Abraham Lincoln High School - Railsplitter Yearbook (Des Moines, IA)

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The Senior Railsplitter ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL President Geil ' s Address ' E, OF THE JUNE, 1935, graduating class, are having our commencement and are engaged in completing what we be- lieve to be the first step in an impor- tant victory. The word commencement is de- ceiving. It is seldom used except in connection with the final exercise of some group engaged in passing on toward new fields. The word is usually accepted to mean an end. That is true, because this is an end. It means the ii 0mm m putting aside, in most in- stances, of friends who have proved themselves. It signals the definite passing of one of the happiest times of our lives. It echoes the reminder that from here we must go forward without the familiar faces and that our journey must take us to new instructors and into a game that will have new rules. It is in truth an end, and one which every person in this class regrets. But what is more essential to those of us who are leaving Abraham Lincoln High School forever is the fact that commencement also represents a beginning. To us it is important. It is an opportunity for some of us to get a new start. It is a chance for some of us who have accumulated honors to add new glories. For all of us it is the beginning of the greatest effort we shall ever be called upon to make. First, and naturally, we shall be interested in the things closest to us, the acquiring of shelter, food and clothing. After that we shall be interested in efforts to promote the general welfare of the community in payment for the exceptional educational advantages we have received. None of us is content, but, rather, we are looking forward to victories beyond our present grasp and, I repeat, hoping emphasis will make our sincerity clear, that we are grateful for the opportunities we have received at Lincoln High. Without them our glimpse into the future would be much dimmer. Still no person can say that one of us is fitted above others for a unique role in the future. All of us have lived in this small community surrounded by instruc- tors acting as coaches, giving us advice in regard to every major problem we have undertaken, in an effort to prepare us for future encounters. How well we have succeeded cannot be told, because this present victory is a team affair to which all of us have tried to contribute our just and equal share. But with the passing of our high school days the challenge becomes more specific ... in effect the team has played its last game . . . and it now becomes an indi- vidual problem. Some of us will continue in our efforts to acquire more education. We will scatter to many colleges and other places of learning. Some will enter immediately into the business world. A few of us will probably settle at once to the making of homes. But the point is, that regardless of the path we choose to follow, from now on we shall find the hurdles are higher, the paces faster. Because of a greatly upset economic condition the tests will be greater than any we have before faced. All these things being true, we know we must face the future with courage, with sincerity, with honesty. We know the rules. They have been taught us at Lincoln High school. Now it is for us to meet life as it comes, and endeavor to play the game so there will be few fouls or errors against our names. Naturally all of us cannot expect to scale the peaks to the topmost point. But we can all direct our lives so that no matter what height is reached we can look kick down the long road and be proud of the manner and method that have enabled us to gain whatever small vantage point we possess. If we can do that we are sure of gaining some meas- ure of success We will have passed a test which is greater than the accumulation of great wealth or fame or any of the other things the world offers. We cant all play a winning game, Someone is sure to lose; Yet we can play so tJiat our name No one may dare accuse. That when the Master Referee Scores agahist our name It won ' t be whether we ivon or lost, But how we played the game. 6

