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Our Class History
1915
- 1919
Our
class entered High School ninety-three strong. We were timid and
nervous, like all Freshmen are, for the first few weeks at least, for
during that time most of us boys were treated to a free haircut and
were otherwise vexed by our superiors. We soon learned our place,
however, and after that everything was all right. All the studies were
new and mystifying to us Freshmen. We felt out of place among the other
classes and made a good many blunders.
The
next fall we came back as Sophomores and we felt as if we had grown
about two feet during vacation. We were sorry to lose our mathematics
teacher, Miss Watson,
about the middle of the year. On this account we were forced to end our
Algebra classes before the regular time, but the students didn’t
protest. In the spring we were all busy gathering specimens for our
Botany work, one of the most interesting subjects in our whole course,
I think.
When
we came back in the fall of 1917, we missed some of the familiar faces
among our faculty, but equally good teachers were on the job to take
their places. Beginning with the Junior year, each student was allowed
to select his course, College Preparatory or Commercial. We also
organized our class for the first time. At our first class meeting we
elected Earle Hickey,
President; Evelyn Saul,
Vice President; Agnes Henry,
Secretary; Loretta Heilman,
Treasurer. To pay the expenses of the class, we rented the Olympic
Theatre and had a Class Benefit show; the profits were over sixty
dollars.
There
were two main social events during the Junior year. We held our Junior
Class dance and it was a grand success. Then in May we held the usual
Junior-Senior Banquet. Speeches were made by the Junior and Senior
Class Presidents and the members of the Faculty. I am sure that the
event was greatly enjoyed by all.
During
the year most of the boys subscribed ten dollars to the Y.M.C.A. War
Work Fund. The girls were anxious to do their part and organized the
Girls’ Patriotic Union, a practically new idea, and nearly every girl
in our class was a member and helped in the work.
But
some of the boys were given the opportunity of rendering further
service. In the spring we were addressed at different times by a number
of prominent men who challenged all of our boys who were not already
employed to join the Boys’ Working Reserve and go to work on the farms
under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A.
of Pittsburgh and the Federal Working Reserve of the State. As many as
could accepted the challenge. They were taken to a camp near Harrisburg
and given a short course of intensive training after which they were
distributed among the farmers of Mercer County.
In
the fall of 1918 we started in as usual in September, but had gone for
only four weeks when the FLU appeared in Greenville as in all parts of
the state and the school was closed for five weeks.
When
we came back we were sad, indeed, for one of our class members, Lois Bromley, had been a victim
of the FLU. Lois was a fine student and popular in the class. Sad also
because one of our Faculty, Miss
[Anna Ruth] Forster, had also been a FLU victim. Miss
Forster had taught some of our class during our first three years and
she certainly was a fine teacher and every student was her
friend.
When
we returned we elected our class officers for the Senior year. They
are: President, Earle Hickey:
Vice President, Helen Dickson;
Secretary, Wallace Campbell;
Treasurer, Agnes Henry.
The
war was still raging ‘‘Over There’’ and the High School Students, 10th
girls and boys, were asked to give five dollars toward the maintenance
of the various war relief organizations. The response showed the
patriotism of our school and we are proud of it.
We
rented the Olympic Theatre for our Senior Class Benefit show and
realized over eighty dollars from the sale of tickets.
Our
class now has only forty members, some having dropped out each year for
various reasons. We are now looking forward to Graduation. A person
never knows how much the High School life has benefited him until he is
about to leave it. But as Alumni we will watch the proceedings of
future classes with interest and sympathy.
- Verne H. Fisher.
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