Estee Junior High School - Yearbook (Gloversville, NY)

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t '- x ESTEE QEAR 'Q 4 Boorc Ranch Comments THE VIRGINIAN Tall, dark and handsome! ls it any wonder the pupils of 9A chose The Virginian as the theme for the Year Book? The story was written by Owen Wister who takes a part in the book, an unusual thing for an author to do. Last term we studied as our novel, Owen Wister's Virginian . lt is a story of Western. life on a ranch in Wyoming, in which The Virginian is the principal character. - Some of the other characters are Molly Stark Wood, who falls in love with the Virginian: Shorty, a cowhand working under the Virginian until Trampas, a rustler, who is shot by the Virginian, gets Shorty to come with him, telling him he will earn more money. judge Henry owns the ranch of which the Virginian is foreman. ' The story deals with a young woman who goes West to become a teacher. ' lt is here that she falls in love with the Virginian and after braving many difficulties they become married. The story, in turn, is tragic, humorous, exciting and realistic. To carry the idea further the 9A officers and Year Book staff pictures were taken in cowboy outfits, and some on a horse.

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As-na. -' JUNE, 1935- ..-., W ..-af-nq,..,.,.:,,.,..,.., . K W... , ,F-,N Q 5 Owen Wister Owen VVister was born in Philadel- phia on July'14,11860. His father was a physician ands his mother, Sarah Butter, was the' daughter of Fannie Kimble, the great .English actress, and Pierce Butter of .Georgia and Philadel- phia. At.the age of ten he attended a school in Switzerland and later went to school in .England for a short time. When Owen Wister was affstudent at St. Paulfs school -,inf Soncord, New Hampshire, he discovered that he could write tunes ,and devise harmonies, there- fore he decided-1to'become a composer. After he hadpspent two years in Paris studying composition he played his best composition for alfamous composer who praised OwenfWister?s talent. He returned to America in 1884 and became a clerk in the Union Safe De- posit Vaults in NewJYork. His first novel was, A Wise Man's Son . The story had a bitter-sweet ending and had lots of swearing anvdjdrinking in it. William Dean Howellsfread this novel and advised Owen Wister not to show it to a publisher because he might accept it and the novel is one that he would regret whenhe was folder. Wister did not publish this book. Howells assured Wister that he could write. He left his job as clerk in 1885 and decided to go to Harvard Law School since American respectability accepted lawyers, no matter how bad, Which I was likely to be and rejected composers, even if they were good, which I might possibly be. Just before Wister was to enter Law School his health broke down and he spent the summer with friends in Wyoming. After his gradu- ation from Law School in 1888, he be- came a member of the Philadelphia Bar but couldn't forget Wyoming. ' On his Western expedition he kepta., diary of details about ,pack horS6S, camps in the mountains, camps in the sage-bush, nights in town, cards withf' cavalry officers, meals with cowpunch- ers, round-ups, scenery, Yellowstone Park, trout fishing, hunting,with, In- dians, shooting antelope, white tail deer, elk, bear and mountainsheep. In 1891 he wrote two stories of the West, Hank's Woman and How Lin McLean Went East . Owen Wister gave up law and settled dgwnnto .writ-., ing. One of his friends and encourag- ers was Theodore Roosevelt. e On April 21, 1898, .Wister married Mary Channing of Philidelphia. Owen Wister wrote The Virginian in 1902. In 1929 he wrote about the Virginian . He hadthe luckrto be 'a best seller for six months, was -drama- tized, heartily dammed by the New York critics, ran for ten years on the road, is still played in stock, after twenty-seven years has been three times Hlmed, and translated. I-Ie made money, actual' money: 'and' agreeable experience, wholly new for its author. Owen Wister is a big man with broad shoulders, gray hair and mus- tache. His home is in Pennsylvania but he spends much of his time in France. Other books by him are, The Seven Ages of Washington , A Straight Deal , Neighbors I-Ienceforths and U, S. G-rant . EVELYN PERKINS Our Western Correspondence The pupils in Miss Esther Amos' English classes are corresponding with pupils from Superior, Wyoming. Here are two letters received by Dorothy Sutliff, 9A110. Superior, Wyoming, April 25, 1935 Dear Dorothy, I suppose you are wondering who is writing to you from way out West. I will describe myself, hoping you will picture me as a friend. I am a tall, rather plump, blonde haired and brown-eyed girl, fourteen years old, and weigh one hundred