La Porte High School - El Pe Yearbook (La Porte, IN)

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The History of the Class of 1903 0 T IS with considerable trepidation that the historian enters upon the arduous task of chronicling the epoch-making events in the career of the Class of 03. The incidents in which it participated, the mooted tjucstions it revived, the causes it championed, and the battles it waged arc all too fresh in the memory of the present generation for the histor- ian’s account to be accredited as either impartial or authentic, adhere it ever so closely to the truth. Realizing that several cycles of high school students must have passed through the beloved halls of our building, bctorc the events here recorded will be viewed dispassionately and with a due respect for the corroborative evidence of numerous historical citations, the chron- icler has sought to verify, even a: great expense of time and labor, the following account o! 1903’» meteoric career. Survivors of the various escapades, eye-witnesses of important events, and veterans of the battles have been interviewed at length, archives have been searched and original records diligently compared, in the hope that each statement might he authenticated beyond the questioning of the most skeptical. The Class of 190 ; entered the high school in the fall of 1899 by invitation from above and not because of pressure from below,5 and dis- played unusual adaptability in quickly adjusting itself to the new environ- ment. 1 I: immediately revived the lost art of bluffing successfully and 'Ct'. Tome XIX, Report of Supt. 1899. p. n. ’ItiS. p. iS. “The Demand for Freshmen. 'Minutes of Teacher»’ Conference, Sept., 1899. p. }. 4lbcd, pp. 6, 7. dunking gracefully, and soon acquired the other valuable lessons of experience wrought out at such cost of labor and trouble by the advanced classes.1 Being a combination of the two eighth grades and the cigh:h-and-a- half grade, there was ample opportunity tor variety of opinion in the state affairs of the class, and the class meetings were characterized by frenzied oratory and heavy balloting with occasional bolting minorities.4 A membership of seventy-six combined with a willingness to recipro- cate any belligerent attitude toward the class, sufficed to prevent most of the impositions generally practiced upon the credulity of freshmen, and the first year of their high school life pased pleasantly and profitably. • The resolution of the class to stand firm at the post of duty was well exemplified during their first year. Their monitors, after rising to report the absccnccs, remained standing like the Roman guard at the gate of Pompeii, unmoved by the tumult and confusion about them. The Principal finally came to their relief and permitted them to be seated.' On the day appointed for the Freshmen to entertain the school by instrumental solos, recitations and readings, there was more hilarity, laughter and exuberant joy than on any previous similar day, and the class felt highly honored and gratified at the appreciation of their efforts. •’ During the Sophomore year much of the time was devpted to the cultivation of the social side of school life,1 and to careful study of the Ct. How to Jolly the Faculty,' by F. R F.ihman. pp. ab-ts. C '• • I it ... M I900.pl . ;c-a:. See ah» The Tyrannical Ma-oritv. ! y the .:nr j - Cha:-:en VI VIII :Ct. ••Durie» o! Prominent Frejhmrn. See also Report ot’ Supt. loc. c;t. pp. Si-8;. •Cl’. “ Cbc Seated Monitor, and Other Poemt. ;i •• ot Teachers’ Conference. Sept., 1S99, :S-;: ’Cf. “Our Genhitcy -in.) Funny .Men.'' by a member ot the Cia»; ot 1905. Sre alio article. “The Greene»! Vet.'' in the monthly rupa inc. “The Fosl-Kiilrf»' Record. • •Cf. “Sutitucs of Partte» arui other Hot Timer. pp. 6a-6;. 22

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Class of 1903 Motto: “No excellence without great labor.” Flower»: Red anil White Carnation» Color»: Silver and Maroon Yell Brkkety' Riukrti' Whou' R»h' Coon' Wobbelly' Gettelty' Silver' Maroon' Thripprti' Tlirap;eli ' .i ' B mh' Hat UPoitr Hi li Sthcoi' Rah’ Rah' Rati1 Rip' Rah' Ra oo' i ’ B-aom' Baroo' Wah! Hr ■ H ilia ■ Naught Three! Senior»' President Secretary Treasurer Officers . I.co Rumely Historian Earl Hewson Poet . Cornelius Rum ELY Orator Sergeant at-Anns, Robert Shepherd Mami. Pi. low . Ali.Cn Poclc Thomas Ti ctir Nora Applegate Donald Barnum EsTELLE Bur EC R WORTH l.u Carrier May Chambers Fred Coit Amerthe Danielson Hubert Danielson Ada Decker Ia uis Droece Susan DeGarmo EefiE Fail Class Roll Ruth Fitzpatrick Henry Fitzpatrick Allen Focle Lottie Francis Hazel Garrett Bertha Garwood Carrie Garwood Zayda Garwood John Grimes Linda Hall Merle Harmon Earl Hewson Helen Ixiomis Claire I-ower. Leslie Lower Gordon Osborn Mabel Peclow Lee Phillips Frank Phillips Cornelius Rumely Leo Rumely Mamie Shultz Arthur Shaw Robert Shepherd Vincent Switzer Thomas Teeter Orville Fruesdell Emma Warnecke Calvin Webster Laura Webster Cornelia Weber Bernice Weir Ralph Wickersham Edith Will Nellie W lton May Wilhelm

