Charles W Baker High School - Lyre Yearbook (Baldwinsville, NY)

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THE SENIOR LYRE insignificant pieces of humanity we were beside those great big Seniors. As school progressed, the football season opened. Then for the first time in their lives, some witnessed, much to their astonishment and horror, a real football game. Indeed, to think we were allowed to yell with the older students, for the team, which we soon dis- covered, belonged to us just as much as to them, made us feel more at home. While the Chapel Exercises seemed to delight us, there was an exceedingly weighty question burdening us. How were we. who had been accustomed to cpiiet, uninterrupted study hours, to endure that huge study hall? .... In June came those awful exams which were to decide that many of us should no longer he counted in the Class of 1916. The following September we came together for the second time, although some of our number were not present. They had left the dear B. H. S. never again to return there as students. Now we were given new seats in the middle of the hall, much to our pride and joy, and then permitted to cal! ourselves “worthy Sophomores.” To our regret Miss Kinney was not present. But who was that important looking person standing at the desk? There had once been a “Fish” among the students: now we were to have the pleas- ure of tasting “Pike.” A few weeks later. Miss Shapero, our mathematics instructor, announced that she had decided that two could live as cheaply as one, and that, when she subtracted Miss Kiley was the remainder. Miss Kiley caused much excitement because of her stately black gowns and diamond ring, which we guessed was transferred to the right hand for some purpose for which we could not account. But our conjecture was wrong. As now we had reached a higher degree, we were permitted to enter into club activities. The girls in the Social Culture Class were instructed by the teachers on “How to dress,” “How to conduct themselves properly,” or to sum it up. “What they should and should not do in public as well as in private life.” We also joined, at this time, the Glee Club under the supervision of Miss Roth. The boys had the privilege of becoming members of the Debate Club. Through one of this club’s social activities, one of the songs which had been having a hard struggle, burst into full glory, so that for some time “I Don’t Want To” could be heard on every stu- dent’s tongue. One of our classmates, striving to gain honor for the school, de- livered an oration, which thrilled more than one audience and car- ried off the highest honors at Skaneateles.

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4 THE SENIOR LYRE CLASS HISTORY In the 65th year of the incorporation of our village, twenty- eight very dignified members of the North and South Side Grammar Schools of Baldwinsville, who had been carefully and skillfully reared under the teachings of Professors Rindge and Aten, were graduated from their respective schools on the eve of June 26. 1912, at the Howard Opera House, with all the honor and pomp due to such an occasion. The summer vacation of these exceedingly proud and gray- haired members, for we really thought we had become gray-haired from spending such an eternity in those Grammar Schools, was spent in questioning every known student of that institution, about, “What do you do first?” “Can you sit any place you desire—me for the hack seat if you can.” “How can you tell to which room to go?” How weary those Juniors and Seniors must have become of being met at every corner with these questions! No wonder they told us we should be seen and not heard, and advised us, “Keep your ears open and your eyes peeled.” “Do just as you are told.” t In September during the second year of the reign of Principal Stanley Ross Miller, whom the South Siders boasted of having had for nearly three years, we entered High School. As we sat any place we wished, we thought all was quite fine. At nine when the queerest little bell sounded, everything, even the clock, almost, was silent. Our hearts were in our mouths, where they should not have been, because we surely could not talk with anything in our mouths, as some very well know who have tried that sad experiment and been commanded: “Throw what you have in your mouth into the basket.” The teachers passed some large sheets of paper, called registra- tion blanks, and told us to answer the questions on the paper. To decide our future all in one second, without any warning, was a tremendous task ; but we had to perform it all by ourselves without even asking our parents’ advice. Finally, after filling out our blanks and handing them in, we were told to report again in the afternoon when we were dismissed. For two days there was no school, because the schedule, which was very hard to prepare, had not been completed. But on the third day we began our school work, Andjhen came the time when we were to become confused in finding where our classes met. Then we who had felt so big and proud at leaving our “Alma Mater,” began to realize what tiny,

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6 THE SENIOR LYRE Again came the most dreaded thing of all—the examinations, which made us lose many more classmates. We, the honorable ones, as third year students, again entered the Assembly Room, aware of the notice we received on August thirty-first: every seat was filled. Indeed, the demand for training in mathematics was so great that the Board was forced to hire a supplementary instructor to teach a half day. Miss Sherwood filled the position. This fall many of our men robbed the Seniors of the honors of the football season. The girls were permitted the privilege of join- ing the Literary Club. But after becoming members of that organ- ization they were informed, much to their dismay, that Juniors were not allowed to hold office. However, despite this fact, the Seniors could not prohibit the Faculty from selecting Junior members for participants in the “Rhetoricals.” In the spring, we had the honor of having one of our class chosen as a county representative in the Spelling Meet between Madison and Onondaga. Miss Shapero’s solution of that problem in mathematics must have been attractive; for Miss Kiley also announced her intention of proving that two can live as inexpensively as one. After having been a schoolmaster in such an exceedingly large city for seven whole years. Principal Miller, thinking he needed a change of atmosphere and occupation, decided to become a mer- chant in his own home town. Three days before the close of school came the most important event of the year. The Principal was summoned to the office on some very pressing business, namely, to see some roses. But on his desk, much to his astonishment, he beheld a beautiful gold watch, which bore an inscription expressing the good wishes of the teachers and students. His surprise was so great that he lost his power of speech, thus being unable to conduct his classes. 1 he teachers, since they now had a merchant in their midst, thought they might have an inexpensive farewell banquet in honor of the one who had done so much for the welfare of the school at a very critical time. Many of the guests at the banquet, desiring to see the gift from the students and teachers of Baldwinsville’s 1 hree Schools, asked Mr. Miller whether he would not allow them to pass it around the table. Fearing something would happen to his precious treasure, he felt very loathe to let it go; but finally he gave his consent. When the watch reached the president of the Board of Education, Mr. illiams said, “Seeing the students have put a watch on Mr. Miller, my colleagues on the Board will chain him.” 1 his June, instead of losing many of our classmates through the nerve-racking exams, we found that, to our good fortune, we had added many to our number. On September seventh, we, the stately Seniors, entered the Study