Big Sandy High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Big Sandy, MT)

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THE CENTENNIAL but just out of reach. All we could do was to stand by and watch the senior as they proceeded calmly on their way, and wonder how it felt. Still one knows time and trouble is a remedy for all ills and although our progress seemed slow and uncertain, the summit is not gained at a single bound, but only after long, weary hours of travel. So we find ourselves coming nearer and nearer to that point which looked so faint and vague through the mists and distances of three years before. Another milestone behind us and we are on the final lap of our journey. Seniors at last; reserved, sedate and learned. Just a trifle conscious, per- haps, of our station, but can you blame us ? Why should we strive for years for a position if we are not to take pride in it after it is won? Still as the novelty wears off and we take time to look back over the rough old mountain side and out over the plane stretching away in the distance and onr feelings of importance, in its place, comes the con- tentment known only to those who have seen a hard day’s labor and who can look back with satisfaction at the distance traveled. We have given our blessings to the under classmen and to the Juniors in particular as they are to take our place next year. We have given our senior play, received our diplomas and, lo, we are no longer of that jolly crowd of good fellows, who gather every morning nine months of the year at the little brick school house. We have stood on the pinnacle of our ambition only to discover that the road leads on to still higher peaks and that our journey has only begun. Some of us will choose that slippery old granite mountain called “College” from which so many have fallen. Others will choose the rougher and more rugged way known as “Life”, but whichever path we may choose, “Watch Us Climb.” Kie, Kie, try, try, try. Take your aim and take it high, On, On. On! Come on! lets’ go! Mind your step and don’t climb slow, We’re the seniors, you and I, Seniors of the Big Sandy Hi. Wow! Wow! SENIORS ’26.

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THE CENTENNIAL CLASS HISTORY i When we, the Senior Class of 1926, started to scale the dizzy heights of c.d Mount Education we little realized what a long tedious journey we were undertaking. Leaving the comparatively level and easy plain of the elementary grades behind, we passed our first milestone of advanced education. We must surely have believed in the old adage, “Well begun is half done”, for we considered ourselves quite advanced and were sure that no one was much more learned than we. But alas! When we rounded the next turn in the trail our broad and level road turned into a rough winding mountain path. We had hardly begun our ascent when we struck our first rocks. We discovered, that notwithstanding our wisdom, there were many things we did not know and that we would have to work if we were going to get any higher. We soon de- cided that the best way to gain our goal was to all pull together and unfurl- ing our banner with the motto “Watch us Climb” we started for the moun- tain top. Our first steep pitch was the High School Carnival. What could a group of inexperienced freshies do about a big rock like that? We stood back for a time and watched the other classes with all the respect which a tenderfoot feelss for a “sourdough”. But Mrs. Moe, our energetic, hard work- ing sponsor informed us that there was something we could do. Consequent- ly we got busy, installed a cafeteria, and cleared more money than any other class. We had now gained our first ledge and could look out a little way over the plain that we had just left. Now we had more confidence and turning our face upward we plugged steadily ahead. After traveling only a little way on our journey we struck a landslide.—Semester Exams! Can we make it? Yes, we must, so with fast beating hearts, not daring to look back, we pushed on. Safe at last. My, but that was a scare. Now we had easier going for awhile and although the grade was steep there was a certain exhilaration in climbing and we forged steadily ahead. One more difficulty had to be encountered, be- fore we reached a place where we could rest—final examinations. That made rather rough going for awhile, but was soon safely behind us and we bad covered one-fourth of the distance. Now we had a short rest before passing our second milestone, marked Sophomore. Here our trials and tribulations were much the same as before. Again we were financial winners at the car- nival, we were a so vabcntly awarded for our efforts by having our Class Queen, Bessie Arnold, chosen Queen of the Carnival. This year Ted Homan exalted himself and hs c'ass by helping two upper classmen capture second rlace in the state in stock judging. Ben Worstell also played guard on Sandy's famed championship football team. Having gotten our second wind, we were fast gaining distance. Halfway up, what a grand and giddy feeling. No long- er under classmen, but juniors now, chesty and important. We were getting somewhere in the world and desired that people should notice us. We travel- ed gaily on becoming more used to the roughness of the road, and learning more and more how to travel it with less fatigue and hardship. Both Ted Homan and Ben W'orstell made the football team this year.Thorald Cowgar made the debate team. We also sent delegates to both the Boys' and Girls' Vocational Conference. John Jenkins to the beys' conference and Selma Sim- onsen to the girls'. Our junior class Play “Safety First” was accounted the mort successful Junior play ever put on here. After this we put on the Junior From, for the Seniors of '25. The first part of the Prom consisted of a ban- quit at the dormitory after which there was a dance at the Gym with music furnished by the Rainbow Orchestra of Great Falls. Chuck Ensley also made the Stockjudging team, which took sixth place and the Juniors won the in- terclass track meet. We could now look forward to our goal, in plain sight

