Central High School - Red and Black Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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' A 1 1 1: 1 . 1'- A Q7 sky, I are we f F - ii fit. - ' ' Q 'N .NA 'g-dn f , 7 1 vi-Y f - , N ' A 'f 'rue ,- RED AND BLACK 4 CLARENCE STRATTON By Herman Salinger Z V 1 y R. 'CLARENCE STR-ATTON came to Central to teach English in Sep- . tember, 1903, having previously graduated from the University of Penn- sylvania with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy, and the additional honor of the Phi Betta Kappa Key. In 1905, having been given a brief leave of absence, he spent some months in Europe, part of which time he studied at the University of Rome, Italy. During his career of eighteen years at Central, Mr. Stratton 's work was not lim- ited to teaching alone. Besides having charge of the Senior English classes for many years, he trained the graduates for their commencement speeches, and offici- ated as director of the Class Pla.y. In this latter connection, Mr. Stratton has achieved much success and reputation, and there is no doubt that his services will be greatly missed. It is perhaps ap- propriate here to mention that Mr. Strat- ton is a great lover of the drama and dramatic art, and an inveterate theater- goer. Mr. Stratton was greatly interested in the course in Public Speaking, which was introduced at Central during his last term, and, knowing the great need for such a course in our high schools, he eX- pressed himself as determined to make something worth while of it. Besides being thought of as a teacher, Mr. Clarence Stratton will long be remem- bered at Central as the author of our school Loyal Song. Here, as in every- thing else, the intellectual and spiritual high-mindedness of the man will be felt. In it he sings of the glorious history of Central's Past, her Present attainment and fulillment, and her idealistic hope for the Future. In addition to his work at Central, Mr. Stratton taught for several years in the Benton Colleges of Law, one summer in theiColorado State Teachers' College, and for three years in Public Speaking exten- sion classes at Washington University. He is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, and has served as Vice-President, Secretary, Chairman of the Committee on Speech, and Chairman of the Committee on Plays. Clarence Stratton is no less notable as a writer and lecturer as he is as an edu- cator. He has written a great many verses, stories, articles, and translations for American and English magazines, as well as a number of books. Among these latter are Great American Speeches, A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, and a translation from the Spanish of Zara- gnetaf' His most recent Work is Public Speaking, which has been generally ae- cepted by critics as anauthority. Those who know Mr. Stratton look for- ward eagerly to the edition of the volume on which he is at present working, which will be published by Henry Holt and Company in the near future. This work will embody, in a concise form, the au- thor's experience as a teacher, and will be used as a text-book for high school study. Seven F , ..,. , l

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MR. CLARENCE STRATTON

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qqjlm--,ws --.A-. -.- .1-1 Y---fn-.H 7' -WW -Y-Y-'Y f xl J ,-'lf v . - i an . H . ekgjqjzi F ii f . 7 - A - - fa -:A 'Ex f cm:-' ' f H 1' 'H' 4 ' ff It-1, 'V QF. fiista. THE . RED .'. AND BLACK It will include at least one picture taken from some of the plays which Mr. Strat'- tou produced at Central. As Director of English in the High Schools of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Stratton enters into a broader field, where his in-' fluence can and will be felt to a greater degree even than it was at Central. Although we will miss him greatly, we cannot consider his leaving as a loss, for he will continue his educational and lit- erary work on a greater scale. The very best wishes of both faculty and students go with him. H.-'INLET I.Y'E.YGLISH 8 Hy Goldie Lt'I'i70il'L'll To write, or not to write: that is the question: Whether 'tis better to scribble nothing ' bi Or take pains and write something worth while, And satisfying. To write, to write Avlot. And by scribbling say We please ourselves and others, As we are expected. 'Tis an aeconiplislnnent Devontly to be wished. To write, to scribble- To write, perhaps real poetry: Ah! there 's the rubg For in this scribbling, what errors may we make In metre and in rhyme! There 's the calamity That makes writing poetry so disastrous. For none would suffer the 2llllHl9lll'iS poor attempts, His faulty verse and reckless raving, His unmeasured and unrhymed line, And the manner in which he butchers up A noble tongue: 'tis not to be enduredg Vllho would try to wade through all his stuff, But that something must be writ for practice Of the unskilled, and serves to pave the way For greater verses of our future poets, And makes us rather bear the ills thrust on us now, Than risk not having any poetry hereafter, By holding in contempt the youthful poets' work? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus their native hue of resolution May be sicklied o'er with the pale east of thought, And poets of long words and ideals lofty, VVith this regard their ambitions. may turn away, And lose the name of action. lzrglil