Central High School - Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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publications with the Barnwell Honor Roll spurring us on to success in our studies. Truly, we were rapidly becom- ing an important part of the school's life. The Houston Field Drive, a campaign for securing the improvements of our athletic field, was brought to a success- ful close about this time. Our field, with its ineffective fence, poor track, and de- cayed clubhouse, was soon repaired and made ready for a remarkable event which was to occur later. In our later term all other proceedings were overshadowed by the occurrence of a truly great event,-the winning of the football championship for the first time in nine years. Our squad of gridders, de- prived of the title the year previous by unfortunate circumstances, were out to win this term and after a sensational season captured the championship in brilliant fashion. Under the masterful coaching of Bert Barron and their bril- liant captain, Merrill Morrison, the team, after losing the opening game to Southern, rose to great heights to defeat all remaining opponents and finally gain undisputed possession of the league's leadership. On the same day that the Whitaker Trophy was awarded to Central for sportsmanship, the school followed the team out to see Southern defeat our boys in the opening game. After being led, 20-0 in the first half, the team hit its stride in the last half, scoring thirteen points, which, however, was not suffi- cient to bring victory. Iudging by the outcome of the rest of the games played that season, that first setback must have stimulated our boys to greater efforts, for all our remaining opponents fell by the wayside. Overbrook, Germantown and Frankford were bowled over in rapid suc- cession by hearty scores. Our old jinx, Vffest Philly, who had snatched away the title from us last year, yielded this time under the Crimson Tide, which was now sweeping aside all opposition. Simon Gratz, reckoned the strongest outfit in the league, was next to be taken over after a spirited battle in which our new spread formation was featured. This vic- tory served to put Gratz out of the run- ning, leaving but Central and Northeast in the championship picture, with the title to be decided in the meeting be- tween these two schools in the final game of the season. Then that final championship game! Before a record-breaking crowd of 15,000 thrilled Central and Northeast supporters, as also students from every school in the city, Bert's Bad Boys won a fierce fought battle over the hard-fight- ing Northeasters by the score of 20-7, with Morrison and the rest of the team playing the game of their lives. It was a tingling and joyous event which will be long remembered by every loyal son of Central. Although only in the Sopho- more Class, we had an able representa- tive in the person of Al Ochroch, scin- tillating end, who was later to figure so prominently in the school's activities. The championship spirit lasted for months with the alumni doing their share in the celebration with speeches, a banquet, the presentation of the Dutch Company Trophy and our official school flag as manifestations of their gratitude. In the midst of the joyous celebra- tion, death again hovered over our pres- ence, this time removing Professor Dan- iel W. Uberly, of the Art Department, who was greatly missed by the students and the faculty alike The Dramatic Club's presentations this year were She Stoops to Conquer and Take My Advice , two outstand- ing successes. After all these memorable experiences, we were ready to drop our Sophomore mannerisms and assume the stately posi- ..,II 21

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The Hrst review of the rolls served to convince us that more studying and con- centrating were to keep on the necessary if we desired road to success, so we began to exhibit wiser plans, and went to work more carefully over our Latin and Algebra, attempting to do better. As a result, the second report showed fewer depressed countenances among us. During this term occurred the un- timely death of Professor Lawrence Hagy, a well-known member of the fac- ulty. We, who had but a scanty acquaint- ance with him, did not know him well, but he was mourned by the entire fac- ulty and student body. After a summer's vacation, we re- turned to assume the position of high freshmen, for we were in G , and as a result began to have more interest in school activities. For the first time in the school's his- tory, the Debating Team captured the coveted Philomathean Cup as a symbol of our winning the Debating Champion- ship. None of our teams shone to a great extent on the athletic field, although we were deprived of a football champion- ship by the scantiest of margins. In a crucial game with West Philly, an over- enthusiastic crowd swarmed on the field and refused to retreat, preventing further play and breaking up the game. The following day on the replay our pep was gone and we lost, thereby losing the title. It was also in this term that Central celebrated the Ninetieth Anniversary of its existence, with appropriate cere- monies. The Graf Zeppelin made her famous trans-Atlantic