Wilkinsburg High School - Annual Yearbook (Wilkinsburg, PA)

Page 19 text:

- WI , gf. 1, .Jar 2 'i , i. f7f7'f . f 7?'qfV .. el- as K.-., V , - 1 , ,,. 4. . in -. - . v ,eww J An Outline of '24's History lt was a record day in Wilkinsburg High School when the largest group of good-looking students ever known entered the lofty doorway of our school and thronged its corridors. We bravely encountered gaping, staring, ridiculing gazes from upper classmen. But behold, this class soon did the unusual! The managers of activities, who immediately discovered the willingness and good spirit of the class of '24, did not address this freshman class in vain, because we showed a keen interest in all high school activities. The Grst floor hall was usually filled with upper-classmen, curious and anxious to visit with these-active and enthusiasticfreshmen. Instead of taking a back seat and waiting a few years to distinguish itself, the class immediately began to take an active part, much to the surprise of the upper- classmeng our mighty athletes began to show their prowess in games of sportg the freshman basketball team defeated every class team, but ranked second in the class league, a notch higher than the seniorsg we were represented on all varsity teams, and great numbers of fresh- men always responded to the call of athletics. Another honor was conferred upon our class when one of our boys won an essay contest, which was open to all students of our high school and of all other high schools of Allegheny Countyg many members of this talented class were in the Nladrigal and Schubert clubs and the school opera, Mikado, gMoreover, ten freshmen were in the high school orchestra. This active and spirited freshmen year was merely a setting for the unequalled record in high school activities that was to follow. When our sophomore year began, we all realized that we were loyal students of Wilkins- burg High School. Now we sustained every team to the limit and supported our school with the old fighting spirit, which will never leave us. Then a new and capable athletic director was installed in the high school. This marked a revolution in our athletics. Championship teams followed: basketball, track, relays, and football of the following year will always stand out in our memories as great victories for our school on account of cooperation, perseverance, and superiority in sports. Our sophomore hike attracted a great congenial gathering, and under splendid leadership this affair was a success. ' In this year the upper-classmen, again noticed they were being excelled in severalfworthy activities of our school by sophomores. A sophomore girl won an essay contest in , which every member of the school was compelled to compete: the greater part of both the orchestra and band was sophomore. We had several important players on the girls' basketball and boys' baseball teams. A sophomore gained fame for our school in a scholastic Slocution con- test. We again attained second place in the class league. ln spite of the larger number of senior competitors in the newly organized chess club, the chess champion ofthe school' was one of our classmates: the runner-up was also a sophomore. Our ability was shown plainly by the large number of '24 articles, which were accepted by the Review, However, our greatest task was near the close of the season when we had to entertain the school at the sopho- more party. This was a stupendous undertaking because we must provide for twice as many students as in the preceding year. Several ingenious amusements delighted everyone, and our musical numbers were splendid, but the greatest achievement was the presentation of two delightful, roaring farces. ln a llat Shop, and Shakespeare Up-to-Date. The exceptional histrionic ability in portraying these farces was unrivaled, and it was certainly a sophomore triumph to present this form of the drama in such an excellent manner. - . 4 , J AV i .. 1 ,, H452 . .a-S1924 Nineteen E .. e i he A 1 A .

Page 18 text:

Freshmen of 1920 Were We Green? Oh, No f 1 gli

Page 20 text:

A famous episode, the greatest in high school history marked our junior year. We had the championship football team of Pennsylvania. After a series of hard-earned victories, our team attained this highest gridiron honor. Who does not remember those fight-to-the-finish battles and such scores as 13-9, 3-0, 14-9, and 7-6? Nor could all of these games have been won without the help of several junior football heroes. Then the junior jaunt was certainly perfect bliss. Our Thanksgiving play caused the whole school to heap praises upon the class of 'Z4Q lt was the Hrst Thanksgiving play in many years that met with such great approval from the student body. junior spirit, ambition and enthusiasm waxed higher and higher until strange things began to happen. Probably due to the new public speaking department, the high school speeches improved infinitely. Famous and original speeches by our class- mates were delivered from the platform. Clever write-ups' and brilliant poems in the Review were written mostly by juniors. Now this group of industrious people surpassed the seniors in activities,,for the president and two other officers of the Spanish Club, all officers of the Chess Club and all members .of the Chess Team, all the ofiicers of the splendid Hi-Y Club and the majority of Art Guild officers were juniors. We were champions in class basketball, inter-class track, inter-class girls' swimming. Our instrumental music talent was clearly shown, because a great many membersof the orchestra, practically all of the band, and two of the Hnest pianists in high school history were juniors. The leader and all the oflicers of the band with the exception of one, were our classmates. The greater part of the high school baseball team was of the illustrious class of '24. Practically all of .the leaders in the gym- nasium exhibition were juniors, showing that we excelled in feats of strength and agility. The chess champion of the school was again one of our classmates, and there were three poems, a page of cartoons and two prose articles in the Senior Annual. Since a junior Class is usually judged by its reception, we made ours the greatest in his- tory. To rise to the occasion, one of our classmates wrote an original play about high school life. lt was a splendid production and the entire arrangement of the reception was excellent and efficient. The class of '24 had taken the lead in' activities in its third year. lt had over- come many obstacles, risen to heights of fame, and won many deserved honors. When we returned as seniors in the fall of 1923, we found that our walls had been orna- mented with pictures of the world's masterpieces. This helped create a more pleasing and inspiring environment. The athletic Held had also been improved, and our chapel exercises had a great deal of variety, and were more spirited and entertaining. Our opera, Pinafore, was declared one of the best ever given at high school. Then the senior Christmas play was the best performed production ever played in Wilkinsburg High School. This pantomime performance of the Seven Gifts by Stuart Walker will ever be an honor to the class of 'Z4. The high school clubs, good ones, too, with good objects, flourished as never before. Both the words and music of our delightful class song were written by classmates. For every worthy cause our classmates spoke enthusiastically and fluently from the platform. Girls' swimming and girls' tennis teams were organized in our senior year in addition to many other innova- tions. All individual champions were of our excellent and energetic class. Truly our 'senior year seemed to be a series of honors and successes, and originality was the keynote. The- Review became the finest magazine in our school's history, several new sections being added to it. Beautiful poems, clever stories, interesting write-ups, and ingenious art contributions made our magazine easily excel all others of previous years. Our graduating honor roll, is 11, i xl 4 - ti ' slung Twenty