Ann Arbor High School - Omega Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

Page 31 text:

And now Mr. Perry announces an essay by Miss Carrie I-Iemenger, but as the young lady speaks without paper and in exactly the same manner as the young gentlemen before her, we are set to wondering why one is an essay and the others omtfons. As Miss I-Iemenger comes forward two old ladies on the front seat are heard to wish devoutly that she may not faint or forget her part. I-Ier subject is Geometry and Greek 'versus Dan- cing and Dress as factors in education, and she takes her seat again without having either fainted or forgotten her part. After her it is announced that Mr. John I-Iosmer will deliver an oration on The ill effects of cigarette smoking upon the physical and mental constitution of youthfl It is delivered with such eloquence that every Junior there inwardly resolves never to touch a cigarette. - J And now the second young lady, Miss Emma J. McMorran, advances and, making her two little bows, harangues the audience on The ideal relations between teacher and pupil. Then again a young gentleman assumes the place of honor, this time our class poetess, Mr. J. Raleigh Nelson, and he de- livers a very touching poem on- the song 'iClS11lG11tl116,H which leaves few dry eyes in the house. ' A ' And now steps forth Mr. Charles VV. Ricketts. His subject is purely literary, The soothing properties of Moorels poem, ' The time I've lost in wooing,' when you've lost both your heart and the girl that's got it and feel most awfully blue. There are four or five young gentlemen among the graduating class who seem especially to appreciate this oration. But while the applause following this speech is atits height, I am suddenly roused from my day-dream, and I do not see the tenth poor victim come to: the altar, although I have previously ascertained that this last is one of the three who vie for tl1e honor of the feminine part of the class. I do not even see the culmination of the hopes of all those hundred youths and maid- ens, the receiving of the long-wished-for diplomas, but, instead, I find myself again surrounded by green grass, trees and flowers, and birds singing their loudest in the tree above me. Let us hope, however, that we shall all see for ourselves these glorious events on a real day in June not far oi. I

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'et ' ten poor unhappy creatures are passing the few till' 5, miserable moments alloted to them before they are summoned tl ii fate to make their names immortal for better or for to 18 ' u wma. After some five or ten minutes of suspense the com- l is given and all form in line and march slowly up to the mam ,, , D commencement hall. Expectant faces of parents and friends .fl-get the voung aspirants to honor as they take the places iissigned to them on the platform. Just before reaching her seatoone of the young ladies drops her flowers, but they are not recovered notwithstanding the chivalrous attempts of several of, the young gentlemen, for it is a very difficult thing even to pick up a bunch of flowers when a room-full of eyes are fixed upon you and you are not at all used to it. , ' The exercises begin with music, Beethoven's funeral march. The pale faces of the mournful ten on the 'platform grow paler as the music progresses. Finally comes the dreaded announce- ment, Oration by M. Calvin Boylan . Witli trembling limbs the gentleman referred to rises, tries to think what foot he' ought to put first in order to come out on the right one to make his bow to Mr. Perry, gives it up and walks out as it happens, makes his two grand bows and stands facing the audience and collecting his thoughts. His subject is Etiquette, and the remarks he makes on the necessity of gentlemen acquiring deli- cacy of manners while they are young, etc., are truly inspiring. He does himself and '90 credit. ' W Next on the programme comes Mr. R. C. Campbell, and he deals with the ethnological subject, The origin of the Camp- bell gens and how it came to have so 'many representatives in '9O. After him Mr. Alfred B. Connable comes to the front, dis- tinguishing himself especially for the grace of his bows ,fsee Mr. Granger, dancing-masterj. His subject is The modern signicance of the Latin camo, amarc, czmrtfvi, cm1.aizmz. But for some reason the speaker seems unable to view his subject quite dispassionately, and at times unconnected remarks about a wedding march rather break up the thread of his discourse. Hext Mr. Thomas E. Goodrich addresses the audience on the toplcv KMY eXDG1'ience of a presidential campaign. Two 01' three gentlemen among the listeners clap furiously, having had some experiences themselves of a like sort. L

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Glass I'-listorg- .ii-ll' BY M. CALVIN BOYLAN. OST of the class of '90 entered the High School building in the fall of 86. Some there are, it is true, who have been Seniors Qso calledj for a number of years and who bid fair to continue such till the end of time, provided they don't become Juniors instead. There vvere 187 in the class at first, now there are only 90 or thereabout. , T Like all Freshmen we had to undergo our share of burdens imposed by those vvho had the supreme honor of entering the school before ourselves 5 torments which had before been under- gone by our tormenters.i , The first hard lesson was learned by some of the class, when they found themselves neither so brilliant, nor so Well prepared as they had fancied. Having taken up two courses, in a short time, they were glad to drop all but the required branches- and I believe We have found our hands full with these. Fresh- men have little class sentiment. We spent the year in learning how to work and formed some acquaintances. Class-sentiment was, perhaps, irst awakened in us by the sudden death fby drovvningl of one of our number, Mr. Fred Freeman. On taking up the Sophomore Work We were able to estimate the advantages We hadreceived from the first year. lVe found ourselves more systematic as students, more thorough in the mastery of a subject, and with higher standards of excellence. We were not privileged to finish any study, as yet, but the Woods began te Clear HJWHY, and we caught glimpses of the dis- tant goal. Thls Year marked a change in the general-English courses