Valparaiso High School - Valenian Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 27 of the state he gained first place in all except expression. With an even break on every pr esent element, canary and wine will be planted at or near the top of the hill. Look out, Indiana, you may be beaten. Layfayette, Indiana, March 4, 1908. Alumni Editor of the Valparaiso High School Annual, 08. Dear Friend: As a Purdue student I shall be glad to tell you a little con- cerning the history and work of the university. The man for whom the school is named and who bequeathed to it his entire fortune, as well as the greater part of the grounds which the university occupies, was John Purdue. Purdue was organized by Congress in 1862. At first, agricul- ture and the “mechanic arts” were the only subjects taught. Then there were only three buildings and probably fifty students, but with the wonderful growth of the school new buildings have become necessary, and to-day there are twenty- eight buildings, including the library, museums and laboratories. The departments included in the university are: Pharmacy, Medicine, and the Schools of Engineering — Mechanical, Civil and Electrical, the School of Agri- culture, and the Scientific School. As an agricultural school Purdue is probably surpassed by none in the country, is excelled by only one technical school, and offers splendid courses in science, pharmacy, and medicine. The Medical School, the only one not on the campus, is in Indianapolis. The laboratories and shop rooms are well equipped and the engine laboratories are well fitted with modern types of engines and machines. The agricultural department owns and operates a farm of one hundred and ninety acres, including orchards, grain fields and pastures. The cattle and other live stock on the farm are all of the highest types. Probably, at present, the thing that is attracting, more than anything else, the attention of the students is the play that has been written by one of Purdue’s well known alumni, George Ade, ’87, for the Harlequin Club of the university. By the time the Annual is published it will have become as well known as “The College Widow.” The two McCutcheons, Ade and Booth Tarkington are witnesses that while Purdue is not a literary school she has contributed her share to the writers of the day. Valparaiso has been strongly represented at Purdue this year. Two Valpa- raiso boys expect to receive diplomas this spring, one has another year, and three are still in that much abused, overworked (?) and ridiculed class, the “Freshman.” Sincerely yours, NEIL C. ARVIN, V. H. S. ’06.

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26 HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL the orator “What we expected of him.” The president of the junior class, to which our man belonged, went forward and pinned lengthy streamers of black and yellow, the class colors, to his coat. This meant class confi- dence. In an instant the president of the senior class placed a beautiful Park pennant of canary and wine, right over the junior colors, showing by this that it was not only a class, but College affair, from Freshman to Senior. Then up sprang the tall junior and senior boys and raised our orator high upon their shoulders. Down they went from the Chapel to the village station, just as the train was pulling in. Many amazed passengers looked out to see him pushed through the car window. When the train was out of sight, back again went the student body to the classrooms. Another day of work, and evening once more. The long distance wire was held open. At eleven o’clock came the thrilling message, “Dave has won. Oh, ye gods, what a racket! Guns, fireworks, bells, yelling! Above all could be heard, “Dave has won.” “Dave has done it.” A huge bon-fire was kindled on the campus and around it circled a yelling mob, arrayed in pajamas. From the windows, peeped the modest maidens eujoyiug the fun. For Park is co-educational. Monday is our weekly holiday, but on the following day, Saturday, class-work was put aside. For who could collect his scattered thoughts? An hour and a half before train time the station platform was packed clear back upon the terraces. At last the shriek of an engine was heard in the distance. A train thundered in with streamers of canary and wine floating from every conceivable place; bunting waved from the windows. The Saints preserve us! Three boys on the cow-catcher, holding an enormous Park pennant; the band boys, on the rear platform, making every sort of a discordant sound. Out of the coaches came a hundred boys who seized our orator, the English professor who had done the drilling, and the committee- man. Then a wild rush for the Chapel began. On a great throne of canary and wine our orator was placed. Once again the Chaplain signaled for quiet. Then we were told “How it was done.” Occasionally the speakers were interrupted by ”Cis-boom-bah-Our Orator.” 1 hat evening it was a very weary boy who was escorted by the presi- dent of the institution, the English professor, and the committee-man through the village. Their carriage was gorgeously decorated in black and yellow; from the top of which a huge yellow dragon, the symbol of the junior class, peered down. The junior boys who were pulling the carriage kept step to the music of the band. Park has great confidence in our orator and feels that if he does not carry off first honors in the inter-state contest the man who does will have to do some high class work. He proved his ability by being the first man in the history of the college to win first place,, both in delivery, and in thought and style in the local contest. In the contest between the colleges

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28 HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL The Progress of Civilization. GLEN KINNE. HE people of the world, or at least of all the civilized world, of the present day, pride themselves on their high degree of civilization. Indeed, if they compare themselves with the people who lived before Christianity, art, law and literature were known, they have something to he proud of, but we can hardly look upon a single invention or read a single law which did not exist in some form a century ago. Therefore since we have the benefit of the knowledge and experience of all those who have gone before us, and also, the oppor- tunity of adding more ourselves, we should not think it strange that we are more intelligent, in most respects, than were the ancients. Indeed, we are progressing faster in many ways than they did. But should we not, just as the compound interest on money is greater every year it is let stand? Now let us look for a few moments at the way in which we came by our j resent culture. Had former civilization stood still perhaps ours would never have been known. But civilization has progressed and has progressed westward. We see its dawn in the far east and just as it has been said, “Westward the star of empire makes its way,” so also may it be said, “Westward civilization makes its way.” Although civilization began farther east, yet the first great contribu- tion to civilization was made by the Hebrews of Palestine, when they con- tributed their religion, by which they gave us knowledge of the true and living (iod. It was in their country a little later that Christ was born and the Christian religion of to-day sprang into existence. Many take this to be the greatest of all contributions, and certainly we can hardly imagine civilization worthy of any note at the present day, that does not hold Chris- tianity as one of its elements. We can now look back and see its development from the religion of a few thousand to that of the many millions of to-day. The next contribution was made by the Greeks. Although they received much from the Egyptians, Babylonians and Assyrians, yet the Greeks are so far superior to them, that they are hardly noticed. The con- tribution falls under three heads, science, literature and a democratic form of government. All of these are present in the civilization of to-day. They help to form two of our greatest necessities which are our education and our liberty. If we were to destroy the roots of our education and liberty so that they would wither away, we could then see that the ancient Greeks helped a great deal in forming our civilization. We also find that the Romans brought our civilization a step nearer to