Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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Ijiaionj of tbf OUaaa of 1913 First Spasm. When in the course of human events it came to pass, that in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and nine, and the one hundred and thirty- third year of the independence of these United States—one hundred and thirty- one insignificant, microscopic, minute, atomic and molecular microbes entered this institution of learning. These specimens of minute objects when placed upon the glass slide of Hawk’s compound microscope, took on the following appearance—very gawky, awkward, clumsy and of a peculiar greenish tint which is characteristic of things which have not yet reached a state of proficiency or excellence. We were promptly classified by the term, “Freshmen,” which, according to Webster means “novice,” and we surely were “some novices.” I expect our class was the greenest of the green for a long while. At least so said our honorable faculty, but they say that about every new class that enters so I’m afraid we cannot be known dis- tinctly by this marked characteristic. Ah, but it was a likely looking bunch tat was herded into the chapel the first morning, and I think our principal real- ized that he had some very promising material--for he read for the morning verse, “Lord, hoxc are they increased xcho trouble me.” Many things were new to us, but we learned fast and by the end of six La Ross. months we knew exactly where each room was and the name of the teacher. One thing which everyone enjoyed was the chapel period where we were told by many people that they were “tickled to death to look into our bright and smil- ing faces.” There were many prominent people who started upon this important period of their life among us. Some of these notables were: Mr. Russell E. Moss, a lad with a bright and beaming countenance, who is now at- tending school in the south; the Honor- able Ellsworth Dickson and Russell Hamilton who are now engaged in put- ting squeaks in shoes in the local fac- tories; Fletcher Lewis, who is in Cleve- land, showing folks how bright a minis- ter’s son is; Clarence Schneider, who is at present putting the “Ham” in Hamil- ton : Porter Kauffman, Fortune Em- bich, Irma Crossen, Lucille Fortier, Helen IIrazee, Rosalind Weiss and many other distinguished or extinguished per- sonages. The faculty at this time consisted of ten able and proficient instructors, namely, W. C. Brasharcs, principal and mathematics; M iss Davidson, History; Mr. Thomas, German; Miss Curtiss, Latin; Miss Thomas, English; Miss Perfect, English; Mr. Hawk, Science; Miss Musser, German; Mr. McCracken Mathematics; Miss McCIccry, Science, all under the careful guidance of our ex- cellent superintendent, Mr. Cassidy. Xothing of importance occurred out- 18

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r it, fearless of the opinion of the world. He lmd great strength of character; all the honestv, loyalty, and industry, which he possessed as a boy and a young man, he firmly held all through life. Lincoln was a gentle man, mild, un- boasting, always ready to uphold the right, not a commanding, grasping and bold Napoleon: consider this man tak- ing on his own shoulders the responsi- bility for the freeing of four million slaves, and you may know something of the great and noble character concealed within such a plan and humble exterior. If Washington was the great founder and father of his country, Lincoln was the preserver of that same country. Lincoln’s name is second only to Wash- ington’s in the history of the United States. Washington as commander-in- chief, marched the colonial armies to glorious victory, and, as president, formed the remnants left after the war into the beginning of a great republic, but certainly the achievements of Lin- coln while he was president of our nation greatly excelled the deeds of Washing- ton while holding the same high office. Therefore give to Washington all honor as the father of his country, but let all glory go to Abraham Lincoln, our greatest president. illy Su'Iuuil The words, “my school,” have a dif- ferent meaning to each one of us. To some, they bring memories of the teach- ers, while to others, they mean the atmos- phere created by both teacher and stu- dent called “school life.” Even the latter is interrupted in various ways. “Oh,” one will say, when asked about his school, “We have ever so much fun. Why, I never study; I just manage to get through, somehow.” Another says, “School is pure drudgery. Why do I go? Because mv parents send me, and I want good grades, I suppose.” But to me, “my school” has a differ- ent meaning. Instead of a continual holiday, or a dull uninteresting place, it is the means by which each one of us is prepared for the bigger things of life. Our minds are broadened, and our power of initiative strengthened. We do not attend school because the teach- ers enjoy grading our oft-times faulty work, but because the contact with them will send us into the world, con- scious of greater power which has been developed in us. Thus, geometry and algebra strength- en our reasoning faculties. History and the languages give us a knowledge of other people, their laws, languages and customs. But it is to our English course that we really owe the most. Be- sides giving us a working knowledge of our language, it brings our minds into touch with the master minds of litera- ture,—those whose wonderful thoughts and conceptions of life have come down through the years to us. It broadens our sympathies, and gives us an appre- ciation of all that is beautiful, true, and good. So, to embrace all our opportunities, to broaden and sweeten our natures, to get the most out of our school life,— this is the ideal meaning of “my school.” 17

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side of exams until January 26, 1910, when the Longfellow Literary society was formed by pupils of M r. McCracken's room. The membership was limited at first to those sitting in this room but was later extended to include all freshics. We had our own orchestra and had for honorary members, Miss Alice M. Long- fellow daughter of the poet, and Messrs. Cassidy, Brashares and McCracken. This was an important organization for our class because it trained us in many ways for future occasions, such as this. And it is for the untiring effort for our own interest and welfare that we as a class owe a debt of gratitude to our friend, Mr. McCracken. At the close of this year he left our midst to enter school at Harvard Uni- versity. He is now Dean of the Nor- mal School, Ohio Northern university, at Ada, Ohio. A sad occasion which marks our his- tory was the death May sixth, of one of our classmates, John Lawrence. He was a member of the Literary society, and there as everywhere else, he was a willing worker. Our first public appearance came May twentieth when the members of the Literary society gave an entertainment for their friends. It is the end of the year and our ranks are somewhat thinned—only 106 stand- ing by the ship. Skcoxd Spasm. Ah, it was with heads higher, eyes to the front and firm tread that we again marched up Mulberry street to the lit- tle red school house on the hill. Mv fair reader may wonder at this show of calm indifference and bold front, but the answer to this perplexing question is simple: 19 We were Sophomores!!! When we assembled and called the roll, only 79 responded. There were many who had dropped behind or had been summoned to other fields. This year’s history is uneventful to a great extent. Our class proved itself wise indeed, as it has on many occasions since, in that it did not attempt to or- ganize, but put off this great and awe- inspiring event to the distant future when we should be Juniors, and for the time lived upon anticipation. Our faculty had changed scenery, though. In McCracken's place there came to us one—Mr. Scarborough—a man as big as his name,—from East Liverpool, Ohio. Of course he had been here before and had seen what sweet girls we had in Lancaster. After captur- ing one he went away but in the mean- time he had been captured by this burg and now came to help us with his vast store of knowledge in solving the depths and mysteries of algebraic equations and geometrical angles. Also Miss Thomas and Miss Musser withdrew from our august company for foreign fields. Miss Thomas is now teaching the stu- dents of Newark High school their A-B-Cs, while Miss Musser is down in New Mexico among the rattlesnakes and sagebrush teaching cowboys “ c , mein- cr, mir. michor probably looking into some bronzed plainsman’s face and mur- muring “ «• hist w e vine Bln me!” At the end of the second round we were still struggling along, but only fifty-one strong. Third Spasm. And now opens the beginning of the most eventful and real period of our class life. But before we proceed further let us study our surroundings.