Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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2 THE FAX I CS HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR friendship, to disgrace his friends by only half-developing. The impression is too general that ideals are being realized if one merely refrains from doing anything that can be censured. That may be sufficient for those who choose to lead a negative existence, but the world is asking at present for men who are willing to sacrifice su- perficial and temporary pleasures for the deeper pleasure of making good, and contributing to the world some- thing worth while. There never was a more urgent demand for people who are strong and capable. There is noth- ing of which I can think, relative to my associations with the Paxton High School, that would afford me higher gratification than to know that my friendship toward some fellow is of sufficient influence to cause him to feel that he owes it to me, as one of his friends, to exert every power tow- ard attaining a full and- well-rounded development. Sincerely your friend, V. E. DUDMAN. A BROKEN RESOLUTION When school started this year, I re- solved that I would not laugh at, or in any way ridicule, the Freshmen; but, that good resolution was broken at the very beginning of school. The first time I broke it was the second day of school when I saw the Fresh- ies coming from Physiology, hugging their books as though they were the only friends they had on earth. The wee little freshmen girls scattered about the assembly room; and, when they found their seats, they acted very much like mice that are always glad to find their nests. I suppose the girls knew that they were not be- ing closely observed by their friends (?) higher classmates (?) admirers (?) or enemies. As the boys entered, they were all grinning like boys always have dono and always will do. They had th» right spirit, however, for they seem- ed to think that if any one was going to try to make a joke out of them they would enjoy it with the rest. My resolution was broken another time when Mr. Turner caught the tin- iest and best behaved (?) one in the bunch passing a note. The poor little fellow had my sympathy then for ae was so badly scared that he replied “Yes ma’am”. That little boy is now removed from all temptations, for he sits in the front seat during the flr3t period in the afternoon. Again, I was greatly amused wher. 1 noticed that one of the girls had recovered from her timidity so far that she actually talked to one of the Sophomores on her fingers. I could not help but think of the difference between her actions then and during the first wreek of school. I was amused another time when' I heard Jimmy asking a girl to call on her that night; and, when she re- fused to answer him, he said “Silence gives consent”. Sounds rather witty for a Freshman doesn't it? Of course, I know it was entirely original for he would not think of copying or doing anything that was not perfectly all right and absolutely satisfatcory to the teachers. The last time I broke my resolution was when I saw the new style of hair dressing in row four, seat two, and heard one of the boys confidentially tell another that be could make his “hair lay good” if he would use Pol- moline soap on it. A Sophomore. Willie in his quest for gore, Nailed the baby to the door; Mo her cried in accents faint, Willie don t, you'll muss the pain .

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’THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR |Volume VII. JANUARY. 1911 Number 4 An Interesting Letter From Mr. V. E. Dudman, Principal of P. H. S. 1909-10. Evanston, 111. To the Paxton High School: My Dear Friends: At the request of those in charge of the Sophomore number of the Reflector, I am send- ing you this hurried contribution What the Sophomores would have me contribute is not quite clear to me, so I have decided merely to write a let- ter as I would to a friend, for I enjoy thinking of the students of the High School as having that relationship to me. One who is truly a friend to an- other has more than a passing inter- est in his welfare and success, and has more than a passing regret at hearing of his misfortune or failure. If this is one of the constituents of friendship I am convinced that I am truly a friend of the students of the High School at Paxton, for I shall al- ways be interested in learning of suc- cess on their part. I rather think that I can be more closely in sympathy than ever before, with the experiences of you high school people, since I am now back again into student life; and, consid- ering myself as a student speaking to students, I shall be glad to talk to you. Since I have been here in school this year, I have often thought that I would give much if I might be able to aid any of my friends to prepare for some of the things they are to meet in their later student life, and thus avoid many of the hardships that will accrue if they are not effectively equipped with respect to the basic principles. I have no desire to tire by an ex- hortation of any great length, but