Central High School - Centralian Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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EDITORIALS-Cont'd Staff began its work with enthusiasm. This quiet was disturbed only when the two oldest societies, the Pla- tonian Literary society and the Central Literary club, and later the third oldest, the Philomathean Literary society, disbanded. The entire school hopes that in the near future other societies will be formed which will be as great an aid in raising the literary standard of the school as the old societies were found to be. In athletics Central has kept up to her usual standard. On the football field she won victories and suiered de- feats, it is true, but these were all forgotten in the glorious victory over Manual, her rival. Baseball has been taken up again this year and the school is looking forward to the time when its representatives will win laurels in the Track Meet. More interest is added to the athletics by the meets to be held between the classes of tl1e school. For this purpose not only the Junior and 'Senior classes, but the Sophomore and Freshman as well, were organized recently and we hope that these meets will prove a rallying point for the class spirit, in which the school is so noticeably lacking. On the stage Central has been most admirably repre- sented. The annual Christmas play was once more a brilliant success, and an added pleasure was given by the new scenery used that evening for the first time. The Board of Education has at last renewed the privi- lege formerly accorded the literary societies of having a pay entertainment. This is to be in the form of a con- test in oratory and essay writing, and is designed to prove one of the most brilliant events in the school year. The highest interest has always been felt in the Hall programs given by the literary societies. This year the school looked forward with curiosity to the first, that of the Aristonian society, which, considering the very short time the girls had to prepare it, was a credit to the society. The second, given by the S. L. H.'s, was one of the most original that has ever been pre- sented on the Assembly Hall stage. It fulfilled entirely the traditions of the society which is now the oldest within the walls of Old Central. Two weeks later' took place the Webster's Hall program, clever and humor- ous from first to last. Later in the year the Glee club, under the management of Mr. Howard Hudson, ap- peared in a most enjoyable program. Not only in our own school but in outside nelds as well Central's students have won laurels. As usual, honors in the Chicago Declamation Contest were taken by Central, but more so than usual. This year not only did Mr. Hudson win first place, but our other repre- sentative, Miss Lulu Hayes, as well. Another annual event in the history of the school was the result of the competition carried on by the Sons of the Revolution. It is scarcely necessary to say that Mr. Cary Griffin won the gold medal and Miss Blanche Rosencrans the silver one. Last but not least of the school events come Class day and Commencement, which will round out the work of a class which has been a pride to the school and a source of great satisfaction to themselves.

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The primary purpose of the Year Book of a school or college should be year of the history of the school, both in the light of benehcial industry and the pleasures afforded by its society In thisicapacity it need not, and cer X tainly should not, assume the charac of THE LUMINARY Staff nineteen four to represent all the highest and most mighty of all Seniors to the tiniest and most green of all Freshmen, and to fulfill in every detail the requirements of a truly representative Year Book. If -if , . A s , l A We of to represent as truly as possible a 1 members of Old Central,from , h I1 f ' U O teristics of a catalogue. No particu lar division of its subject matter should be carried to an extreme, but the entire space should be proportioned among the different heads ac- cording to their relative importance in the history re- corded. Witll the appearance of this Volume the Work ofthe present Staff is ended. The editing of THE LUMINARY has been a pleasant duty, yet it has been Work. The experience vvhich many of the members of the Staff have received by an almost constant association with the business men of the city is a study in itself, Whose value in future situations cannot be estimated. It is the desire the Staff has succeeded in this purpose, it will consider its work not only ended, but complete. This has been an unusually successful and pleasant year for both teachers and pupils in the history of Central. In September the work was taken up with the earnestness and studiousness now becoming so characteristic of the members of the school. Even the Freshmen seemed less green and entered upon their high school life in an elderly and dignihed manner. The society work was continued with more than ordinary seriousness and the newly-elected LUMINARY

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Hltllfttlmlim HISTORY 'Way back in the misty eighties, when even most of the Seniors were still below the level of the dining-room table, the first LUMINARY was published. It was a Christmas gift to the school, not a novelty in art, appearance or subject matter, yet re- markable, considering that it was the start and considering the conditions under which it was published. It consisted of twelve pages of cheap printing on cheaper paper and was without date or cover. The most important feature of this first edition was its name and this has come down to us, still meaning the brightest of shining lights. AThe iirst two volumes of THE LUMINARY were published by the members of the High School Debating society, afterwards the Central Literary club, and the paper was entirely under the con- trol of the Society, but, in 1887, the Platos, and a year later, the Philos were given a representation on the paper. Under the new management, THE LUMINARY II1ClZ with greater success. It was divided into departments, editorial, literary and local, and its list of advertisers increased. When the S. L. H. society was formed, it was also allowed a partnership in the interests of the paper. For many years THE LUMINARY was almost entirely the prod- uct of the twelve or thirteen editors and a few members ofthe so- cieties. Many means have been resorted to by the various manage- ments to lengthen the list of contributors and to make the book popular. Continued stories were published, prizes were offered for various kinds of writings and, one year, the entire paper was run in two colors. Still the proper amount of appreciation was lacking. Then, the price of THE LUlVIINARY was reduced to live cents a copy, sold on subscription. Even at this reduction some of the subscribers would not pay, so subscriptions were done away with. In 1899, the custom was started by the staff of making the last issue of the year an Annual or Year Book, its primary object being to faithfully represent school life and the work done at Central. This is the sixth volume of THE CENTRALIAN. The eighteenth volume of THE LUMINARY was edited under an entirely new regime. The paper was taken out of the hands of the societies and placed in charge of the school at large. Nomi- nations for positions on the Staff are made from those pupils having the highest scholarship in the school, and from these each pupil selects the twelve he thinks most suitable for the positions. The nineteenth volume of LUMINARY history we boast as the greatest, brightest and most profitable. Each month THE LUMINARY has been sent out to nearly a hundred exchanges, representing the most prominent institutions in the country. During the year, we have received favorable comment from nearly every one of these, Few of the big colleges and universities, whose fame is spread throughout the country, can boast pub- lications the equal of THE LUMINARY and THE CENTR.-xi,1AN,