Pottsville High School - Hi S Potts Yearbook (Pottsville, PA)

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About the middle of the school term William Bennett entered our class, who surprised and shocked Miss Boyer in English class one day by denouncing chaperons as useless articles. Only one thing occurred to mar the pleasure of the year. Dur- ing institute week we received news of the death of Karl Seltzer, one of our classmates. He had been absent from school but a few days and his death came as a shock to all of us. We all deeply sympa- thized with Ruth, also a member of our class. We were somewhat diminished in numbers when we returned in the fall as Juniors. A few went to schools out of town, while others received positions here in town. ln September Helen Mor- rison and Charles Gallagher entered our class from the Minersville High School. This year we studied English under Miss Umbenhen and took up the study of Shakespeare. Mildred Zerbey gave us a new version of 'tThe Dagger Scene from Macbeth, by changing the tirst line to, Art thou a dagger which l see before me!', lt was in this class that in some way Ruth's and Mazie's curls were tied together and they couldn't stand up to recite. ln connection with our English work, we had to write compo- sitions on Why Buy at Home. The Merchants' Association of town offered a prizeof seven dollars and fifty cents to the class that would write the best compositions. The contest was between the Seniors and Juniors. The Juniors won the prize, the best com- position being written by Preston Shimer. lt took a long time to decide how to spend the money, but at last it was decided to present the school with a pedestal. One Friday morning we thought we ought to have a social, so all necessary arrangements were quickly made. A program was ar- ranged consisting of vocal and instrumental selections, and recita- tions, one of which, Pete Kenny's, entitled, At the Railroad Crossingf, is best rememibered. This was our first social, but we all enjoyed it and tried our best to make it a success. At last we enter P. H. S. as Seniors. As we look back over the past three years, they seem very short, and yet so much has happen- ed in those three years. High School has become much larger. When we entered, part of the building was used for grade schools, now the whole building is devoted to the high school, and still there ' 1 5

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One Friday afternoon early in the spring we were having an Algebra test in Miss Holt's rooms when the peace of the class was suddenly disturbed by a goat walking into the room. It is not ex- actly known whether the goat was simply taking a walk or whether some boy was hunting a way to get into mischief by bringing ani- mals into the building. At the end of the term the school, as usual, held a picnic at Railway Park. Everyone enjoyed the day thoroughly and looked forward with much pleasure to the dance in the evening. But alas! About 6:30 clouds began to gather and in a short time it started to rain. The pavillion was crowded until the storm was past. Then instead of dancing we were glad to get home safe and dry. Many of our class were in the chorus which sang at the Com- mencement exercises, under the leadership of Prof. Haviland. This was a new feature in the Commencement and was received well by all. At the beginning of our Sophomore year, nearly everyone re- turned who had started with us. At Christmas time as usual exercises were held, and instead of giving the gifts as had been the custom for many years, the girls, under the supervision of Miss Margaret Boyer, dressed dolls which were given to children here and in other towns. When we looked for the Christmas tree ornaments, they were not in their usual place, and further search proved that they couldn't be found at all. The next morning, much to our surprise, all of our decorations appear- ed on the Junior tree. Since then we've kept them in the jail through the kindness of Elva Walton, our former president, who promised to watch them carefully. One day at noon Miss Margaret Boyer went home and locked her door, thinking that no one was in the room. But three of our girls, who had been attracted by the mirror in the cloak room, were locked in. They pounded on the door and screamed but no one seemed to hear them. They had just about decided that they would have to go dinnerless, when Miss Betz, who had been detained in her room, heard the noise, opened the door and released the girls. This comes from being vain. Everyone will guess that Mazie and Marion were there. ' 14

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. is not enough room to accommodate all of the pupils. But a new building is being built which contains many improvements. One great improvement is a gymnasium for the girls, which has been hoped for, for many years. We held a social in the latter part of September. Besides other forms of entertainment, many selections were played on the Victrola which the class of 1915 presented to the school. The Boys' Ctlee Club was reorganized early in the term, and later on a Girls' Cilee Club and an orchestra were formed. Our Tuesday morning music periods were greatly improved by selections by the Boys' Glee Club and the orchestra. A new club was formed in the school called the Lunch Club, consisting of six Senior girls. The meetings were held the third period in the morning, in the cloak room, much to the annoyance of Mr. Weiss. What good things found their way into that cloak room, sandwiches, olives, cakes, candy, bananas, and even dough- nuts were sometimes bought at Heinz's and smuggled in. One day a box of chocolate caramels was placed too near the radiator, and in the absence of spoons, Hngers had to be used. Just then came Mr. Weiss's call, Everybody out of the cloak room. Six girls marched out each holding a large piece of soft caramel in her hand, much to the amusement of the rest of the school. A large number of the class elected the study of Chemistry. We may all be sure that the class will turn out a number of excep- tionally fine chemists. The work in the lab was new to many of us, but experimenting proved very interesting, even if the girls did have to seek aid once in a while. On St. Patrick's day, all the Senior girls appeared with green hair ribbons, and curls hanging down their backs. Most of the boys wore green ties. In fact the whole school seemed to have turned green for that one day. We cannot express enough, our appreciation, to the teachers. They have helped us out of every difficulty, and made the greatest efforts to teach us the right from the wrong. In future years, may we show them that their efforts were not in vain, and that each one has profited by their good advice. We shall always look back on our High School days, with the greatest of pleasure. Even the smallest incidents will never be for- gotten. Our class is large, but each member wherever he may be, will think of the days spent in P. H. S., and memories will gladden every heart. 16