Charlotte High School - Witan Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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HIGH SCHOOL The WIT AN MANY HAPPY Ki ll RNS OK THK DAY Ten years old! This year the Witan is celebrating its renrh anniversary. Mow proud we are of our school magazine. Roger Butterfield was the first F.ditor-in-Chicf. When it was first undertaken, the staff did not expect to be able to publish the book regularly. However, it met with great success anil was published four rimes yearly after that. Our magazine has been improving with age, and last year, in the Columbia Scholastic Press Contest, it won third place for schools of our class. Some day we hope to attain first place. The Witan is interesting for its timely news events and for its literary merits. Also the Witan forms an accurate record of school activities for future years. How interesting it is to look back upon the old numbers and read the accounts of various happen- ings. The pictures prove especially amusing after a few years, as the styles and manners change with every one. The Witan needs the support of each and every student of our school. Arc you doing your share by contributing money and material? We offer the former staffs of the Witan our most hearty congratulations and hope for the future workers that it will have many more happy and successful birthdays. THOUGHTS ON THOUGHTS Have you ever pondered upon the different types of thoughts which take hold of your brain, your spirit, your soul, and grip them rclcnrlcssly until you cither are exhausted from the struggle and give up or you succeed and triumphantly Hash your banner of victory over your opponent? In my mind there arc four varieties of thoughts: first, those that astound you, that cause you to wonder how you ever received them and separated them from the maelsrrom of your mind, that arc altogether too sacred to be imparted to other humans; second, the thoughts you confidently launch upon the sea of conversation for discussion and comment by your friends and await dubiously the outcome; third, the thoughts that come to you late at night or at moments of inspiration, that you pur aside for a more urgent duty until, you say to yourself, you will have time to think; fourth and last, the small dark thoughts that you resolutely put from you as nonsensical, as im- possible, as unworthy of you, hut that bob up on the plane of your vision in the most inopportune moments when you arc sure you have vanquished them. Often I wish that one might control his thinking faculties but then again 1 realize that thinking is really the most important ability one possesses. In truth, thinking should never be put aside for some other occupation seeming more worth- while for there is none! GOOD OLD CHAKLOTTh! Charlotte isn't such a bad place, after all. When I see some of the new school buildings, Charlotte, in comparison, is a pitiful sight, but Charlotte has its past. These new sc1hk Is arc just plain buildings. They can’t recall to one very intimate memories. In crowded quarters, one learns much more about one's friends. To me, roominess seems to create an atmosphere of coldness, of politeness. Intimacy, in such places, is strained K.ven all of the incon- veniences endured in Charlotte have only served to bring the teachers and the pupils closer together. As Burke said, “Public calamity is a mighty icvclcr. I’m glad to have gone to Charlotte. Marion Wricmt,'32 CHRISTMAS Do we all realize the true meaning of Christmas? Some think only of gifts and festive occasions and forget the true spirit of Christmas. This spirit is typified by the Babe born in the manger of Bethlehem who brought rhe love of fellowmcn into this world. Wc all know that His example is most needed in this time of depression. Let us forger ourselves ami take care of the fellow who really needs some help and in this way we shal all realize the true meaning of Christmas. 23

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The WITAN CHARLOTTE r« that light and pushing open the door, fell upon a woman there. She explained that she was the care- taker and I, drawing a weepy breath, asked for the phone. After calling my father, I was overjoyed to hear him say that he’d come and take me away from rhat house of horrors! Margaret Sandi.k, 34 TURPENTINE CAKE When my mother was a small girl she was asked to make a cake for a church supper. Mother was very happy to think rhat she was asked to do rhis favor for the church. It was Thursday, and Friday was the night of the church supper. Mother hurried home from school and after changing her clothes she hurried to the kirchen to mix the cake. When she removed it from the oven her mother told her rhat it looked eatable. When Friday night came mother dressed in her ver best and sat waiting for her escort. She told him of the cake she had made for the supper and rhat he should not tell anyone that it was her cake. When the table was cleared and the cake and ice cream served, mother did nor norice the expressions on the people’s faces when they had rasted of hcrcake. It was her first cake for the public to sample. Her partner thinking it his place to praise her cake remarked how goexi it tasted and asked if he might have another piece. The church members looked at him in question. He did not wish mother to be dis- appointed bur it was of no use for her Aunt Anna said, Esther, is rhis your cake? Mother replied, Yes, Aunt Anna Why? Why? Why my dear child it tastes like turpen- tine. We will all he very ill, she replied. After many embarrassing moments and uneasi- ness, mother made her exit and ran home. Her mother met her ar rhe door and asked her whar the trouble was. Mother repeated her sad mishap. Together mother and grandmother went to the kitchen to look over the ingredients that mother used in her cake. When they came to the vanilla bottle they removed the cork and after smelling of it, they stood looking at one another. Even though mother was unhappy she could not resist laughing. After a few minutes mother returned to the church supper happy and laughing. Mother tried to take it as a mere jest when people laughed at her. Rut to rhis very day mother is teased and laughed at about her turpentine cake. F.lain South, '3 4 A COED WINTER’S NIGHT The night was cold; the stars against rhe dark blue sky made me shiver, and the moon with the clouds passing over it now and then, as well as the shrill blood-curdling shrieks of the shriek owl pro- duced a cohl atmosphere, making chills go up and down my spine. Help! Help! ’ came the cry of someone, at mid- night, over the hill. I left my camp and found near North Peak Cane, a man, with l oth legs snapped in the bear trap I had set! He was almost frozen to dearh. I carried him to my fire, and tent, for he couldn’t walk. I rhen