Alton High School - Tatler Yearbook (Alton, IL)

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The Sixth Annual Meet MHE old saying:, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. was never so much appreciated by Alton rooters as at the last Madison County Meet. The third trial proved a charm and May 9. 1908, we regained the banner from Granite City, which had held it for two years. The battle was a hard but gdorious struggle, in which the red and gray came out victorious. Phoebus smiled brightly as he appeared over the horizon on the date set for the meet. But even before he arose, the streets about the City Hall contained a few early birds, who were joined soon by about three hundred other rooters for Alton High. Three special cars were chartered to carry our crowd to Collinsville, where the contest was to take place. When the cars left Alton, everyone was in a good humor, singing High School songs, giving yells and toasts to our participants and to the school, and, in short, we were feeling quite gay; beautiful banners and pennants fluttered out the windows, while many a farmer that we passed, plowing in the field, held his horses somewhat tightly as he watched us out of sight, and said, “Wonder w’ats all the row about ?” We made things quite exciting while passing through Edwardsville, and led the rooters of that city a merry chase from there to Collinsville, as our car went first. Upon reaching the town the greater part of the crowd went to the opera house, where the intellectual contest was held, while our athletes went to the best hotel which the city could produce, followed by a crowd of—“don’t want to but can’t help ourselves”—admirers. The intellectual contest started a few minutes after our arrival and lasted till a few minutes after twelve. Representing Alton were Miss Maynte Coleman, essay: Miss Alice Morris, declamation, and Mr. Lee Hull, oration. We won first in essay and third in oration. Granite City took first in declamation and oration: Edwardsville second in essay and declamation: Collinsville, second in oration and third in essay: Upper Alton, third in essay. Every one was almost starved and a scramble for a dinner ensued, every person thinking there wasn't enough food in town to satisfy his own appetite. Owing to the good dinner, and plenty of it too, which every one got, it was necessary for a large part of the visitors to take the car to 13

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love of all that was good, inspired him with a power to touch the hearts of the people as no other man has ever been able to do. He has left us abundant testimony in words and works of his religious creed. He was a man of keen perception of right and wrong. His conscience required him to see his way clearly before making a start, and his rigid honesty woidd not allow him to make a pretense. His greatest fault was his inability to suppress his sympathy. He once said: “If I have one vice, it is not being able to say‘Xo!’ Some of our generals complain that I impair discipline and encourage insubordination in the army by my reprieves and respites, but it rests me after a hard day’s work if I can find some good cause for saving a man's life. In his eulogy of Lincoln, Emerson says: “His greatness consisted not in his eloquence as an orator, his shrewdness as a lawyer, nor his executive ability, but in his absolute self-control, his unselfishness, the full maturity of his wisdom, his unwavering honesty, his humanity, his love of country and his faith in the people and in republican institutions. He grew according to the need; his mind mastered the problem of the day, and, as the problem grew, so did his comprehension of it. Rarely was a man so fitted to the event. In four years—four years of battle days—his endurance, his fertility of resources and his magnanimity were sorely tried and never found wanting. Through his courage, his justice, his even temper, his fertile counsel, and his humanity, he stood—a heroic figure in the centre of an heroic epoch.” Alma R. Green, '09. THE PHYSICS TEACHER. See the Physics teacher, With his meter rule ; I wish that he would meet her In our halls at school. THE CALL OF THE WILD. “All my study periods are omitted, and I have a test today!” 12

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the race track, where the athletic contest was to be decided. The track was reached all O.K. by every one however, but, after waiting some time for the contest to commence, the spectators began to get fidgety. It was learned after some time that the delay was caused by the non-arrival of the starter and the gun. Finally, however, the officials decided to run the fifty yard dash without either, a fact which may account for Goudie’s not getting a gold medal. Varnum, of Granite City, took first place; Welsh, of Collinsville, second, and Goudie, third. Time, five and four-fifths seconds. Bohn, of Edwardsville. heaved the shot forty feet, five inches; Harrison, of Collinsville, took second, and Bristow third place. He heaved it thirty-six feet, nine inches, which was farther than he had ever thrown it before. The quarter mile run came next. Everybody literally went up in the air to see Allen leave his competitors so far behind, some thinking they were quitting, but they were doing their best. Allen made the run in fifty-five seconds. Case, of Granite City, took second place, while Lowry, of Upper Alton, took third. It was feared a new world's record would be made, owing to the agility with which Taylor cleared the bar. He cleared it at nine feet, two inches. Griffey, of Upper Alton, and Stolze, of Edwardsville, tied for.second place. By this time the starter had arrived, and the hundred yard dash was called. Goudie was set back a yard, having tried to beat the gun. It was thought that he took first place anyway, but, when Granite contested, the judges gave Varnum first place, and second to Goudie. It appeared as though Enos had wings in the standing broad. He sailed through the air and jumped nine feet, four and three-fourths inches. Stolze, of Edwardsville, came second and Spindler, of Highland, third. Allen’s collection of gold medals was increased in the hundred and twenty yard low hurdle. Dippold, of Edwardsville, came in second after Allen, while Griffey, of Upper Alton, and champion of Madison, tied for third place. The time was fifteen and three-fifth seconds. In the running high jump Ivreider, of Collinsville, won first place; Campbell, of Upper Alton, and Stolze, of Edwardsville, tied for second. Height sixty-three inches. 14