Girard College - Corinthian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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January , 1933 5 came greater success during the basketball season. We had three letter men in Captain Thomas, Land, and Burkhart. Hippie’s work merited numerals. At the same time, a couple of our classmates were helping the swimming team with its meets. Bryan and Spatzer were made letter men, while Davis, Tompkins, and Shiner received the insignia of their class. The nucleus of the teams of 1932 was formed with members of our class. Seven members of the baseball team were: Betz, Burkhart, Wilson, Server, R. Thomas, J. Thomas, and Allen who captained the team. In track, Bove, Melson, and Wedekemper were regulars, and Holmes won his numerals. Twelve of our men helped Girard through the undefeated soccer season of the past y ear. They were: Betz, Burkhart, Carroll, Downey, Foor, Jones, Kings- more, Land, Bove, Pastore, Server, and R. Thomas, the captain, with Kelly, the playing manager. Able reserves were found in Hippie, Spatzer, Schiavo, and Guarini. On this last year’s swimming team, managed by Specht, we had Shiner, Tompkins, and Captain Bryan. We regret to say that this book went to press before the basketball season closed, but our class helped the team greatly. Not counting basketball of this year, we had two three-letter men in Robert Thomas and Burkhart; but in all probability we shall have five three-letter winners when the basketball season is over, not to mention our many two-letter men. We haven’t broken many of the College records in athletics, but we have helped to win credit for dear old Girard. To the oncoming classes, we wish all the success possible in their athletic activities. D. K. B. Scripts and Scribes O UTSIDERS have a way of judging a school by the various publications it issues. Although oftentimes unfair and misleading the standard of a class is usually reflected in the quality of its literary and journalistic ma¬ terial. Being mindful of this, students are continually trying to produce some¬ thing just a little better than their predecessors have done. It is the pleasure of each class to do its part; we took up the work with such an idea in mind. The Girard Magazine was left with us as a splendid production equal to the magazine of most high schools. However, a really good periodical should be more than a current enjoyment. We wished to give the boys of the College something worthy of a place on their table of favorite books.

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4 Looking Backward Our final speaker, Harvey Melson, gave an lucid interpretation of his ex¬ periences on his uncle’s farm. In last year’s annual Christmas play we were again well represented. Har¬ vey Melson portrayed the part of Baron Advich and Bradford G. Swonetz the role of The Devil. With the opening of the New Year, Edward Holmes gave Parting of the Ways, and Bradford G. Swonetz recited a poem entitled New Year’s Poem. Our class delivered twelve Sunday evening reports on the history, people, and geography of Palestine. These were given by Rexford E. Tompkins, Robert L. Morrison, Terrence McLaughlin, Elmer Bryan, Emmeth M. Land, Robert Q. Jones, Howard R. W. Shultz, David K. Burkhart, Robert E. Spatzer, Charles F. Gabel, William E. Solomon, and Matthew A. Spinelli in a praiseworthy manner. The climax to our stay at Girard has now come to us, and we must show our best. It has been agreed that David K. Burkhart, our Valedictorian, Rex¬ ford E. Tompkins, our Salutatorian, and Charles Godfrey, our Qass Speaker, shall make speeches at Commencement. Athletics I WONDER if our accomplishments are not most worthy in the esthetic fields? They are, but we didn’t exactly scintillate in sports. Ours have been athletics of a quality which one may be proud. The honors of quantity in this regard must go to others. We were first represented when Elmer Bryan and Robert Thomas won their letters in swimming and basketball respectively in the spring of 1931. Inciden¬ tally, they have both broken records since then. In the breast-stroke event, Bryan bettered the old record by a good two seconds. Robert Thomas, as a basketball player, recently broke not only the College record, but the interscholastic record for individual scoring in a single game when he registered 36 points against Ger¬ mantown Academy and shattered the existing record of 32. At the same time in the spring of 1931, William McLaughlin earned his numerals in gym, and Spatzer and Downey were awarded their numerals in swimming. In the baseball season of that year, Robert Thomas was the only classmate given a “G,” but J. Thomas, Downey, Wilson, Allen, and Carroll were all on the squad. Our sole representative on the track team was Joseph Bove, a sprinter. On the 1931 soccer team we placed two men: Robert Thomas and George Downey; but Land, Jones, Carroll, and Burkhart all received numerals. Then

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6 Looking Backward To have lost the good reputation already made for the Magazine by previous classes would have been embarrassing, and it is only natural for us to feel that our most important accomplishment was the maintenance of the model writ¬ ing with which all are familiar. We sought to do two additional things: to im¬ prove the composition in color and to introduce something new that would make the Magazine a greater example of student participation. We cannot judge our success in the first attempt, but hope we have fulfilled the second by eliminating the old stock cut from the cover. Charles J. Godfrey drew the first original cover design and opened a new means for artistic expres¬ sion. Not wishing to stop at this point, the Staff established an index and changed the set-up of poetry contributions to small type. Dr. Stewart gave the Staff his helpful cooperation and constructive criticism in every development; he merits the thanks of the whole school as well as that of the class. Edson J. Shannon, Editor-in-Chief, Peter Wambach, President of the Liter¬ ary Club, and John F. Specht, have labored chiefly in issuing the Magazine. They hope it goes to the next class an improved work. Problems are bound to arise in all school activities, but in spite of these, members of the Girard News Staff were continually on the alert and always ready to give their best to overcoming the difficulties they encountered. Rexford E. Tompkins deserves an unstinted share of commendation for his devotion to the betterment of the paper. For the first time in Girard College a straw vote was taken on the Presidential election. The returns from the games were always correct and unprejudiced during David K. Burkhart’s term as Sports Editor. As third member of the trio, Noman K. Betz, News Editor, created a new interest lin his columns and gave his readers as good an account of the happenings at the! Col¬ lege as is possible in a fortnight edition. With Professor Foust’s fine help and cooperation their work as a whole created much interest on the day of its issue. Our journalists were not confined entirely to the high school editions. As the alumni still have the concerns of their Alma Mater at heart, John A. Guarini and Charles J. Godfrey took over the positions as correspondents for Steel and Garnet and greatly enhanced its attractiveness both to the old grads and the students. Finally, the Commencement Record has been compiled to show in more de¬ tail what we as a class have tried to do at Girard. May the Key of Responsibility which we pass to others turn even more easily in a well-oiled lock. We extend to them our sincerest wishes for success. Charles J. Godfrey, Editor-in-Chief, and his associates, Edson J. Shannon, Rexford E. Tompkins, David K. Burkhart, John F. Specht, and Norman Betz, have, however, tried to leave behind a class magazine which will survive as a record of our attainments at Girard College long after our departure. Success may come to those who wait but to those who endeavor will cornel every joy that has been ours as Seniors and leaders of the school’s publications.