Bradford Academy - Chimes Yearbook (Haverhill, MA)

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38 THE CHIMES Last year our society became a sub-chapter of the Denison College Settlement House in Boston. Our sub-chapter was represented so well at the reception this Spring, and many of the girls manifested such interest in the work, that we have organized at committee to keep in closer touch with Denison House. All that has been accomplished is clue entirely to the ready responsiveness of the members of the Christian Union. Without their generosity, nothing could have been done. No case has been presented to them to which they have not been willing and eager to give their aid.

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NINETEEN THREE 37 Christian Union' OFFICERS LILLIAN BROWNE . . . E . P!'E5Z-fffllf HELEN Goubn Bizown . Vice Presz'n'c11z' ELLA Som-im Eififuzns . . 71l'6'lZA'lN'Kl' ANNE rMAcoM1:ER . Sefreiazj' N a school with the missionary traditions of Bradford, it would be strange and unfortunate if there were no active religious life to be found today, Such is not the case. If the expression of that life has changed, still the life itself is here. It was to perpetuate the missionary traditions of Bradford, to create a healthful religious atmosphere in the school, and to enable us, by banding together, better to help those less fortunate than ourselves, that the Christian Union was reorganized in the Fall of 1902. As far as possible we have sought to aid those causes to which a large amount of personal work might be given. This personal work has been found most fascinating by the members of the Union. Instead of ordering provisions sent from stores, the girls preferred to carry the baskets to the homes of poor families on Thanksgiving day. From time to time the girls have visited the Old Ladies' Home, and have sung, read, or played on their mandolins, and in many ways have cheered the lives of these women. Several times they have taken them on long delight- ful drives in the country. And the children of the Orphans' Home! Who of us can forget their happy faces as they seated themselves on the floor in our gymnasium, gazing at the Christmas tree and waiting for Santa Claus? The Boys' Club in Haverhill has also had our assistance. Though this personal home-work is, perhaps, most important and most interesting, the Christian Union has not stopped here. For two years we have paid the expenses of a student at Tuskegee. We cooperated this year with the ladies of the Bradford Church in helping raise a Fisk University scholarship.

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Q iw f X x -.10 i 13,-'22 X A i E ag., M g -. gl.-':.rvJ x 'T i-Vll Qui 'I I ,. I I ll ' 'B fl I L J- 7- f mg f - . . f ' 0 I ' : - g gi W Y - I is ' ' ' if 1' 4' H i' 1 1 F W J,lti'1'J'li1'i IT 1,1 Ill II- 'SQZIJA i- I -1 ,J FLT I -FF-Eli 12 E twig., Mucucm ctusf FF ' P The Leonora Society 1887-1903 OFFICERS ISADORE CHASE LULL . . . . P7'6XZ'lfE77f ANNE Macom BER Vfre Prf5z'rz'fm' GERTRUDE CHILDS . . . Trmma-er T is to Professor Samuel W. Downs that the prosperous Leonora Society of today owes its birth. For sixteen years this has been the leading musical society at the Academy, and not less successfully will the work of 1902-3 be counted by future members. In 1887 Professor Downs founded the society, which he decided to name the Leonora, the only one in America, by the way, bearing this name. The char- acter Leonora is the heroine of Beethoven's great opera, Fidelio. The opera is well known as a masterpiece, and Professor Downs thought that by using the name of so great a character as Leonora, the girls would thus be incited to high aims. I-lis plan was to make this society the nucleus of the best voices in school, and to have the girls learn music which would be appropriate upon all occasions. The first president was Miss Alice Huntington. Always Professor Downs worked with untiring zeal, and on account of his great enthusiasm he inspired the girls to put forth their best efforts. He gave as careful attention to the entire body of girls as he did to his individual pupils. In September of 1902, on account of the great increase in numbers in the department of music, Professor Downs was obliged to give up the vocal work. His successor in this department was Madame Isadora Martinez, who thus took