Germantown Academy - Ye Primer Yearbook (Fort Washington, PA)

Page 18 text:

CLASS OF 'OG

Page 17 text:

we hare since discovered were foundation stones necessary to sustain the superstructure of all our future knowledge. After being promoted into the Fourth lforin Primary, we, as a class, were strength- ened by the addition of four new members, Earl Sheble, Roy Wfatson, Sam Sterrett, and last, but not least, our chosen President, Joe Brown. All through this year we were again carefully cared for by Miss Bushong. VVe then had a year's growth on us. We held our heads high. Wfe felt we were really and truly Germantown Academy boys. For the Hrst time we realized we had moved up, that we had some other class to look down upon, and were no longer to be regarded as the kids of the school. The following September, when we had gone one step higher, and advanced to the Third Form Primary, four more boys sought admission, and were royally welcomed into the class. They were Wfilliam Keefer, Orme Schaefer, Roland Lea and Henry Lewis. This year our coach and instructor was Miss Bent- ley. Under her care and instruction we were taught to know: that the world was round, that there were other countries than the United States, other States than Pennsylvania, and other places than Germantown, Philadel- phia. She it was who piloted us through the dreaded intricacies of fractions, and showed us that any whole number could be divided into fractional parts. This year we won the reputation, in the opinion of Mrs. Kershaw, of being the straightest sitting class in the Pri- mary. Thisvvas due, we now admit, to our sticking rulers down our backs, and sitting thus for many weary hours. Une more year rolled away, and we as- cended as a class into the Second Form Pri- mary. VVe were getting up in the world, and indeed we felt it. Qnly twelve months more, and we would be the highest class in the Primary. This year but one new member joined us. That was Fred Shoemaker. Soon after we had come 'together this fall, we all joined the Do Right Society. Wfe regu- larly attended the meetings of this society, and, although we tried to do right, and SO1'11G times succeeded, we had considerable of the

Page 19 text:

old Adam in us, and generally wound up in doing wrong. We were proud, however, to belong to this society, and looked forward with great pleasure to the half hour, every Thursday, when Miss London read to us from that highly instructive and entertaining book entitled, Toby Tyler. A Returning from our summer vacation the following September, we found ourselves to be the very highest class in the Primary De- partment. To our boyish minds we were at last of very great importance. There were now four classes under us, each member of which, we felt, was looking up to us as boys greatly to be respected and feared. This year Vlfalter Hentz joined us. Wfith the assistance of Miss Bouten, and under her guidance, we now tackled for the first time the study of Latin, and, though every member of the class then began its study, only six of our number continued to hold to it throughout their course. It was in this year one of our members, Charles Riley, distinguished himself and gave lustre to our class by carrying off the Kimber Memorial Prize. This was a prize given to that boy in the Primary Department who re- ceived an average of loo for deportment throughout the year, and who was the best liked by all his schoolmates. The termination of this year wound up our Primary days in the old Academy. Wie had studied and played together for five long years. Strangers at first, we had grown into friends strong and true. Our minds had matured, and we were now eager and anxious to step on and up into the Academic Department of the school, and begin in earnest our preparation for college life. In September of the year IQOO, more dig- nihed, and beginning to feel the responsibili- ties of upper classmen, we came together once more as a class on the old campus, and Robert Coleman now joined us. This was the begin- ning of our Academic days in the old school, and, though we realized we were now only in its Sixth Porm, we were content to be called no longer the Seniors of the Primary. lfVhile we were in this form we were dis- ciplined and instructed by Miss Bentley, Miss XVatson and Miss Mears. This year the track