flight thisyear and besides viewing the dirigible above our heads from the school building, many of us enjoyed a trip to see it in the hangar at Lakehurst. An event which saddened the entire school took place toward the close of the term. It was in the form of the death of Professor Iames Hugh Moffatt, beloved head of the English Department. He was a favorite of all the students and the entire school mourned his loss. Within a few months Professor Gilmore was chosen to replace him at the head of the Department, and has capably car- ried on in that office. The Dramatic Society presented two excellent performances this yearf Offi- cer 666 , and The Magistrate , both of which we as Freshmen enjoyed seeing. And thus, we closed our Freshman year, ready and eager to enter into the Sophomore year, with our numbers greatly diminished. Some remained be- hind because of their scholastic ability, while others left because of domestic troubles. But the rest of us, cheered on by our conquests in our first year, were eager to be Sophomores and conquer new difficulties. THE SOPHOMORE YEAR FTER a week's rest, we were back again but this time with a firmer step and a lighter heart, for we were Sophomores and could pass on our Freshman humiliations and verdancy to following classes. With expanded chests and haughty appearances we strode about, attempting to make the life of every Frosh miserable and succeeding well. Being a little wiser and more ambi- tious, many of us began to take a part in the school's activities, some attempting to place on the various athletic teams, while others were attracted by the many clubs. The Student Council also claimed the attention of a few, while some of us were content to merely plug along. But, nevertheless, we all were made more ac- quainted with the Jlfrror and Cenlralizer, becoming regular supporters of the two .QI Q0 Ig..

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tion of a Iunior. With our class a trifle smaller than a year ago, the result of the departure of some into the wide world and the failure of some in their studies, we awaited the time when we should enter into our third year of learning and become an organized class. THE IUNIOR YEAR E DID not have long to wait to become upper classmen, for within a week we returned to commence our last two years of study as stately Iuniors. The first important event we looked forward to was the organization of our class. After a fiercely contended election, we selected the following to serve in ofiice for the first year of our existence: Pre.fia'en!.. . . ............ MAX Weiss Vice-Prexideni ........ ELKIN KREITZER S6CfEfdflll. ..,........... SANDER SACKS T renwnrer. ....... MATTHEW WEINSTEIN The class then elected for its adviser, the ever popular Professor William M. Disharoon, to guide us through the many difficulties encountered on the road to graduation. We were now fully organized under the name of the One Hundred and Fifty- seventh Class, and immediately began to function as a class properly should. President Weiss soon appointed the following chairmen for the various com- mittees: Execuffve .... ........... M AX XVEISS Finance. . . .... MATTHEW WEINSTEIN Ring. .... ....... H ERBERT FELD Benqfl .... .... P HILIP KATZ D Paper. ........... IRWIN PiEFsKY The first committee to bring results was our Class Paper, the UD -Tour, edited by Irwin Piefsky, which imme- diately made its debut and continued with unabated success for the rest of the term. The Ring Committee went to work and soon announced that orders would be taken for the class rings, immediately there was a general charge of Iuniors to the school store to measure their fingers. Within a few weeks, the finished product arrived and another rush was made to obtain the rings, and soon we were proudly sporting our shining finger ornaments. Sad to relate, our first benefit, Let Us Be Gay , proved unsuccessful, the class failing to be gay and to support the show. But it was only our first effort at such an occasion, the difference being shown the next term when we made a great success of our benefit. Another unfortunate event funfortu- nate only in its result? was the annual Iunior Day, that great day for third year men, when the Low Iuniors partici- pate against the High Iuniors, in a var- ied sports program. It was a day of high running emotions, what with the oppos- ing factions attempting to commence activities in school instead of waiting for the struggle on the athletic field, The first event was a basketball game, played on the gym floor, which we finally lost after leading in the first half. On the fol- lowing day at Houston Field, with both classes out in full regalia sporting the Iunior Day caps, we continued the strug- gle. We trounced the 156th men in the track and field events but lost a hard-fought baseball fracas which en- abled our opponents to defeat us. Let us unwillingly turn our faces from the out- come of that scene. It was in this term that the amplifiers in the Auditorium were secured by the Student Council, together with a radio and phonograph. We then departed for the summer, with the hope of accomplishing more things in our High Iunior days. In C , our latter term, we returned ...QI QQ Ip..