Conshohocken High School - Echo Yearbook (Conshohocken, PA)

Page 24 text:

Page Twenty-Four THE BLUE AND GOLD been able to accomplish some of the difficult compositions. He has very successfully acted assistant con- ductor of the band, and has devoted a great deal of his time to its ad- vancement. Chester is an ac- complished musician. George Barron, Second Cornetist. George has played second cornet in the orchestra for the past three years. He has been the back bone of the second cornet players, tne music being very difficult tjo play. In the band he has successfully played first alto horn, which has been a great help. Cecil Johnston, C-Celody Saxo- phonist. Cecil has ben in the or- chestra and band since the begining of his Senior year, and has been very helpful to the melody saxo- phone section. Dona’d Jones, First Trombonist, Donald joined the orchestra in May of his Junior year, being the first trombone player in the orchestra. He also played first in the band. Russell Adair, First Violinist. Russell has been a very1 faithful member of the orchestra for the past four years and has been pre- sent at all rehearsals. He is one of the best first violinists. We, the graduating members, wish to say goodbye to the orchestra at this time, and we hope that it will go on and prosper in the future as ii has in the past. If every one is faithful to his leader and with the school backing you. I am sure that you will go over the top. DONALD JONES, ’26. THE TRIP TO WASHINGTON Just why the task of presenting a narrative of our famous three-day sojourn in the nations capital, was given to me, 1 have never been able to discover, but as Fate was willed vkurt k. Mtsi gnat. 1 hereby submit this manuscript. To b jgin with, this trip was some- thing new for Conshohocken High. Hut usually around the first or sec- ond week in May, professors of dif- ferent schools have gathered to- gether their flock prepared to start on a brief tour of the famous “White City of America.” This year, the class of June. 1926, and February, 1926, composed that dignified and stately group. You can easily im- agine the atmosphere of gloom that pervaded the school when our ab- sence was felt on Thursday morning, May 6. 1926. However, this did not seem to have thp slightest earthly effect on this royal bunch of Seniors, for when the train pulled out of the Teiminal at 9.55 a. m. on May 6th, never had hilarity reigned more supreme. Pleasure seemed to be the password and except for a few card games which flourished here and there, everybody was trying to talk at once. Finally we arrived at the Capital, after emptying our lunch boxes dur- ing the trip. We were solemnly promised that nothing in the form of satisfaction for a hungry stomach would be donated by the hotel until 7 o’clock that evening. The train pulled into Union Sta- tion at 12.50 p. m. and the wild horde piled off into a room which makes our Broad Street Station or Reading Terminal fade into oblivion. Union Station is one of the most ornate structures of its kind in the world. It stands at the intersection of Mass, and Del. Avenues, two of Washington’s most prominent thor- oughfares. in close proximity to the Capitol. The natural advantages of this site is further enhanced by the creation of a plaza, five hundred feet wide and one thousand feet long. From this p’aza radiate nine different avenues and streets. It is a fitting portal to our capitol. Prom the station we rode direct to the Capitol Building. It is situated on Capitol Hill almost in the centre of Washington. The wanderers filed into the rotunda of the Capitol where guides were ready to conduct us a 1 through the building and explain its many features. Included in the tour was the Sen- ate and House of Representatives, and the activity of both houses was conspicuous for its absence. To put down on paper the many features of the Capitol would be almost an im- possibility, but we cannot pass by one of the greatest works of Art in America. This is the Brumidi fres- co, which is situated in the rotunda canopy. In the center of this mar- velous painting is the Apothiosis of

Page 23 text:

