Greenville High School - Hi Life Yearbook (Greenville, MI)

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boys of the Freshman class protected their beautiful old rose and silver flag from the onset of the Sophomores. But their strength became too greatly taxed, so the Sophomores won the tug of war. Final examinations! What a dreadful boogy that was! “It certainly must be awful,” though the Freshman, “for the teachers are as cross as an old woman with the toothache, and tell you so many things that you must remember, that you can’t remember half of them to save your life.” The ordeal was over at last, and with very few gone from their ranks; they hastened out the big front door for the long looked for vacation. At last the old bell rang! It was in early September, just before fair time, and oh, how everyone hated to miss those glorious days of the fair! Hut then it did seem good to get back, too. All were there, but they did not look the same as of yore. No, indeed! They carried themselves around with such an aloofness that it almost set the Seniors wild with laughter. Hut then, they did know a lot, for hadn’t they spent nine whole months in confinement, and received credit slips in return? Hut—well, you know Seniors have a superior way with them. They made up their mind to treat the little “Freshies who came in, in the same way they had been treated, but to do this, it was necessary to have a big man to fit the president’s chair, and “Doc” Fralick was just the man for the place. There were some wildly exciting times, especially when one tall, lanky Freshman was obliged to roll a barrel down one of the main streets. Hut the most exciting of all was the erecting of huge dummies. N e will hand it to those Freshmen! They certainly placed their dummy where we couldn’t get it. and how it was put up there we don’t know to this day. It was at this time that our brave president had to battle with two or three Freshmen on the roof of the gym before he finally made them understand that lie would like to come down. He received some slight wounds, but that only made us the more proud of him. Time heals a breach, so they say, and it did in this case, for by October we had a big masquerade party together. One really should have been there to appreciate some of the costumes, but I’ll tell you about a few of them. There was a soldier, who appeared very brave in his bright uniform, but who really wasn’t, for he ran when a little Dutch girl approached him. Then there were Romeo and Juliet, who made a fine looking couple; but if you don’t know who they were, I’ll never reveal their identity. And last of all, were a little Dutch boy and girl who went hand in hand together then, and are still in the same blissful condition. Hut enough for the party, I must hurry on. More picnics, more exams., and still they come. Hut we could not be downed, by the exams., I mean, and so the following fall, came up smiling, though really we were a great deal more thoughtful because we saw only two years more in which to prepare for life’s battles. Enthusiasm! Why, that was our middle name, and as we had had such good leaders at our head the preceding year, we retained most of them. We had to work some of this surplus energy off? and as we have a great deal of talent, what better way than entertaining the rest of the High School during chapel hour? Bright idea! I’ve forgotten in whose fertile brain it originated, but that really doesn’t matter. We carried it out with such success that we repeated it again this year with equal success. It is always said that the Junior year is the society year of every class’ life. But as we are an exceptional class, we took exception to this rule also. There, was a slight difference of opinion about who should come to the party and who should not, so it was finally given up. But what is one party in our gay young life? Oh, yes, we had the picnic, though. But you say, I’m interested in scholarship and athletics, too, as you have been such a wide awake class, what did you do along those lines? We did plenty! As to the manner of scholarship, we even soared so high that one of our number left a spot on the ceiling in the Chemistry room, when fooling with some sodium (as a memoir of the class of '18). Another one achieved first prize in an essay contest on the short story, and a third made the debating team. W by, one Pago Twenty-Two

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History of Class of 1918 IT WAS iii the fall of the year 1911, when a large group of—what were they? —one can hardly name them. Some looked like lost slice}), and acted more so, all keeping close together, trying to find some kind shepherd or shepherdess to put them each in a separate fold. At last that long belated personage appeared in the form of a tall, slender lady with dark hair, who gave some sharp command which the sheep, though still young, understood; the flock then divided and each went to his individual place. A few stragglers had to be rounded up and driven to their corner, and then, after leaving them to get used to their new surroundings for a few minutes, they were turned loose with tin4 warning that they should return when they heard the bell on the following day. As might be expected, there were a few lost sheep wandering down each narrow lane, but, little by little, instinct told them where they belonged and so this grew to be a very unusual sight, unless, perchance, some new member was added to the fold. Hut in this flock, although the majority were meek, peaceable and loving, were one or two who deserve special mention. Hut perhaps I have carried my figure too far, and you do not realize that 1 am referring to a group of those notable beings, known and laughed at in all High Schools—the Freshmen. Hut now that I am sure you will not misunderstand me, I will finish telling you about those two bold and somewhat pugnacious members. One was a rather large girl, with dark brown curly hair and rosy red cheeks. 1 will tell you a secret—you’d never know that Freshman now as a Senior. If anyone hissed “Freshic” at her, she only turned up her nose and passed disdainfully on. They laughed at her then, but now the lower classmen almost wither at that look. The other was also a robust specimen of humanity. He had a pug nose and mischievous eyes which often caused him much trouble. Some sophisticated Sophomore yelled that magic word, and quick as a wink, the Freshman turned on him, and that Sophomore had to beg mercy. Hut if I should start naming all the notable ones in that flock, I would not know where to end so just leave those two as suggestions. The class was soon shut up in a little room and told to choose their leader, and they chose a fine man. lie was not big of stature, but oh my! he managed that flock with a whip hand. As usual, there was the universal feeling which exists between the two lower classes, and the “Freshies” were due for a hazing. One of our number, poor bov, was captured by a wild band of Sophomores and marched none too gently to Flat river, where, oh how I hate to tell it! he was made to take off his shoes and stockings, and made to do numerous feats on the dam and in the water. Hut there’s an inside story known to very few. which I am letting you in on. so listen well. Two meddling girls were along that night, and they watched the proceedings with anger, for wasn’t the boy a special friend of one? One of them grabbed a cap from one of their tormentors’ heads and hid it. Where? Well, this is the greatest secret of all, and if you doubt my word, you may still be able to find the cap, though report has it that one of the girls turned chicken-hearted and restored the cap to its original owner. Hut that’s not my story. Anyway, the cap was hidden under a stone at the edge of the river, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s there yet. There were very few social events that year, but among them was a big Hallowe’en party, at which some of the upper classmen forgot their dignity and tried to steal the ice cream, but were outwitted. Anyway, all said they had a fine time and wanted another right away. Hut as the “Freshies” were yet so young, they weren’t allowed another festive affair until they had a big picnic with the Sophomore class at Baldwin lake. You see, bv this time the differences had been forgotten, for they had had a contest to ascertain each other’s strength. I need not tell you that the brave Pa e Twenty-One

