Steele High School - Annual Yearbook (Dayton, OH)

Page 17 text:

STEELE MAGNET Page Fifteen It is also dtting that we look forward to the coming year. We hope to profit by the experience and mistakes of the past and shall try to make the next year better, more enjoyable, and richer in educational, social, and cultural opportunities than the past year has been. The new gymna- sium and swimming pool will promote athletic and physical development. It is the earnest desire that students will continue to give their sup- port in maintaining a high standard for Steele. The school is for the benefit of the student, and every one should be full of school spirit, and lend his interest and enthusiasm to make the coming year the very best in the history of Steele High School. - Bl W U2 MR. BILLINGS' GARDEN JAMES E. RICHARDS, JR. R. BILLINGS lived in the suburbs. His wife had been reading wonderful stories in the magazines about the amount of garden truck that could be raised in a backyard. Because of these two facts, Mr. Billings took his hoe and spade in hand, one bright April morning, and, at the insistence of his other half, began the task of trans- forming the backyard into a garden. Mrs. Billings sat on the porch and read aloud a series of articles in the Ladies' Home Companion on The Garden : What and How to Plant. Their excellence will be comprehended when it is known that the uexpertv who wrote them lived in the heart of a city and had gained his informa- tion and ideas from the labels on ca.nned goods. As Mr. Billings wielded his spade and at intervals discarded his coat, vest, and collar, his wife sat comfortably on the porch and carried on a conversation in which Mr. Billings could not or would not join. Finally, his failure to reply became impressed on her consciousness and she too relapsed into silence. Coatless and vestless, Mr. Billings sank his spade into the ground 'With greater or less regularity and turned over the soil to an accompani- ment of grunts of such tenor that a passer-by, not seeing Mr. Billings, might have imagined that the yard was inhabited by a litter of pigs. Little beads of perspiration stood out on Billings' forehead, and fre- quently he straightened his aching back, swabbed the sweat from his forehead, and looked longingly at the cool porch where Mrs. Billings was seated. . . Oh, George, just listen to this P' cried Mrs. Billings in rapture, and read from one of the seed packages: 'Frank Milton, of Kingstown, Ohio, writes that he purchased one package of our Acme Perfection Radish Seed, which he planted, and from the resulting crop he made 515.513 Isn't that fine? Let 's see, a package of seed costs fifteen centsg how many per cent. profit is that?

Page 16 text:

Page Fourteen STEELE MAGNET THE PAST YEAR J. H. PAINTER HE publication of this Annual reminds us that we are approach- ing the end of the school year. It is fitting, therefore, that we, like other business institutions, review the work of the year, and pause to consider what things have been undertaken and with what meas- ure of success they have been accomplished. The item of most importance has been t.he regular school work, the preparation and recitation of the daily lessons. The development of the will power, concentration, and mental activity necessary to master a lesson, and the memory, self confidence, and power of expression neces- sary to recite it, are of very great value. The regularity, punctuality, and persistence required to complete successfully a high-school course, are positive virtues almost sure to bring success in any undertaking. We feel that the year has been peculiarly successful in this respect. With a very few exceptions, the pupils have done their school work well and have kept all school appointments in a conscientious, business-like way. Our teachers, too, have consecrated every power of mind and body to this work. They have not taught lessons alone, but have given themselves to the higher task of developing the minds and characters of their pupils. We feel that school should not only afford opportunity for intellec- tual growth, but should also promote physical, literary, musical, and social development. We have encouraged the work of the literary oci- eties. There are now ten such societies and two musical organizations, with a total membership of more than four hundred. All these ocieties have done good work and shown a splendid spirit of co-operation and helpfulness. We have tried to bring the social life of the pupils into closer rela, tion with the schoolg to make the school building a social center for the school 5 to encourage a wide use of the school building for musical, cul- tural, and social purposes. The musical programs given daily in the Auditorium have provided pleasant entertainment for the pupils who wish to pass the time of recess in a quiet, restful, yet profitable way. They gave to our pupils who can play or sing an opportunity to appear in public, and also furnished an incentive to pupils to prepare for these performances. They have af- forded our pupils an opportunity to hear many splendid recitals by our friends outside the school. We are very grateful to the musicians of the city who have given their time and talents for our pleasure. The boys' societies, which had formerly published the school papers, very ma gnanimously surrendered their rights, and the papers were taken over and published. under the name of the Steele Magnet, by a staff of editors appointed by a Board of Directors taken from the various clubs and from the school at large.

Page 18 text:

Page Sixteen STEELE MAGNET I don't know, returned Mr. Billings, but it 's too much. I could believe that statement with a whole lot less eiort if it was divided by three. Isn't it nea.rly dinner time? What are you going to have? Well, since this is Saturday, and you didn't have to work in the oflice to-day, I thought I 'd just fix something light-sandwiches, or- Mr. Billings' temper had been fraying more and more as the sunlight grew warmer and the ground became stonier. This dictum from his wife capped the climax and he fairly stuttered: S-s-sandwiches! Sandwiches! Do you think I 'm a canary? Here I 've worked and swea.ted until the ground is fairly wet and then you say that we 'll have sandwiches for lunch! I could eat all the sandwiches in Christendom right now. Ugh! He stopped from lack of breath. Mrs. Billings' temper was rather sharp that morning and she an- swered with heat: Well, if you feel that way about it, I won't have them. You might have enough consideration for me not to expect me to slave in the kitchen all the time! And after I helped you all morning in the garden! But I should have expected that you 'd have more feeling for your stomach than for me! She dabbed at her eyes with a diminutive handkerchief. After you helped all-, Mr. Billings paused, amazement pre- vented further speech. What are you mumbling about? came the sharp query, followed by a relapse into tears. Oh, nothing. Go on and have sandwiches or humming birds' tongues or any other apology for real food, but stop crying, the ground is damp enough. Of course, if you 're going to act that way about it, I 'll go inside. I don't see what 's the matter with you to-day, George Billings ! and she iiounced into the house. The minutes passed. Mr. Billings finished his spading and started to plant the seeds. No sound came from the house. A doubt crept into Billings' mind. Had he been too hasty? He had been sorely tried, but he might have controlled his temper. Anyhow, when the rest of those blamed seeds were planted, he 'd go in and make up with her, and when the last lettuce seed had been deposited in the ground, he did as he had decided. Peace once more reigned in the Billings' household--but a day was yet to come. . Two weeks later that day cameg just when the radi hes and tomatoes and all the other delectable things were getting a good start. Every afternoon and evening Billings turned the hose on the garden plot and already it gave promise of luscious delicacies to follow. In the cellar the water meter clicked and whirred. Billings forgot how his wife had driven him to plant the garden, and showed it to hi friends with pride. That momentous afternoon Billings lay peacefully on a settee and slept. Mrs. Billings was down the street visiting a friend and hearing the latest gossip. The trash man had left Billings' alley gate open and here entered nemesis in the shape of two frisky, young pups.