THE BLUE AND GOLD Page Twenty-Three A conquering man with hand- some parts, He lias no precedent in breaking hearts.” RAY PAUL WILMER “Ray” Ge-e-e-e” Class Basketball Team. 1, 2, 3. Football, 1, 2, 3. 4, Track Team, 2. 3, “Old Louisiana,” 1. “Gypsy Rover,” 3, “Minature Lady,” 4. Green Stockings,' 4 Commercial Club Re- porter, 4, Student Council Represen- tat.ve 3, Glee Club, 2. President of Clars, 2, 3, President of A. A. 2, 3, Spelling Bee, 3, English Club, 2, Commercial Club Play, 4. Advertising Manager of Blue And Gold, 2, 3. Ray holds numerous offices because he can be depended upon. That is why he is so popular. He was our to mer president and helped greatly in la.s'ng the money for our AVash- ington trip. He feels equally at home in the classroom or in ballroom, fortunately it is the former and not the latter that calls him at 9 A. M. I -e just can’t leave the girls alone, in love one day and out the next. “A willing heart, a helping hand. Always ready on demand.” OSCAR THOMPSON WOOD “Ottie” “Hockers” “General” Now when I was in the army—”. “Would you like me to demonstrate my point?” “If anybody doubts my pug listic ability, step up.” Basketball, 1, 2, 3, 4, Class Basket- ball team, 1, 2, 3, 4. Captain, 2, 3. football, 1. 2, 3, Track. 4, Glee Club, 3, Vice President of Class 1, 2, Chem- istry Club, 4, Secretary French Club, 2, English Club, 1, Science Club, 1, Cherry Blossom,” 2, “Miniature Ladv,” 4, “Gypsy Rover,” 3, “Green Stockings,” 4. Everyone around the school knows Ottie and his tricks. Leave it to him to think up and perform stunts, for he certainly can do it. He is one of our star athletes in football, basket- ball and track, lie is our best danc- er. too. One of his interests is the fair sex, but lie's a wonderful sport and a ripping good one. “Come and trip it as ye go. On the light fantastic toe!” THE ORCHESTRA AND BAND The month of June has arrived, and for many it only means the coming of another summer vacation, while for others it means the end of their high school days. Due to graduation, the orchestra will lose many of its members who have helped for the past years in making the orchestra the success it is today. These members do not wish to claim all of the success be- cause if it were not for the ability of their leader, Miss Jane E. Griffith, the orchestra would not have prospered as it did. It is only fair that we should make mention of the names of these members who tire leaving this year. Glenn Davis, First Clarinetist. Glenn has been a great help to the orchestra since he entered in his Freshman year as second violinist. In his Sophomore year he was pro- moted to first violinist, holding this position until February of his Senior year, when due to the fact that the orchestra lost the valuable help of Fred Faust, Glenn began to bring his clarinet to orchestra practice and later was made first clarinetist, holding this place until graduation. He has been a great help to the band as solo clarinetist. Besides the clarinet, he plays the violin, saxophone, and piano. Fred Faust. First Clarinetist. Fred joined the orchestra in the beginning of his Junior year as the only clarinet player and held this position until his Senior year, when he was jo'ned by Germain La- Brecque. Since Fred finished school in February he has been playing third clarinet with the Wanamaker Band. Fred was also clarinet player with the high school band. Germain LaBrecque, First Clari- netist. Germain ha® been with the orchestra and band since the be- ginning of his Senior year. He has also been very faithful at rehearsals and has proven a great help to both. Chester Sinclair, Solo Cornetlst. Chester is another member who joined the orchestra in his Fresh- man year as second cornetist, and who worked his way up to soloist. He has been very faithful in his four years work, and it has been through him that the orchestra has

Page 25 text:

THE BLUE AND GOLD Page Twenty-Five Washington. On his right sits Free- firm. on his left Victory, while about him float Aerial figures representing the Original thirteen states. Around this centerpiece are groups repre- senting the fall of Tryanny. Agricul- ture, Mechanics, Commerce, Marine, Progress. Arts and Sciences. On leaving the Capitol we were taken through the beautiful Botani- cal Gardens, to the United States Fish Commission. It then had to he agreed that we spend the rest of the time going through the Old and New National Museums. Really it wou'd take days to go through them right, but we did the best we could and Hied to examine the more importato features of both places. What a coterie of marvelous old animals met our view! Little had we realized that such fierce animals once inhabited the earth. Leaving the New National Museum at 4.30 p. m. in sight-see- ing automobiles we made a tour of the city, viewing business and re- sidential sections, parks, squares, embassies and homes of prominent people. During the whole auto trip we noticed those things for which Washington is famous, its wide clean streets and its abundance of trees and parks. Stopping en route at the Lincoln Memorial we noticed that the steps, platforms, cheek blocks, terrace wall and steps ami walks of the approaches are con- structed of l’ink Milford granite from Massachusetts. The interior walls, columns and ceiling are Indiana limestone. The important feature is the statue of Lincoln, placed in the centre of the Me- morial, designed and executed by Daniel Chester French, of New York. It is done in white marble from Georgia. All of a sudden our stomachs began to tell us that dinner time was nigh so with that iis a further impetus we soon ar- rived at the hotel, where, I feel justified in saying, we all did justice to a meal, which at that time, tasted better than any other meai we had ever eaten. Afterward we departed again, obis time to see one of the most magnifi- cent buildings in Washington. The Congressional Library, situated just east of the Capitol, is probably the most elaborately adorned building In the world. It's architecture is of the Italian Renaissance school, its ex- terior being perfectly plain. The main reading room or rotunda is topped with a large copper covered dome which has been covered with a thin plating of twenty-two karat gold. The students spent a tew hours examining its art and trea- surers, and when they returned to the hotel about 10 o’clock it was agreed that the evening had been well spent. As it was in order to retire about this time everybody departed to- ward his respective room and soon all was not quiet. Sleep was not on the list. Noises could be heard here, there and everywhere. And it was very early in the morning be- fore all was quiet. Friday May 7th, dawned bright and clear, and after a hearty break- fast, which temporarily conqured our appetites we set out for the De- partment of Engraving and Print- ing, which was to be our first stop. In this building, located at Four- teenth and “B” streets, S W„ is manufactured all the national paper Currency, Government Bonus, Stamps and passports. We were conducted through by two com- petent guides and the ease and seeming carlessness w rh which the men and women handled the money was really striking. But it is known that every single square inch ot printing paper is accounted for. The guides and employees were rather amused when many requests for souvenirs were directed at them. Leaving here our very active guides then directed our steps to the Washington Monument. This is the greatest of all memorial shattis, is five hundred and fifty-five feet high and was thirty seven years in building, the site being chosen by Washington himself. The top is reached by an elevator or a flight of nine hundred steps, but as luck or fate would have it the elevator wasn't running when we arrived, so it was up to us to raise our own avoirdupois, step by step, until we could look through the holes at the top. Oh! What a climb; A quarter of the way up, your muscles began to tighten, half way up you think they were tied in knots, three quarters of the way up you get