I am wondering how many of the present students of the High School have faced themselves squarely this year, and have put to themselves the question, “How much am I devlopin? from my high schol work this year? Am I making good with myself? Am I commanding the confidence of friends by achieving efficient results? When one sees the general lack of competent preparation on the part of so many graduates of our best high schools and colleges, he feels like lending some influence that will aid those who still have the opportunity, to get clear on the fundamentals. The high school, or the undergraduate col- lege student, has before him weil- planned courses of study, a well se- lected corps of instructors, and, in fact, everything conducive to effective work, and yet a very small per cent succeed in retaining the salient poims and conceptions. It seems to me that one great rea- son for this inadequacy is the lack of a definite purpose, to stimulate tow- ard real work. Such an inventory as would be occasioned by asking one’s self the above questions might possi- bly lead to a healthy dissatisfaction. There are probably many of you who have sufficient regard for the obliga- tion one owes to himself to take full advantage of opportunities, but with the great mass of us, it is true that we cannot have too many forces impel- ling us to great effort And it is a splendid influence for a fellow to know that friends are loking to him for re- sults, and to know that he is the pos- sessor of such sterling quality, that he is too true to the principles of

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THE FAX TOM HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR 3 A NARROW ESCAPE One day Harry Lane was sitting by the window reading, while near him was his mother who was busy sewing. Presently Harry, looking up from his book, caught sight of the mail man going by the window. “There’s some mail for us.” “I wonder who it is from, said Harry running to the door, to get the letter which the postman had for him. “Its from Uncle Dan out in Utah , he Slid, as he hastily tore it open. No one said anything until he finished reading it Then he handed it over to his mother. He could see a frown coming on her face as she read it, and he knew that she was not very well pleased with its contents. As soon as she was through, she look- ed up. “Can I go? asked Harry anxiously. I don’t know” answered his rao her, “I’ll have to see your father al out it first. That night when Mr. Lane came home, Mrs. Lane called him into the little parlor, and they both sat down, l have a very important subject to speak to you about,” said Mrs. Lane. Her husband after fixing himself com- for al ly in his chair, told her to pro- ceed with her story. So Mrs. Lane told him all about Harry receiving a letter from his uncle and about him wanting Harry to come out to Utau and join his regiment, in w'hich he would give Harry a good position. She asked Mr. Lane what he thought about it. After thinking awhile he said he believed they had better let 'aim go, since they were rather poor, 3nd it would help them a great deal, for Harry to make his own living. When Harry came homo that night and heard what their decision was, he asked if he might start the next day. “No” said his father, “you can’t start until day after tomorrow, for you will have to get your books homo from school tomorrow, pack your trunk, and get ready, f r it is t long journey ” Harry had to be content with that, so the next day was spent iu getting things ready 'or his jour- ney West. It was a sad procession when Harry, his mother, father, and little sister started for the depot the next day. As they arrived there about a half an hour before the train was due, the time was spent by his mother telling him now to take care o! h’mself, as well as many other things. The train finally arrived, and after telling ev- eryone good-bye”, he boarded it and was soon off on his trip to Utah. Harry arrived in Salt Lake City on Sunday morning, where he had to wait about an hour for a stagecoach to take him out to the fort, which was about forty miles distant. He made the journey without any accident and reached there about 4:00 o’clock that evening. When he arrived his Uncle, who was a large, raw-boned Irishman, with red hair and whiskers, was there to meet him. “Hello me biy” said his uncle, as Harry jumped out of the stage and shook hands with him. “You’re just in time to have the fun. The Redskins have got “nifty” and want to scalp every blessed one of us” This was rather a surprise to Harry as he had heard nothing here of the danger from Indians. A year passed, and Harry had grown to be a tall muscular man. Ha held a higher position in the army also, for he had risen to the rank of lieutenant in his uncle’s regiment.One day w-hen he was sitting alone in his room his uncle Dan came in and, af- ter taking a seat told him he had an important journey for him to makQ. “What is it Uncle?” asked Harry anxiously. He then explained to him that the government had written to the Fort, asking that ten thousand dollars be delivered to them immedi-