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

Page 22 text:

 An oratorical and declamatory contest was held in April; Edward Bakeman represented the class, giving an oration en- titled “Americanism” and won the contest. One of the most interesting subjects of our Junior year was Chemistry, for this was introduced when our new laboratory was completed in the fall. As Juniors always have the pleasure of helping at Commence- ment time, this we did. Thus ended our Junior year. Oh! the joy when we again entered school as dignified Sen- iors, and with the lucky number, thirteen. American History is one of our pleasures as well as Chemistry. In October Edward Bakeman volunteered as a mechanical en- gineer and George Birkholm in the Officers’ Training Corps in California. The same month a party was given at the Merritt home in honor of two former graduates, who entered the S. A. T. C. at Kalamazoo. A marshmallow roast was the feature of the evening and everybody reported a good time. The saddest event that ever happened in our High School life was when our school building bur ned January 9, 1919. Although the structure was destroyed, the spirit still remains in every mem- ber of the class of ’19. The highest honor of the class fell to Lawrence Clark, vale- dictorian, and George Birkholm, salutatorian, received second honors. One more social event was a party for the Seniors at the home of Miss Lora Thumm. We finished our high school year in the Christian church. Thus ends our high school life, a class that will not graduate again for ninety-nine years. LORA THUMM EUGENE MASTERS ARDELLA HOCHBERGER

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SENIOR CLASS HISTORY The Senior Class of ’19 entered their high school life in Sep- tember, 1915. Just two merry dozen entered the assembly room of old Eau Claire High: Clarence Hadley, Lora Thumm, Eugene Masters, Willis Handy, Paul Franz, Mildred Feriy, Murl Momany, Ivan Lavanway, Louise Winter, George Birkholm, Max Horton, Fred Hudson, Anna Crandall, Claude Bishop, Kenneth Clawson, Edward Bakeman, Leslie Thomson, Stanley Godell, Everett Hartsell, Dave Dunaetz, Clyde Palmer, Sanford Hunt, Lawrence Clark, Ardella Hochberger. Before, Freshmen were always recognized by their awkward- ness and bashfulness, but these were all lacking in this respect. We soon conquered all the foes that beset a Freshman—English, Algebra, and even Latin for these were but mere trifles. We did not organize until the second semester, which resulted in the election of Willis Handy, president; Everett Hartsell, vice president; George Birkholm, secretary; Stanley Godell, treasurer. We came back in 1916, Sophomores, but with only twenty members. We successfully scaled the well-nigh inaccessible cliff known as Geometry, and Caesar and Ancient History were just common pleasure. Our first social event was a party at the home of Miss Hochberger. The Seniors were invited and all had a good time. This year the girls organized a basket ball team, and played many snappy games, which resulted in glorious victories for old Eau Claire High. Another honor that we are justly proud of is that one of our classmates is serving Uncle Sam, Clarence Hadley having enlist- ed in the Navy in 1917. Welcome back, was in the air, and we meet again to spend another school year. Stanley Godell, Leslie Thomson, Willis Handy, Mildred Ferry and Louise Winter, thinking that our school was not going to be on the University list, decided to en- ter other schools. We elected Lawrence Clark, president; George Birkholm, vice president; Edward Bakeman, secretary; and Eugene Masters, treasurer.

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VALEDICTORY AND CLASS PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS “The Call for Men” Uncle Sam has a big job. The whole world is in need of men for every kind of work and it is up to him to furnish them. The recently ended war across the sea has killed or disabled several million men. It has destroyed many million dollars worth of property. In France alone 6,000 square miles of terri- tory, the home of 2,000,000 people was rendered useless by the tools of war. It will take $5,000,000 to give these people a place to live and $8,000,000 more to start them at work. This is one phase of the reconstruction work. Another is along the educational line. Many soldiers are so disabled that they must be given a good education to be able to support themselves at all. In Europe many schools were destroy- ed and many instructors killed. All this calls on the man power of the United States. In addition to foreign aids we have a big job at home. We have a hugh war debt to pay and we must prepare for a great commercial revolution in the next decade. Germany also looks to us for aid, and if we are to remain true to what we fought for, we must give it. If Imperialism, the great enemy of Democracy, is to be no longer a “menace” to the peace and freedom of the world we must aid Germany in establishing a democratic form of government. This is not the first time the United States has needed men and she has always found them eager to help. During the “Critical Period” which followed the revolution the United States had great need for statesmen and Washington, Hamilton, Patrick Henry and many other no less noted patriots stepped forward and showed their great statesmanship, thereby saving the nation. Again in 1861 our country was in grave danger and President Lincoln called for 75,000 men and they offered themselves three fold. This is the same country that answered Lincoln’s call and we proved it by putting 3,500,000 men where Germany said it was impossible to do so.