Battle Creek Central High School - Paean Yearbook (Battle Creek, MI)

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THE PAEAN. O9 Page 23 A WORD TO THE CLASS OF 'I3 You are nowientering upon a new period in your existence, which you will find to be neither the hard grind pictured by some, nor the gay, easy life pictured by others. In the first place, you will be confronted by the proven statement that Battle Creek High School is the stiffest and hardest school in the state of Michi- gan. lt will prove no harder than eighth-grade work in proportion, but entirely different, so much so indeed, that many failing to realize the different conditions, stumble at the very foot of the ladder, and handicap themselves by beginning the climb with a failure around their necks. You must become used to the one session a day as soon as possible, or you will get into serious diiiiculties at the very outset. You must develop a sense of responsibility. Each will at first lose his identity, and become one of two hundred, an insig- nificant atom of a great organization. Then you will discover that there exists a real power which has charge of your slightest move. None, be he great or small, will be allowed to have any more than the common lot of all,-and perhaps not that. You will be immediately impressed by the greatness of power which organ- ization brings, and the sense of aloofness which is presented by the class higher up, owing to their superior ability to act in concert. Then you will be struck with your utter lack of that inside knowledge, so familiar with the others as to be sec- ond nature, which is so essential to their movements. However, you will soon become acclimated, and come to take an active interest in the activities of Battle Creek High School. lXfIake it your business to attend everything in an athletic line, from football to basket ball. Join the Freshman chorus, take manual training and drawing. No one realizes what he has missed more than the graduate. As he looks back, he can see the hundred and one things which he did not do, and now wishes that he had. Take his advice, and get into all that is going on around you. Books do not constitutethe entire school. Other activities invite your attention. Every boy should come out on Beach Held when the call comes for candidates for baseball and football. Perhaps you think that it will do no good-you would have no chance to make the team. Well, you prob- ably would not, but you would stand the best possible show of doing so the next year, and such a thing as a Freshman on the team .-.gg is not an unheard-of thing. Get into the debating club. Try out for the oratorical contest, it is an honor merely to have contested in it. If possible, join the tennis club. In short, take an interest in everything going ong and although you may come into the limelight unpleasantly persevere and you will win the respect of the other classes. Above all, for heaven's sake show a little common sense and judgment, it was sadly lacking in the last Freshman class. However, we look for better things from 713. ff, - X 'xx l x yin i lv 2 S X . ,'r.. ri

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THE PAEAN, '09 Page 22 in music, Miss Bear was constantly lamenting the lack of in- terest shown in things musical by the High School pupils. So many excellent and famous musicians were presented to the ,X public of Battle Creek this year that it seems a pity that a Q N part, at least, of the students could not have attended a portion L. xx X X ' K, of the programs. It would be to the advantage of the High X School to shake off this phlegmatic stolidness, and for once in the history of their quiet existence, do something really wo rth while. , . .....- X5 . IMPORTANT Aovica TO THOSE THINKING SERIOUSLY OF QUITTING scHooL: DoN'T Nothin seems so .eas a solution of a bo is troubles as to leave school and o 8 , D Y Y , 8 to Work. Now omitting those few who are really forced through sickness or death to leave school and seek employmentbof ,some sort, in order to support a dependent family, there is no real excuse for a oy s inability to keep up with the pace of this school existence, and procure for-himself a good, serviceable education. There is no denying that there IS value in an educationg it surely can't do any harm, and it possibly and most probably will be of great valu.e to the recipient. It may be that an education will not help a man in his life's work, although we most earnestly dispute that factg but it surely can be no hindrance. Admittinv that there is no practical value in study,.the. immense gain in culture which ii manlreceives is a gain for all time. Nothing is so democratic as a public schoolg notginlg talgeilthe snfpbbghnessfciut of alpoylor girl sp quickly as brushiqng shouldgs wit t err e ows, ve ays o ie wee . n no p ace is true wort so quic y found out and recognized as in a public school, especially a High School, and in no place can a good character be so easily moulded and developed as here. It is in High School that we first assume responsibility for our acts, and that the strain on our will power is too much for many of us at first is evidenced by the fact that the majority of failures occur in the Freshman year. But life is one vast responsibility, of which the failures mean dire disasterg and repetition of failure, death. It is indeed a serious matter, and a place to teach responsibility is of infinite value to the rising generation. It has been proved time and again, that in the long run the person with an edu- cation has the advantage in the struggle for existence which is being constantly waged about us. In the end the graduate is in control of men, most of Whom have had little or no schooling. The Teutonic race today dominates the globe, it also excels in schools and the means of education. This is not a coincidence, the for- mer fact is dep.endent upon the latter. For those who Hnd school hard, a job will prove harder. In conclusion, we appeal to the boys not to leave school, but to stick it out, for one more year at least. L i

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THE PAEAN, '09 Page 24