Auburn High School - Trojan / Oracle Yearbook (Auburn, IL)

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THE ORACLE —1923 27 breathlessly. I asked a nearby policeman what the trouble was, and he ex- claimed that the famous Arthur Sabine was going to read his latest poem from the steps of the Museum, and the people were gathering to hear him. However before tire reading of the poem came, I was again whisked away. This time I was landed before a great farm before which stood a gi'eat arch on which was engraved, “Hogsdale Swine Sanitarium, Charles Foster and Wife Proprietors.” The strange thing about it was that Charles Foster was written in very small letters while Wife was written in Capital letters. I then entered into the Sanitarium and 1 was just about to the main building when I heard a woman’s voice, which I recognized as Louise Van- Doren’s sav: ‘‘We women have been the slaves and serfs of men long enough, and we should say, as Patrick Henry said of old, ‘(live us Liberty, or give us Death,’ am I not right?” And then Charles’ little male voice answered. ‘‘Quite right, my love.” And then I knew why wife was spelled in capital letters. While I was still standing here a man whom 1 recognized as Howard Workman approached. He told me he was a nerve specialist of the Sanitarium and that as soon as he finished operating on Susy B, the prize piglet, he would take me to the vaudeville to see the world’s famous Tumblers and Acrobats, Gibson Evans. Lo, and behold! before the time arrived a change came over the spirit of my dreams, and I felt within my heart a strange, burning desire to see my old chums, Frances Stevens and Julia Maddox, till the Spirit of Prophecy, responding to my unspoken wish, conducted me to a bachelor girl apartment in a large foreign city where the two sat by a large fireplace, talking of the past. Frances, now a famous pianist, was calling forth sweet strains from her polished instrument, while Julia danced a jig in delightful time to the music, her figure swaying from side to side at the appeal of the fantastic air. Verily, was my heart stirred within me as I saw the vacant chair and noted their frequent anxious glances toward the doorway for the coming of their prophet- ess to complete the charmed circle. And verily, as I beheld this scene and marvelled thereat, thinking, ‘‘Aye, even so shall it straightway come to pass with each and all of us,” lo, the strains of music died away, the veil was drawn over mine eyes, shutting out from my vision the Things to Be, and I turned mine eyes back to the Things that Are, sure that as ‘‘coming events cast their shadows before,” only good- ness and truth and prosperity shall follow all the days that are to come to the fair and talented members of the Class of 1923. Class Eulogy—Junior Class Poem—Arthur Sabine The Class TL?ill—Henry ITlasterson Ladies and Gentlement, Board of Education, Principal, Teachers and Friends: Lpon behalf of my client, the Class of 1923, of Auburn Township High School, of the City of Auburn, State of Illinois, IT. S. A., I have called you to- gether upon this solemn and serious occasion, to listen to her last will and testament, and to receive from her dying hand the few gifts she has to bestow in her last moments. Cutting so rapidly loose from life, and finding so many things of such gigantic proportions to be attended to before the end should come upon her, realizing at the same time that she had no longer any time left to spend in cultivation of her own virtues, she did, collectively and individually, deem it best to distribute these virtues with her own hands

