Ionia High School - Ionian Yearbook (Ionia, MI)

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THE IONIAN I 9 3 3 Salutatory Friends: On behalf of my classmates, individually and as a group, I assure you that it is with the greatest of pleasure and satisfaction that we greet and welcome you on the Sixty-Third Class Day of the Ionia High School. You must know that we are mindful of the honor of your favoring us with your presence on this occasion. To our parents and our teachers who have labored and sacrificed throughout these trying times to aid and assist us in securing an education; to our friends who have encouraged and aided us by kind words and helpful suggestions; to the members of the Hoard of Education who have given unstintingly of their time and services without financial remuneration; to the tax payers of the district who have made it possible for us to complete our high school education. To all these we extend our most heartfelt thanks and appreciation. We realize that when we arrived in this world we were absolutely helpless, with no chance of making good without securing aid from others. It has been you—parents and teachers—who have trained us for this moment when we stand on a new threshold of life, about to enter another world wholly on our own. Perhaps at times we have caused you heart-aches and disappointments, but “To err is human” and we have profited from our mistakes and your sound advice. It has been a great source of confidence to us to know that if at any time we needed advice on our problems, we could come to you and be sure of receiving cooperation. Modern civilization, especially as we find it today, is a very good definition of cooperation. As we see the world, we note that each individual is dependent to a large extent upon others for food, clothing, shelter, and a livelihood in general. Each man has his own trade or vocation, whether it be law, labor, agriculture, teaching, or manufacturing, and he exchanges it for his own means of subsistence. This makes each one dependent upon the others. Likewise cooperation is one of the greatest and most emphasized efforts in high school—whether it be in the classrooms, in athletics, journalism, music, dramatics, or other activities that are open to the participation of all students. No one student can play a game, produce a play, conduct an orchestra, or constitute a class by himself. He needs the cooperation of both the student body and members of the faculty—their advice, different points of view, and inspirations. This spirit of cooperation is clearly represented here today by you. and in again extending a most cordial welcome, we wish to thank you for making this Class Day a success, and to assure you that it will ever remain in our memories as one of the happiest and most memorable days of our lives. Flint Clyde Watt Page Twenty-four

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■ THE IONIAN I 9 3 3 Valedictory Friends : This last meeting on the campus has come somewhat earlier than in previous years. Needless to say. this greatly intensifies the usual feelings of regret which are always present at a parting scene. The day has abruptly appeared when it becomes necessary to say farewell to the teachers of Ionia and to many friends. However, we have much for which to be thankful. We have incorporated into our beings a high school education, an invaluable asset: we were fortunate in having instructors who were thoroughly and unselfishly devoted to their profession and were willing to aid us during the most trying conditions in evidence here in many years. Then, too. we have learned many lessons that give us a certain advantage over previous graduating classes. Economy, a leading essential of success, has been disregarded by people and even nations, with disastrous results and from this we should he able to draw something which will he valuable to us as individuals. Worldly pleasures became the only means of entertainment. Now. through necessity, we have learned to enjoy simpler, more wholesome activities, and the associations with other people. We have seen fantastic financial schemes uncovered, have become aware of glaring social faults, and finally, have learned the utter futility of an existence based wholly upon money. Graduation catapults us into a world that is full of turmoil and uncertainty. This is a statement that cannot be denied or overlooked by the most ardent optimist. Many seniors, who. in normal times, would be looking forward to higher education, are prevented this year from doing so. Also, many other plans of ours have been frustrated for the same reason. But we do not accept these facts as a fatal blow. Rather, we accept them as a challenge, like the slap of a glove on the cheek; a challenge to our ability, our stamina, and our determination. This has been one of the outstanding lessons given us by our high school life, that is. to never give up. We are in a changing world. One stage of our civilization is passing into the background and another stage is moving to the forefront. Such a great number of people are unaware of this fact that a recovery is particularly difficult. Selfish interests are still so dominant that they are unwilling to yield to the good of the whole. When this is remedied we can be assured of a speedy recovery. Also, in the complicated industrial system which is prevalent today a change of this type necessarily involves much disorder. Eventually order will be brought about by means of which we are, at the present, unaware. History informs us that similar changes have taken place before. Of course, they were not of the immensity of the present one because the world has progressed much, but, they were fundamentally the same and seemed to have huge proportions to persons living then. When the changes were concluded and normalcy returned we find that civilization had been greatly improved. On these former events we base our hopes for a brilliant future. We realize that in the immediately succeeding years we may have to face obstacles rather difficult to surmount, hut we will conquer them, we will strive to seek for progress and not to be stagnant, useless bits of humanity. No false .impressions are guiding us, hut we look forward to the mystery of the coming years with complete confidence. Wayne L. Corey Page Twenty-three

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THE IONIAN 9 3 3 Class History • When (lie school hell announced the beginning of classes in September nineteen hundred and twenty-nine, the largest class of Freshmen ever to enter the Junior I ligh School filed into that building. ()ur class was so large that it was necessary to divide us into three groups. This, however, did not prevent us from having the traditional Freshman picnic at Woodard I .ake to finish the school year. The next September found us playing the role of humble Sophomores. We too were subject to the confusion and ridicule which all Sophomores suffer. We were so busy trying to make the Seniors believe that we really were important that we overlooked the election of officers. Nevertheless we had our class picnic at Baldwin Lake. As we reached the rank of Juniors we had overcome our fear of Seniors, so immediately we organized and elected the following officers: Gordon Benedict, president: Wayne Corey, vice-president; Calla Cobb, secretary: and Alexander Sibley, treasurer. We wanted to distinguish ourselves in some way, so we inaugurated the custom of inviting all the grades of the Junior and Senior High School to our Junior Parties. This experiment proved very successful. By the end of the year we had had enough experience to enable us to put on a Junior-Senior Prom, which the Seniors told us was most enjoyable. Before leaving school that year we selected our class rings, which gave us a goal to which we anxiously aspired. The year closed with a picnic at Baldwin Lake. We returned last September bearing the title of dignified Seniors.” Under the leadership of our officers: President, Wayne Corey; vice-president, Max Pierce: secretary, Jo Ellen Perry; treasurer, Calla Cobb; we began our Senior activities. Before the first semester ended we were working on the Senior Annual, determined that the financial situation should not stop us. (fur efforts were not in vain, for before long we had obtained sufficient orders to assure its publication. We chose the play, The Importance of Being Earnest” for our Senior production. This was presented at the Ionia Theater under the direction of Mr. Smith and Miss Burke. The Juniors entertained us at a very delightful Junior-Senior Prom on the evening of May twelfth which we shall long remember. We shall bring our social activities to a close with a class picnic. Class honors were awarded to Wayne Corey and Flint Watt. In this respect also we remained true to our desire to set ourselves apart from other classes. This is the first time in many years that boys have received the class honors. Extra-curricular activities have interested many from our class. Robert Campbell. Wayne Corey, Flint Watt, and Gordon Benedict were outstanding players on both the football and basketball teams, while others gained honor in baseball and track. The girls have upheld the banners of the school in declaiming and debating. Jane Kidder represented us in the sub-district declamatory contest and Gertrude Welker, as a member of the debating squad, helped to win the Free Press plaque for the school. The Melpothalian Dramatic Club, the French Club, and the musical organizations of the school have found much favor among both boys and girls. Members of our class originated the High School Spotlight,” and have continued as the editorial staff. From these many and varied experiences of all our classmates we can look to the future, confident of success for all. Helena Miller Page Twenty-five