Eau Claire High School - Beaver Tales Yearbook (Eau Claire, MI)

Page 19 text:

 SALUTATORY Wo greet you to-day. Springtime, the time of hopeful changes is once more with tis. The young plants, awakened from their long winter’s sleep by the bright sunshine and the warm rains, are now springing from the earth and putting forth blossoms. The birds are now re- turning from the South and cheerfully building new homes. Springtime is not only a time of new beginnings for the plants and birds, but also for mankind. For it is then that many pass from school life into life’s school, as we. the Class of 1918. are now doing. Hut tho’ the wide and great Unknown still lies before us. we are not wholly unprepared, for learning to solve our school problems and learning to become more dependent upon our- selves has better prepared us to meet and solve the problems which we will encounter in life. We look forward to this new and Unknown life with eager anticipation, and hope to make it a success, and yet before we leave the old to take up the new. as our poet Holmes says. “Yet the hawk with the wildness untamed In his eye. If you free him. stares round ere he springs to the sky.” So we too. altho’ we have reached the goal, for which we have worked long and steadily and are now free to try our own wings, look back upon the Past with some fond regrets. But it will be the topes of the Past with which we will ring the bells of the Future. In order that the Future may be more successful we must not forget that there are many necessary aids to help us gain thi end. One of these is Courtesy, which will not only help us to win the love and respect of friends, but also to keep them. The great- est of Americans were noted for their courtesy, and we all wish to be typical Americans, especially at this crisis. Hand in hand with courtesy is Smiles. When one is able to smile in the face of trouble, then a great victory has been won. Also the attitude In which one looks upon the outside world helps to form his character. One can not smile long without really feeling happy. So let us smile and keep smiling whatever may befall us. But now at this parting from our schoolmates, the poet already quoted, expresses the fitting sentiment for the occa- sion. For the sweetest of smiles is the smile as we part When the light round the lips is a ray from the heart; And lest a stray tear from its fountain might swell. We will seal the bright spring with a quiet farewell. MABEL ANDREWS.

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VALEDICTORY DETERMINATION Once again comes a momentous period in our lives. Our High School education is now finished and we are about to launch forth upon the sea of life. As we go forth from the institution of our High School, we are filled with a new desire—one to be up and doing and make a success of life. Determination, and determination alone, will win half the battle for us. If one is determined to make a success of his or her High School education, nine times out of ten. they will suc- ceed. You may wonder that some get their lessons easier than others, but that is only because we are determined and threfore the lesson seems to come naturally. The quality of your educa- tion is according to your resolution to get the most good possible out of the course. Those who lack the determination and push, barely get enough good out of the course to get a diploma as a certificate of good work done in High School. It is so all through life, not only with the young, but the old- er also. You may see someone, who seems at the first glance, totally unfit, doing some difficult task, while by his side is one who it seems should change places with him. But the real difference is—the one has the determination to make good and he is doing it. Fie has passed the one who is seemingly better fitted for the task and is getting the promotions. In all classes the resolute one succeeds by his own exertions and does not profit by the work of others. So let us as we go foith into the world, whatever our occu- pation, do our best and be determined to win against all obstacles in our path over which we might stumble. Let us make our- selves and others more contented by knowing we are doing our best. CARL LAYMAN. ‘18.

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SENIOR CLASS HISTORY Our prep days are near an end and the time is approaching when we. the class of '18. must leave “Dear Old Eau Claire High.'' Our happy days began in Sept.. 1914. There were twenty-three of us to begin our career. They were Ina Momany. Ross Worick, Paul and Carl Hemingway Jessie Gleason. Beulah Kendall. Burton Sutherland. Roy Peever. Edna Hudson. Theresa Johnson. Pearl Hoadley, Ruth Young. Mabel and Verna Andrews. Hazel and Berenice Merritt. Gladys Horton. Marion Paul. James Sides. Mary Skoda. Carl Layman. Walter Green and Geraldine Preston. Our first real embarrassing moment occurred when we were sent back from Ancient History class three times by Mr. Sanders to learn to pass into the classroom properly. Miss Brown, the principal said. Mr. Sanders, do you think this is the time to in- itiate the Freshmen?” After Christmas our class, by the aid of the kind-hearted Juniors, organized. All went well that year until Ross Worick broke his ankle playing basketball, and was compelled to leave us. Then Carl Hemingway tho't farming better than school and finally decided to be a farmer. Thus when school ended in the spring, there were only twenty-one members left. Oh! the Joy. when in Sept., 1915. we started back again with twenty-three members. William Middleton and Zera Webster be- ing our new recruits. By the aid of our new members our class was organized. Not long after this. Zera and William, getting tired of the stern looks on the teachers' faces decided that they would go to work. One day Burton jumped on a saw-horse anil imagined himself riding a motorcycle. His imagination got the better of him so he left school to work with a motorcycle. Edna Hudson, on account of heart trouble, was compelled to leave her Sophomore year. We do not know the cause of her heart trouble, but like many other girls It was no doubt caused by some foolish love affair. But worse than that. Jessie Gleason, the best of our class fell head over heels in love and went through that terrible ceremony called matrimony and is now and evermore to be Mrs. Clarence Cuthbert. So at the end of our Sophomore term there were only eighteen left. Our hearts were made exceedingly glad when in the autumn of 1916, eighteen classmates returned to enter their Junior year, but to view things at different angles. We organized at once so as to get ahead of those dignified Seniors. Paul Hemingway went to Eenton Harbor one day and rode on a city car and spied a pret- ty maid who was a member of the Junior class In that city, so he left E. C. H. S. to attend the high school in Benton Harbor. That year we had a few parties and entertained the Seniors at a banquet. Beulah Kendall became discouraged on account of terrible headaches caused by being up late nights, and fell by the wayside, thus leaving only sixteen members to be given credits and recommended as Seniors in the class of '18. On Sept. 3. we. the class of '18. began our last year of work at E. C. H. S. Ina Momany’s parents moved to Benton Harbor, so. with tearful eyes. Ina had to leave us. The Seniors of ‘17 drew up a petition for a laboratory and the Juniors signed it. We, the class of '18, are very thankful for the same and assure you that Supt. Hickock will agree that he never had a smarter chemis- try class. For the last time we elected our officers. One day Roy was seen packing his books, but would not give his reason for leaving his classmates, but it Is now very plainly to be understood, as Beulah’s last name is changed from Kendall to Peever. Geraldine Preston. Pearl Hoadley. Haze! Merritt.