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26 THE ORACLE —1923 and radiant beings who were once my classmates, now changed and trans- formed into citizens of the world outside, even as they had long hoped so to be. And it came to pass that the veil before mine eyes grew yet more and more thin through the intensity of my vision, and behold, I could see them, even as if the intervening years were not at all. I could see our beloved President; yea, even as today, I could see him in all his dignity and majestic bearing, and his words were heeded by that day and generation even as we today of the Class of 1923 have heeded and attended unto them ; for his ambition has led him ever upward and onward until he was even the Governor of this, Ins very own and native state, the finances of which, were being successfully managed by Henry Masterson, Secretary of Treasury. And I looked again, and as I looked 1 could see among the society circles of that far off distant time, and among those who were most fair to look upon, among even those most bright and dazzling to the sight and mind, three, whom, even as I gazed, I recognized, as those beauties, Velma Meiklejohn, Mary Cline, and Ida Mae Murphy, who had succeeded in keeping that school girl complexion. And it came to pass that I also looked into professional circles, and in a large office among many men of many minds sat a prosperous lawyer, the boy, who in our High School days, had not yet learned to lie. Nay, not even on the right side would William Wood say a word that could be untruly interpreted. Thus are the mighty brought to lower planes! And I also happened to find myself on the inside of a large cathedral where a stately priest in his robes of dignity poured forth words of inspired instruction. Verily, it was Carl Cline himself, who has thus entered into the work of the church. And it came to pass, while I pondered these things in my heart, the door of a home swung open before my vision, and I found therein a household made happy by a wife and mother who had found her greatest ambition in the highest of all worldly vocations—the maker and keeper of the home. Verily was my soul rejoiced thereat as I gazed my last upon Marcella Peters and followed my Spirit of Prophecy further on its quest of the Things to Be. And it came to pass, even as I watched the home lights die away, that sweet strains of music held my soul entranced by the beauty and perfection of their harmonies, and as I looked about to know whence they came, behold, I did find a Prima Donna of the American Opera accompanied by the Lewis Orchestra, which except for the fact that Director Lewis obtained the services of Joseph Johnson the great saxophonist, was the same that had so often played the marches for us in High School, and I felt myself falling in line keeping step with their martial airs. Suddenly the scene was changed, I was in a busy street, before me stood a towering sky-scraper, and over the doorway were inscribed these words: “Auburn City Ilall.” On entering I was recognized by my old friend and classmate, John Johnson, who explained that he was custodian of the building. Then be escorted me to the Mayor’s office, on the door of which was printed: “George R. Bradley, Mayor of Auburn,” whose stenographer was none other than Bessie Miller. During the conversation with the Mayor, I learned that he had recently promoted Mae Herron from City Nurse, to the position of Superintendent of the Health Department. Across from the Municipal Building I noticed a large Art Museum, and on inquiring I was told that it had been constructed but recently, and had been dedicated to the famous artist, Keith Corned, because it contained many of bis paintings. Being immensely interested 1 crossed to the Museum and I noticed that a large crowd was collecting before it and everyone was waiting

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28 TIIE ORACLE —1923 to those friends to whose needs they seem best fitted. As a result of this announcement a wild scene took place amidst most frantic pleading and scrambling among her friends for this or that so long coveted glory; but she has tried to be just, as well as generous and impartial, and distribute wisely unto those who will make the best use of such gifts as she has in her power to bestow, the talents that have served her so faithfully these four years. These are her decisions, as at last definitely arrived at through very deliberate consideration. Owing to the flighty condition of her brain, and the unusual disturbance in its gray matter, she begs me to state for her inventory; but such things as she thinks she lias, she hereby gives into your possession, praying that you will accept them as a sacred trust from one who has gone before. Listen, then, one and all while I read the document, as duly drawn up and sworn to: We, the Class of 1923, in twenty-four individual and distinct parts, being about to pass out of this sphere of education, in full possession of a crammed mind, well-trained memory, and almost superhuman understanding, do make and publish this, our last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills or promises by us at any time heretofore made, or mayhap, careslessly spoken, one to the other, as the thoughtless wish of an idle hour. And first we do direct that our funeral services shall be conducted by our friends and well-wishers, our principal and his all-wise and ever-competent faculty, who have been our guardians for so long, only asking, as the last injunction of the dying, that the funeral be carried on with all the dignity and pomp that our worth, our merit, our attainments, and our position as Seniors of “grave and reverend mien, most certainly have deserved. As to such estate as it has pleased the Fates and our own strong hands and brains to win for us, we do dispose of the same as follows: Item:—We give and bequeath to our beloved faculty all the amazing knowledge and startling information that we have furnished them from time to time in our various examination papers. We know that much imparted to them in this way must have been entirely new to them, as well as to all teachers and students everywhere, and would throw much new light on many a hitherto familiar line of thought, throughout the whole world of science and learning, even outside the hall and walls of Auburn Township High School. We trust they will also feel at perfect liberty to make use of all such bits of wisdom and enlightenment for the education of the classes to come after us. This of course, is left entirely to their personal discretion. Item:—We give and bequeath to the A. T. II. S. as a whole, our school spirit, mainly our prowess in all athletics and oratory, which has resulted from our untiring effort to excell and the enthusiasm with which we always backed our men. This spirit is to become the possession of the school on condition that it shall ever be kept in constant use. Item :—We give and bequeath to the leading paper of our city, the Auburn Citizen, and to the talented editor thereof, all the events of our lives, past, present, and to come, with all the wonders, sensations, hair-breadth escapes, glorious attainments, and other deserved or undeserved notoriety and fame with which we may have been, or may hereafter be associated, trusting that they may furnish plenty of material for news items and brilliant editorials for ages yet to come, and serve as an inspiration for those younger students who so naturally look to us for examples. The following may seem but trifling bequests, but we hope they may be accepted, not as worthless things lavishly thrown away because we can no