Charlotte High School - Witan Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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THE WIT AN 17 but she never faltered. Bravely she sang on, determined to show her audi- ence that she could take that high note well. Determined to make the high B all that a high B should be, she took an- other breath, preparatory for it again. Kerchoo-o-o-o! She had sneezed again! Unfalteringly the accompanist went on and Eleanor trying to make the best of it sang the few remaining notes. Crimson with mortification, she crept to her seat The applause was enthusiastic. She could not understand it. She had disgraced herself; and what would Dick think of her? She couldn’t even sing a song without sneezing. She did not hear a word of the rest of the program. She clapped and tried to look interested but it was a relief to have it over. She decided not to stay for the dancing. It would be too much to have her friends tease her about the sneeze. She waited in the dressing-room until everyone was dancing and then slipping on her wraps, she made her way out Just as she was in the act of closing the door, she heard someone calling her name. Eleanor! I say Eleanor! What’s the idea of running away?” Eleanor wheeled around. There stood Dick. •'Aren’t you going to give me even one dance ?” he was saying. It was a bewildered but very happy Eleanor that danced the second dance with Dick Lowery. What I can’t figure out,” he said as he smiled into her dark eyes, is why you should run away after making such a hit.” A hit!” faltered Eleanor. Why yes, a hit! You are some little actress to be able to sneeze like that ct will. That sneeze just made the song. It was such a syrupy, sweet tiing and then that sneeze. Why Eleanor, he exclaimed enthusiastically, 1 don't believe I’ve heard anything quite so clever.” Remember that alumni banquet three years ago? said Dick Lowery to h s pretty companion. Do you know if it hadn’t been for that banquet and your song with the sneeze, I never would have become so interested in you. That woke me up as to how nice you were!” That alumni banquet!” laughed Eleanor, looking fondly at a sparkling diamond on her left hand, I never had such a miserable time before as I had part of that evening nor such a good time as I had the rest of the evening.” MARY F. DAVISON ‘24. Notice to Prize Story Contestants Lack of space in this issue prohibits the publication of the second ami third place Prize Contest stories. These will, however, be taken into consid- eration in awarding the prizes. The second in merit was, The Sentiments of a Freshie,” by Lucille Cross 24, and the third in merit was, The Contest of the Good,” by Cornelius Law'rence '24.

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16 THE WIT A N That Alumni Banquet Only freshmen are supposed to have a crush on an upper classman, who never looks at them, but cheerfully goes out with any one of a dozen girls but the aforementioned freshman But dark-haired Eleanor Craig had had a serious crush on tall, blonde Richard Lowery ever since she had first seen him. That was when she was a freshman and he a junior. But unlike most freshman crushes, Eleanor’s had not waned. Two years later when Dick graduated from high school he was still the object of Eleanor's affections. He went on to college and Eleanor continued in high school, but she saw him enough during vacations at parties and picnics to keep alive and healthy her crush on him. Then Eleanor graduated, and she went away to college. During all this time Dick never gave a thought to her. To him she was just a pretty girl who was very often at the same dances he was, for Eleanor never lacked invitations, but one that did not attract him. Eleanor had, among other attractions, a very charming, sweet voice and during the Christmas vacation after her graduation from high school she was asked to sing at the Alumni banquet. She worked hard over her song, a tender, highly romantic love song. Near the end of the two verses there was a lovely high note, which suited Eleanor's voice perfectly and which she took like a bird. She was very much excited when the night of the banquet came, for it was the first time she had ever sung in public and it was her first alumni banquet. But, most important of all, Dick would be there and she had not yet seen Dick that vacation. She wore a new crimson taffeta, crimson was Eleanor's color, and she had never looked prettier. She sparkled and glowed all during the banquet, but she ate very little; she was far too excited for that. Afterwards there were speeches and musi- cal numbers and then her song was announced. The color left her face and then flowed back deeper and prettier than before. As if in a dream she arose and walked to the piano. Dick gazed at her in approval. He had never noticed how attractive she was before. She was different, he concluded, she would never sing one of these foolish-in-his-estimatiun, sentimental love .songs. Vaguely Eleanor heard the accompanist play the opening bars and then she began to sing. She sang very well, her voice growing stronger and surer as she advanced in the song. She was almost to the high note, the climax of the verse. She took a deep breath and reached for the note. Suddenly a be- wildered look flashed across Eleanor’s face and then she sneezed, a very un- mistakable sneeze. The color crimsoned her cheeks to the shade of her dress,

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18 THE W I T A N The Eighteen Year Old of Yesterday, Tomorrow and the Day Before Tomorrow [Written by Request] As J. D. Rockerfeller’s name is connected with oil, as the Driving Park Ave. bridge is to suicide and as sterling is to silver, so is a bulk of the pres- ent generation linked hand and fist with foolishness. It has been said that everybody can see everybody else's faults but his own. If that's the case, Ird appreciate it if somebody would inform me of my faults, because 1 am going to inform a part of you people of yours. (You’ll know who you are when I am finished.) This is going to be mainly about the so-called “Flappers” and their shallow-faced comrades, the “Slickers.” So far they have been getting away with almost anything, but I haven’t the least doubt itTll stop as soon as this is published around the U. S. These are the persons who hound the public dance halls and who use “Home Sweet Home” as a sort of a stopping-off place, a place to go to change their clothes and get a little change off and on, mostly on. The imprint of their O’Sullivan’s heels can more often be found on the window sills than on the “Welcome” printed on the door mat. The door is usually locked but they see to it that the window isn't. The “slicker” frequents the comers of our best governed city and about midnight he strolls into an al-nite restaurant‘and buys his breakfast before going out with his pick and shovel. Oh no! not all of the slickers work;some of them attend school. What for? I don't know'. They believe in wearing the shine on their hair instead of on their shoes, just as the “flapper” be- lieves in that slogan, “Save the surface and you save all.” And how things have changed since the war! The fellow used to be the one to cut his hair but it is vice-versa now. All that seems to count nowadays with the girls is a fellow’s money, his step and his car. By the line I have spoken so far, I don’t mean to signify that the world is going to the bow-wows, but when Eddie, who is just getting his second teeth, goes to a dance with Lizzie, who ought to be home in bed with her teeth in a glass of water, why then it’s high time to be alarmed and to gossip. Some of these dudes have about as much chance of going through life with their bluff as an egg through a stone crusher and coming out whole. Please don’t think that “yours truly” wants to be considered a model or reformer, but he does want to help the school along before leaving for other parts. Charlotte, as yet, has very few of this type in attendance and could do away with the few it has. Please note that 1 am leaving. W. HOLLY ‘22.