Auburn High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Auburn, NE)

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The class has proven to the rest of the school their ability for handling orations. From the history of the class of ’10, we conclude that they are capable of going on and taking up new work which meets each one upon leaving High school. There is higher and better work for each of us and we leave A. H. S. with the hope of accomplishing great things in the future. However, we shall always think of the Auburn High school as our old home, in which we hope to have gained many friends and to have lost few. ropljrcf) One bright May day morning in the year nineteen hundred and ten, with a hayrack for a ship, with Ray Farris for helmsman, Miss Shively for pilot and Seniors as deck passengers, I sailed eastward and dropped anchor at the historic city of Brownville. A large part of that day was spent with my companions in rambling about the hills and viewing the ancient ruins. Late in the afternoon while strolling apart from the crowd, I came upon a little path leading away into the woodland and up over the hills. Into this path I stepped and, quickening my pace, was soon alone with nature. Though all was solitary, I followed the path through the trees and over the hills until I found myself upon the topmost part of a high bluff, from which point the distant hillls of Iowa and Missouri were plainly visible while that great river, the “Muddy Waters,” lying almost beneath my feet, silently rolled away toward the Southland. Here upon a moss covered stone I seated myself supposing that I was entirely alone- After some moments of silent musing, I heard a soft rustling sound to my left and turning in that direction I beheld a few pacesa way. seated in the mouth of an ancient cave, the bent form of an old woman. Her dark hair, streaked with gray, fell over her shoulders, the face was thin and wrinkled, but the eyes were bright and expressive. Before I could collect my wits she said, looking me full in the face, “Good afternoon, Miss. Oh you are a member of a graduating class- Let me see, there are twenty-five in your class, seventeen young ladies and eight young gentlemen. I have never seen this group but I know that they are a promising lot and that they are just entering upon the ‘Great Journey of Life.’ ” From these remarks I could readily see that this strange personage must be a fortune teller with prophetic vision, and it occurred to me that she might be able to furnish interesting information concerning the future of myself and the other members of my class. As her manner was kind and pleasing, I advanced toward her and seated myself on the root of an old tree close by her side, feeling that I could lose nothing by coming in close contact with one who seemed even more angelic than human. She first closely looked me over from head to foot, then quietly took my hand and began:

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Iltstorj) Early in the autumn of 1906 we came to the High school, jogging along at the usual pace of Freshmen. We were given the hearty reception that beginners receive each year. The first month we organized our class, elected officers, adopted colors and composed our yells of which other classes soon became aware- Martin Souders was elected president, Vera Anderson vice president, Oakel Young secretary and treasurer. We soon had money in the treasury and a curious tin bank was given to the class by Vera Anderson. This bank we have kept through the four years of High school. Both boys and girls began active work in athletics the first year; the girls had a complete class team in basket ball and there were two from the class who were substitutes for the High school team. For our Sophomore year we re elected both Martin Souders and Oakel Young to their former offices. We took an active and creditable part in the debating contest, there being four debaters from our class. We had two girls in the girls’ basket ball team and one boy in the boys’ team. Ethel McElhaney was captain of the team this year and the two following years. Wa also had several parties and a sleigh ride. We regret to say that we lost one of our prominent members, Lettie Bryant. However, our loss was Omaha’s gain since she entered the High school there. Upon entering our third year of High school we elected Paul Stoehr president. Oakel Young was re-elected secretary and treasurer for the third time. We did not keep Paul as our president long for he entered the Senior class and we elected John Stoddard to fill the vacancy- We had the honor of having one of our classmates, Mildred Hanna, on the debating team, and three girls on the girls’ basket ball team. The boys made second place in the High school field meet, and helped the school in winning their points at the district meet. At the close of the year Carl Holmes left us to enter the Omaha High school. Here again our loss was Omaha’s gain. As Seniors we have furnished the entire debating team and all but one member of the basket ball team. The debating team was composed of LaVeta Snow, John Stoddard and Ruth Kelligar. LaVeta was chosen to represent us in the Southeastern debate and received third place. We are also proud of the fact that so many of the Senior girls are in the A. H. S. Glee club, and that we have one member, Hallie Workman, who received first place in the district declamatory contest and made a high standing in the state contest This shows that there is talent along many lines in the class of '10. The faculty was kind enough to give us a day for a picnic this year. Miss Shively went with us and we spent the day among the beautiful hills of Brownville. Although we did not arrive home until late in the night, we were alll at school the next day on time and able to do double work.

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“Tell the members of your class that as they are now upon the very threshold of life, most of which up to this time has been only sunshine, yet it woud be well that each should understand that ‘life is real, life is earnest, and the grave is not its goal.’ And that each will find that he must build for himself the ladder on which to rise. “Miss, I can’t speak to you in detail of all the successes and failures, all the joys and sorrows of each member of your class, but if I should offer a few lines for each, I would begin with the stately Miss Yochum, ‘May,’ as her schoolmates call her. I have noticed she always accompanies her words with a natural smile. This is because she has a true and loving disposition which will serve her well in fighting life’s battles; in fact, one who always meets friend or foe, play or a difficult task with a smile will have no foes and few troubles. I count on May, wherever her path may lead, to scatter sunshine and win by that power which never fails, honest effort and true worth. “If you ask me about John-'Honest John’ Stoddard, I will say that I cannot prophesy that John will some day be president of the United States, but of this I am sure, hi has in him the essentials tu accomplish somehting and it can be safely counted that in life he will not spend his time sitting on a dry goods box, whittling and telling his auditors how to run the government, but will be up and doing, always faithfully performing the task which is nearest at hand. “Ruth will enter life with her quiet earnest disposition and her path way for some time will lie along the line of teaching, in which she will do effective work. If later she should have a little school of her own, I am sure that purity, order and high ideals will be domiciled there. “There are things in this world that are not worth a nickle but Arminta is not one of them. She can stand her own ground on any proposition, and the man who wins her heart will find that he has gotten more than an ordinary ‘Nichol.’ “Robert Boyd would make an able attorney-at-law, or gracefully fill the chair of science in a first class high school, but I rather expect him to settle down into the business world and in a few years be noted as one of the ablest financiers in the community in which he lives. “If I am alive and well five years from now, I intend to take a journey to Lincoln, Nebr., and I expect to see on one of the windows in the Burr block, this sign, ‘Vera Anderson, Attorney-at-Law.’ “That ‘Highland’ lassie Eva Reed will in time choose a ‘Highland’ laddie and together they will be happy in their ‘Highland’ home. “Cora Guilliatt, having heard that the last four teachers in District 20 had secured a life partner at the close of school, has bent all her energies to become the teacher in that district for the next year. She’ll get the school and then like her four predecessors will be ‘got.’ “And ‘Bingo-’ I must speak a word for ‘Bingo.’ That young man will not make his way through this world with bluster and bombast, but whenever there is anything to be done, which requires a cool head, steady nerve and faithful heart, where merit and not sham is wanted, Bingo, if in reach, is the man that will be in demand. May the fates be kind to Bingo.