and eight pounds. I love to read and write letters and would like to change snapshots with you and your many school pals. p Do you know Miss Burke? She used to be a teacher in New York. Our Class received a letter, in care of her, with a list of the names of boys and girls who would like to correspond with boys and girls from Superiorj We are picking out the names to whom we wish to write. If you want to know anything about Superior or the State of Wyoming, you ask your questions in an answer and I will answer them as best I can. Yours truely, Bettie Anderson Superior, Wyoming, April 22, 1935 Dear Dorothy, Don't be too surprised when you re- ceive this letter. My English teacher, Miss Burke, said she taught a sister of yours, maybe it wasn't, but the .girls name was sut- liff too. -. .. How. dofyfoulike school? It will soon be over 'now for three more months. Our school lets out the 2-ith of May, .when ,does yours? I sure have been en- joying my Freshman year. Even though we are called' the Green Horns . e Don't you think it sounds strange for people so far apart to write to each other, not knowing them or even seeing them -before? Or have you ever done tliisvbefore? I haven't, but since I love to- write letters, I thought- it would be nice getting a few correspondents. Don't you think so? You may receive more letters. from different members of our class,' I'm not sure. ' If'-yourhappen to know Billy Blanch- ard tell him I'll write to him soon. Don't know how. soon though. Would you please send me your picture? Here's hoping to hear from you soon. Sincerely yours, A A Friend , Jeanette Frolich, Box 216 , Superior, Wyoming P. S.-If there are any boys and girls who would like to write to me, tell them I'll answer all letters. Betty Anderson Also Wrote Mary Pencheif Superior, Wyoming, May 29, 1935 Dear Mary, I suppose you're waiting -for an answer to your letter but at the end of the year there is so much work, as you know. Our exams lasted an hour and a half but were very easy. The Freshman class and a. few other classes went for a picnic to Green River, about 43 miles from Superior. Do you have a picnic every year? Jeanette Frolick received a snap- shot from Dorothy Sutliff and she ap- pears to be a very nice girl. Although I haven't seen you or her, I have a great liking for both. Your Year Book hasn't come yet and schools out now so you'll have to wait until next year. I'm sorry I haven't a picture of my- self but I hope you won't think 'cause I didn't send you one you won't send me one. I'd love to have a picture of you. E I suppose you'll have to think hard or guess to find out what some of this letter says, but I've never been a good writer. Hoping you will answer, Betty Anderson P. S.-Did Dorothy describe me to you, if she didn't you won't be missing much as I'm getting fatter all the time. 5 -Bettie Anniversary Of The Pony Express It' was of interest to the pupils studying the West to know that April 3, 1935, was the seventy-fifth annivers- ary of the Pony Express. The Pony Express began the race against time, which has continued from year to year. The Pony Express was able to bring communication to settlers who had mi- grated to different parts of the United States and who were eager for news from friends and relatives far away. This Express, which will always be re- membered as the start of quick com- munication, was run by eighty boys and 400 ponies. Their slogan was: The mai1's got to go through! which they successfully tried to live up to through rain, snow and the fear of Indians. .The Pony Express was also a need for keeping the West with its gold in the Union, for our country was then on the verge of the Civil War. Keeping the Pony Express going was not an easy thing for the blizzards, deep snows and the constant menace of Indians made their trips dangerous. Congress was then not ready to risk sums of money on this new enterprise and therefore their financial backing had to be supplied elsewhere. All this did not cause the Pony Express to stop and because of their wonderful spirit, the Pony Express will be one of the memorable events of American History. Our Fine School We read' the book The Virginian and as we know or remember the Vir- ginian had very little schooling. We have a fine school and very nice teachers and still some of Estee stu- dents want to leave Estee. They don't realize what schooling and an educa- tion means. They don't realize what it does for them later on in life. An education means a great deal in trying to secure a position. If you go to school for just one half a year you receive no credit. 'It is very difficult to go on with little education. Estee is one of the finest schools and has many compliments on how they train their pupils to do their work.