covered him with my blankets and went out to get more wood for the fire. When I returned, my dog was at the opening of the tent, howling, howling as dogs howl when someone is dead' ' Arthur Hocak, iiB CAT’S FOOD, M-m-rn One Sunday evening, as the family was gathered around the fireside, rhis is the story that mother told: When Adele was about one year old, I left her alone in the house to play with the kitty, while I hung out the clothes. When I returned, she was not in sight. I looked everywhere, hut could not find her. Finally coming to the conclusion that she was kid- napped, I telephoned rhe police. Just before the police arrived, I heard a whimper, coming from the direction of the stove. Looking under the stove, I found Adele eating the cat’s food. After that, I never formed such hasty conclusions. AN EDUCATIONAL TRIP One day last summer I was invited to rake a trip through Ithaca, New York. Ithaca is located in a valley; it is the home of Cornell University. The day after our arrival wc went through diff crcnt buildings about the college. The museum was rhe firsr we entered. The structure was of two stories. On rhe first floor were relics, such as: weapons, Indian's tomahawks, different kinds of pottery and jewelry. The second floor consisted of a huge skeleton of a man-eating animal. Its structure re- sembled a giraffe, only many times bigger in size. In jars there were petrified animals and plants. Wc also saw stuffed tigers, lions, wild-cats, and a structure of a huge fish caught by a man living in Ithaca. After leaving this building we went to a Picture Gallery, a beautiful building inside and out. In this building they have beautiful paintings, costing millions of dollars; in one part of this building there are statues of famous people; the headless horseman and many other statues. I f you ever have the chance to go through some of these buildings, do so for they arc Ixith interesting and educational. Cora Papke, gB

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The WIT AN CHARLOTTE HELP IN SIGHT There is one problem which faces every girl in Charlotte, at least one rime during the day. To the careless it appears when she gets up in the morning, to the more thoughtful, before she goes to bed. The first regrets her carelessness all day; the second spends a sleepless night. The cause of all this mental anguish is well known to every girl, What will I wear tomorrow? It is a far more complicated question than it appears. The primary aim is to give indication of a larger, more expensive wardrobe than really exists. No one knows the reason for this condition, but all of us have to cope with its existence. Some long-suffering parent has come to the rescue with the suggestion of a uniform. A uniform! Goodbye to the days of anxiety and the sleepless nights. Goodbye to envy and rivalry in dress. And the models are not the sort we would expect to have been made by those who didn't have to wear them. There arc attractive colors, and a distinctive design. The uniforms arc not a punishment, but a blessing. Bad as the phrase may sound, they were intended for our own good. We arc in the best of company when we have uniforms. The best of private schools have them, the United States army and navy, the Marine Band, and several other honorable organizations. A uniform docs not necessarily signify a term in prison. Nor, as the saying goes, is our individuality to be crushed. If we have a uniform for every-day wear wc will have more money to spend on our other clothes. It seems an excellent suggestion, and, coming as it has from our parents, has been submitted to a careful examination. No catch has been found as yet. PRISON OR PREP SCHOOL Prisoners and high school pupils are similar in many respects. Both arc under supervision. The prisoner, up to now, has had the worst of the bargain, licing continually under the eyes of some over-seer, while the high school pupils are terrorized by two entirely different authorities. Now the parents and teachers have combined for our good, and the first suggestion they have made is a startling one. Wc complete the comparison by wearing uniforms. Their prime motive is the jealousy supposed to be rampant among girls. It is a tradition that we envy one another's clothes, but like many traditions it owes its existence to liklihood, rather than to actual fact. If there were such envy, uniforms would not elimi- nate it. It would only be transferred from school sessions, to the school functions, such as parties and teas, or to church affairs. It is obvious that uniforms could nor be dragged into these social gatherings. Other high schools with a far greater range of poverty, prosperity, and wealth, have continued very well without uniforms. Are we unworthy of the freedom even to choose our clothes? IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE What does Christmas mean to you? Christmas, to me, symbolizes a spirit of festivity. I like to think of it as a time when the fullness of our hearts at Thanksgiving bubbles over, and we express our feeling of well being by making others happy with some token of our friendship. In our extreme youth, we believe in Santa Claus, and our main feeling at Christmas is one of the joy of receiving. In our later youth, we begin to more fully appreciate the spirit of Christmas, and wc invariably experience as much, if not more, jov in giving as in receiving, and as we grow older, we are no longer the recipients of many gifts. Our greatesr ioy comes from giving gifts and happiness to young people, and helping them toentcr more fully into the Christmas spirit. Christmas is a time when people forget their troubles and sorrows, and all nationalities and all sects unite in a universal feeling of good will. And we may hope that Christ is pleased as he looks upon rhe celebration of his birthday. PEACE Peace is an almighty power which should govern all nations. This word peace means happiness, love and thanksgiving. All through the ages War has been waged. What has been derived from this? Nothing but death, sorrow and all the other disasters of War. A new time is upon us. The terrible tale has been written and may it always stay written; a record of battling nations; of tottering thrones; of exiled people and devasted lands. The thunder of battles has drowned the chiming of Christmas bells; the whining of shells hushed the voices of Peace; the moaning of the wounded broke into the carols of Christmastidc. As we look back what a strange sad Christmas for all Christian Nations. In the huge reconstruction that has followed the War the United State of Europe has been formed. Peace has descend cd upon us, at least for the time being. Let us do all wc can to forget the past anti put down in the minds of all Nations for the Future, Peace Everlasting Peace!” 24