Blake School - Reflections / Call O Pan Yearbook (Hopkins, MN)

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fiWiCAilO HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1920. The class of 1920 began its history back in the dim, dark ages of Blake, when two of its members went to school in the house on Ridgewood Avenue. Since then Blake has grown and prospered and with the growth and prosperity of the school have come the growth and prosperity of this class, which is now about to spread before your eyes its struggles and advances. The achievements of our class are not very startling in any one line, but as a well rounded whole we stand forth as perhaps the most perfect class ever graduating from Blake. We have proved our ability in the school room as well as on the athletic field, in the speaking halls as well as the executive management of class work. But we will be remembered most by our loyalty, for no class has ever left Blake whose spirit was more united in itself, or more co-operative in its relation to the head of the school than the class of 1920. In the lower school the Class of 1920 was always a leader in athletics, scholarship and spirit. Our class made up the majority of the teams which consistently won over Saint Paul Academy, our deadliest rival. Every year we were with the Lower School, members of our class won the prize for high scholarship and had their names inscribed on a tablet as a reward for their labors. Through the spirit of our class, customs and traditions were built up. some of which are still in vogue among the classes there. These examples show that even then the class of 1920 had begun to assume leadership in school affairs. While in the upper school as underclassmen, we made no remarkable record for ourselves in an athletic way. However, in our Freshman year. Howard won a baseball letter. The next year a large part of the second and third football and baseball teams were composed of 1920 men. while Howard again made the first baseball team. As Juniors, Smith and Thorpe won football letters and Thorpe became Captain elect. During the winter of our Junior year we were represented by two members—Howard and Thorpe— on the basketball team, while the same pair won baseball letters in the spring. Howard, because of his three years’ experience and unquestioned ability, was chosen Captain for 1920. Our class has always been more interested in scholastic than in athletic attainments. For the last four years, Willard has led the school in scholarship. while even as Freshmen our class had the highest average scholarship, which it has consistently maintained. In our Freshman year also, we first began to realize the ability of certain members of our class in public speaking. As Sophomores, Clifford, Hoeffler, Rubins, Willard and Winton were elected to the Union, while Willard won the Union Declamation Contest open to fifth formers. As Juniors, Howard and Thorpe were admitted to the Union. In that year our class debating team, composed of W illard, 18

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 Lindley and Rubins, was defeated by the Seniors, but for their individual excellence Willard and Lindley were given places on the school team, while Willard was chosen best speaker, thus winning the Strieker Cup. In the fall of 1919 we came back, as the proverbial and worn-out saying goes: “Happy that we were Seniors, but sorry that this was to be our last year at the good old School on-the-Hill.” This was not our entire feeling toward the coming year, however. We all felt that this was a critical period in the life of the school, due to the departure of Mr. Newton, who had been connected with Blake and with our class for so long. Hence we felt that it was up to us to do our best to abide by the rules, to improve conditions as we found them, and especially to co operate with Mr. Johnson and the faculty in realizing the ideals of Blake’s founders. We elected Hoeffler president for the first half year and buckled down to work at once. The football team, under the able coaching of C. W. Johnson, made a decidedly good record for itself. Considering the lack of good material, the season was a great success, perhaps not in the number of games won, but in the spirit and development shown by all the players. Barnes, Carlaw, Hoeffler, Lugsdin, Nash, Smith, Velie and Thorpe won their football letters. During the winter our basketball team, on which were Howard, Smith and Thorpe from the Senior Class, also had a very successful season. This year our team beat a city high school—West High—in a very closely contested game, for the first time in four years; while, of course, we lived up to our tradition of beating Saint Paul Academy twice, and winning several other games. Last winter a hockey team was organized, whose scJlson was not as successful as it might have been. However, much pleasure was derived from the games. Lindley as captain, Hoeffler, Smith, Thorpe and Winton were the Senior members to win hockey letters. This spring Howard is captain of the baseball team. Although the material from which to pick is very poor, a good team is hoped to be developed before the end of the season. During our Senior year we have not overlooked the c|uieter side of our life here at Blake. Our class has led the school in scholarship, as usual, and has, we believe, set a high standard for underclassmen to live up to. We have also shown remarkable dramatic talent, for no class has ever produced such ardent lovers, such wild women, such high-brow kings or such low-brow monkeys as the Class of 1920. Lindley, Carlaw and Smith were elected to the Union, and this body, under the leadership of Hoeffler and Willard, has kept up its good work of the past and been a decided factor for good in our school life. Willard has led the “Torch,” upheld by Clifford. Howard, Carlaw and Velie from the Senior class. The issues of this magazine have been the longest and best in its entire history at Blake. Too much credit cannot be given to the “Torch” board for the good magazine they have published this 19