Aquinas Institute - Arete Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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Senior Annual, Nineteen Fourteen Reminiscences Senior Commercial Department—1914. S HE utterance of the word “Farewell” is the birth of memories. It has always been so; thus it is now. We are swiftly passing a milestone as this significant word falls from our lips and, though there may be a tear in our eye and a doleful plaint on our lips, Time rushes us on, inconsiderately, and Today’s occur¬ rences are Tomorrow ' s reminiscences. It is inevitable. One can scarcely believe that two years have passed—two years of perseverance—two years of the cultivation of love of labor, the harvest of which we now are reaping. We are a Success. That magic word was spelled out in our brain as we toiled, despaired and grew confident in our efforts to attain a higher rate in shorthand. Or was it the type¬ written paper beautiful, or again rapidity of finger operation in the book¬ keeping processes that made success a certainty? We entered the High School, unsophisticated though not ignorant, with a certain indefinite homage for the Seniors and awe of their accom¬ plishments. With wonder in our eyes and confidence in our hearts, we strove to achieve what they have achieved; in other words to limber clumsy fingers to the degree of accuracy necessary to the use of Stenog¬ rapher’s weapons, known as “Stems.” How very ridiculous they seemed at first, formed with much laughter (suppressed). But it is one thing to write and another thing to read what is written. There are few who have not experienced in a lesser or greater degree the glow of victory, and who shall say that our elation, when conquering a difficult transcript, was riot equal in proportion to that enjoyed by the Americans in their victory over Mr. Lind. Adaptability and diligence are handmaidens to Success, but, com¬ bined, they are not equivalent to the mightier force. Religion. We are told that our chief characteristic is piety. Taken collectively we have always endeavored to do as much in that line as could be expected; but individually, there is a marked tendency in a few, more beautiful because of its very intensity. We have all felt the potent influence of Rose’s religious placidity, of Esther’s generous willingness to help another, of Irene’s studiousness; and, what is more, we understand that these qual¬ ities are the children of religious natures. In that short instruction in the morning, that half hour at noon, was taught the Greater Lesson, unforgetable, which will linger always in our memories as no other will. Age will banish from the mind the methods of stenography and bookkeeping but those instructions in Religion are more vital to us and they will endure. thirteen

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SENIOR COMMERCIAL CLASS

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Rochester Catholic High School CLASS OFFICERS President, Thomas Sercu Vice President, Felix Clossey Secretary, Laurine Redmond Treasurer, Helen Daly The Class Prophecy S .T had been a beautiful day, and in southern France, unusually y warm, even for February, and it was now drawing to a close. k° The sun, a ball of scarlet flame, had just dropped into the sea, v as it were, and had left it a mass of liquid gold. From my room in the hotel, I looked on for a long time enraptured and loath to leave such a beautiful scene, but finally forced myself away to do a little reading. A New York newspaper lay on a table near-at-hand, and I picked it up and unconcernedly looked it over. I came across an article in which my old home city—Rochester—was mentioned. It stirred up memories fourteen