Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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(Class Prnpljfry By Earl C. Gray. The fatigue of a day's burdens which included a grammar lesson in Fourth English, a German quiz, a recitation in United States History and a celebrated lecture on electricity by Mr. Hawk, as well as chorus and gym practice, caused me to seek rest in a large arm-chair. There I sat exploring the pages of a Greek mythology, thinking how credu- lous those ancient Greeks must have been to have believed those marvelous, inconceivable tales of dragons, mer- maids, gods and goddesses. Suddenly 1 realized that I was fast becoming the victim of the Goddess of Sleep, who, together with her able assist- ant the Sand-man, is irresistible. My muscles slowly relaxed and my eyes wandered away from the pages of the book and slowly closed. Then I was suddenly transported to the scenes of the mythology. The pictures had be- come real. I was standing in front of the Delphian oracle of ancient fame and superstitiously gazing at its splendor. Tt occurred to me that I ought to visit mv old idol, the God of the Future, whose acquaintance and good will I had sought in many dreams and whose resi- dence was within the oracle. Ascending the stone steps, I pushed a button at one side of the door. Imme- diately a huge mechanical arm reached out, grabbed me and pulled me inside, removed coat and hat, and stood my cane in the rack. I was somewhat sur- prised to find this ancient building equipped with such mechanical apparatus 22 and I was also embarrassed at seeing no human being. But, assuming a very dignified air, I passed inside the first open door. Here was a magnificently furnished room, American style, with por- traits on the wall including those of such notables as Jimmy Hawk surround- ed by a few Ilawklets, all with the high forehead and intelligent look of the pro- fessor, Herr Thomas, with bearded face, now the President of Ohio State univer- sity; and last but not least, our belov- ed “Billie.” Seated at a magnificent polished ta- ble was the god, reading a copy of the 1913 Mirage. He rose to greet me as I entered and ushered me to a comforta- ble chair by the table. I found him to be as good-natured as Prugh, as bash- ful as Hickson and as willing to do as Jimmy Bloom. Our conversation grad- ually drifted to school topics in which he showed a great interest. Question after question flung at him was answered and at last I asked him the whereabouts of my school-mates, the members of the Class of 1913. He said that he could show me in as little time as it would take to tell it. Pressing a button under the table, he produced an aeroplane ready for flight. Another button was pressed and the roof above opened as if on hinges. We climbed into the machine and were off. Everything was done on the lightning scale and we soon bade farewell to the plains of Greece to sail over Austria- IIungarv and then to the Alps. On one

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dent; Marie Renshaw, vice president; Helen Wolfe, secretary; “Kenny” My- ers, treasurer, and “Bugger” Gray, bus- iness manager, and we launched the good ship “Thirteen” upon the last leg of her voyage. There were several new ones among the passengers, some of whom were: the Hon. Clayton Burnett, who thought it would be much Sharpe-r to wait for Ruth; Helen Sharpe and Winifred Abelc from last year’s class, who thought it would be much better to grad- uate with us, Nina Weiland, Margaret l'ink and James Reid from St. Mary’s High school; John Kmde and Lewis Buell from dear old Sugar Town. We lost a good shipmate in “Fat” Trout, who has aspirations of becoming a great railroad magnet. There was one great responsibility which now rested upon our shoulders— the school annual, The Mirage, and it devolved upon us to make it the biggest show yet produced under the skylights of I.. H. S. Ten big shows and a laboratory com- bined under one roof, including a mam- moth menagerie of all wild animals from a “Lamb” to a “Hawk.” The managership was put upon the broad shoulders of Mary Emily Feet, and the position of chief ticket seller was presented to “Wally” Barr. This year exams at the mid-years de- termined who were to continue as mem- bers of the crew of old “Thirteen.” But, sad to relate, several who had stuck by the colors were engulfed by the tidal wave which swept our decks. Our third appearance in the public eye occurred February 7 in presenting the college drama, “Thompson of the Varsityin the development of which, as also in the former play we owe a great deal to the efficient assistance of M iss Prudentia St rete. And now the log of old “Thirteen” must close as the good shop is nearing port. I hear a voice from the lookout call- ing “Land ahead,”—and out of the mists slowly unfolds the harbor of “Graduation,” and beyond the fertile fields of “Opportunity” and the busy city of “Industry,” in the beautiful land of “Life.” And after each one of this faithful crew was received his passports at Com- inencent and set out on his path in this wonderful country of “Life,” I’m sure everyone will cherish fond remembrances of experiences and associations while a student in old L. H. S., and a member of the crew of the good old ship: 1913 21

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of the highest peaks we stopped at a ho- tel to find our quiet and ever busy ones, Lewis Buell and Clement Corwin as joint proprietors doing well and satisfied. Passing over the land of sunny Italy our craft reached Rome where we found our noisy, ever busy, many-sided Corl La- Ross, making duplicates of many pieces of statuary for which he had become famous. He was hard at his task and I did not interrupt him but went north again to Venice, the city of canals to find Pearce Wright now a Morgan in wealth, seated in a gondola with Bernice, taking in the sights. On we sailed into Germany. Here in Munich I found our efficient musicians, James Reid and Priscilla Whiley pur- suing their musical course under the best of teachers. In Cologne I found Harry Kern, the owner of a large perfume fac- tory. Bernicce Brodrick had become the victim of Cupid’s darts and was now living with her husband, the Duke of Pretzelburg, in a beautiful castle on the famous River Rhine. My attention was now called to Ber- lin where our Bremen representative, Harold Driver, was serving in the ca- pacity of Ambassador to Germany. Leaving Germany, we were ushered into France where I found our beauties, Marjorie Pierce and Margaret Fink cutting quite a figure in Paris society circles. We journeyed to London to find Carl Reed and wife, formerly Clara Kirn, the former being ambassador to England and the latter having become famous by the writing of the song enti- tled “When Susan Sings Sweet Songs in Sunday School.” The Atlantic crossed, we reached New York, where I found Clayton Burnett as the customs collector. He and his wife nee Ruth Sharp resided in a mansion on Fifth avenue and held a high place in society. 23 In Washington, upon visiting the Senate Chamber, I saw Gordon Morris and Clarence Myers debating on the right of a man to kiss his wife in public. Of course Gordon, who had always been contrary, took the negative, but he cer- tainly did not have strong convictions as to being on the right side. I was sur- prised when visiting the House of Rep- resentatives to find among the leading members Maria Swope and Marie Ren- shaw. I was told that Maria was re- sponsible for national woman’s suf- frage and her success was due to her matchless oratory which completely cap- tivated all hearers. Marie had also won fame as the author of a book entitled: “Fools I Have Met,” which was dedicat- ed to James Hawk. Journeying on to Pittsburg I found Wallace Barr managing the steel indus- try which, since Andrew Carnegie’s death, had been entrusted to him. Wal- lace had always taken to such tasks so I was not surprised at his success. In Cleveland, Anna Lou Hyde was musical instructor, having won fame as a vocal- ist. In Columbus Edna Miller the her- oine of many a Lab. explosion, was the head of a Society for Research, and Har- old Barnhill, her once timid compan- ion, was the owner of a fifteen-story structure known as Hotel Buckeye which contained all modern improvements in- cluding electric baths, self-made beds, tipless waiters and mechanical shoe-but- toners. Turning southward, we came to Lan- caster. My! how it had changed! On the Fountain Square stood a large Y. W. C. A. building now under the man- agement of Elizabeth Shaw whose pleas- ure was to make everyone around her happy. Across the street was the home of the Y. M. C. A. which now had a membership of more than two thousand, due to the hard work of Carl Smoot