to follow was to become a terrifying