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even taught eighth grade for a while. Have you, gentle reader, learned enough, or must I mention others? I can, you know. And then, too—athletics! You can't find a much better basketball player than Fair, though you tried for a long time, and it was certainly a sight for sore eyes to see Bill Stafford buck the line for a twenty-yard gain with a pigskin under his arm. And the fellow behind the bat with the catcher's mit was a Senior, too. What about the girls, you say. They were right there. Those of you who saw them play know that, and if you didn’t see them, you don’t deserve to be told what they can do. So take ray advice and come to all the games next year, and then you’ll know all about it. And it was due to the efforts of one of our number that we were able to have a military organization, and a goodly number of the officers are Seniors. But 1 must tell you how we felt when we reached the home stretch in the race. Our country had entered the war by this time, and a few had left our ranks to join those “Over There, and to give their all for Freedom’s cause. That sobered us a great deal, and much was done for Army Y and Red Cross; in fact, we were the only' class that had 100 4 Senior Red Cross membership. We still had a few social affairs, among which was a big Junior and Senior party. It was well planned out in every detail, and was reported the best party ever held in G. II. S. One of the attractions of the evening was the “Devil’s Den, which surely merited its name. It would be a shame to tell all of its secrets, but one thing which we had to do was to feel of the parts of a dead man’s body. es. we shuddered just as you who read it do. We all passed safely through the ordeal except Miss “Van. We also had a fortune teller, and now I’m going to reveal the identity of this much sought after person. Sh! (It was Fatty.) Now, would you believe it? You didn’t know Fatty was a palmist, did you? Well, he certainly is, and a fine one, too. But please don’t tell anyone, will you. We have a faculty for starting things and raising money Just to give you an idea what a fancy little starter we had (and by the wav, she is the same “Preside” I told you you wouldn’t know). I’ll tell you what she did. She planned a party in honor of one of the teachers leaving for Camp Custer, and at nine o’clock she started, and by six o’clock of the same night she had supper ready for about two hundred people. There were many who helped, but she really carried the matter through. I was going to tell you about raising money, too. You see, when we started this book we knew we would have to have some way of getting money to back il up. One way we took was renting the movie, and if any of you didn t go that time, you want to go next time, because we had a fine show. But we didn t stop there. We had a dance for High School people one night in the gym, and it was some party. Many unexpected things happened that night, among them, an imitation of Sousa’s band. by, we even went so far as to sell pop corn balls at the baseball game, and some one sneaked in on us and swiped some. I he guilty culprit laid low, too, for he evidently knew enough to dread the vengeance of the Senior class. We aren’t through making money yet, but as we haven t done the other things, I don’t dare tell you what they are, as that would spoil the fun. Exams, are .almost on 11s again, but we don t dread them this time, for we have learned so much you can just see it pop out of our eyes Some of us even took teacher’s examination and passed very creditably, and we have our school districts all engaged. Others are going to attend higher institutions of learning, and some of 11s are just going to stay .at home (and learn to cook). I started out to tell our past history, not the future, but you know when you get started about the class of 18, you don’t know where to stop. I don’t know how they are ever going to get along without us next year, do you ? We realize we are doing the school an injustice in graduating, but we really want the world to know what great people we are and show them what kind of men and women dear old Greenville sends forth. So here s good-bye to G. H. S., and the people left behind, but we’ll always take our pleasant memories of the dear old place with 11s, and we hope we’ll not soon be forgotten. Irene Yerkes. Pag:e Twenty-Three