Paris High School - Arena Yearbook (Paris, IL)

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 Foreword We are complying with custom In publishing this Annual. We are putting our best into its production. While we work, we know that, like all Rood things, age will improve Its value. For a little while after it is put out it will be talked of. but It Is destined to 1 forgotten s oon. Then some day. say ten. twenty, fifty years hence, some one. some mem- her of the Class of 15 will find a battered, soiled copy in an old tax in the wood-shed, and will stop a moment before he uses it to kindle the fire. The Arena. almost obliterated, yet plain enough to bring l ack memories, is on the cover. He opens it. Ves. here is a familiar face: here's a joke we laughed over in class till our sides ached. What good times we used to have! Here's a story we worked so hai d over, too! So the man Incomes a boy again, living over the life in T . H. S. It is then this little book will be valued: it is then it will be cher- ished. Here goes, to make our little record of the days of our youth which we know but once.

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Dedication To the indefinable, the all powerful force, which makes Paris High School the up-to-date progressive institution that it is, to that un conquerable something, the Spirit of the School, we hereby dedicate this volume.

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Editorial We present this Nineteen-Fifteen edition of the Arena to you at the close of one of the most successful years in the history of the School. In getting up this book, which is one of the visible expressions of our school life, the student body and the faculty have most admirably supported the staff. The students have furnished the material and Miss Wenz, head of the English Department, has helped us to shape it. But this is beginning at the last, so let us take a little backward look into the year. During its course we have had some changes, instituted by Professor Moore, which have been for the good of the school. Among them the feature of opening the gymnasium for class functions has been greatly appreciated by the various classes that have availed themselves of the opportunity. We thank Miss Niles for getting the Girls’ Basket Ball Teams in- to working order. Mr. Loomis, with his orchestra, comes in for his share of praise, too. And we must not forget those whose efforts brought about the making of the new tennis courts which, at the time of writing, have just been staked off. We have started and successfully maintained an effi- cient Literary Society of which there will be further mention among the pages of this voluminous production of literature (?) and art (?). In the Congress, as conducted by Miss Slemmons in Political Economy, some of us realized the pleas- ure and profit from parliamentary drill and speaking before the assemblage. so we pushed for the Alethenai and were most ably led in our efforts by Miss Wenz and Miss Slem- mons. Now that we have it, may the other classes continue it in all honor during the years to come. The Boy Scout and Camp Fire movements which have been started here this year have been another step in the path of progress in which Colonel Lang and Miss Niles aided by Miss Reed. Miss Boland. Miss Heilig, Miss Dayton and Miss Stanfield have had a hand during 1914-1915. So you see from these things we have made progress dur- ing this most illustrious year. Nevertheless far surpassing these, and rather incongruous to mention in the same breath, are Professor Beecher and the out-going Class of Fifteen who have far outshone all the rest. Mr. Beecher, or Burns Jun- ior, who is everybody’s friend, and especially when a fellow needs a friend, has given the right touch to our school activi- ties which has kept us within bounds. And the Class of Old Fifteen! What is good enough to say of it? Truly it is the most cosmopolitan class that has ever graduated from this noble institution. We have the whole gamut within our com- pass. from preacher to crook, including just the plain, ordi- nary, solidlv-going kind upon whom the firmest reliance is to be placed. (If you don’t believe me, just consult the prophecy on another page.) It isn’t in place I know, but I can’t resist saying, Now, William, I've never been a preacher, but for the past few years of my life I have been intimately connected with a preacher’s family, and while some folks call his life a bed of rases. I’ve observed numerous thorns, so cave canem! And --------- (I daren’t write the name or someone might feel slighted), you had better stop following those crooked paths.———along the gables of the school house roof, for instance because they lead in harm's way. With these final words I leave the “Arena” to your leisurely perusal and re main ever your faithful schoolmate of the Class of Nineteen Hundred Fifteen. —The Editor.