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strategy of class scraps and flag fights.11 Internal dissentions concerning class colors, contested elections, and an acrimonious and interminable debate on “Resolved that Freshmen arc more to be Pitied than Blamed,” occupied much of the spare time of the class this year.1 2 During the Junior year the class came into great prominence.1 1 A vacillating and timid Senior class made the bold determination of the Juniors all the more noticeable.1 • They immediately assumed the heavy responsibility of directing the affairs of the school.11 The choice of class colors was finally made without violence or disturbance.1 6 A class flag was manufactured and constantly worn as a corset by one or the other of the boys of the class in order that it might be instantly available in any emergency.1 ‘ Manifestations of activity on the part of the ordinarily inane preceding class, gave rise to suspicions which were verified by the appearance of the Senior flag on the building. The conflict thus precipitated was sharp but brief. The Senior flag came down, the Maroon and Silver went up in its stead.1 The 02 flag is now preserved in the High School Museum of War Relies.1 '• Casualties on both sides were heavy.20 A reception was now tendered the repentant enemy, which was the most elaborate affair Cl'. “Incident of the War between 1901 1902. pp. 6o6- l • Cf. Emerald, Com, and Ordinary Green ai CL Colori'’ l s Verdant, pp, 50-55. See also “The Oier-stutfing ot‘ Ballot-boxes and Other Forms of RoMety. A Political Study, by I). E. Feated, pp. 101-115, and “Miniates of Sophomore Debate, Volume. XXI to XCVII inclusit e. ,aCf. “Why the Junior are IT; ,coo reasons, b Prim 1 Cf. Our Excuse tor Liting. by S. E. Xioe. 1901. 1 Cf. To Abdkatc or Not to Abdicate: That' the V by Prin. 14 Thi i open to Hunt ion. The majority claim that excellite excitement and ' kilent oratorical exertion caused the collipse of those who were rendered unconscious, and not tlutTrd clubs or bricks. ,TCf. The Fb{ -cj. the I'ndershirt p. 15, Annals of the Flag Hohtert' Club. 1 Cf. Miscellaneous accounts of The Battle on the Roof. The best is by S. K. Rapper, Major-General commanding the besieging forces. See The Maple, published by Class of 1905. p. Two Bags were captured. One was dissded into souvenir strip . • Report of Ambulance Corps, May. 1902. Alio “Report of Battle on the Roof, bv Major-General S. K. Rapper, U. cit. Also Latin MSS., p. 7;, The Maple. ever undertaken by any class in the history of the school.51 The final humiliation of the precceding class was administered on the night of com- mencement when they were compelled to graduate under an ’03 flag.5 5 This auf d'etat greatly agitated the School Board.15 The present dosing year of the history of this remarkable class is so crowded with incident that mere mention of the more important events must suffice.54 Social alFairs have not been neglected.- '' extra courses have been carried by the majority of the class, internal insurrections have not been frequent and peace and prosperity has smiled on 1905.; Her representatives have held the highest offices of power, honor and respons- ibility in the school, ; they have successfully managed the football and baseball teams, assured the success of the Glee Club, Orchestra and Mandolin Club, and so directed its affairs that the deficit of the Gym- nasium Fund is now replaced by a large surplus. - Realizing that because of their superior prowess and numbers that to offer to scrap with the succeeding classes would merely mean the extermination and annihila- tion of promising candidates for the rank of Senior, the class has refrained from in any way inciting hostilities with its successors.5 The culminating event, the fitting climax to the career of the Class of 1905 consisted in the publication of that epoch-making volume, “ The Maple.”3 In so doing they established a precedent which few may dare to follow, and achieved a fame which will shimmer and shine down through the ages.31 -1 See “l a rled and Outdone, by Ni.n T. Ecnti»». Vol. II., Appendix Cf. The Last Straw, hy Van Qutshed. Final Chapter. AImj “Biters i ! the Duit, by same author. Cf. “Hour V Got Busy, . 51 The reader it referred to The Handwriting on the Wall Encvclopa-do t Fait- and Events, for 1901-190;. 3i See account of Polar Expedition, Tin- Maple, pp. lit, lift. -c “How to be a C ar at a Class Meeting, by L. Rutnelv. Chapter III Con- cerning evtra Courses, see Commencement Program. Cf. “S P , Wit ltd Wit 1 Wires, “Graft !‘Cf. Report of Treasurer, pp. ::-2j. Cf. “ The Impending Cataclysm, by O. T. FV.jr. Cf. “Sixty Nights Till One O'l , “ I Herculean Labors ot The Poor Editor l-s We, I 1 A C - 11 See Argus-Bulletin and The Herald. 13