Comstock High School - Corral Yearbook (Comstock, MI)

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10 The Owlet Class tDill By William Roschek We, the Senior Class of Comstock High, about to leave this school in full pos- session of a sound mind, memory and understanding do make and publish this, our last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills by us at any time heretofore made: We give to the Freshman Class the following advice, which if they accept it, will lead them to glory. Copy us, learn to work if not to win. Development comes sooner through bearing failures than successes. It isn’t fun but look us over and be encouraged. We also leave some individual wills. Emma Garrison does hereby bequeath her singing ability to Paul Smith. Bernard Gaskill leaves his affectionate and loving disposition to Helen Anderson. Atchison Kirk leaves his talent as a French student to those whom it may con- cern. Bob Allen, I know, would like to be at least six or eight inches taller so Walter Smith promises to share his height with Bob. Herbert Mater leaves his ability as a speaker and debator to Bob De Crocker. Ralph Kirk leaves his experience in Geometry to Helen Willett. William Roschek leaves his quiet, modest and unassuming ways to Evelyn Hughes. To the Sophomores we leave our best wishes for their success. To the Juniors we leave our row of seats. May they be as fond of the front row next year as we have been this. Let every member show his gratitude for this gift by being promptly in his seat each morning. In witness thereof. We, the Senior Class, the testators, have to this, our will written on one sheet of parchment, set our hand and seal this 9th day of June. PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS—continued from preceeding page.) they join hands and cross the field of wheat together. As a result the child was found. Had it not been for the cooperation of these people and imagination of the individual this child might have been lost forever. So. if we all will keep our ideals, of what we would wish to be so firmly im- beded in us, that they are our foundations, if we will cooperate with our fellowmen in working toward our separate goals and thereby do away with any deep selfishness, if we will live in that imaginative state in which we all are at our best, and per- severe, until we make the land of imagination the land of reality, we will all suc- ceed and make our dreams come true.

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The Owlet 9 ‘Presidents Address IMAGINATION By Herbert Mater Classmates and friends: We of the Senior Class are gathered here tonight for the last time as students of Comstock High School. We have looked forward a very long time toward the coming of this day. In our imaginations we saw ourselves as we hoped to be on this night. Our imagination played an important part in helping us to successfully carry out our school work and to be able to graduate. Very often we find that imagination becomes perhaps one of the greatest things in our lives. We must have it in order to vision our success, in order to make us work harder to become successful. It is said that poets create by imagination the masterpieces for which they are famous. So may we strive toward a better life, a higher goal, by allowing our imaginations to inspire us. Imagination enters our lives before we become of school age. Every one knows that when a child is playing he is a conductor, a policeman, or a fireman, he is using his imagination. Your parents have visions of a brilliant future ahead of you. When you are small they picture you as you will be when you enter elementary school, high school, college, and later when you embark upon life’s sometimes treach- erous sea. And at all times they picture you as a success. Do you live up to their expectations or are you a failure? Is your success or failure due to your imagination or lack of it? It certainly is. You can be exactly as you, in your imagination, pic- ture yourself to be. Imagination is the basis of many inventions. With its aid men foresaw mighty machines, huge buildings, and large cities. The early pioneers foresaw for this country a glorious future and their dreams have been fulfilled because they believed in their visions and created the foundation upon which to build. Their descendants had enough faith in their forefathers to carry on the work of building, and our successful nation is the result. Many of the greatest men of today have profited by their faith in their forefathers and their imaginations. Pick up any of the popular magazines and read the stories of men who have started by tamping ties on the railroad section, and are today sitting in the presi- dent’s chair of the same railroad. Was it luck that put them there? Was it some- thing handed to them on a silver platter? Certainly not! It was because they were able to imagine and foresee the future while working steadily toward the goal of success. Everywhere we see the success of the men who have lived in the land of imagination. Let us take for instance Charles M. Schwab, the great steel magnate. We see him as a young man working in a steel mill for twelve hours a day and at night going home to study until the wee small hours of the morning. He studied and lived in the land of imagination, believing that if he qualified himself, if he trained himself, he would finally reach the attainable goal. Let us think of Swift, president of the Swift Packing Company. Let us look yonder we see him in that little town, as he butchered his first cow and started to peddle it from door to door from a small cart. Today he is president of the Swift Packing Company. Why? Because he had the power of imagination. He had a dream of what he could be. he laid his plans, he visioned his goal, he sacrificed, he toiled, he paid the price of attaining his success. We see the success of the men but have you ever stopped to consider: Ten years from now where will you be? Can you see yourself a successful man oi woman, independent for the rest of your life? You can do it, it is possible, it you will apply yourself. In order to do this you must lay a strong foundation. One cannot be careless and indifferent and still accomplish his ends. He must place the responsibility where it belongs, which is upon each one of us individually. No one can take you and make a success of you unless you have a desire to attain it. When you have that desire, that ambition, that goal, and that determination, there is no power under the canopy of Heaven that can hold you down or keep you from atta?ni ngrsuccess. You will go on. and on. and on. for the world is today crying for men who have lived in the land of imagination and who are willing to stand the har 1 Another lemen which comes with imagination and perseverance is cooperation that joint effort or labor, that association or collective action of persons for their nrvmmnn benefit A story is told of a little child who was lost in the great wheat fields of the West. An alarm was sounded, the people searched all over for child but it could not be found. They all became discouraged but some one suggested that (Continued to next page.)