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DES MOINES, IOWA JUNE, 1935 The Senior Railsplitter Events of Commencement Week Baccalaureate Services ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1935, 4:00 P.M. Processional The ninety-nine June ' 35 graduates Music Music Pavanne Ravel In a Monastery Garden Ketelby Abraham Lincoln High Sc hool Orchestra V. K. Engel, Director Violin Solo — Thais Massenet Albert Graziano, June ' 35 Only Begotten Son Gretchaninoff The Three Kings ll ' illan Lost in the Night Christiansen Abraham Lincoln High School a Cappella Choir F. E. Engel, Director Invocation and Scripture Rev. Mr. L. P. Cassell Sermon and Benediction . . Rev. Mr. William H. Phelps Recessional June GRADUATES Band Concert Lincoln High School Band Frederick E. Engel, Director Marche and Cortege from The Queen of Sheba Massenet Wagnerian Selection Art, by Lake Grand March — Democracy M. L. Lake Commencement ABRAHAM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL AIDITORIUM THURSDAY EVENING, June 6, 7:45 P.M. Processional Band Invocation Rev. Mr. A. J. Bissinger Address Miss Flora Dunlap Presentation of Diplomas Charles T. CoWNH Member, Des Moines Board of Education Recessional Band School Life Is But a Day Hx EVERETT W. ALLISON Sonic years ago in scattered homes conducted by God ' s tvill . . . Our birth became our break of dozen; the sun peeped o ' er the hill. Pawn set us on the path of life, and sent us on our way: And though this path seems rough and long school life is bui a day. A day of great adventure, a day of joy and pain, A day which shatters all one ' s hopes then builds the m up again. Our early morning hours were spent; and soon school time drew nigh. Little we remember of the hours that first went by; But when we entered school the sun came to full view For one of our fond mem ' ries is when we first went to school. Our elementary schooling sped as preschool hours had done, And slowly we began to meet each other one by one. From different schools and different towns our paths began to cross, . hul when a school chum left our class we felt a dreaded loss. Our sun was rising steadily with every heart ' s desire And every time we passed a grade it rose a little higher. Soon high noon of our school day came. We passed from grades to high school Where playing every moment seemed no longer your and my rule. Mme work :eas mixed with much less play. Our crown we had to earn. We began to learn to study and decide which way to turn, li e zcere learning to enjoy it as we thought we never would . hid resolved to do the things zee did the very best we could. Our sun descended toward the west though afternoon was new; Now and then a cloud appeared then faded from our view. It seemed like months and even years but soon the hours had passed To eventide, and we had reached our day ' s twelfth hour at last. The final hour, our sunset hour. Our lives we ' ve tried to nudd To moke our golden sunset a beauty to behold. This hour brings us together in a class of graduates true. May we reap a golden harvest from our toil one great day through. May we always love our ! r thcrs. reverence teachers, help our friends; And if we ever hurt someone, be quick to make amends. May our lives be clean and wholesome, living them both fair and Sijuare. And in every thought and action may we let this be our prayer: Cod keep us evei pushing on dissatisfied and true. Never let us once forget the debt we ozve to You, Never let us reach our goal but alzvays keep our place, . I I ' d make us be forever faithful servants to Your Grace, Keep us with Thy watchful eye until life ' s journeys end And till eternal dawn breaks fair, zve ' ll praise ' Thy name — Amen. 5

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DES MOINES, IOWA JUNE, 1935 The Senior Railsplitter Leaders . . Today . . Tomorrow STUART GEIL, president of the June 1935 class, better known as Stu , is one of the outstanding basketball players Lincoln High has produced. Much of Geil ' s success is due to his ability to become a leader through his school life as well as his outside life. Ambition is another of Geil ' s hobbies. He is always willing to undertake a great responsibility and accomplish it with favorable results. Geil is known also by big and little as a friend and pal who helps whenever he can. Lincoln will indeed miss this great athlete and leader. ROBERT R. SCHARNWEBER, vice pres ident, entered ninth grade at Lincoln High from Woodrow Wilson Junior High. What a lucky year for the June ' 35 graduating class! We gained not only an energetic athlete but also one who was destined to be one of our leaders. Studious and extremely good natured, he soon became one of the main cogs functioning in our class. His popularity and importance are illustrated by the fact that he is not only a leader in the senior class but also a leader in student government. Scharnweber ' s hobbies vary from sports to photographic work. He has the technique for constructing miscellaneous articles of real value. Ambi- tions will take him to college and thence into the engineering profession in which field we can confidently predict for him a brilliant success. EVA JO MASON, secretary of the June 1935 class, is one of the most popular girls in Lincoln High school. Her never- afraid-of-work policy has shown that she is ambitious, playing a slip horn in the band for two years and writing numerous articles for The Railsplitter. Throughout all of her school years she has been a foremost leader. Eva Jo has a sense of humor and enjoys good jokes. ELGIN HITE, treasurer, better known as Peewee, has grayish green eyes; dark blond straight hair; freckles and a bright smile, especially when he collects a large amount of the money for class dues. Now in his seventeenth year, Hite came from Gilman, Iowa, entering the fifth grade at Park Avenue. When this youthful leader came to Lincoln, February 18, 1929, he was four feet one inch tall and weighed S7 l 2 pounds. He is now five feet six inches tall and weighs 119 pounds. He likes three things : girls, dancing and theater. The Hite smile has made him one of the most popular boys in our class. We hope he may keep this smile always. 7