Central High School - Snips and Cuts Yearbook (Charlotte, NC)

Page 24 text:

was not so grating. In addition to this self-possession, our load was lightened by O, My Love's a Red, Red Rose, sung en Francaise, to the tune of Whispering Hope. After dreadful threats and fearful word pictures of the end that awaits loafers, arrangements were made to suit allg and for the time being things once more looked natural. With determined heads we turned to our books, as we Hnally realized that this was our last chance to iinish up all our work left over from other and past exams. The days which were, up to this point, always too long, were now too short, and time, which had hung heavy on our hands, now sped swiftly past us. We worked hard, altho the excitement of war was enough to distract any ordinary person's mind. The monotony of our daily routine was generously broken by the new form of saluting Old Glory, as she danced about her support, caressed by the early spring breezes. We are sure that the patriotic atmosphere influenced our work and spiced our exercises, so that success seemed a little nearer. Instead of wasting our time dread- ing exams, we used it in preparing for them, and we felt sure that in our final ones we would surpass all undreamed-of geniuses. The seriousness of the situation oppresses us. We are about to leave, and this accounts for the extraordinary procedure. Owing to the fact that the Faculty was exasperated beyond the limit with the Senior Class of Nineteen-Seventeen, a few of the members thereof are allowed to lay down their implements of mental warfare and pass away in peace, leaving behind those luckless victims whose machines for getting by on exams were below seventy per cent. efficient. However, they are to be envied. Many a comparison of their mental ability to zeroes with the rings rubbed out will they enjoy, and-well, we will let bygones be bygones. During the four years' confinement of this Class, its members have managed to creep thru, with a few brilliant exceptions. Nevertheless, there was always some excuse for each member. Some of us had so many social duties that we could not give the required amount of attention to our studies. Others were hampered by uptown business relations, and domestic troubles of various natures. But, after all, we are certainly a model Class. We have proven our love of thoroness in our partiality to Junior subjects. The key to our success is the fact that in our Class are found all types. We have all the essentials-health, brains, beauty, religion, and many other natural Sixteen

Page 23 text:

The day after the reception was spent in getting settled, and as we all were a little nervous over the first excitement many social errors were clumsily revealed. Nevertheless it was the matter of only a moment to bring the Class to attention, and then the plot began to thicken. Oh! how hard we worked trying to get out of work, and what dreadful times we had trying in vain to refrain from talking and corresponding with our neighbors! However, after a few recesses and two-thirty gatherings we were able to control our desires. Up to our first-term exams nothing out of the ordinary happened, but thenil The morning of the first day we awoke to find ourselves immersed in a sea of dark, gloomy, and incomprehensible dimensions. We could recognize only sharks and jellyfish. Wildly we gasped and struggled, but in vain. We ran excitedly here and there, pellmell, endeavor- ing to find some means of escape. Suddenly in our midst appeared the luring Mr. Cheat, but, in utter disdain, we held ourselves above him. After waiting many long and weary hours, we were astonished to find ourselves again in daylight, and on real ground, altho, for some of us, the light was slightly dim and the ground rather uneven. Once again time began to drag slowly, and movies became more interesting. As usual, with the New Year came new hopes, and we all made countless good resolutions-the majority of which were only resolved upon, but never put into actual practice. To increase the enthusiasm in studying, and also to enlarge the public libraries, we had a number of copying matches. Soon after, at the price of two borrowed tablets and a pencil, we had another text-book on the order of original, except much more valuable. A prize was offered, but as practically all were competitors, and very experienced, there were too many could-be winners to select any particular one. After much quizzing, the teachers learned that a few of us were useful as well as ornamental, and straightway they took advantage of this discovery, and expected those few to answer for the entire Class, which task they performed in an estimable manner. By the time second-term exams were announced, we realized that our ranks had been thinned by the departure of some of our members whose tender hearts could not stand this second direful ordeal. However, those who remained settled to theirs, firm in the purpose to conquer. Of course, by this time we were used to exams, and the situation for us Fifteen

Page 25 text:

resources. There are the frivolous members, for light occasions, such as times when the teacher is in the hallg also sarcastic ones to temper the foolish ones, wit. Of course, we have common-sense ones for business transactions, and inquisitive ones for gossipy moments. There is much originality and talent for exhibition occasions, and a great listening capacity to absorb this. We are justly conceited over the individual suc- cesses of some of our members, who were determined that these lines should not apply to them: Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark ufnfathomed cares of ocean bearg Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, Amt waste its sweetness on the desert air. But now the end is near, and soon all will be over. Altho we may Shake off our bands of servitude, and leave in our respective cells the memories glad-and otherwise-we realize that never again will we be gathered together in this same spirit of good-will and fellowship. It will be with sad longing that we will look back on these wonderful days. Always, we will hold the name of our dear school in reverenceg and to our teachers we express our deepest esteem and gratitude. However, our Class has sworn to visit all graded schools, and warn them of the drastic ordeals, and assure them that they may cheer up, as the worst is yet to come. Now, I believe I have told you all that it is wise to disclose of the Class of Nineteen-Seventeen, and I beg of you to suspend rash judgment until you have visited us. Yours sincerely Qi 5 L J f Sevente