El Reno High School - Boomer Yearbook (El Reno, OK)

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Class History Memorable is the «lay in the fall of 1905. when we entered the El Reno High School as Freshmen. To be sure, we were very youthful and extremely inexperienc- ed. and for several days we continued to get into the wrong recitation rooms an«l were greeted on every side l»v the jeers of the upper classmen. The Sophomores, especially, made it a point never to overlook a single blunder. But soon the meek and submissive feeling cx- pericnce«l by all Freshmen disappeared, for had not all the teachers declared us the brightest and best-looking class that had ever entered the El Reno High School? The faculty at that time numbered but three—Mr. Ingold. Miss Altman and Mrs. Maddox. The latter two remained with us for three years, gaining the respect and admiration of all. being willing to help, ever ready to suggest. Indeed, it was at Miss Altman’s suggestion that during the first month we organized, choosing colors, motto, flower and drew up a constitution with many amendments. The greater part of the year was spent, as most Freshmen spend it—trying to fathom the secrets of Senior indifference and bravado, with only occasional manifestation of class spirit. It was not until the eighth month that we gathered courage for a class party, which was so thoroughly enjoyed that a May basket party fol- lowed soon, and this in turn was followed by a day in the woods near Sniithton. A few months of rest and then, as Sophomores, we came back the following September. We were greatly disappointed to learn that so many had left our ranks; but others took their places, thus making twelve in ail. It took us but a short time to become acquainted with the new principal. Mr. Robinson. We soon learned that if we brought a lunch and hid it in the little dark room under the stairs we could dispose of it while Mr. Robinson was in the library assisting Juniors in their search for hidden knowle«lge. With occasional spreads in the furnace room and a Hallowe'en party the year sped away. Then the ever- dreaded examinations came, were passed and we became Juniors. As we met in the assembly for the third time we noticed an extremely tall man making constant trips to Mr. Howell’s office, evidently in quest of information. It was the new principal, they all said, and so it proved. Mr. Thuermcr came to us from Indiana, or America.” as lie prefers to call it. with an entirely new story or anccodatc for every occasion. A few days before the first of April there was much whispering and secret consultation between the Juniors and Seniors, which resulted in an April Fool picnic at Caddo Springs. The weather was decidedly cold, but we wrapped up in cloaks and furs, ami just had the time of our lives. A few weeks later, we enjoyed a moonlight ride to the home of one of the Seniors, several miles in the country, taking Miss Barbour and Mr. Thcurmcr as chaperones. Here we played such games on the lawn as drop the handkerchief.” ring-around-a-rosic,” whip- crack. Although as a rule our professor is extremely graceful, his extraordinary altitude made it almost im- possible for him to maintain his equilibrium during the

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Senior Class Poem Happiest «lays, soon to pass away, are those of onr High School years; Days full of pleasure and purest joy, mingled oft times with our fears: Days when our hearts for one purpose throbbed, our eyes toward the same goal turned: Days when we’ve shared every hope, every dread, ami all have the same lessons learned. We arc gla«l in a way to have done with it all, this end- less pond'ring o'er hooks. ‘f forever obeying a teacher’s command and feigning those innocent looks. If. by chance, or mishap, we are found in the hall discuss- ing—some lesson, you know: It is certainly hard when the rest have a lunch, if one of the number can’t go. No more shall we dread all those Chemistry tests, or Latin exams and the like; No more for an innocent joke we have played, to an angry professor must hike; No more must we stand in submissive respect when we’d like to say just what we think. Nor just because someone says that we shall, must we write all our work out in ink. But a feeling of sadness comes o’er us now. when wc think that we all must part. For our lives which till now in the same course lay. must each on a new path start. Leading on. ever upward wc trust, but wc know they can't all be the same. And we feel that the tics which are sundered tonight the future can never reclaim. In the days which now seem very distant to us. the future so far away. Perhaps then wc will turn from duty sometimes to think of Commencement Day. T hen wc II laugh at the fears that trouble us now. and I will just wager a guess . Every one would be glad to be back for a while, boys and girls in old E. H. S. M. P.

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latter game and several times he was to be noticed roll- ing down the grass slope. The last few months of the year were made busy and interesting in writing and compiling our famous High School Annual, “the Blue Jay. ■ The well-earned vacation days seemed all too short, but we gladly came back to assume the responsibilities of Senior-hood and to receive the envied scats of honor always occupied by Seniors. Many days of hard work have been spent in the laboratory. Doubtless we have often judged our in- structor too severely when he insisted on our presence till four o’clock or later, but such trifles will not be re- membered long. These hours of toil, however, have had their moments of pleasure and we have enjoyed more than one hearty laugh at another’s expense. For in- stance. it never failed to bring a smile to our faces when we saw our Tiny standing in the middle of the room with a test-tube in each hand and heard her calling. “I want some sodium: 1 want some sodium. Or. “Some one get me some ferric-sulphate quick. Xor will we ever dis- cover why Mildred and Joe always have a supply of test-tubes, while hc rest of us have so few. Several accidents have occurred to relieve the monotony of a long, tiresome afternoon. The most exciting of these was the hydrogen explosion. Tho’ we laugh at it now. it was most terrifying to see a flask filled with acid ascending to the ceiling and descending in a shower of glass over our heads. In justice to ourselves, it must be said that we have acted in direct opposition to a teacher’s commands but a few times. One day we decided that we had been study- inp chemistry too hard and needed a rest: accordingly, instead of going to recite, we went home. Mr. Thuermcr obligingly gave us the much-needed rest and excused us from recitation indefinitely. In a week we came back greatly refreshed and prepared for one of those still tests, as only Mr. Theunner knows bow to give. There must have been a misunderstanding all around when, on tlu- day before April Fool, al! the Seniors attended the Junior class meeting for the purpose of planning an April bool picnic, under the impression that permission had been granted for the meeting. We now hope that no other class will ever have to undergo the humiliation of being inarched up to Mr. Howells office as we were, and there receive a forty-five minute lecture. It may be added that we all came to school bright and early the following morning. With increasing interest during our four years of High School life we have watched the institution grow aiu! expand in every department. Each year a new course has been added to the curriculum and a new member to the faculty, which has grown from three to ti e present number of six. Several new bookcases filled with new books now occupy a prominent position in the assembly room Manv times along the way we have wearied of school life and longed for freedom from study and the con- stant submission to rules. We rejoiced when we be- came Seniors that our goal was almost attained, but now. when we have finished, we realize that, lie the course of our lives as it may. it can never compare with the sweet comradeship and the happy goodfcllowship which we have enjoyed in the High School. M. B.