Charlotte High School - Witan Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

Page 16 text:

CHARLOTTE The WITAN standing in front of. And—yes—he is a ballyhoo talker for Fingling Brothers Circus. What a man! And I had always thought he was rather quiet, and bashful. Water please! Burr—burr—just to look at that scene freezes me up. Snow, great lights in the sky and appearing in the distance a dog-sled. My, that man looks cold too. Why—Percy Andrews, so that is what he is doing. Exploring the Arctic. This is a good place for him to be, but even though he looks cold, I would bet my whole weeks’ pay (S.coo) that he is sweating under all those hear skins. Speaking of the arette regions, who is that going from igloo to igloo? Why, it’s Jimmy Weeks, and what is he doing? Oh, he’s a traveling salesman for Fanny Farmer’s Candy. He always was good at selling candy in school. But somehow or other I thought Eskimos ate tallow or somepin and not candy. Maybe it’s Jimmy’s personality who knows? Boy, after all that cold weather, this is the kind of place I would like to visit. A hula hula land from all the weather signs. I-ook at that girl dance. She looks like an American. Why she is! Suddenly, I feel faint. I never thought Ruth Punnett would come to this . . But there is an old saying, Still water runs deep. Well, if that isn’t dear old Avery I Kkner singing away. From the looks of things he must he vocalizing, as Mr. Marsh used to say. Oh, dear, I wish 1 had a voice like that, a voice that actually lulled people to sleep. This looks like yes, it is -good old New York City again. And by all appearances that is a news- paper building. It surely is. I always like to go through newspaper buildings (thanks to Miss Paul). Here's the F.ditor-in-Chief’s office. It’s marked private. But who cares? The Editor himself! Well, well, well, as I live and die! It is Axel Johnson suc- ceeding in Art Brisbane’s place as Editor of the New York Journal. Whar a class, rhat class of '32 was. We seem to be traveling all over New York City today. Here we arc at the Yankee Stadium appear- ing in the clear crystal. Everybody is all excited about something. My, look at rhat big handsome fellow hatting. Hooray, it’s a home run. And yes, vou guessed it, it’s Smitty! But here’s a secret I learned. He can’t run bases any better than he used to when playing on Charlotte’s Champion (?) Base- ball team. Eookit rhar good-looking man stump-talking to a group of people right on Broadway. Why, it’s Cam Crittenden, and he’s a salesman for Ford Cars. Thar rakes me right back to the good old days when Cam’s mania was to remodel old cars. But I thought he leaned toward the Essex. Well, the Ford is a good car. The next scene that is being unfolded from the crystal is a football game at Notre Dame. Notre Dame and Northwestern. And who's sitting on that bench. As usual a good player from rhe side-lines is Sam DcMato. He always was a good player in rhat same position on the soccer team at Charlotte. Oh, last but not least, I remember Pomeroy Cass. He always did seem to come in last even in the crys tal. And here he is as an acrobat and tumbler, traveling under the assumed name of Spigo from town to town. A tumbler is good! The best part ol Pomeroy is the way he falls down. Suddenly, a long, slim Austin looms into view and we see Frank Campbell at the wheel. Now Frankie's Mamma and Papa can have the Buick. The glass is becoming cloudy strange zig-zag dashes of tire appear followed by a cloudy foamy looking substance which crystallizes into white specks violently agitated like flakes of snow in a blizzard. Ali Bendou, puzzled, reverses the ball and Charles Richardson momenrarily appears succeeded by a violent crash as the crystal flics to pieces. One look at Prince Ali convinces me that I have urgent business elsewhere. Jean Estes Class Prophet CREST Long slow waves of memoria come rolling, Slowly rolling over dark green trees and mist. And hills blurred gray with distance. Vines that climb in aimless wildness, And brow n drooped sunflowers, too old to remember Even a namesake. And long slow waves of memories come breaking. Breaking into colored specks of foam, Breaking into pictures, dreams and dust. Pictures of a purple plume of sunset color, And the glowing green purity of moss and dew; Dreams of afternoons, warm and tinted blue. Of hours and breaths too short to hold The infinitude of a rose or moon; •And the dust of unforgettable sorrow Almost forgotten. •4

