Central High School - Central Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

Page 24 text:

Zf)t ffiistovp of tf)t Class ’09 Dear Classmates, do you remember a certain bright September afternoon in the year 1906? It was September 4, the birthday of the class of 1909. Then, for the first time, were opened to our infant class the massive portals of Dear Old Central. We were a big, clumsy, healthy class, often bumping into someone, but always managing to creep out of embarrassing situations. We needed, however, the careful watching which all infants require That first afternoon we were tossed about from one teacher to another, and having been arranged in alphabetical order, we were assigned to our different classes, and soon were walking home with many a new-found friend. The majority of our large infant class was settled in peaceful repose, as all infants should be. But the petted classical division was granted a great privilege. 1 am sure I do not know whether we looked older than the rest or younger, but. anyway. Mr. Harrii granted us this favor: As our rooms, which were at the end of the hall, joining the auditorium with the rest of the building, were not finished, we were honored with a trip. Although quite young then, we clearly remember our journey. To our delight, we were transported to Sibley school auditorium, where each room was given an imaginary boundary line. Here four subjects were taught under difficulty, for often we heard such things “If A plus B equals ans, aupzer, bei, mit,” and “Who was amabnni, amabas, amabatr” The grammar school children disturbed us, and I fear we disturbed them, so we soon went back to Central High to recite in the basement. But. as mothers complained of damp floors, again we gathered our much battered books, almost thread-worn from so much moving, and settled in our own auditorium. Again German and Algebra, Latin and English, were intermingled. After we had endured this a short but seemingly long time, our rooms were finished, and gladly we wandering four settled in our own rooms for the rest of the year, which soon went by without anything of much importance. When the year 1907 dawned in September our class was no longer an infant. What graces we had developed! We were now able to stand alone, without the teacher's careful aid. Most of our clumsiness we had left behind, and knew what side of the stairs to go up and come down, which saved many a collision. We were quite grown up, we thought, as all sophomores do, yet how insignificant we were! Our number had diminished a little, as we left some behind, and some left us behind, for they decided working was so much easier than studying. The end of the second year was an exciting time. The only question heard in the halls was: “Are you a member of Beta Kappa” or “ Psi Omega” ? or some such club. How important we did feel, after having entered the clubs! Of course, the red and yellow ribbons made us look ridiculous, but that had to come with “Beta Kappa.” And how small we felt when we held the door open for some girl we knew, and could not speak to her, but we had to endure that because we joined the “Psi Omega.” Now came the third year, bright and happy, for infancy seemed long since passed. We had started to bud now, and lived in hopes of blooming soon. We were very small buds, to be sure, hardly opened at all. But we did not mind that, because we knew that now was the season for little buds, as well as big ones, to come out into society! We looked forward to having the wonderful privileges the seniors had. which seemed so great to us then, but small when we came to have them. At Christmas time the Seniors had a dance,an evening 22

Page 23 text:

Clast Louise Zettelmyer Commercial Civics Club Commercial Club W illiam Zell Scientific r pt 7 CJl . Ralph Blaine Thompson y Scientific t H. Fraser Benton Scientific d. Winifred L. McLane Classical Pres., Ueta Kappa C. L. S See., Junior ( lass Pres.. tlirJs’ Glee C.’ub Lycee Francais Carl H. Bletcher Scientific 0uCL - Roy A. Doering 4C2 Svlvia Mier Scientific TAa.UU ' ‘ Classical Lycee Francais A Sophia Grant Commercial Commercial Club Z Hilda Scothan Frank Korabek Scientific Ta' - r : Oswald C. Kromer — Scientific Ay-C-'- 'Lo Classical Beta Kappa Asst Trcas., Junior Class Civics Club V. Pres. G. L. S. G b Marion Frances Spragu - Classical G. L. S. Beta Kappa V.-Prcs. Girls’ Glee Club Lycee Francais Kenneth Means Scientific Football Team Basketball Team Baseball Team Gym Committee Captain Gym Team Tennis Team Second Football Team Georgiana C. Mott ley Scientific Ralph Scientific Gym Team Rae Kohler rnit, vraiuuwi v.011 test Scientific « $pengler33i’L X A t Maud KellvMft . HAL'U ; . , oZJt. - ' - Classical Lycee Francais Isadora Shapiro Classical Psi Omega , First Price, Oratorical Contest V Sidney Littman Scientific 1 7h JU £ Ruth Lyman i 1 ZSf m 34 wM ™ Maurice J. Malnaii a trr. C'“V te?Cto» ,,s,uy • ' s'kmific Monthly Bo,.o Lyc«CFranc,i. ViAL1'1 i CM ve Annette Place Grace E. McConnell Mary Taylor Scientific Classical v V Olive M. Wells Scientific 2- X 3 '•j u tsr -y ' - - f 21

Page 25 text:

affair, at that! and some Juniors managed to get in, but that dance was not half so popular as our Junior one. About the end of March the Junior class was called together to organize. There was great excitement. Now we could manage to have an informal, ' because we had an executive committee which liked such things! And we really did have a Junior informal!” It seemed to be quite the affair of the season, for everyone wanted to come. Did you say you saw some Seniors there? Is that so? Why! when I think about it, I hardly think I saw many Juniors—mostly all were Seniors.” Our class certainly must be popular! O, classmates, we are blooming full now. for mighty Seniors are we! When we were Juniors we thought our lirst birthday seemed years ago, but how far back it seems now! Just think, we are four years old! We are happy now, because no upper class is here to look down upon us—we can do the looking down. But we do not wish to be too superior ; remember we. too, were once way down there. It seemed now that we passed from nothing into being. Our Senior class soon organized, and then our good times began. But those awful Senior dues! They were always due, and forgotten at the wrong time. Our Christmas party turned out gloriously. Everyone seemed to be happy and having a good time. The mighty old floor of Central High once more held a crowd of young people tripping on the light fantastic toe.” How many gatherings of young people has it held? Some of our fathers and mothers used to go there, and have danced just where we did. Our Senior year was an extremely merry one. We always seemed to be having a dance. What a great time we had at the dance given to the Syracuse Glee Club-! Then there were the “informals and the many inter-club dances during the year. Our class, too, was indeed granted a peculiar favor. The Board of Education decided to give 11s the opportunity, if we wished it, of using more of the teacher’s time every day. This method of conducting school seemed strange to us at first, but we soon found it very beneficial. When it came time for Senior themes and debates our English teachers were eagerly awaiting us, after school, when we went to see them, in order to talk over subjects. No matter how difficult a subject presented itself, we were sure to find the teacher of that subject ready to help us. For a time the familiar phrase of the faculty of Central High was, “I would be glad to see any of you between the hours two and three.” Those who did not go lost something that they will some time regret. Of course, too, we Seniors had rhetoricals awaiting us with anything but a pleasant thought. There was a general scamper in all Senior rooms when the lists came around with the names of the different pupils for certain rhetoricals. The rooms were filled with Oho” and Ahs.” Some just said they wouldn’t speak, but when the awful day came fear kindly left the victim and visited some other poor person. We gave our last evening dance during April, when we had a musical program as a variation. The evening went by before one realized it. and I believe we would all have liked to stay longer. Commencement will soon be here, and after that—what? Dear classmates, when we look back over our four years together, we seem to have gone a great distance. But just a step has been taken, the future will soon be ours to make it what we will. Tonight we are standing with reluctant feet, where the brook and river meet.” and are looking off into the Land of Dreams.” It is filled with happiness and all things bright, and so I wish it will be for you all Angelina Fisher, ’09. c. h. s. '09. 23