Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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 THE MAGNET Vol. 14 BUTLER, PA., JANUARY, 1915 No. 4 STATE. Editor-in-Chief—MAURICE P. CHARNOCK, '15. Assistant Editor—Ralph A. Nicholas, 15. Literary Editors—Elizabeth R. Drebert, 15. Gertrude A. Raabe, 15. Alumni Editor—Ethel Klingler, 15. CLASS Athletic Editor—Zeno F. Henninger, 16. Exchange Editor—Lucille Critchlow, 16. Business Manager—R. Emerson Brown, 15. First Ass’t Bus. Mgr.—Richard H. Abrams, 15. Second Ass’t Bus. Mgr.—John A. Byerly, 15. REPORTERS. A Senior—John Greer. B Senior—Paul Hutchison. A Junior—Clarence Watson. B Junior—Everett Spang. A Sophomore—Marie Brooks. B Sophomore—ldell Mays. A Freshman—Edwin Amy. B Freshman—Richard Greer. TERMS. Sixty cents a year, payable in advance; ten cents per copy. Address all communications of a business nature to the Business Manager; Exchanges, Contributions, etc., to the Editor, Maurice P. Charnock. THE MAGNET published monthly, except July, August and September. Entered as Second-class matter December 18, 1907, at the postoffice at Butler, Pa., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. EDITORIAL. THE HONOR SYSTEM IN HIGH SCHOOLS. As we look back over the short time we have spent in Butler High School and think of the things we have done that we should not have done, and of things that we have left undone, we feel that it would not be amiss to leave something for the serious consideration of those who remain. There are numerous topics that might be considered, but that of the honor system in examinations appeals more to the manhood and womanhood of students. While it must be admitted that many people “get through” with dishonest plans in life, the old maxim that “honesty is the best policy” still remains in force. We feel that there are many advantages for the honor system, which has been so successfully tried in many of the colleges. It places each student in a position to secure the full benefit of his work, and inculcates those principles of self-reliance that are so necessary and hopeful for success in after life, and which would be a tower of strength to those who enter college, whether the system was in use there or not. It has been found to inspire better preparation for the daily work, and raises the standard of excellence in scholarship by removing in a large measure the temptation to accept or give

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12 THE MAGNET Has This Ever Happened to You? HE streets were empty, and not a living soul did I see as I walked up the road. It was a damp, dark night and here and there a street lamp blinked sleepily through the heavy blanket of mist, while not a star was visible in the black void above me. Yes, the conditions were ideal, for with such absolute darkness surrounding, my chances of discovery were reduced to an almost negligible .quantity. But perish the thought! Never would I be discovered. I must not mistake the house; there it was, the second from the corner, set back from the road and surrounded with massive oak trees which stood out in the mist like great, grim guardians of the house beneath them. But hark ! Someone was coming! I dodged behind a tree and the man passed by without noticing me. The footfalls grew more and more muffled and finally died away in the distance. I crept along on the grass beside the walk, ascended the steps with noiseless tread and stepped cautiously on the porch. At last I was before the door. Taking a bunch of keys from my pocket, I found one that would fit and placed it carefully in the lock; then slowly, oh, so slowly, I opened the door, a fraction of an inch at a time. It took me three minutes to open the door one foot and a half. I slipped inside. Not a sound broke the death-like stillness all around. Gradually I closed the door; softly, so softly. How alert my mind was; the plan of the house was as if burned on my brain. I had planned it long before, and, now that I was here, my faculties were so keen and acute that not the least sound escaped me. My movements were deliberate and I made not a blunder. I would not and could not fail in my purpose. I removed my shoes and, after fastening the laces together, hung them around my neck, for fear I might drop them. I started for the rear stairway, for there, I had thought, the chances of making a noise loud enough to affright anyone were less than on the front stairs. My steps were but an inch at a time and I set my feet down each time with the greatest caution, lest a board should make a sound and raise an alarm. Not a sound pierced the silence. At last I reached the stairs. How slowly I climbed that long flight! I neither knew nor cared how long I had taken in my entrance. I raised my feet with the greatest caution, and made sure to place them at the ends of the steps in order to avoid any noise. I knew just which ones creaked, and I skipped them in my ascent. How silently I climbed up; you cannot imagine how long it took. At last I could see the very door of the room. Only one more step to take! A fierce exultation rose in my breast and I hastened forward to reach the room, when c-r-a-c-k! went the step. Confusion !!!! ???? “I am discovered!” thought I. Then suddenly a heavy voice broke the almost uncanny silence that followed. “Son! what time is it?” “Three o’clock, father!” I answered. (The author swears that the foregoing is a more or less true statement of his actions on a certain night which will always be pleasantly remembered by the members of the class of Tanuary, 1915.) MAURICE CHARNOCIC

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14 THE MAGNET help that was not entirely honorable. While we realize that there are some whose ideals are so low that they would continue to stoop to dishonest work, such cases would be gradually weeded out, and few students would care to be placed in the position of violating the rules of the system. Only such students as are dishonest, or wish to be, would be found to object to it after a fair trial. The system would create a greater confidence between the teacher and student and would give honest students the standing their work would earn for them, by relieving them of unfair competition, although those students who do their work honestly are almost invariably those who have the highest standards of scholarship. M. Verne Reed. STEADY GROWTH OF B. H. S. Butler High School is steadily growing. This year the number of students enrolled is much greater than ever before, there being about 650 students attending, of which more than one-third are Freshmen, who finished their course in Common School last spring and are now striving for a higher ideal. The increasing number of students makes it necessary for more class rooms and new teachers. This year the small room at the rear of the library has been fitted up and is now being occupied by one division of the B. Sophomores. Five new teachers have also been added, making a total of twenty-two teachers for this illustrious building of education. One of the departments of the school which is rapidly increasing and which should receive special attention, is the Commercial Department. Each year more pupils are taking advantage of the opportunities offered by this department. This increase is largely due to the fact that many who would much prefer teaching are forced by the stringent law, which has just been passed, to take up this course and fit themselves for earning a livelihood. This year there is such a demand for typewriters that it has been found necessary to add two new machines, making a total of seventeen. The bookkeeping text has been revised and another half year has been added to the course. This year there are fifty beginners in bookkeeping, and the same number in stenography and typewriting. The following pupils have been enrolled during the past year and have completed the Commercial Course, and are now very acceptably filling the following named positions: Eleanor Frantz, Klingler Seed Co. Iva Shull, Electric Light office. Leroy Nicholas and Ben Robinson, Guaranty Safe Deposit and Trust Co.! Miriam Funkhouser, Templeton Co.; Nathan Zeefe, Gussie Zuckerman, Anna Brier, Abes Bros.; Elsie Bricker, Cohn’s; Virginia Yockey, substitute; Florence Walker, teacher Commercial Dept.; Paul Graham, Manual Training. Ruth Mays. CHARACTER. What is character? How is it made? Character may be compared to a house. As we grow we build our house, and each day sees new pieces put in place. Each deed is a stone. When we do some act of kindness or sympathy, we are choosing the best white stones for our house, but when we commit some mean, cowardly or dishonest act, we are selecting the worst, blackest and roughest of stones. The queerest thing is that just after laying a white stone in place, we sometimes turn around and choose a black one, when, if we would only stop to think, we would immediately cast it out. Our early life, the years when we attend High School, are the most important of all. Then we lay our foundation, and the foundation usually determines the nature of the superstructure. If the