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THE CENTENNIAL CLASS PROPHECY OF 26 The day was still, there was no twittering of birds, no melancholy notes of a meadowlark, there was not a cloud on the horizon, while at its zenith the sun poured down its incessant, blistering rays upon the parched land. Not even a cooling breeze found its way to this second pergatory. Amidst all this torrid heat and scorched surrounding a lone cowpuncher, who lay in the shade of his horse, watching with drowsy eyes the little herd of scrubby long horns grazing upon the scant bunch of grass near by. But, alas! not even the shade of the horse could completely shut off the heat of that sun, and soon the rider, already tired and sleepy, began to rub his eyes, and nod his head in a drowsy manner. No sooner had his head begun to nod than he saw a black speck ap- pearing over the horizon which, as it drew nearer, took the form of a large bird and low! when it was almost overhead what should it be but one of Ford’s new aeroplanes which had become very prominent in the last ten years. When the aeroplane came almost overhead the rider, who was none other than Ted Homan of the senior class of ’26, could plainly see the occupants and finally placed then as Kenneth Ray and Leslie Miller also of the class of ’26. His joy knew no bounds, with a wild cowboy whoop he leaped to his feet, waved his big hat frantically and yelled at the top of his voice. No young- boy or beast of the tropics could have gone through all the antics he did. At last he was successful in attracting the attention of those in the plane for he heard above the roar of the motor a never-to-be-forgotten voice. “Hey Kenneth I think there must be a lunatic or a sheep herder down there, judging by his actions, I think we’d better go down and look him over if we can before he hurts himself.” Ted did not catch the answer but it must have been in the affirmative for as a great hawk circles over it’s prey, the plane began to circle slowly downward until finally it glided to a stop some fifty yards away. With another wild yell, Ted pulled out his 45 and brandishing it aloft as he went, made a wild dash for the two men who now stood near the plane. At this wild re- ception, the two unprepared men, unable to defend themselves in anyway ex- cept rapid flight, started to scramble for the plane. Fate must have been with Ted that day. for as Leslie turned to run he plunked his foot squarely into a prairie dog hole and Kenneth who was directly behind him, and who was too slow to stop quick, went sprawling down on top of him. By the time they had untangled their legs Ted had ar- rived at the spot and throwing himself down on the ground gave every evidence of a man who has pulled “a good one on his neighbor. “Why you wall-eyed, bow-legged, club-footed, pigeon-toed air fiends, don’t you know an old side kick when you see him ? Why you ought to be-----? He did not have time to finish the sentence, for with a joyful yell of recog- nition they pounced upon their old classmate and soon had him initiated in- to their league of companionship again. They even quite overlooked the trick he played on them and their bruises, for they had often had worse tricks pulled on them in the dormitory at Big Sandy ten years before. They soon had their various smokes going and began to gossip as con- fidently as any group of old maids. Ted soon learned that Kenneth and Leslie, who were now well fixed, had taken it upon themselves that spring, to seek every member of the class of ’26, and see if she or he were making a success of life, as had been expect- ed of them when they graduated. He also learned that they had almost made