Higginsville High School - Blue Bird Yearbook (Higginsville, MO)

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- ai- 1i1i:.D yy Debate Fourth Row: Elizabeth Griffith, Herbert Joerling, Ruth Meinsen, Third Row: Evelyn Trucsdale, Edward Linebach, Caroline Schmidt, Vernes Atchley. Second Row: Cleda Stratinan, Albert Meinershagen, Forest Greer, Coach, Billy Povestorff, Frances Dennis. First Row: Pearl Stratman, Caroyl Hale, Mildred Lackey, Maurine Cole, Muriel Finley, Clay Anna Mills, Louise Schneider. PAGE G4 7, Fi JJ 'JR E , tar!

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-I- Y? ref Dramatics, Oratory, and Declamatlon On October 18, 1926, a dramatic club of forty-six membe1's was organ- IZQCI under the sponsorship of Miss Whittenburg. The following officers were elected: Mary Cleveland Van Meter, President 5 Wordic Cassity, Vice- 1-'residentg Vernes Atchley, Secretary, and Leo Ward, Treasurer. Later in tne fall, the club decided upon the name of Jolly Jesters , and adopted the court jester as its emblem. Programs consisting of readings, reviews of contemporary plays and talks concerning the origin and history of the drama, the art of stage make-up, and the production of amateur plays were given at the extra-curricular period each Monday and Tuesday. Four one- act plays entitled, Sauce For the Goslings, Every student , Solemn Pride , and Station YYYY were presented at various assembly hours. QS1nce the last two were royalty plays, it was necessary to secure special permission of the authors to present them free of charge.J Our activities Ior the year were financed by money obtained from selling tickets to the travelogue in the high school auditorium, and dues of ten cents per member eacn month. The dramatic club was not reorganized in the fall of 1927, but a one-act play entitled The Maker of Dreams , was taken to the dis- trict contest in Warrensburg, April 27 and 28. The cast consists of Ruth Giadish as Purrette, Vernes Atchley as Pierrot, and Alvin Wehrman as the Maker of Dreams, and was supported at the piano by Helen Gladish. Oratory has always been entered into with great enthusiasm in H. H. S. Rivalry is prevalent among all classes, and the night of the big contest is always exciting. The 1927 annual oratorical contest was held, March 31, in the high school auditorium. Four students entered the contest. From the four students, Evelyn Truesdale, a Junior won first place with her oration, America's Contribution to Constitutional Government. Billie kevestorff placed second, with his oration, The Meaning of the Constitu- tion Today. Albert Meinershagen placed third with his oration of Hain- ilton and the Constitution . Miss Truesdale had also won first in the pre- ceding school contest of 1926 winning over a field of eight. Sh: won first in the county contest thereby representing Lafayette County in the district contest. Miss Truesdale however, failed to make a come-back in the 1927 county contest, where she placed third. The spirit of oratory had invaded the school again this year. Many students are working on their orations and from all indications the 1928 contest is predicted to be a lively one. The students of H. H. S. have always been very enthusiastic about de- clamation, and have carried away a number of honors in district contests. No declamation contest was held in the spring of 1927, but Anna Louise Peterson and Wordic Cassity were chosen to represent our school at the dis- trict contest at Warrensburg in April. The reading selected by Anna Louise was The Stolen Gem and that chosen by Wordic was Danny , Wordic was successful in placing himself in the finals where he won second place symbolized by a silver medal. It is planned to hold a school contest early in April of this year. The following students have decided to enter: Anna Louise Peterson, Mary Celeste Wollenman, Elizabeth Wollenman, Rebecca Crain, Elizabeth Herd, Gene Gunn and Janice Bruening. The win- ner of the contest will be sent to Warrensburg, April 27, 1928, to compete with students from other high schools in our district. We sincerely hope that this representative will succeed in bringing fresh laurels to our school. PAGE 63 ff- f 'H we L ' A

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-L: :Q BLUE H , IBIIZD g H. H. S. Debate Debate, though sometimes considered a rather uninteresting subject, nas been classed among the first of the school activities for the past several years. Our state debaters last year were Mary Cleveland Van Meter, and Kathryn Roberts Feith. The question for debate in the State Debating League was: Resolved That The Adherence To The Permanent Court Of international Justice fthe World Courtl Under The Reservations Approved By The U. S. Senate Of January 27, 1926, Is A Wise Public Policy. This team won the Northwest District Championship and was awarded a silver cup as a reward for their wonderful work. Higginsville High School also took part in the County debates last year. We had two teams which were as follows: Affirmative-Florence Sheets and Frances Dennisg Negative-Caroline Schmidt, Evelyn Truesdale and Earl Forderhase. The question used by the County League was: Re- solved That The President of the United States Should Be Elected For A Single Six-Year Term. Those taking debate this year Were, Cleda Stratman, Ruth Meinsen, Elizabeth Griffith, Caroline Schmidt, Evelyn Truesdale, Vernes Atchley, Herbert Joerling, Albert Meinershagen, Edward Linebach, William Peve- storff and Frances Dennis. The last two named were selected as the first team and represented H. H. S. in the state debates. Albert Meinershagen and Cleda Stratman were selected as alternates. The question for debate was: Resolved That a Federal Department of Education Should Be Created With a Secretary in the President's Cab- inet. H. H. S. was in but three state debates this year. These were with Concordia, Bates City and Odessa. We were victorious in the second debate. Four girls will be sent to the debate tournament which will be held at William Woods College sometime in March. They were selected as follows: Affirmative-Cleda Stratman and Ruth Meinseng Negative-Evelyn Trues- dale and Frances Dennis. Three boys will be sent to Westminster College to a debating tourna- ment which will be held there during the same month. They are as follows: Billy Pevestorff, Edward Linebach, and Albert Meinershagen. Those students who will represent the school in the County League have not been selected up to the present time. It is hoped that the same interest will be taken in this as in the .State League. u Much credit is due to Superintendent Davis and to Mr. Greer our De- bating Coach, because of their untiring efforts and coaching of our de- bating teams. A practice debate was held February 23, with Cameron H. S., in which H. H. S. was victorious. The Negative girls debated at this time. In the near future our Affirmative girls will debate Corder H. S. and the boys' team will debate the William Woods H. S. FRANCES DENNIS. PAGE 65