Hellgate High School - Halberd Yearbook (Missoula, MT)

Page 32 text:

THE BITTER ROOT 31 Jltsitorp of tfje Claste of ’Etuentp In the fall of 1916 the high school doors were, as per schedule, opened very wide for the usual incoming stream of students. But the doors almost proved too small for the rush, and, when the faculty investigated the disturbing matter, they discovered that they had an unusually large and spirited class of freshmen. We immediately disappointed many fun-loving persons by taking our place quietly, but nonetheless firmly, in the regular school routine. Folks missed many a good laugh at our greenness for, behold, we had no greenness. We had stepped out of our awkwardness at the door of M. II. S., as a snake discards its unwanted cloak. We held a meeting to elect officers and we chose as our leader Russel Heath. Anne Bennett became secretary, Lysle Fosterling, vice-president, and Avon Fraser, sergeant-at-arms. We were exceedingly active for Freshmen, giving some unusually successful dances. An unusually large number of Freshmen succeeded in getting their names on the Honor Roll, and in athletics we were among the foremost. In 1917 wc came back as Sophs. We had attained a new dignity, 'of course, and exercised with great success our superiority over the incoming Frosh. We had very good executives—Straughn Scheuch (deceased) and Bill Hughes be- coming respectively president. The vice-presidency was given to Edna Morris; Billy Wallace was secretary. The class made an excellent record in athletics, copping first place in the inter-class basket ball tournament, and placing one of the, members, Ed. Wardle, on the first team. Again we showed up well on the Honor Roll and all the dances and social affairs given by the class were pro- nounced a success, under the wise guidance of our beloved sponsor, Miss Mary E. Burke (deceased). We had longed to be Juniors, and at last in 1918 we reached that distinction. We literally became the life of the school, gaining the well-merited title of “the peppiest class in school.” Immediately upon returning to our third year we were happily presented with our incomparable sponsor. Miss Ronan. We held a meeting at which Ed. Conroy, a new member of our class, was elected presi- dent; Marjorie Wilkinson was selected secretary, and Edna Morris, the class beauty, sergeant-at-arms. We had a number of new classmates last year. With the releasing of the boys in service, the Juniors enthusiastically received Malcolm Boucher and Charles Freeman. Many important things happened during our Junior year, two of the chief being the capture of the inter-class basket ball tournament and inter-class track meet. We showed up well in athletics—Buck Stowe, another new member of the class, breaking the 220-yard dash record. Many clever and original ideas presented themselves through the Juniors, but prin- cipally the Thursday Candy and Pie Sales introduced a very successful way of raising money. As Juniors we established the precedent of procuring class pins the year before graduation. Perhaps the most important event, of all was the Junior Prom which greatly outclassed all other affairs of the year. Last June

Page 31 text:

30 THE BITTER ROOT )t panner of ’Ctoentp 1st row William Wallace, Maragaret Balf. 2nd row—Anne Bennett. Joe Conroy, Elizabeth Rowe, Katherine Keith, Norman Maclean, Irene McQuarrie. 3rd row—Alice Hershey, Lysle Fosterling, Mildred McQuarrie, Edna Morris. This is the flag of our making, this beautiful purple and crimson, Dotted with heart’s blood of fair ones, who labored and pricked lily fingers That we should be thus represented: that ’20 should not go unbannered. This is the triumphant banner that floated from yon northern entrance And caught the attention of travelers and told to the world we existed. This is the flag that the Juniors, their judgment o’ercome by their anger, Seized from the top cf the building and cautiously took to Room Twenty, There to be rescued by Billy, our president, stalwart and upright. This was the background of beauty when Jean was crowned Queen of the High School. This is the banner cf ’Twenty—the much renowned purple and crimson. —V. C., ’20.

Page 33 text:

52 THE BITTER ROOT we reluctantly closed an altogether successful and peppy year with much ac- complished by the Juniors, establishing our right to the title '‘the peppiest class in school.-” When, with a crash and a bang, the doors of M. H. S. were again opened last September, the Class of ’Twenty dashed in to take on the heavy cares and responsibilities and work of Seniors. Seniors, we assumed our place in the school, even increasing onr activities. Immediately we organized and selected our class officers. Upon the broad and willing shoulders of William Wallace were placed the duties, obligations, and privileges of the Senior class presidency. And because of her wonderful Junior work and continued Senior ability, Mildred McQuiarrie was elected vice-president. Lysle Fosterling had displayed unusual talent with the pen, so she was given the pen-pushing position of secretary. We were to have many representatives in athletics, but none seemed so strong and able to cope with all situations as Joe Conroy; so he filled the place of official bouncer, or otherwise sergeant- at-arms. Our sponsor, to whose generous help and advice we owe all of our accomplishments, still continued to be Miss Ronan. The Senior Class, well organized and going smoothly, opened the social season with the first dance in the gym. There was a large crowd and every one reported a wonderful time and a truly mixer dance. At a meeting soon after we chose the editor for the peppiest Annual the school has ever seen. Custer Keim was elected editor and a competent staff was appointed to assist him. William Wallace was chosen assistant editor with the illustrious Ted Van Deusen and Blanche Plumcly respectively art and literary editors. For four long years Norman Maclean had displayed his unusual busi- ness ability and he was unanimously given the position as business manager. Following our usual course of choosing the round peg for the round hole, Avon Fraser, late of the R. C. Barnum Book Co., was appointed circulation manager; Charles Freeman and Violet Crain, feature editors; Jeanette Schlossberg, snap- shot editor; Mildred McQuarrie, organization editor, and John Sargent, sports editor. We had been rather neglectful in our Frosh and Soph years and too busy in our Junior year to take time to select our class colors, motto, and flower. A meeting was called for that purpose and the colors decided upon were purple and crimson; the flower was the red rose, and the motto was the advice from Dr. Maria Sanford’s lecture, “Keep your back-bone straight and your head on top of it.” Then we proceeded to get down to brass tacks and work. The first thing was the preparation for the Senior Carnival, but in the meantime we were not too busy to start the movement for the revivification of the Students Association. Once securing the consent of Mr. Ketcham—which, by the way? was granted largely through the influence of WTlliam Wallace—and placing the issue before the school, it did not take long to secure candidates, hold an election, and place a Senior girl, Marjorie Wilkinson, as vice- president, and another Senior candi- date, Anne Bennett, as secretary. The next big affair of the Class of ’Twenty was the Senior Carnival. The