Farrell High School - Reflector Yearbook (Farrell, PA)

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1925 Page 29 History of the Class of ’25 The sun rose over distant hills on that memorable day of September 4, 1921, with all the beauty, elegance and harmonious arrangement of color schemes of the artist's masterpiece. Nature had generously contributed her share to lure even the reluctant to the balmy zephyrs of the great outdoors. The air was so warm that it was not a matter of complex analysis to see why the ice cream diasppeared with such rapidity and ease. Yet, all this warmth cannot compare with the almost tropical heat, that manifested itself inside the widely known corporation of the Farrell High School. To the amazement of all spectators, everything, instead of being in a quiet and sleepy stage, was in a stage of bustle and conspicious turmoil. Mr. Stillings, the general manager of this concern, was rushing madly here and there as if in search of something of great importance, “What was the cause of this confusion?” Such a question enters the interested minds of all bystanders. Well, I’ll try to explain matters as I know them. The operations of this prosperous establishment runs efficiently only nine months of the year. The workers, whom we commonly call the faculty, awoke to the fact that their tenure of vacationing was suddenly intercepted by the advent of this particular day of which I am speaking and had assembled to fulfill their obligations as per contract. But Alas! The material had not arrived, and what could be done without it. Through necessity, 1 will have to dispense with narration; and let you imagine the terrible agony within the building, for words cannot express it here. We all know through experience, how these industrious instructors hate to loaf or see any one else loafing. So they waited with much anxiety and uneasiness for the arrival of the necessary material to resume operations. Then at 8:45, to the great relief of his overworked constitution, Mr. Stillings was informed that the elementary schools of Farrell and surrounding districts had kindly sent him material to supply his increasing demand for Freshmen. Through customary observance, that rule “Everybody works here,” had become the chief law of this self-centered factory of education students. Mr. Stilling’s command was law. So, being previously informed, the laborers would not have to go through the agony of trying to loaf any longer. All was well until the manager became aware of the incorrigibility of these newcomers. Horrors! He had to look twice to confirm his scattered senses that it was neither an Irish delegation that had arrived nor was he carried to some distant cool green meadow. It was through much mental calculation and analysis that he came to realize this vast multitude was just the newly arrived Freshmen, There was only one outlet to the solution of the complexities which this congregation had involved. This was to accept them and put them through a special process of tanning to effect the equal polish on this green material as was performed upon their previous output of finished products. This green stock was none but this exceptional class of mental prowess and ability, the class of ’25. We are all assembled in the auditorium and were tagged (although now, being more acquainted with high school etiquette, we

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Page 28 1925 'Tr—IE F L E C T OR JOHNSTON, JOHN J. LUCA. VICTORIA M. MAHLE, ELIZABETH L. MARKOWITZ, HILDA H. MARTIN, JOSEPH Jr. MASTROIANNI, TONY MOORE, KATHERINE E. MORACA, ANNA ROSE MUNTEAN, ANDREW NOLAN, CARROLL A. NUGENT, IDA J. PINTAR, WILLIAM T. POLLARD, LUELLA M. PRITCHARD, MARGARET E. SMITH. GEORGE WM. STAHL, BENJAMIN COMMERCIAL BEHARRY, ANNE CRAIG, AUGUSTA G. CRAIG, NATLELA J. GREENBAUM, ROSE E. KLEIN, BEULAH KOZAR, MOLLIE JANE MILLER, MILDRED R. i CHICCARINO, JOHN COUSINTINE, LOUISE GAGLIARDO, WM. GUFFEY, CHARLES R. HETRA, ANNA HITCHINGS, ALYCE JAMISON, JEANNE H. LIENBERGER, MILDRED GENERAL MONACO, IDA M. MOSES, JOSEPH H. REESE, MARGARET E. SARCINELLA, JOHN SCHMIDT, JOHN SKUSE, MYRTLE UBER, HOWARD WELLER, MARGARET P,

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Page 30 1925 REFLECTOR know we were only given our schedules) and shipped to our respective rooms. It was there that we were started through the different processes necessary to make us the finished product. Under the grinding and drilling of our freshman teachers, we were provided with the extreme means of absorbing mathematics, English, General Science and some more of the arts that we reluctantly or rather complainingly accepted. The green soon became less evident in our ranks and reached its almost minimum stage; when on May 29, 1922, due to the harassed capability, the workmen were compelled to close the shop for the season. This was much to our dislike for we had learned to enjoy those moments of watching the teachers exert themselves to the utmost. The summer quickly passed and it was not long before the corporation again beckoned our fatigued abilities to its attractive portals of learning. We assumed an air of superficial dignity for we intended to keep our lofty superiority over our inferiors. We were now sophomores. We were all prepared for the grind to which our beloved faculty put us through. We were so absorbed in our work that we were content to stage only one social occasion. In spite of all this rigid drilling, there was still a vague shade of green running here and there among our numbers. These tints of inherent foolishness were entirely covered with the stronger shades of mental achievement in the process of perfection during our sophomore and junior years. Thus three years had elapsed since Mr. Stillings first saw us. Some of our numbers dropped out of the contest, while others dragged along the steep incline ahd fell under the influence of exhaustion. But, the majority still clung to the thread of integrity and inclination. These took their places at the lofty summit of successful achievement as energetic seniors. Not a speck of green was to be seen even if you used a microscope. Now under the expert hands of the workmen and the habitual grinding influence of English, Physics and P. 0. D.; we were given our final polish and made the finished product. We are classed among the most perfect specimens that this institution has yet produced. The faculty being none the worse for the time and energy that they had so earnestly liberated, except for a few members that could not sustain this oppressive strain of trying to master our gay crowd. We have a feeling of gratitude for these and all others that aided in any way in turning out such brilliant stars in the class of ’25. I still have not definitely told you what this corporation makes. Can you guess? No, not stacomb or compacts, either one. Something greater than even these, for it produces high minded students. These students are able, by using the elements of education as a secure foundation, to enter upon the path of life and make something of themselves. They meet the battles of life and fight fair and square to uphold the honor, dignity and the principle of our Alma Mater forever. Luella M. Pollard. '25.