Bennett High School - Beacon Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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SHOES Did you ever stand and notice the shoes that pass a busy cor- ner '? There are so many kinds and they all tell their own stories. First came a square-toed pair of oxfords, black in color with heavy cleats at the heels. They swing along with the lithe stride of athletic youth. Invariably the wearer is a college boy, clad in the everlasting crewneck sweater and golf knickers. No doubt these shoes are home for the holidays. They have stamped with impatience and excitement at football games. In their better days, perhaps, they danced opposite high-heeled tiny slippers to the music of a battered victrola in some fraternity house. A gay life and a short one, is their sentence. Along came a pair of buttoned patent leather shoes, topped by nothing less than brave but shabby pearl-grey spats. Without difficulty one may conjure their owner's picture: a tall, thin man, with a sallow under-fed appearance and in need of a haircut. His clothes are of flashy color and cheap cut, and are long past a com- fortable middle age. The shoes drag just a little, but are forced and coaxed into a disillusioning jauntiness as they hopelessly pro- ceed from one employment oflice to another. Next approach two pairs of shoes side by side. The larger pair are sensible, low-heeled slippers with two straps. They are well-worn and have been re-soled, but they are equally well pol- ished. Next to them patter tiny buckskin baby shoesg the kind that lace to support the unsteady little ankles. Suddenly these little shoes stop and turn toward the toy display in a nearby win- dow. The sensible slippers hesitate, almost start in that direction, suddenly turn back and continue toward the oflice building where gas and electric bills are payable, accompanied reluctantly by their smaller companions. The next shoes proceed very slowly, and finally stop altogether on a corner. These are downright old shoes, broken down, mud- splashed, and with heels worn down. They are of that passee class

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16 The B Looking Backward The Junior Day exercises were held by the Junior Class on Arbor Day, May 23. A most interesting and ap- propriate program was presented in the auditorium under the direction of John Galvin, president of the class. After these exercises, the class, rep-- resented by the oflicers, planted ivy on the side of the building. In the evening' the Juniors held a Promenade in honor of the Senior Class. The Senior Class held its Class Day in the afternoon of June 10th. The program conducted by Donald Dixon, president, was in charge of the Class Ofiicers. The Latin Salutatory was given by Jeanette Wenborne and the Valedictory by Claire Groben. Kath- leen Donnelly, Class Poet, recited the Class Poem. The history and prophecy of the Class of '27 were presented by John Stuhr and Bessie Lancer, respec- tively. Maxine Chapman, Vice-Presi- dent, presented one hundred dollars from the Class to the Charles Elbert ACON Rhodes Scholarship Fund, and Charles Royce, treasurer, presented two pic- tures to the school on behalf of the Seniors. On the evening of June 22, Bennett held her second annual commencement exercises in the school auditorium. Dr. Rhodes awarded diplomas to one hundred fifty-three students. This was an increase of fifty-six over the number graduated in 1926. The com- mencement address was delivered by Dr. Miles H. Krumbine, minister of the Parkside Lutheran Church, who spoke on the subject, One Life Counts . Claire Groben delivered the valedictory and Jeanette Wenborne, the salutatory. The Jesse Ketchum Medals were presented to Claire Gro- ben and Jeanette Wenborneg Donald Dixon, president of the class, received the Dartmouth Award for Charac- ter, achievement and leadership. These exercises were followed by the Annual Alumni Dance, to which the graduates and their friends were in- vited. ,f-- x i ' K T 7476 ,, I ,or-Quran '11 L M cs ...CK Mu, ima QW

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is The BIIJ-lXC0N that are called high shoes , both laces are broken and clumsily knotted. As they stand on the busy corner, they are joined by a square, roughly-woven basket that is lined with newspaper and filled with pathetic bunches of drooping bittersweet and Chinese lanterns. There is a dreary finality about these shoes as they continue to stand beside the untouched flowers. Click-click, click-click! High-heeled, absurdly small patent leather pumps pass. They are shiningly new, and move as if in time to some remembered dance tune. They shed an air of assumed sophistication with their gay buckles, but their walk brings a smile of sympathy for the gaiety of youth and beauty. And so one may stand and simply look at shoes. Still, life, in its many phases of joy, heartache, and disillusionment, is passing by. -Doris Call 12233 1930 OLD JIM'S YARN Old Jim, although retired from the seas, was still an active spinner of yarns. Some were true, the others-well, they were very interesting. Wal, he began, when we requested a story one stormy day, the brig Nancy was a good ship. I know, for many's the storm we weathered together. But about the queerest thing that ever happened aboard her was when the news got round that three desperadoes had stolen a ship and were sailing in that part of the sea. A reward was oifered for them, dead or alive. We were well out at sea when we sighted a ship. She was sinking fast. We veered toward her and as we approached saw three men clinging to the mast. 'Ah, lads, here's our would be pirates,' I cried. We took them, none too gently, and locked them in the hold. They foughtg so we had to persuade them with a gun. They told us to put them oif at the next port. 'That we will, my robbers,' I said, 'but in irons! They opposed this, so we put them on bread and water. Three weeks later we sailed into port and turned them over to the police. I'll bet you got a lot 0' credit, interrupted old Bill Jones. Wal, I dunno 'bout that, said Jim slowly, ye see they were the wrong men. -Elizabeth Lindow C1235 1930