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HIGH SCHOOL The WITAN y v Jrvsw ei v Class Propfliecy £ ? 4 7S I was walking, one bright spring day, in the more slummy part of our Flower (Flour) City, thinking about—nothing in particular, as usual, when a sign, a peculiar, odd sign, attracted my attention. It read, Prince Ali Bendou, Crystal Gazer.” I looked ar it, thought, now, maybe I’ll go in.” I changed my mind, started to walk away and then suddenly found myself half way up a steep pair of evil smelling dark stairs leading to the Crystal Gazer’s haunt. I had had in my mind, lately, the desire to see some of the members of my graduating class, the Class of 32 and down deep in my mind I had an idea that Ali Bendou might be the solution of my problem. Prince Ali Bendou astonished me by the way he resembled the stairs, evil looking, dark, dirty and odorous. I asked him his price to read the present, future and past in his crystal, and after a mental qualm over that price, sat down to watch him. I had explained to him that I had come to find out about my old classmates and as I watched him I too, seemed to pass under a spell so that I could sec figures in the crystal. Our of the clear glass seemed to appear a stage and on that stage, acting the memorable Peter Pan” of Maude Adams times was was I seeing things? Yes, no—it was Gladys Grotzinger. Of all things! But then she had been good in our senior play although I really thought Grutzy would eventually be married to some blonde young man who dances even better than a gigolo. Oh, what’s this? I sec a smart. Fifth Avenue Barber Shop and Ernest Eve trimming the sideburns of an oil magnate. He should be very good at this particular form of hair cut. My, what a beautiful picture that is appearing in the crystal. Blue sky, green trees, shrubs and birds and a beautiful blonde lying in the sunlight on a large cloistered porch. And the man? No other than Parrish, the artist, painting this beautiful picture. The girl, how exquisite. There, she turns around and oh my, oh my, why did 1 ever come here? It is my own sweet, demure, Violet Rentschler. Yes, it is! There is no argument, and taking a model’s place posing for Parrish. Oh, I know that place, appearing, faintly at first, and then clear. It is Fifth Avenue, in New York City. But see the young man walking there with the flaming red locks—and—yes, those two girls he has on cither arm have auburn hair too. It is—why—it really is Wilbert Buchin. I always knew something terrible would happen to him if he insisted on going with girls, girls and more girls decked with red hair. He even has gone to the extenr of dyeing his own hair that bright red. Poor Wilbert! Then, here’s yes, myself. And what am 1 doing? Oh, yes, I have kindly consented to take the place of that deceased Maestro, Damerosch at his piano stool, giving daily lectures on music appreciation and theory over the National Broadcasting Net Work. My only regret is that I haven’t two or three grandchildren to hold on my knee, or to have sit on the piano so that I can have our pictures taken for Newsreel. Speaking of music, sec that concert hall with the huge crowd and almost as large a piano sitting on the platform. (The piano, of course, sitting on the platform, not the crowd) Thunderous applause and here comes the artist, with long curly hair, and large neck scarf. It is Lois Marsh. I always thought she would lie an artist. Oh look' Where is Art Gordon going on that strange looking boat? I lis passport is in French. As he hands it to the authorities we see that it is made out to Arthur Gordon, Ph. I). He fades leaving our curiosity unsatisfied. And who is that perfectly stunning girl in the leopard skin coat, leaning on the arm of I don’t recognize the man? Who is it? Oh, yes, Betty Briggs. Bur somehow- I can’t remember much about her. Oh, ves, she came in late from Monroe High School and her one great characteristic was her attraction for our male sex. There’s Bill Farrcss. I haven't seen him in ages. He seems ro be talking an awful lot, doesn't he? What’s he saying? Why that’s a circus tent he is 3

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HIGH SCHOOL The VVITAN tf H ' ¥ Class Will VVc, the exceptional class of January 1932 of Charlotte High School, Rochester, County of Mon roe. Stare of New York being of nervous, flighty, uncontrollable nature yet slightly intelligent and possessing some ability do, hereby, declare and print this our Will and Testament. I. We bequeath to Walter Smith a new list of girls' addresses and telephone numbers in case he runs out. II. We leave these three candidates Gertrude Rappold, Gertrude Wolff and Ruth Murphy as possible secretaries for Miss Sharer. III. We leave Mr. West time to eat his lunch at least once a week without interruption or delay. IN'. We leave in the new school a smell proof building so that the occupants of the school will not have to suffer when cats with white stripes come around. V. We are going to take Walter Gunklcr's persistence (particularly, in asking girls to dance) with us; we may need it at a future date. VI. We leave Gertrude Rappold a new manager of the Book Exchange in place of our dearly loved Wilbert VII. We regret taking the biggest share of the athletic teams with us but we leave Everett Lockner, Billy Petroske, and Walter Fox as candidates for future teams. VIII. Wc bequeath to Mr. True a mail box to put outside his door to save rhe girls, bringing the slips around, the embarrassment of going into the boys' study hall. IX. Wc leave to the next candy committee a large supply of soft candy for Mr. Lacy so that he can keep the fillings in his teeth. X. We bequeath to the future Handbook Com- mittee Saturday mornings for work; more can be accomplished. XI. We bequeath a glass case for the candy so that Benny the prize candy feeler can lose the habit we’re afraid he might make a mistake and embarrass himself in an uptown store. XII. Personal Requests: 1. To Mr. Enright, a throne; it can be used to good advantage in girls’ study hall. 2. To Hermeana Prvsock, Vi Rentsch ler’s style. 3. To Grace Eve, Jean Estes’ singing voice. 4. To Rudy Wendt, l.ois Marsh's burden of playing in assembly. c. To Dean Lawson, Pom Cass's special knack of making announcements. 6. To Arol Weiser, Jimmie Smith's ath- letic ability. 7. To Kenneth Mersey, Cam, Critten- den’s boldness. X. Art Gordon's grin to Frank Polka. 9. We leave rhe school the much antici- pated and long expected handbook. XIII. Lastly we appoint the class of June 1932 executors of this will. Should it prove too much for them we suggest the faculty as assistant executors. Clast oj January 1932 Gladys M. Grotzincer Class Testator Witnesses: President, Percy Andrews Secretary, Ruth Punnetr '5