Auburn High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Auburn, NE)

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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.

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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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“Ruby is one of the industrious members of your class. If that great man was right who said ‘Genius is simply the disposition and ability to work hard,’ then Ruby has genius. She evidently is well grounded in that philosophy which runs thus. ‘One stitch and then another and the largest rend is mended, one step and then another and the longest walk is ended.’ Success should be hers. “If about the year nineteen hundred twenty you should go down to old Virginia, just take a ride out into the country south, nine miles from Jamestown, and there you will find as the wife of a wealthy farmer, Solomon Grundy, the good-natured girl whom you now call Lucy Hopkins. “Eula Mathews has her face turned toward the setting sun and will never be satisfied until she has crossed the Rockies and taken up her abode in that state with the Golden Gate. “After you have taught a few years and then taken that trip down to Chicago to study music, you will while walking down the street on a spring day, notice a little way ahead of you a young man of fine address, who will have beneath his arm a book which you will naturally suppose is the Bible- The young man will be Ole Bennett and the book beneath his arm will not be the Bible but a new copy of Virgil. “Oakel will not always have so many smiles for all the nice young men as she has now, but as years go by she will select a successful business man as her life partner and in her home will be a Queen. “Hallie has charms and graces which, if properly guided, should carry her into palaces of learning, in fact I should not be surprised if a few years from now would find her entertaining large audiences from the Chautauqua platform. Sure it is that years after this young lady’s name has become Mrs. Hallie Jones or Mrs. Hallie Smith and her school girl name, Workman, may have been forgotten, the picture of ‘Ole Mistus’ will be vivid in the minds of all who heard the oratorical contests at Au burn, Beatrice and North Platte in 1910. “Then there is ‘Quack’—I mean big Quack. There is a fellow that will win wherever he plays. A sure, strong guard in the basket ball team, a dependable worker at all tasks in school, he cannot fail in the battle of life. “Mildred, after completing her course in the High school, will doubtless continue her studies in some higher institution of learning, and later find a place as teacher of history in some first class high school, where her studious habits and love of learning should make her a shining star. “LaVeta will always stop to reason about matters before taking definite action along any line. Her logical turn of mind and quick perception should so guide her as to leave little doubt as to the accuracy of her conclusions. “Women will never have their rights until Ethel McElhaney has finished her education and started life in earnest- This lovely girl will never be a mannish woman nor a man hater but she will do what needs to be done, stand for that purity in politics which can never be reached until women have the ballot. “Martin Souders will handle the problems of life with the same keen eye and sure nerve which he exhibits when putting the basket ball