Ensley High School - Jacket Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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THE GLEAM 17 tional organization. We are striving for the same purpose that the girls in Europe, or the girls in South America are striving for, that is: ‘‘To find and give the best.” Our code is: “Gracious in manner Impartial in judgment Ready for service Loyalty to friends Reaching toward the best Earnest in purpose Seeing the beautiful Eager for knowledge Reverence to God Victorious over self Ever dependable Sincere at all times.” With our most capable advisers, Miss Shelton and Mrs. Stewart, and officers, Marguerite Matlock, Mable Varner, Rochelle Snow, and Anna Mary Singleton, we have a most successful year planned. ROCHELLE SNOW, '26. ------------o---------- The Art League The Art League, as some of you already know, was organized last year and even though it was the latter part of the year, we obtained several fine paintings. We bought one and had three framed. “King Lear,” a beautiful painting valued at three hundred dollars, was donated by Mr. Ramsey. “Men of Steel,” one of the most famous paintings of the steel mills, by Mr. Roderick McKenzie was given by the artist himself. These pictures are now in the library but will be placed in the halls when the new building is completed. Membership in the Art League is voluntary, the fee is only five cents a month. This money is received in the office and kept until enough is collected to buy a good painting. Last year we bought “The Oath,” by Edwin A. Abbey. This year we are going to continue the Art League and hope to get many more beautiful pictures to be placed in our corridors and in the session rooms. MARION ROBSON, ’26.

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16 THE GLEAM At the first of the semester only twenty-one boys enrolled for band but after a room was provided and a definite schedule planned the number grew to about fifty-five. Many of these are new pupils in the work but in time our band will be another of the many features of which Ensley is proud. A sixty piece band, which will be the best in the city, is Mr. Brown’s goal. MARGUERITE MATLOCK. ’26. ■o- Hi-Y The Hi-Y Club is an organization of the boys in High School affiliated with the Y. M. C. A., having as its creed “To create, maintain and extend throughout our school community higher standards of Christian character.” The membership this semester has grown to twenty-five boys all eager and willing to work. The officers of the club are: Harry DeFreese ............................ President Everett Hagler ........................ Vice-President Terry Huffstuttler ......................... Secretary Cecil Benton ................................Treasurer Joe Bynum ................................... Reporter Our programs are planned very carefully. Each program has as its main purpose the development of the boy mentally, morally, and physically. Once each month the Hi-Y Clubs have a banquet at the Y. M. C. A. These banquets serve to bring the different clubs of the city into closer contact with each other. Every year a loving cup is awarded to the club showing the greatest development within the organization. Last year Ensley won this cup. We are hoping to bring the cup back again this year. CECIL BENTON, ’26. -------------o--------- The Girl Reserves As the curtain goes up on the school year of 1925-26 many new and interesting things are brought to our attention. One of which is our Girl Reserve. We were organized in the spring of 1925 as the Girls Hi-Y. but as it was near the end of the year we were not heard from as often as we hope to be this year. Although the youngest organization in Engley High, the Girl Reserves is far from the weakest. The Girl Reserves differs from the Girls Hi-Y in that it is an Interna-

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18 THE GLEAM “The Oath” and “King Lear” Edwin A. Abbey, an American painter, was born in Philadelphia in 1852; he died in 1911. When the Boston Public Library was completed, Mr. Abbey was invited to decorate the walls of the delivery room of this great library. At the same time, John Singer Sargent was asked to make the mural decorations of a gallery on the third floor of the library. Mr. Sargent chose as his subject, “The Sources of the Christian Religion ' and this decision led Mr. Abbey to select for his theme, “The Sources of Modern Literature.” As Abbey read and studied the subject, however, he was impressed to change his theme. The story of the Holy Grail seemed to him to be woven in and out through all of our literature, and Abbey had a kind of holy passion to represent this subject in a large decoration. His idea was carried out, and among the most famous mural paintings in America are the fifteen panels in the Boston Public Library which are known as the Holy Grail series. “The Oath,” which was among the first pictures secured by the Art League of the Ensley High School, is the second panel in Abbey's Holy Grail series. In the picture, one sees Sir Galahad taking the oath of knighthood. Behind him kneel the Knghts, Sir Bors and Sir Lancelot. They buckle upon Sir Galahad's heels the golden spurs of knighthood. The high vow of chivalry which Sir Galahad takes is this: To speak the truth and maintain the right; to protect the poor, the distressed, and all women; to practice courtesy and kindness with all; to maintain honor and the cause of God. Some one has said that Abbey’s Holy Grail symbolizes the crusade of civilization for the triumph of right over evil, and that Abbey’s pictures ought to be in every place where ideals of character and service are cherished. The Art League of Ensley High School appreciates deeply Abbey’s “King Lear,” given to us by Mr. Erskine Ramsay. In marvelous design and in exquisite coloring, Abbey has depicted one of the scenes from Shakespeare’s tragedy, called by Charles Lamb, the author’s greatest play. The original of Abbey’s “King Lear” hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of New York City. Our own copy is a most excellent reproduction. It is only slightly smaller in size, and the elaborate coloring is remarkably true to that of the original painting. To fully appreciate Abbey’s picture, one must recall the story of King Lear. In old age, he decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters—Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. He calls his daughters before him, demanding of them which one loves him most. Goneril, the eldest, declares her love for her father: “Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; A love that makes breath poor and speech unable.” Regan, the second daughter, says: “I profess myself an enemy to all other joys.”