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

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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.

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 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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CLASS PRESIDENTS ADDRESS Classmates. Teacher». Board of Education, and Friend»: It la with both Joy and sorrow that we. the class of 1918, meet you to-day. It is with sorrow In our hearts that we bid fare- well to the many friends of our high school life, and the thot of saying good-bye forever to our dear old High School is not a pleasant one. But above our sorrow' looms the Future, brilliant and prospective, for which we have so diligently toiled for four years. Four years ago. twenty-four eager but timorous Freshmen entered the struggle of high school life and with the aid of the faculty our first year proved successful. Our Sophomore and Junior years quickly passed, during which the St. Cecilia Glee Club proved their ability by giving the concert, while this year a library staff has been appointed and the library placed in their cure. Last fall we entered as Seniors and thru the co-operation of the Faculty and generosity of the Board of Education our last year has speedily passed, and we wish to express our appreciation to the Board of Education and to the community for the new chemistry laboratory. But our four years spent here in the high school will be to us. thru life, an inspiration to higher ideals and nobler ambitions, and our friends here will ever be a fond remembrance to us. Classmates, we must not consider our education complete here. Let us continue. For la not this an age of advancement, of new ideas and visions, an age asking for leaders, making de- mands and giving opportunities to the educated Individuals? Therefore, we must remember that small kindnesses and consid- erations for others habitually placed in our social intercourse give greater charm to the character than great accomplishments and display of cultured talent. But now we. who have worked together for so long. we. who have fought the same battles, conquered the same difficulties, shared the same victories must soon depart. We must part from our many friends, but we hope that cir- cumstances may enable us to review’ them in the future, as we go onward conquering, as we have been in the past, only now', the problems we will be called upon to solve will be more difficult; but at least, we can rest assured that when surrounded by cares of business or profession, we shall hear the names of our school- mates. who. as they climb from rock to rock in the mountain of success, will bring back to our clouded recollections the happy memories of our High School Days. So now. as we think of our High School days, which we are about to bring to a close, we cannot but wish to extend to the members of our esteemed Faculty and Board of Education our most sincere and heartfelt thanks for all the acts of kindness in our behalf. BERENICE MERRITT.