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T li e Owlet 11 ‘Prophecy By Ralph Kirk Here it is the year of 1937. I must write to my old classmates of Comstock High School and tell them what I am doing, as I promised ten years ago. Six letters in the mail this morning. Who might they be from? Ha! first is from the only girl in the class. Miss Emma Garrison. Let’s see now. She says, “I’m now a popular singer. Recently I’ve signed a contract for $25,000 to sing in the Metro- politan Opera House. If you can remember I first received notice from the public when I sang in the operetta, ‘Rings in the Sawdust.' I am hoping to gain more fame in the near future. Please write and tell me all about yourself. Your old classmate, EMMA GARRISON. Here is a letter from Walter Smith. Now who was he? Oh, Yes! Now I re- member him. He was our pitcher back in ’27. I wonder what he has to say? He begins, “Remember our first baseball game in the season of ’27? I was home with a sprained ankle when the game was played. I heard we lost and I made up my mind when I got back I’d pitch our dear old team to victory. It was as you re- member, a very successful year for me. Soon after leaving High School I received summons from Moriarty, manager of the Detroit Tigers, to report at once. I signed a contract to pitch for $75,000 per year. According to figures I’m better than Babe Ruth. Not so bad, eh? Hoping to hear from you soon, WALTER SMITH. This is sure a queer old world. I wish I were back home with the rest of the family, but wait, maybe there is a letter from home. Ah! there is one. To oe sure—and from Atchison. “Dear brother. Do you remember Mr. Lahr? He was our history teacher back in ’27. When I left High School with good marks in his- tory, Mr. Lahr suggested I go to college and take up a course in history. You have been away from home so long and seldom write, but you remember the class’s last promise. I am writing and at the same time sending you the latest History, “Sel- dom Ferreted Facts, I have written. This is fast becoming popular. Your brother, ATCHISON. Well! Well! A letter from Bernard Gaskill, whom I well remember as the editor of our first High School paper, “The Owl. “Dear friend Ralph: Do you remember when I chose you as the business manager of the ‘Owl’? You said some day I’d be an editor of some noted paper. It has come to pass in the last few years that I’ve taken over the editorship of the well known ‘New York Tribune.' Since I’ve held this office the demand of this paper has increased fifty per cent. I’m glad I took your advice seriously. Let me hear from you, BERNARD GASKILL. These letters are sure a surprise to me. I must read these other two—one from Herbert Mater and the other one from William Roschek. Herbert says he is In Congress at Washington and is now preparing a bill which will be a money saver and a great aid to his celery growers association back in Comstock. He says his first glimpse of politics was back in High School when he was chosen president of the C. C. Club. He also asks if I remember that he was on the debating team when in High School. He surely is glad he took up this subject because it has helped him argue—through many worthy bills. He requests that I drop a line or two about myself. Sincerely, HERBERT MATER. I see Bill Roschek is still alive. I hardly expected to hear from him since he has taken to auto racing.. Now let’s see what he has to say. “Dear Ralph: I suppose you think I am dead and buried long ago, but I’ve certainly met with real luck since I’ve been burning up the tracks. Remember when you and I used to race around most of the time in our old Fords? It was then I first got my idea of driving a speedy racer. I have just completed the world’s fastest car which I have driven at the terrific speed of 3 y2 miles per minute. You might come out some time and I’ll take you riding in it if you still crave speed. Hoping you are leading as fast a life as I am. Yours ever, BILL. Well I must write to the old gang and keep my promise as they have kept theirs. They surely will be surprised to know that I’m out in Weepah, Nevada, prospecting for gold. Maybe they will be glad to know I’ve accumulated a vast amount of gold already. I’m not going to sell my stake as long as I find any gold because I'm hoping to live long and die wealthy. I wonder where my stationery is now? I must write immediately.