Greenville High School - Trojan Yearbook (Greenville, PA)

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SENIOR YEAR BOOK they wore were remarkable for their beauty and we were not a little surprised when one of our hostesses told us that they had been made by Saul and Dickson, designers of Lueile gowns. We observed a smiling face approaching and recognized Daniel DeArment, the now famous chemist, lie told us that it was impossible for him to have come any sooner and Bernice said that he was noted for his late appearance at every social affair. Daniel was in an intensely good humor as he had that day secured the assistance of Helen McLenahan, a chemist noted for her remarkable skill. Eleanor later informed us that she had invited Leona Chestnut to the tableaux, but that Leona had sent her regrets, having been unable to leave her work as dean of a select girls’ school a few miles above New ork. on the Hudson. Miss Henry said that on the following day she must make a business trip to our old home town and she would report to me any chance meeting with old schoolmates. In a week’s time she called at my ofiice and related with pleasure the happenings of her trip. She had talked with Ruth Shollenberger and Emma Fisher, who were now teaching in the Penn High School and had been directed by them to the smart millinery shop of Bash and McBroom. She had made a short call there and as she stopped to admire the chic hats a lady had entered the store. Upon closer scrutiny she had recognized Evelyn Wood who was now happily married and who had chosen her residence in Greenville. On the day of her return as she hastened to the station she had met Nadene McLenahan who was helping her father establish a system of scientific farming. According to Xadene’s story it seemed that Fred McGarey was still on the farm and a devoted follower of golf owing to the fact that part of his farm had been turned into a golf course. In a short time we resumed our duties with a keener interest for having come in personal touch with so many of our old chums ot the class of 1919 G. II. S. Agnes Henry and Earl Hickey. Twenty-nine

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SENIOR YEAR BOOK Literary THE ZERO HOUR. I recently met one of the finest living examples of American spirit that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Before the war he was a clerk rising to he sure, hut not an extraordinary man in any sense. Over night he became a soldier by means of the draft. He was taken overseas ami with little preliminary training, was put into active service in the trenches. He was so severely wounded that it was necessary to amputate one leg. At the present time he uses an artificial leg and has acquired such skill that most people never notice it. This pleases him for he is a modest lad and does not like to he questioned and it was only after long, hard questioning that I got him to tell me the following story. “You probably know what my life was like tip to the time of my call for service. I was an average clerk in a big office making a good salary and spending it all on a good time. And right there, sir, is one of the benefits of this war. We will have learned to save. When my call came, I was as surprised as anyone. I hadn’t been paying much attention to the papers and it seemed then as though the government had its nerve, asking me to join its army, but I went, I am glad to say. It was not long till I arrived in France. I had now begun to take some interest in the war and was seriously doubting my ability to kill a man. Not only that, but 1 doubted if I would have the nerve to leave my shelter and risk my own life. But the ten minutes in that front line taught me more than the last ten years of my life had done before. “About two o’clock on the morning of August 12, word was passed around that we were to charge across No Man’s Land at five o’clock. Between two o’clock and five, every man revived his whole life, past and present, and his chances for a future. Some were nervous and shaking, afraid to trust themselves to speak; others worked themselves into a rage the better to keep up their courage. Some kept their minds off the coming danger and so presented a stolid countenance and a steady hand which was a great help to us. I was one of the ones who could not control their thoughts ami I actually believe that but for one thought, I should have gone mad; that thought was that behind us were hundreds of thousands of men ready to take our places and that behind us all were millions of our countrymen only asking for an opportunity to help. There was the great comfort that we were not alone. I mentioned it to some of my comrades and it seemed to help them for at 5 a. m., the zero hour, when we went over, not a man hung back. “After that it was easy. The thought of our countrymen backing us up. trusting in us and believing in us, was sufficient to establish a morale which was hard to dispel. I, myself, went over three times and was not afraid.’’ “But how about your wound! I asked him. “My country can have this other leg any time she needs it,’’ he replied. ALBERT JENNINGS. Thirty-one