Central High School - Almanac Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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THE 1914 ALMANAC with favorable eyes, and the result was our special class meeting of yes- terday. To be sure, we couldn't be expected to omit any one of the functions for which we have arranged. Consequently, so that we might not incur any ill will on the part of either parents or faculty by entirely disregarding their wishes, we conceeded to the extent of combining the Class Banquet and Prom. That's the entire situation. As they talked they reached the lockers and there found the customary groups of girls, tryingito reason out particularly troublesome parts of the day's assignments which single brains had evidently found too much of a task. lane and Harriett were however, social leaders, and had scarcely ap- peared in the doorway when a simultaneous closing of books was heard. The different groups formed in one large circle with the two latest arrivals in the center. Classwork was entirely forgotten and the late social change became the sole topic of interest. Strange how a small particular can so materially affect such a number of girls! XVith the exception of a few who were merely interested listeners, each girl expressed her ideas regarding the new social combination. This round of opinion continued with animation until the warning gong sounded. Then things grew quieter and the talking died away in a long sigh. But as a last gloomy word one girl was heard to say: They began by laying re- strictions on our good times here in the building, fwhy in the world we have to break up and run into the Assembly at the first sound of that horrid gong, is more than I can seejf' Oh now, donyt be a pessimistf' called Harriett, as she caught Janes arm and headed the procession to the Assemblyg As to the banquet, that doesn't involve anything much worse than deciding which one of those charming gowns, which we have selected, is to be eliminated. As to this rigid discipline, mother and dad both say that they haven't the slightest doubts as to its necessity. They say they weren't dealt with any more leniently in their day, Qthat must have been about nineteen thirteen or fourteenj and I guess they couldn't have been any worse than we are. It's only natural that girls should get together and make known their exact feelings. In the boy's lockers things were different. XVhether it was because they were simply not inclined to impart their feelings and dif- ficulties to everyone. whether they were not so seriously affected or whether they are slower to awaken to subjects of that sort, I do not know. For some reason, however, only an occasional remark could be heard in regard ro the subject which the girls had found to be of so much interest. Probably the change didn't make much difference to them in general. There was one, though, with whom things seemed to be going wrong. But there was 110 one who. after diligently employing his mental faculties and searching his memory. could conceive of any possible cause for the gloom and gmzcral grouclz of Forrest Castleton. Forrest had always been such a good fellow-that was the reason thev had made him Senior President, in spite of the girls' attempt to fill that ofhce. I-le had always been so enthusiastic in making the best, and a suc- cess of all arrangements: what could have come up to create such a change in him! lt certainly couldn't be such a trifling matter as the parents' ek- travagance limit, which had brought about the doubling up of social events. That wouldn't do anything more than deprive him of an additional evening 58

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' J--51+-.M -rv'L.if- ,gag ,Q s - Q .4 YVVY 4 - , ' -: - 7+ - x ig , ak V :jvrxg xgxx .. E XPYYLK - The Speed Limit, or The Class ot' l94l BY EsTHER S12x'EinNf1ii.sL's. For the love of T. H. S. and this dear class of 19-ll!-what's all your haste about F There was no doubt as to the identity of the person owning that voice. Harriett Prince wheeled around in quick order and waited. It appears to mef' said lane as she came running up, that there really is one thing which this infallible class has forgotten. XVhy Jane Lewis, what can that be Now dear, don't be alarmed for our reputation-I'll assure you it's nothing more than the establishment of a speed limit for such creatures as,-well, as you, for examplef' Harriett breathed a sigh of relief and then spoke. XYell, I'm certainly thankful that you had nothing more important in mind. But incidentally. I might remark that lily present haste happens to be the result of a certain kind of speed limit. I've just had to Hy down to the office and change the order of things in this month's social bulletin, before it goes to press. That class meeting yesterday certainly did succed in upsetting things. Too many generalities. and nothing specific, in Harriett's remarks. and on a subject that sounded really very interesting proved to be too much for lane. 'fOh please! Harriett. can't you give me a connected account of this thing? XVon't you remember that I was not here yesterday? O yes, I dare say Ild have come anyway had I known that anything so very interesting was going to come up. But then you know there have been so many things going on, with which a person has to keep going. too. that yesterday found me tired enough to drop off to sleep in almost any place or position. Fur- thermore, T didn't have any of mv class work in a presentable fashion, so I concluded to stay at home and take chances again of escaping a 'blue slip.' But there! I won't interrupt any longer-I'm awfully anxious to find out what happened. Cf coursef, said Harriett, I didn't think anything else but that you had already heard about the outcome of our meeting: but then it won't take long to tell you. The fact is that we have been considered entirely too lavish, and some of the parents have expressed their ideas to members of the Board and Faculty. As was expected the Faculty regarded them 57

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THE 1914 ALMANAC with Jane,-ffor everyone knew, of course, that Forrest and .lane would share those pleasuresj She, to be sure, had been with them only the one year, but the Lewis family had been prominent in the East, and Jane had become almost in- stantly an idol of the girls, and most popular with the boys of the class. She had also been quick to perceive that Forrest Castleton was good looking, witty, bright and in every way desirable in addition to being the class presi- dent. She had forthwith decided that his attentions were to be desired. It was evident that she liked him, and since she did, what else was to be expected than that he succumb to her charms, and be her every-ready, every-willing and gracious escort on every occasion. That was why the class knew that Forrest would only be deprived of one additional evening with Jane. :But the knowledge, even of Seniors, is sometimes mistaken knowledge. This trifling social concern was the exact cause of all of Forrest's trouble and gloom. In accordance with the expectations, and for the satisfaction of the class, he had asked Iane for the Banquet. At the same time he said to himself, And of course, I'd rather take her than anyone else. But the Senior Prom was not a strictly class function. and as it happened, Forrest knew a few girls besides those of his home town. Furthermore. one certain girl from Chicago, he happened to know still better than lane. VVhat wouldn't I give. said Forrest as he proceeded in private to pour out maledictions upon his own head. because of his blessed luck, What wouldn't I give if I hadn't sent-that letter to Chicago. Not that I have changed my mind in the least about wanting Helen to come down for the Prom-for goodness knows, I like Helen even better than ,lane-but matters would certainly be less complicated for me now. if I hadn't asked her. Two different girls, for two different functions, but on the some night! But the letter to Miss Helen Launsbury, requesting her presence at the Senior Prom, had unfortunately been mailed the day previous to that of the fatal class meeting. Of course there were more ways than one in which the situation might have been relieved. I-Ie could have explained the situation to Helen in a second letter, and she would be certain to understand: or any one of the fellows would have been only too glad to help him out by asking jane for the Prom, if he had told them. But none of these methods proved a source of comfort or satisfaction. The situation appeared too complex to unravel just then and he decided to await the workings of time for a while longer at least, and see if a plan would suggest itself. As for lane,-with her there was also a friend,-and a good friend, too, back in Philadelphia. Good fortune alone was all that had saved her from a situation quite as troublesome as that of the President. Burdette Rogers had counted on being on hand for the June festivities, but he had only just written that an unexpected trip to the lVest would make such arrangements impossible. At first Jane had been disappointed-ffor didn't she like Burdette even better than Forrest?l But now she was glad. etern- ally glad that she didn't have to worry about the Prom. Forrest's grouch also seemed to be wearing off, and things slipped back into their usual tranquil channel. But time slipped by too, and the after- noon of the eventful day arrived. VVith a start Forrest realized that his problem still remained unsolved. He had continued in his oblivious, trusting state too long. Helen was coming that very evening, and he had promised 59