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

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pleasure and to the teacher's annoyance. And the rostrum and those window seats! All thanks be to that wise man who could look into the future and read the needs of the class of nineteen hundred and six and adapt his plans to them, for who has ever made more use than we of the rostrum, of the window seats, and of that arm chair, the wisely selected gift of one of our predecessors-that chair in which the weary philosopher rests his tired body and looks with a significant shake of his hoary head upon those naughty sevens? Then came the summons to that bond of fellowship, that tie which increases class and school spirit, that union which inspires enthusiasm to better and greater things and to more attentive study, the forming of the class as Juniors. In September of nineteen hundred and four the class of nineteen hundred and six was organized, with Charles Mangan officially elected president. Then it is that succes seems near at hand, that victory is already within one's grasp, for there is a double incentive to push one on, a motto to be lived up to, and a class to main- tain and uplift. And then it is also that antagonism arises between Juniors and Seniors. And it did arise. The Seniors of nineteen hundred and five tried to molest us in various ways, such as bribing the weather man for rain the night of our sleighride, and borrowing CI say borrowingj our pumpkins at a most inopportune timeg but despite all these evidences of fraternal affection we gave them, out of the fullness of our hearts, a good jolly dance in the spring of nineteen hundred and five. Then, much to our sorrow, they must needs leave us, and to use the words of their historian, departed, leaving behind them no footprints on the sands of time, but, infinitely better, a sense of peace in our own hearts. For the hour had come, and we were Seniors at last. Seniors! What a something there is in that name which arouses reverence and obeisance to it. What an incen- tive toward something higher. For three years did we travail and were heavy laden, but now at last we had reached the spring of living water, and deep have we drunk of it. Shortly after the foimation of the Junior class, poor innocents, we were one day rather taken by surprise to find that our class book had in a very miraculous way taken wings and flown. Anguish, disgust, and pain seized us for our momentary carelessness, but this only made our joy the greater when Lester, our big man, caught sight 25

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HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1906 Four years since! Years of workand toil, and yet withal the happiest days of our lives. Four years! A long time when we stop to think, but how quickly they have passed. Four years! Can it be? Yes, four years.ago the High School portals swung open and we stood before them gaping with all the awe and suspicion which accom- panies youth when he is about to enter some new sphere, to invade unknown mysteries. Hesitating, fearful, we stood, and then with a leap of joy we sprang within, having at last reached our longed-for goal, High School. Oh, those first few days! Was there ever a place so confusing? Did ever anyone have such a hard time to bc in the right place at the right time? You wandered about lawlessly, trying to find some familiar face, and were wont to innocently invade some tenth grade class in vain search for that algebra room! But days passed, and we became accustomed to High School and High School ways, and then it was we first began to realize its true pleasures and trials. CFor it is not without its trials. Just recall your battle with that first green card and how many times you were sent from class to secure it.j And then, examinations! Oh, the terror of those first High School exams. Those weary hours spent the night before in cramming Latin or Algebra. But they too are gone, and with the anticipation of greater things we mount those winding stairs, Eva and Odin bringing up the rear, and come under the careful watch of Mr. Knox. Then, for the first time did we begin to have a feeling of superiority and look with suppressed merriment upon the pranks of those beneath us, now our beloved juniors. , - For three terms we plodded along here on our tiresome road toward success, the monotony only broken now and then by the visit of a stray dog. Clt is doubtless here that Edna, now our professional dog-trainer, first. re- ceived her practiced And then, the Third Floor! With what eagerness did we make entrance to that longed-for third Hoor. With what joy did we think of being concealed behind those desk covers munching chocolates to our 24

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of the green and the gold, and amid the shouts of his classmates secured it from its dusty place of concealment. And what a time of rejoicing followed, and how the Juniors, poor youngsters, suffered for it. We left some of them tied to trees, crying in vain for Mamma, And Little Paul! He was borne aloft through Court Street, screeching Help! Murder! Thieves! all to no avail. But Wee Burton! We were kinder to him, we deposited him safely on his front porch, and then phoned mamma to come and release him. To say the least, it was jolly fun, and the Juniors enjoyed CU it immensely. Autumn wore along apace, and there was wafted on the breezes a longing for Kattellville. And long will that eventful day be remembered by both us and our understudies, the Juniors. Young in their station, as Jun- iors, ignorant of the dignity due it, a few members of the Junior class, a great many more of the Sophomores, and a few stray North Siders took it into their heads to visit us at Kattellville and try, if possible, to secure a few provisions, or perhaps tamper with the wagons. Well, they came, and they went home again, but how? Black- eyed, tattered, torn, weary-looking little Juniors, sadder but we hope wiser children. Poor babes! We pity them, we are sorry for themg we have respect for their attempt at class spirit, however preposterous and uncouth it Was, but we do hope that, under our paternal guidance, they will hereafter reckon the consequences before they make any more such rash attempts. About December the first we gave the Senior dance. And what a success it was! All tripped the light fan- tastic toe, even to C. Roland, and he confesses having had the time of his life. And then, Arbor Day! What a day of supremacy for Seniors! What a day of hazardous trickery for Jun- iors! This Arbor Day brought with it no painted class stone, but something for which we must give credit to the Juniors for their originality-a xiolen stoneg that is to'say, some time during the dark night the Juniors had most cleverly had their motto carved upon our stone. It was something new! We must acknowledge that, but poor, sorry Juniors' pocketbooksg they suffered, and they suffered hard, too. We sang our class song, planted the ivy, and then for the Casino and a jolly picnic. With Thare at the bat, John as general overseer of the kitchen, 26