Ensley High School - Jacket Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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Senior Class History It was lunch time in the Ensley High School on the first day of the fall term of the year 1975. Large crowds of boys and girls were hurrying to their places at the various tables in the lunch-room, but in the rear were a number of girls who attracted the attention of more than one person, not by misbehavior, but by their bright faces and eager eyes. Evidently they were just entering school. They were discussing their problems in the intimate way in which all girls who are close friends do. Some were complaining about the strangeness of the place, but there was one of a bright, sunny disposition who said: “Yes, I know all that. We have the privilege, however, of being here in the very room where our grandfathers and grandmothers of the class of 1917 were so many years ago. It seems that I can almost see them now. All of them had such good times when they were here. 1 have heard my grandmother tell of those times, haven't you? She was answered by smiles from all. and, “Yes, yes; but do tell us more about the things that they really did do.“ “Well,“ she said, settling down with that air peculiar to all storytellers, “I know that they were the finest set of people who ever went to Ensley High School. However, they did not have a larger class than the one of the previous year, for in 1916 there were thirty-three to graduate, while in 1917 there were only thirty. They may have been lacking in numbers, but certainly not in the qualities which count in the making of men and women. The first part of the class enjoyed starting out in their high school life under the guidance of the new principal. Mr. Dimmitt, and those pupils were the first to graduate under his successor, Mr. Banks. Although the class which entered in January, 1913, was the largest to enter the school, nearly half of its members had been lured away by Diana's apples by the end of the first semester. Many of them were not very well pleased with school because of being called 'Rats but when they saw the class of 1913 graduate they began to have the desire to obtain that goal. “The next year brought a large class of boys and girls who were to share the honors of graduation with them. What? Oh. you want to know who were chums? Of course, they did not all go about in a bunch. My grandmother said she always remembered what close friends many of them were. Gladys English, Gertrude, Adel! and Bertha could be seen together at any time. Then there were some girls who always went together. They were Orene, Kathleen, Margaret, Frances and Jessie. I believe you could always see Gladys Kike. Ilulon, Grace, Elnora, Lois and Violet together, and if you did not see Emma and Leland with each other you might know that one or the other was not in school. Hattie and Rebecca were almost inseparable. Annie Laurie, the quiet member of the class, was a friend to all. Among the boys, who were greater friends than Leo, Conrad and Hayes? Of course where one found Norman, Clinton and Henry were there also. Robert was a quiet friend to all. Many 18

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VIOLET WRIGHT Argonian Literary Society. QuUt, unassuming and reserved. EDGAR KEENON uOf a gentle, timid nature GERTRUDE WILSON She was just the quiet kind Whose natures never vary. Like streams that keep a summer mind Snow-hid in January 17

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 of those friendships were made during the first year of school and they always lasted, even though in later years they saw each other rarely. “The year in which they were sophomores passed by without any unusual events. They were studying hard, and of course time passed swiftly. Many of them were having hard times sailing over the rough seas of ‘Composition and Rhetoric,’ while others lingered three semesters over ‘Wentworth and Smith's Plane and Solid Geometry.’ They say that it was the cause of the failure of many. I suppose that it was a good thing that the teachers had as much patience as they did or they never would have gotten through it. By this time most of them had become members of one of the various organizations. Some who were more gifted than others were chosen as members of the Lyric Club. At last the junior year drew near and they began to be of some importance in school life. Most of them were active members of the literary societies, and some were chosen as members for the casts of various plays given, while still others who did not possess histrionic abilities won places in the semiannual debates. The boys were especially noted for their activities on the field. Sometimes (although the case was rare) they succeeded in defeating their rival. Central High School.” She was stopped by a question from one who asked: “Did your grandmother ever tell you about the game they played with Central, in which some one from that team severely injured Leo Smithson?’ All nodded their heads, for they had been told that many times. “Do go on with your story,” said one of them who had not heard of these doings of the class. “They were considerably sobered on the first day of the term of 1916. Many of them had a year of hard work before they could reach the goal just in the distance. However, time flew and before they knew it, it was necessary to begin writing their essays—I do dread that part of it, don’t you?” She looked at all the girls for confirmation and each looked very serious and nodded vigorously. “That semester the grim visitor visited the school and left sad hearts behind. At last January came and seven of the members were safe. They were glad, of course, but they were sorry to think that their days in Ensley High School were over. The others who were to finish in June had as much work as they could very well attend to. but they also managed to get a lot of pleasure out of it. When at last the much-longed-for day came, they walked slowly down the isle with their hearts in their mouths and took their places on the stage. Oh, dear, there is that fifth period bell. Where in the world do we go?” 10 t t