Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

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Randolph, Moore and Reeder, have helped make it so. While the track season lias hardly begun, it seems very probable that our boys will help make Atwood’s team, the winning team. In the literary field, we have shown more interest than usual. The school will be represented in the oration this year by Chester Moore, a Junior. We hope that we will leave not only a record to be proud of, when we graduate next year, but also the feeling that the class of 20 has done something to add to the lasting fame and honor of our dear Alma Mater, the Atwood Township High School. The Contribution of Our Community Toward Winning the World War The contribution of our community toward winning the world war, truly a subject fraught with many meanings. To many of us it stands for the hard, cold dollar that has purchased a Liberty Bond, or that has been donated to the Red Cross; to others it stands for days of strenuous knitting, or hours of hoeing in the never ending rows of the potato patch; but to still others of us it means more than the dollar, and more than the days of labor. It represents neither the money nor labor alone, but the feeling that accompanies the contribution. It has been said, “A pound of energy with an ounce of talent will achieve greater results than a pound of talent with an ounce of energy.” Our contribu-tions ofjnoney or of time alone would have meant (little without the soul of the people, churches, and schools back of them. The feeling that made our sacrifice a success, made the school an interesting and lively place. Each pupil was eager and ready to do his share. Any proposition connected with the winning of the war met with approval. No signs of selfishness were betrayed when the Red Cross called on any school organization to render their services in making a social a success. The Camp Fire Cirls willingly gave their services to the Red Cross in planning a box social. Every member not only brought a box, but helped entertain the community. Last fall we again gave a box supper, economizing in every way possible, and the entire amount, above expenses, was used for the adoption of three war orphans. The boxes of this supper were wrapped in plain brown paper tied with red ribbon. The honor roll placed in the school caused quite a sensation, each student trying to outdo the other. I think it safe to say that every member of our school owned War Saving Stamps, and a great many Liberty bonds. During these drives one could single out those students who owned bonds, by their unconscious airs of self-importance, and by their smiles as they exhibited their loan buttons.

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THE POST- JUNIOR NOTES Officers President ... Warren Wierman Secretary - - Blanche Kamm Flower: American Beauty Rose Colors: Green and White Junior Class History One bright September morning in 1916, thirty-three eager, but still somewhat frightened Freshmen, entered the doors of the Atwood Township High School. We made our debut into High School society at a party given in our honor by the upper classmen, where our only consolation was the thought that some day we, too, would be more than just ‘Freshies.’ During our Freshman year, the boys took a great interest in all athletics, especially football and basket ball. We were also represented in the annual oratorical by Chester Moore in the oration, and Lela Sidney in the girl’s declamation. Only twenty-six of us returned in 1917 as distinguished Sophomores, for many had dropped out of school or had moved to other places. This was our first year in the new Township High School building and we were certainly proud of it. As in our Freshman year, the boys showed a great interest in basket and football. Several of the men who represented the school in the District Tournament at Decatur, were from our class. Track work was omitted in 1917-18 on account o f the war. We also played our part in the literary affairs of the school, some trying out for places in the oratorical contest, while others took a great interest in the Shakespearean scenes produced by the public speaking classes. Although we enjoyed our Sophomore year very much, going to school every Saturday, the last semester had tired us so that we were very thankful when vacation with no studies came at last. Returning to school in 1918, our band was strengthened by three men joining us from Garrett. This year some of the best records in school have been made by members of the Junior class. While our boys were winning athletic honors, the girls have also won their share of the honors in scholarship. This year has been the most successful basket ball year in our history, and we are very proud to know that four of our men, Wierman,

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The machines in the sewing room hummed merrily, as the girls sewed on many little garments, knowing that some poor little half clothed child was to be warmly clad. What wonder that these girls, as they sewed on the little garments, thought of the contrast between their own happy, peaceful lives, and the lives of the children of France and Belgium; children who were half clothed and half fed. A number of our boys joined the United States Boys Working Reserve, and school remained in session Saturdays, thus giving the boys a chance to begin work earlier. The boys were happy, for did not many a lad, as he sat on the cultivator whistling some popular war song, dream of rolling o’er the billows, or of the time when he could serve his country? Various classes discussed the questions of the day, and many were the heated arguments as to what should be done with the Kaiser. It was not only the contributions of our school that were full of enthusiasm, but the contributions of the people as a whole. The spirit with which the people of our community made their contributions toward winning the world war made those contributions seem even greater. They were wide awake to everything that took place. The day of the Red Cross sale, the three aeroplanes attracted much attention, and a large crowd and two thousand and five hundred dollars was the result of the day. One little duck, only a few days old, housed in a little wicker cage decorated with the American flag and flags of the Allies, sold and re-sold many times. The highest bid- der received a ride in one of the aeroplanes, an event causing much excitement. The Liberty Loan drives were successful, the people being proud to be able to help Uncle Sam. The sales of the four Liberty Loans, and the sales of the War Saving Stamps for the year 1918, was estimated at one hundred and thirty thousand two hundred ninety-three dollars—a sum of which our community is proud. The War Saving Stamp drive awakened the enthusiasm of the small children. One little fellow came with an old pitcher full of pennies and insisted on receiving his stamps right then. The men planned their fields so as raise a bumper crop of everything. The women devoted their time to raising poultry, tending the large gardens, knitting and trying some new war recipes. The meatless, wheatless and sweetless days were observed throughout the community. Although our other contributions were great, our greatest contribution toward winning the world war was the giving of sons, husbands, brothers, and sweethearts to Uncle Sam that our beloved country might maintain its Liberty. Of course this great sacrifice caused many heartaches, but as one of our great men has said: “Those who have earned joy, but are rewarded only with sorrow, must learn the stern comfort dear to great souls, that comfort that springs from the knowledge taught in times of iron that the law of worthy living is not fulfilled by pleasure, but by service, and by sacrifice when only thereby service can be rendered.” The same man has said: “All of us who give