Armstrong High School - Rabza Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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hg ee oe Valedictory | % 5 “THROUGH all the stages of the world’s develop- ment men have hesitated before a new under- taking and with no less reluctance have they parted with the tried. So we to-day pass from our happy school life to meet the strife of the world; so we take leave ofold Armstrong, and its familiar associations. The former presents to us areality-life; the latter may suggest the sentimental. To morrow we enter the great contest, not as a class, guided by the help of a teacher, but as in- dividuals who must work out their own destinies. During our school life we have enjoyed the friend- ship of each other, and it has also been our privilege through training physical, intellectual, and moral, to have developed into men and women of ability and character. If, indeed, as members of the class of 1905 we cannot stand a test proportionate to the fa- cilities here afforded, this is not to us the jubilee day of our nights of labor. Graduation makes of each of usa Janus. As we look backward, what can we find thatis worth cling- ing to? Have the difficult lessons mastered given us strength for to-morrow? Remembering our study of great books and authors will we go forth with a taste for the highest and best in literature? Having dis. covered our weakness and limitations will we have ever the spirit of a student? Having mingled here as class-mates will we respect the rights of others in the busy world? Thus with power to overcome, with the companionship of good books, with a long. ing for more knowledge, with the golden rule for our guide, do we look to the future; to the world that awaits us; a world not altogether cold, gloomy, un- sympathetic, and unfriendly, but a world that em- phasizes ''The survival of the fittest. The world cannot be gloomy if you carry into it sunshine; it is only the undeserving from whom sympathy will be withdrawn, only those who do not appreciate friend- ship will be friendless. Whether, then, we look backward or forward, there is a demand for the reso- lute, the competent, the noble, the responsible, the self-reliant. These are the quali ties, dearclass mates, that will enable us to make ideal the standard of our Alma Mater; these are the qualities that will make us indispeusable; these are the qualities that will keep us in the steps of the Master, who has given us the task of doing. His the shaping of results. The results, how anxious we are about them! Who

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) PROPHECY ( ONE warm afternoon in June of the year 1920, I sat alone in the parlor of a fashionable hotel in San Francisco, awaiting rather anxiously the return of my friend and private secretary, Alice Robinson, whom I had just brought West with me from Boston to assist me at the annual meeting of the great National Physical Culture Conference of which I was both founder and president. “This is the fifteenth anniversary,’ I said suddenly, half aloud, of the Class Day exercises of the Class of 1905 of old Armstrong. I wonder where they aliare! Oddly enough, just at that moment Alice rushed in in great excile- meut with a large bulky mianuscript in her hand ‘What in the world can that be?’’ Tinquired. ‘Oh! I have just received the dearest letter from Mary Winters,’’ cried Alice. ‘ She has succeeded in locating every member of our class, and now she is writing to tell us all aboutthem., How fortunate she is to have martied that wealthy lumber merchant in Michigan. thus being afforded abundant leisure and opportunity for all her delightful enterprises. But let's read her long letter.” Reuben West, cur class president, had won fame as the greatest political orator of the day. For several years after their graduaticn he and Lelia Henderson, equally noted as a gifted speaker anda great ‘Womeus’ Rights’’ woman, had concucted a Jaige school of elocution in Chicago, in which they had been finally succeeded by their sticrgest pupils, Charles Longus, Jeanette Bradford and Aithur Carter, national | Bessie Gibson, after completing a course at the Wash- ington Conservatory of Music, has become as famous as Madame Hackley whose place she then occupied. Thomas Smith was to be seen every morning in his Prince Albert and silk beaver on his way to the office of Lawyer Francis de Sales Miller of Philadelphia in company with the latter’s private secretary, Pearl Keys. There had been recently formed a club to publish poems and songs for the benefit of the Settlement House conducted by Jesse Mason and Ella Cochran; the members of the Club being Marian Beverley, chairman, Blanche Carter and Charles — Scott. Claude Tolson, being early inclined to Christianity, had established a small church in Laurel, of which he was parson, — and Ruth Lee leader of the praying band. Clarence De Veile and Frank McKinney had won cael fame as artists in Paris and elsewhere through the painting, — a Sleeping Beauty, for which Sadie Harper and Joseph iaaae Thomas had posed. Florence Childs and Lula Ball had become ascistant printers in the establishment of Manly and Company and — were winning great reputation for their splendid work, An extensive dry goods store had been opened in Glas- gow, Scotland with Ida Bronaugh as proprietor and Mamie Perry, Virginia Johnson, Marian Whitley and Eva Taylor, clerks of great efficiency. Opposite this grand store was lo- cated a Milliner’s establishment under the direction of Edna Hamilton, The leading models of these two stores were Ella Baltimore and Beatrice Thomas. ‘Laura, said Alice, when she had finished the letter, I think we shall have to agree that the Class of 1905 has proved itself truly worthy of its noble Alma Mater.”’ 4 %

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eel can tell what tomorrow has in store for us? Most assuredly there isa field for each laborer of today. We have but to choose. Much has been given us, much will be expected. If we would accomplish great things we must toil early and late. If the di- ploma that shall be given us means anything it will bring to us with force greater than words the fact that our graduation is but one step toward the securing of the fullest education. ‘This land is blessed with col- leges and universities for further intellectual devel- opment. The way has been made possible ; the door leading to the highest attainments is before you —open, enter, : This is the day of farewell. Even now itis de- lightful to live again our school days in Armstrong ; how much more joy will these meditations bring in after years when we shall have ventured many new undertakings; when we shall have learned that life is real. This day marks an epoch in the history of our lives. Perhaps a second meeting ofall the members of the class o! 1905 will not be granted, for as we dif- fer in abilities and aims, so must our course in life diverge. But let us not say farewell, but rather, ''God bless you.”’ Tothose who seek the highest good, the advancement of humanity, separation is unknown. For them separation is bridged by those who stand as monuments of their deeds and love, SESH SHH HHHEHH SHES EFSF SH SH SHS HSHESHE SESH SHOPS eoooereooe : Ghe Annual Competitive Drill : a a4 PEFS EHS S ESSE SESS HESS SH SHHHEHHS EHH SESHHSHESSSHHEHOEHHH MAJOR ARTHUR BROOKS HE thirteenth annual conipetitive drill of the Cadets of the M Street High and the Armstrong Manual Training Schools oc- curred May 27th, 1905, at the American League Base Ball Park, in the presence of about 8,000 persons, among whom were the District Of- ficials, Members of the Board of Education, aud many prominent citizens of the city, The battalion of four com- panies, two from each school, under the command of Major J. Moria Saunders, gave a dr ess parade and exhibition drill after the contest, which was pronounced a very dignified, and creditable showing The battalion officers are : Major, J. Moria Saunders; Lieutenant, Benj, Wade; Serg’t Major, Wm. H, Twine, The company officers are: Co. A, Capt. Willis Menard; Co. B, Capt. Lawrence Goines; Co. C, Capt, Wm, B, Mitchell; Co. D, Capt. Arthur Albert The youngest company in the organization ‘'D ' was award- ed the medal and ribbons of victory by the judges, who after a very careful and close examination of every movement of each c ompany decided that the drill furnished by D was nearer too per cent than that of any other company, although C was a very close competitor, with company A ranking third. Se neenenenenennneneeneneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ——————— ees