Fredericksburg High School - Rapahanoc Yearbook (Fredericksburg, VA)

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§]) RAPBHP MDC 1921 carcasses against Mr. Brawner’s fence without mercy, while our dear girl class¬ mates stood watching and pleading for us, but without avail, for we were in the hands of a heartless mob. Such was our initiation into high school. Mrs. Court¬ ney was our first year high school teacher, much to our advantage, as we have learned, because she first expounded to us the laws of a well-regulated school. One of our sore trials during our first year in high school was Algebra. 1 hat un¬ known quantity “X” puzzled our brains, but through the excellent drilling and teaching of Mr. Birckhead we fathomed the depths of our first year in Algebra and climbed to the heights victorious. Next year we again entered school at the Hotel Frederick, but this time under the honorable name of Sophomores. Mrs. Blake was our able class teacher. During our second year in high school we were kept warm and smoky by the so- called New Perfection Heaters. Where they obtained their name is a mystery to me and always will be. They are perfect in only one thing and that is to make one think he is in Pittsburgh or some other smoky place. Our lives were saved from suffocation by the janitor that year. He left one burning accidentally and it ex¬ ploded, to our great relief. So our joys and trials by water and fire were over for one year, and again we found our classes together and ready to start anew our Junior year at the Hotel Frederick where we remained till we were frozen out, and we then went up to crowd the elementary school, to our joy and to their sorrow. Mrs. Williams was our class teacher and advisor who helped us through many a difficulty. On one occasion while quietly studying, our class was quickly dispersed without the ringing of a bell by a peculiar odor issuing from the cloak room. Mrs. Williams hastened to investigate and found lying in the corner of the room a generous portion of lim- burger cheese. After some questioning it was found that the person responsible for the unwelcome lunch was Fielding Wilson. We were all amazed as Fielding was never known to talk in school, much less do anything of that sort. Another Link was added to our school chain and a good one, too, although he was smitten with a Payne, which affected him very badly and soon there were wedding bells ringing. We worked hard that year and when June came we had earned a well-deserved vacation and one which we enjoyed thoroughly. So another school year commenced and we returned to the elementary school where our class was together once more, but much to our sorrow Miss Conway was not with us. We have missed her greatly during this year and hope that she will be able to visit our Alma Mater soon. 33

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RPvPftHfiriQg 1921 ? jtistorp of tfje Senior Class H AIL! the Class of 1921. A class of thirty-four persons whose history is as varied as the colors of the rainbow, and contains many exciting and interesting experiences a few of which I shall relate. Through these experiences and difficulties for eleven years we have studied together, always striving onward and upward, and struggling to live up to the words of our motto. We started on our long cruise togeth er, in the first grade, in the vear, 1911, with Miss Nellie Boatwright as our teacher, beginning with our A, B, C’s and finally reaching the stage of development in our mental faculties, when we could spell “cat” and “rat.” As the years passed we reached the fifth grade, where to our great sorrow we were separated, some of us going to Miss Rice and some to Miss Honey. Upon entering the sixth grade we were greeted by Mrs. Euliss, our friend and teacher, who always impressed upon us the fact that we were nearing high school, whenever we were wont to be lax in our lessons. I suppose she foresaw some of the trials through which we were to pass upon entering that unknown land, “high school.” When we started to school the next year, much to our joy we were again greeted by Mrs. Euliss, who faithfully drilled us for high school. The great day had come at last in 1917, when we marched down Main Street to our high school—the Hotel Frederick—a structure of brick, aged plaster¬ ing and other temporary features making it an inviting school, as you can well imagine, which recalled to my excited mind “1 he 1 umble Down Shack in Athlon. There was the usual rush of getting classes together, but here was a surprise for us, upon looking around the room to my great joy I recognized many of my old class¬ mates who had separated from us in the fifth grade. We were, of course, sneered and laughed at; called “rats” and the like, by the Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors; but little did they realize what the morrow would bring forth; to-night if any of them are present, (I mean the aforenamed Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors) I wish them to view the Class of 1921, and I am sure they will be fully convinced that we are the most brilliant and enthusiastic looking class that has ever passed through the Fredericksburg High School. But now to come to the worst part of our first day here, a day long to be remembered by our boys (I say boys because we alone suffered). Many a cry for help could be heard issuing from the freshmen being tortured in our “large and beautiful” playground. But what was the use—the seniors rocked our poor

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RF PP l-mrtQC 1921 Miss Rhea was our class teacher during this, our last year in high school. Our hopes were built up and inspired by Mrs. Courtney who always looked on the bright side and told us that there were better things in store for us and we now know that Mrs. Courtney was a prophet and a good one, too. Now to come to the greatest day in the history of our class and in the history of the school; our grand entry into the new high school building of which we are justly proud. We hope that we will prove ourselves worthy of being the first graduating class to go out from this high school building, and we, as a class, wish to thank the gentlemen of the School Board for their kind endeavors to secure for us and the other classes which follow us, such a splendid school. One of the greatest things which has ever been introduced into the high school (and I now undertake to speak for the school in general) is the Department of Physical Education headed by Mr. Swem, our able director. I sincerely trust this instruction will not be omitted next year. Our class play “The Adventures of Grandpa,” produced by the members of the Senior Class, deserves mention as it was successfully acted and was enjoyed by a large crowd. One great achievement of this year will stand out foremost in our history. Ours was the first class to have an Annual. This was vigorously pushed forward by Mr. Link and it was through hard work and perseverance that we secured this monument to the Class of 1921. One thing cannot be omitted from our class history—among our fellow class¬ mates we have some fine athletes who represent us in football, baseball and basket¬ ball, and all other forms of outdoor and indoor sports. Those cold and blustery fall days when our faithful girls crowded the side-lines and cheered on the boys as they struggled to establish the reputation of the first football team of the Fred¬ ericksburg High School, will stand out in our memories, and be an epitome of the struggle before us as we leave the sheltering walls of our Alma Mater. So, in conclusion, may the Goddess of Luck bring us together in the years to come, stirring up ideals and hopes which were kindled by the kind examples of helpfulness and patience which our teachers showed us at all times. And in parting may I say that as my work as Historian is finished I hope that in later years the memories of our school days together will bring a cheery smile to our faces and a warmth to our hears. PARTINGS—adieus and the Class of 1921 departs. George L. Hunter, Historian. 34