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

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csiur..,-- W fi ' f i ' gi K-12 fe . fi A if fe-'X -f -X, ,- A , . I' g- Q.. I f , ffxifes, 1 'X ' if f 1, , it J DAEAN , i ,ii .e i .i i L A .- T ' 'li Q Z 3 . i M . s ,, K. . .1 . Y M li H , ,, . , , .. 1 ' H , . . V W , I . . ' '. I 1 , ' -fre, i : I U . .i . V I 1. . A ,I .b I' it H . . . 1 f , . 7 ff' Sentnr Clllass 13.5111 XIABISIN Cilnnliws Before said the dignified Senior Class Out ol my hlgh school life I pass l feel it my dutv on this page to spill My testament and sacred will Being sound in body and mind And tow ard the juniors feeling kind, I leave to them the right Lo try, , . To be as illustrious a class as l. 1. f The unsullied desks in Miss Krellis room A Q4 W l leave to the juniors to cherish and groomg f' 1 Theirs also the PAEAN to laud and praise E . And try lo sell in their Senior days. Johnny Sanabria's wiped off his grin , To paste above Arthur Everett's ching l I lslis lordly bearing and manly strut John Fischer Wills lo Charles Putt. - Her right to be on each roll of honor Mary Sabin to Aneff is the donorg Abe Lincoln Con good behaviorl May still chaperon B corridor. .I , 4'We leave the right to the faculty To sigh with relief at our valecliotory. The right to bask in the sun by the door To the undercflassmen: need they ask more? The Senior Class, grown old and gray Has had his day and said his say. , He takes up his pen with a loud lament To sign this last will and testament. l23l

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.fr -. .. , . 1 X-T ' ' KX ' fmmx 61112 Senior Flag FRANCES SERGEANT One of the most successful of recent mystery melodramas, The Cat and the Canary by John Willard, was chosen for the twenty-sixth Annual Senior Production. It was produced on the nights of March 26 and 27 in the High School Auditorium The play, seldom attempted by High School casts because of its melodramic nature held the audience's attention from beginning to end and many of the tense dramatic scenes made a lasting impression on the minds of those present. Those who saw the play can never forget the breath less moments of horror and suspense when the sinister web of mystery entrapped the victims, powerless in its evil clutch Although nearly everyone is familiar with the plot of this popular melodrama a brief resume will acquaint those who missed it with the situation around which the action took place. The family of Cyrus West go to his home on the Hudson in order to attend the reading of his will at midnight exactly twenty years after his death. This Mr. YVest had during his life been rather strange and had been fearful that a trace of insanity ran in his family. According to the will Annabelle West is made sole heir of his estateg but the will provides that if there is any indica tion in the way of insanity, another will, provided for, should be opened and a different heir named From this point on the play is concerned with the efforts of the family to frighten Annabelle in strange and mysterious ways, by murder, and tales of lunatics, and the like. Everyone in turn of the possible heir is suspected, but not until the final fall of the curtain is the extraordinary mystery solved Mildred Decker was indeed capable in her role of Annabelle West, the heiress to all the Cyrus Wlest fortune. As Annabelle she portrays poise and clear thinking in the critical moments of severe strain. Yet she has all of those qualities which go to make a girl loved by everyone, charm, distinction, reserve, and a very sweet disposition. Her vivaciousness in the scenes with Paul when she tries to help him voice the love she knows he has for ber. Her courage in the face of impending danger thrilled them Howard Finch did a remarkable piece of work in his interpretation of Paul Jones. He lived the part of self conscious Paul from the moment he stumbled into the West library through the final scene in which he is at last capable of not only voicing but proving his love for Annabelle The role is a difficult one and Howard did it full justice Maynard Russell was chosen to play the dillicult part of Roger Crosby, the family lawyer This dignified and serious role was assigned to Maynard appropriately fitting bis own manner Crosby figured largely in the plot until his spectacular disappearance in a secret panel. This was a difficult piece of work to execute successfully, especially when the panel opens and he plunges forth murdered. This was one of the most gruesome scenes in the play. Although Crosby did not live long after the play began, he did a fine piece of acting in the first act Mammy Pleasant, duplicated by Maryo Kimball, lent an atmosphere of weirdness and ominous forboding. Maryo Kimball was given a splendid chance to display her voice which was unusually well toned for this mystic part. This and her silent walk, which she developed after many hours of strenuous practice, succeeded in giving the needed degree of mysticism which was necessary for the correct interpretation of the part. The scene in which she tries in vain to secure, by com nmnication with the unseen forces, the name of the evil spirit present in the house was indeed an impressive one and accentuated the general atmosphere greatly. Suspicion throughout the play centered on Harry Blythe, a young man from the city and an old friend, who, in fact, wanted to be considered as more than a friend of Annabelle's. His actions look suspicious but in reality he is attempting to solve the mystery and even suspects the true villian. This part was well portrayed by Wesley Eisenhood, whose manner was displayed con- ducive to justify the audience's firm belief in his villiany. The audience was furnished a complete surprise when Lester Carpenter, as Charles Wilder, another old friend and false lover of Annabelle's, was discovered as the real villian. It was hard to imagine the charming young man, Charlie Wilder, as the hideous maniac, who appears in the last act. Lester was well chosen for this part as was demonstrated in the scene of his discovery. Because of Charlie's jealousy over the will, he constructed the horrible plan of frightening Anna- belle until she is driven insane. He has been able to break in and read the third will and therefore knows that he is the heir named in case that Annabelle's insanity can be proved. He plans to follow out bis shameful plot but is exposed. Susan Sillsby, a distant relative, very interested in making the proper impression on those about her and, of course, in who should receive Cyrus West's fortune, was played by Francis Sergeant. Cicily Young, her younger companion, was played by Mary Sabin. Cicily believed with Susan in Annabelle's insanity but had the human touch of sympathy and understanding which Susan lacked. She was well cast because of her voice and personality which fitted the part. Charles Averill, as a typical rough and brutal guard, succeeded in frightening the audience as well as the members of the West household. He was discovered to be a fake, an accomplice of Charlie VVilder, but who, because of unfair dealings Caccording to his versionj finally told every- ,f l 5i,3 15 . f'5s f E Q, DA A C CConlinucd on page 895 l 25 l