Keokuk High School - Comment Yearbook (Keokuk, IA)

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THE COMMENT 23 THE HISTORY OF I THE CLASS OF 1920 Perhaps you all recall the saying of the profound gentleman which ran thusly: Some are born great, some acquire greatness, while others have greatness thrust upon them. The last has been my fate, and in fear and trembling do I impose my inability upon you. my unoffending friends. Four long, thrilling years have passed since this now famous class first stepped across the threshold of this classic pile. Like all other classes of which histories have been Written, ours was the larg- est, the brightest, and the best looking, that ever came into this High School.. Our social events started with a masquerade at Cameron's Hall, on February 26, where we danced, played games and refreshed the' inner man with ice cream and cake. It was a great event and iong to be remembered. Another happy event Was the Freshman picnic, hlay ZS, 1917, at VVild Cat Springs. The first party of our Sophomore year was held on November 30, at the home of Ada Benjamin, one of our classmates who has since left Keokuk. N if fi Q Our Sophomore picnic was also held at YVild Cat Springs, with Miss Handy, bliss Helen Kiedaisch and Nliss Younker as guests, since no teacher was allowed to chaperone a class picnic or party. The utter disregard for life or limb made the task of a chaperone too strenuous, and years of experience along that line brought the teachers to the decision that discretion was the better part of valor. We now come to our Junior year. A feeling of importance comes With the duties and responsibilities of a Junior. At least we arrived at a stage of importance. The Senior doesn't look so awe-inspiring, and the Preshie really needs not be noticed at all now funless she is very pretty and full of pepj. During this year wc organized our class with the following ofiicers: David Collisson as President. .Anita Conlee as Vice President. Harold Worster as Secretary. Harold Wyllie as Treasurer. The heavy hand of war was upon us and Red Cross duties Were shouldered with a Will. Personal sacrifices of all kinds were made for suffering Europe.

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2 THECOMMENT Zin Memoriam The death of Floyd Kritchel, on December 12, 1919, from pneumonia, lost for Keokuk High School one of her most promising students. lVithin him lay all the qualities of a man, the highest honors of scholarship and a most ex- acting courage and fidelity. He was a member of the Senior Class. As a student he showed himself to be especially capable, faithful, and responsible. He was respected by teachers and fellow students alike. Such a man, an asset to any business or school, will be sincerely missed by every- one. His life Was short in years, but those who knew him best can truthfully say that it was honorably lived and abundant With ambitions that fate destined him never to fulfill. His memory will live with the members of his class and faculty for all time.

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24 THE COMMENT A jinx seemed to have taken up its abode with this class. The Sophomore year saw us forced from school for weeks on account of a scarlet fever epidemic. The flu forced another lengthy vacation upon us as Juniors, and as Seniors we were frozen from the threshold of learning again. Each enforced vacation made us become speed de- mons to accomplish our year's work in the alloted time. A jolly sleighing party was indulged in January 11, of this year. We met at Florence Linquist's home and after a happy ride we re- turned to George Hubert's home, where refreshments were served and muchly appreciated. At last, in September of 1919, we arrived at the dignified stage of Seniors. We elected the following oliicers: Edward Ebersole as President. Florence Linquist as Vice President. Carl Schmidt as Secretary. Madeliiie Radasch as Treasurer. I The latter part of September Floyd Kritchell extended the hos- pitality of his home in the country to the class for a weiner roast. VVe arrived in hay-racks, had our roast in the woods and lVIrs. Kritchell won our gratitude by bringing us a bountiful supply of cider and lus- cious pears. We endeavored to show our appreciation of the Kritchell hospitality by giving yells as we started home. All rolled merrily along until a wheel of one of our chariots fell to the side of the road and ceased to function. fln other words, it came offj. Fortunately no one was hurt. It was discovered afterwards that the usual out- sider had arrived and loosened the wheel while we were eating, drinking and making merry. Q- Since this time our classmate, Floyd, has left us for the Beyond, having died December 10, 1919. He is greatly missed by his class- mates and we would that he were among us today. Had he been able to continue his school career he would have graduated with the highest honors. Athletics, as a whole, were very successful this year. The foot- ball team won the Southern Iowa Championship and the basketball team took the honors of second place at the Fairfield, Iowa tourna- ment, in which twenty-seven teams participated. Edward Ebersole, better known as 1'Ebbie, had the honor of being made Captain of an all-star team at Fairheld composed of star play ers. The Seniors had eight out of eleven men on the football team, four out of five on the basketball team. The Senior boys who fought for the school this year and who will cheer for the teams in the future years are: Ed-