Homer Central High School - Odyssey Yearbook (Homer, NY)

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THE 1926 EPIC 23 The fourth member is Ada Ripley, Who was born on March twenty- ninth, nineteen hundred and eight. Her greatest ambition is to pursue a business career. The fifth and last member is Mary Shearer. Mary was born October twenty-first, nineteen hundred and eight. Her great ambition is to become a female Herodotus, and we all realize that she will make a good one. I will now endeavor to give you some of the formation of our present class. In the second grade we were joined by Thelma Gordon. In the third grade we were joined by Halsey Stevens, who is the president of the Senior Class. In the seventh grade our class was enlarged by the ad- dition of Ruth Killam, Beulah Nadler, and Mary Nelson. In the eighth grade we were joined by Laura Button and her sister Eva. In our Fresh- man year Marion Miles entered the class. In our Sophomore year we were joined by Harold Spencer. In our Junior year our class was increased by the addition of Helen Adams, Ruth Redfield, Philip Lindberg, and Geral- dine Harmon. In our Senior year our class was still greater increased by the entrance of Laura Knapp, Cleo Burgett, Charles Darby, Bruce Daniels, Wilfred Pickering, Norma Brown, Robert Mantey, and Vivian Barber. It seems fitting and proper that I tell you something about our class organizations, which have been very joyful and happy events. In our Freshman year we were not allowed to organize outside of the school, so our organization took place in the first grade room, Where we composed our songs and yells. Helen Miller was elected president. Our Sophomore organization was held at the home of Helen Miller, on the Scott road. The Sophomore organization is the saddest blot on our history. During the organization an automobile accident occurred in which three girls were seriously injured. This class has always regretted this unfortunate affair. At this organization Marion Morenus was elected president. The Junior organization was held at Mary Nelson's home on the West Homer road, in the wee sma' hours of the morning. This event took place Without any mishap to mar the occasion. Mary Nelson was elected president. The Senior organization was held at the Republic Inn at Freeville. The officers were elected as follows: president, Halsey Stevens, vice-pres- ident, Mary Nelson, secretary, Helen Miller, and treasurer, Marion More- nus. After the election of officers and composing songs and yells, the remainder of the evening was spent in dancing. To write a conclusion to this history is to desecrate it. As a class, our history is nearly completed, but as individuals it has only begun. In this history which we are about to make for ourselves, the ideals and standards of the Senior Class of twenty-six will be firmly imbedded forever. -Ada I. Ripley, '26.

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22 THE 1926 EPIC Iaistnrp nf the beninr Glass Hearken, my friends, and you shall hear the history of the illustrious class of twenty-six. In truth, our history has just begun. Now we are ready to go into the world to make a name and a history for ourselves as individuals. A larger part of our past history is of school and our asso- ciations with school. In the autumn of the notable year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fourteen, forty-four small boys and girls left the toys and charms of their nurseries behind them in order to pursue the rugged path of learning, up which all must climb to reach the pinnacle of that which is called knowl- edge. That first day at school in Homer Academy was a revelation of all concerned. It was also our first step up the path of learning. On every little face in that room there appeared a frightened and timid look which flitted away as the day wore on. Under the kind and pleasant instruction of our teacher, Mrs. Bennett, our fears and anxieties of the coming years at Homer Academy were soon allayed. In that first grade we proceeded to learn the fundamentals of our education: readin', 'ritin', and 'rithme- tic , which formed the basis of our high school career. The next few years at Homer Academy were spent in ascending the steep slope of knowledge. Each year was a step advanced toward high school and greater things. Many pleasures and amusements were often intermingled with our studies, such as sleighrides, parties and es- pecially our class organizations during our term in high school. In the steep climb many of our classmates lost out and were stranded on the way. Of the original forty-four boys and girls that commenced school in 1914, there remain but five of the original class, all of whom are girls. They are as follows: Marion Morenus, Helen Miller, Marion Gallup, Mary Shearer, and Ada Ripley. I will attempt to give a short account of each of their lives, as I consider them to be the foundation of the class, and therefore worthy of mention. On August seventeenth, nineteen hundred and seven, a daughter, Marion, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morenus of the town of Locke. Marion has been popular both in school activities and athletics. Her great ambition is to become a teacher. The next member I will mention is Helen Miller. Helen first saw the light of day in Homer, December twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and seven. Her great ambition is to attend college and later become a Riter . Helen has been prominent in school afairs and athletics. Marion Gallup first saw the dawn of day on Homer, April fifth, nine- teen hundred and eight. Marion's ambition is to attend college.

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24 THE 1926 EPIC Qlllass iBrupIJecp By Eva Button Homer, N. Y., April 4, 1936. Dear Eva, During the past week there has been a great deal of excitement, for, as you know, it was Easter vacation, and all but two of our class of '26 were in Homer. We had a class reunion, and since your letter shows that you have not heard what the members of the class are doing, I will attempt to tell you about those who were there. Most of them gave a short talk on their work. Halsey Stevens, the president of our class during our Senior year, and now a financial expert for the United States government, told us a little about his work, and from reports I have heard, he is doing very well along this line. The vice-president of our class, who was Mary F. Nelson before her marriage to the governor of the Philippines, attended the reunion, and she also gave a short talk about her social duties as the wife of the governor. Mary has not changed so very much, but one thing I noticed was that she did not use her favorite slang word, Dumb . She spoke with a beau- tiful accent characteristic of her new home. The well-known nurses, Ruth Redfield and Vivian Barber, who are the proprietors of the Homer Hospital, found time from their work to at- tend the reunion, but were, as all nurses are, bashful about speaking. Beulah N adler told us about her first year as instructor of the Latin course at Vassar College. It will interest you to know that Beulah looks very much like a college teacher in her business-like costume-something like an older school teacher with her precise manner, eyeglasses, and the way in which she speaks. She is nearing the time when she will be pres- ident of the college. Both Geraldine Harmon, who is singing with the Redpath Chautauqua, and Norma Brown, who has just made her debut in New York, gave us some fine singing. Geraldine sang a Spanish song, and it was quite ef- fective. By the way, Geraldine has lost her Texan accent. Norma has just signed a contract to sing in the opera In the Springtime, which con- tains the immensely popular aria, When the Ice Thaws in the Ice House, Mary Dear composed by Wilfred Pickering. We had a little talk about agriculture by Stanley Hopkins, who is the Ag. teacher in Homer Academy. Also Robert Mantey gave a short talk on methods of farming. He owns the large dairy farm on the East Little York road, formerly owned by Charles Randall. Ada Ripley gave a very interesting talk on her work as librarian at the Cortland Normal.