Binghamton Central High School - Panorama Yearbook (Binghamton, NY)

Page 30 text:

rl, I good, and but little time had lapsed ere we preceived the weakness of man when our youthful class bo . was found to be missing. and the theft laid at the Seniors door. Qh, the utter wretchedness of thoserqf ar. -s for our souls grew wearv of well doing and in vain endeavor to lead the tottering footsteps of the :ents class, into the paths of righteousness. But there must be an end to all things, and in June of 1904 the upper classnien departed, leaving behind them no footprints on the sands of time, but, infinitely better, a sense og peace in our own hearts. For the hour had come, and we were Seniors atlast. 1 When autumn days drew on apace. when the leaves began to crimson and fall, and the fragrant odor o- bon-fires was abroad in the air, Cornelius Wfebster began to feel a sudden hunger for sizzled frankturters and burnt cort. Strangely enough. when he communicated his desires to the other members of the class the same longings lil-:ewise took possession of all, and on a pleasant afternoon last September a wonderftf procession of watermelons, birch-beer, frankfurters and students travelled slowly up the road to the Coz: iarin on lfront street. lint lo! the enterirising luniors had been before us and a Ofoodl su lv of corn had b - 7 b -1 taken wings. liegardless of the lean, hungry faces which bobbed out at us from be-hind trees and fences we proceedef on up the hill undisturbed. and under the great trees we enjoyed our feast and merrymaking. For there we sat in the evening dusk around a huge fire built in a hollow of the hill, roasting frankfurters on long 'iI'nllg'e1l sticks, digesting scorched corn and sour grapes, to say nothing of dry, unbuttered biscuit,-anf listening lo the echo uf Nlr. t'ady's deep voice or Roy ilrh'adbury's quavering no-tes. .Xt tdhristinas time. Nlr. Webster kindly opened his house to us, where, in some secret corner. we were 'ed In believe a bonntifnlly laden t'ln'isnnas tree was awaiting but a touch 'to send down a shower of gifts-- rather two trees. for preceding' the genuine evergreen Miss Wfebster revealed the secrets of the tree or Yen.,wledge-W--sa tree bearing strange fruit, which on being opened disclosed the fact that a hug was a round- about way of expressing all'ection. and various other truths of which we were totall f ignor t l 'tl 3 g an n iertc. finally the mysterious door was opened and the tree stood forth in its beauty. Need we tell vou of the wonderful presents it held. the horns. dolls, jumping jacks, curling irons-and Ruth Stone's onion? Shali 26 f

Page 29 text:

. and sedately mounted the stairs. Little Davie went, too Qyes, Davie used to be small, though you wouldn't believe it nowj, and 'Hazel brought up the rear. g. Then it was, so tradition says, that Prof. Knoxls head grew hoary in a night, and the furrows deepened in his forehead. For such marvelous genius did this class display that, so- we are told, the teachers were actually obliged to ponder their dusty tomes again, that they might be able to comprehend us. And our desire 'for knowledge grew constantly. T Three long, tedious terms we spent in this dingy, desolate school-room, with its strange noises and its gloom. Then again came the call to better things, and the glorious light of that longed-for thi-rd floor burst forth in wondrous splendor. Yes, is there anything which that third floor lacks to make it delightful? Blessings on the head of the m-an who invented desk-lids, and all praise to that skilled carpenter' who placed shutters in suchconvenient places, and doors at such beautiful angles with stray corners... And may we all kindly cherish in our hearts that class which so thoughtfully presented to the school the -big, softly-padded arm-chair, with that mysterious something about it which entices sleep and sweet dreams-that chair that Miss Rogers is so fond of. In March of the year nineteen hundred and three, so preceding historians record, this class of Nineteen- hve was officially organized, and Mossman McLean placed at its head. We had become juniors. Then it was that real life began, fellow-feeling commenced to exist between student and student, for there was something to work for, a motto to live up to, and a dehnite purpose to fulfill. Then likewise the antago- nism between Juniors and Seniors arose. F or it must be that such antagonism exist when the new child arrives, and that the one which hitherto has been the idol depart to his secluded corner to weep and nurse his broken nose. This, you see, was the reason why the Seniors of I9o4, whose name has already passed into obscurity, made wretched the soul of the younger child, ourselves, and so to soothe their troubled spirits we denied ourselves bon bons and Algebra lessons to give them at Thanksgiving time the dance which their own empty pockets denied them. But all are sinners, forgetting that evil must not be returned for , 2 5 .

Page 31 text:

we unfold the sacred secrets of the mistletoe, the knowledge of which cost our own souls so much? Nay, in truth not, for an we should, the juniors would never again look up to Prof. Banta with that old-time awe and reverence. c T But holidays will go, and verily examinations fail not, neither pass away, but in our own case they were a blessing last spring, for we reaped a rich harvest of new members, who have since verified the old saw, The more, the merrierf' The january snows fell, the March winds howled their fill, and then of a sudden spring had come,- Spring with its budding trees whispering Arbor Day secrets and wonderful promises for the future,- but they whispered not of a blackened class-stone, nor did they reveal the fact that Mildred Sperry was a lllethodist and did not dance. H A But we are comforted, for Arbor Day came, we planted our ivy, we sang our class-song, and we enjoyed our picnic at the Casino, for Arthur Callis's lemonade within doors was a fair exchange for the pouring floods without, and with Mr. Galvin to entertain at the piano, and Miss Healey as pitcher in a game of ball, Miss Finney as mistress of ceremonies generally, and the others to participate or look on, it was an en- joyable picnic despite the melancholy predictions of the juniors. But that supper! Cf a truth, there are at least promising cooks in our class, for who could dispute the excellence of those salads, or doubt that Pearle Jenks is an adept at the art of constructing Boston-baked beans, or will Mr. Mintz himself, although he demanded toast afterward, deny that Winifred Cady was born with .the bump for sandwich-making. There is one fact which we have all discovered during the past year, which it is fitting that we should pub- licly acknowledge, not lest we forget, for that will cling with the other memories,-but as an humble tribute. Qur principal,.our te-acher and personal friend, has likewise endeared himself to us in another capacity- that of entertainer. For twice in the past few months it has been our privilege to gather at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Banta to -enjoy their hospitality. It, is well that so pleasant an event as our last gathering there should close the social season. ' t I , . ' 27