Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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Class $ropfjcSjt Hv Howard Wilson After graduation in ‘14, I entered the Curtiss Aviation School to train for the aviation department of the White Star Line. When I had spent four years at the school 1 was given command of a large trans-atlantic aeroplane. I made many successful voyages to Europe, but in the year 1925 while on a voyage from New York to London, I encountered a heavy storm and the aeroplane was wrecked. All the passengers and crew except myself were drowned. Clinging to a bit of framework, drifting aimless- ly about the ocean for many days, I fin- ally landed on a small island in mid- ocean. Here I managed to subsist on the berries and fruits which grew on the island. After four years of isolation I was picked up by a huge liner. When I was once on board I was given some clothes to take the place of the tattered rags which I wore. I ate a hearty meal after which I sauntered up to the upper deck, intending to take a little stroll but I had not gone ten paces before one of the deck-hands tapped me on the shoulder and informed me that the Cap- tain wished to speak to me. I followed the man to the bridge, where the Cap- tain stood. Something in the poise of the man seemed strangely familar as he stood there looking out to sea. When he turned and faced me. I received one of the greatest surprises of my life, for the Captain was none other than Allen Silbaugh. After much questioning I found that Allan had decided to put his training received at Buckeye Lake into practical use, and had secured a position on a big steamship. After many years of service he was promoted to the posi- tion which he now held. With him on this voyage was his wife, formerly Flor- ence Hughes. Allen invited me to have dinner with him that evening, saying that he had a surprise for me. The af- ternoon passed and the time for dinner was at hand. When I went to the Cap- tain’s table I was indeed surprised, for there sat Flora Mercer, who was return- ing from a concert tour on the conti- nent. She imformed me that she had appeared before all the crowned heads of Europe. With her was her manager Paul Sexauer. Paul had attained fame by the publication of his latest song hit, entitled, “Why Don’t You Marry Me Now?” After several days the ship reached New York. Here I reported at headquarters, and received a three months vacation, and my back pay. After purchasing some new clothes I walked down town. Stopping before a big store in the heart of the business district, I noticed a sign hanging above the entrance. It said, “Abbot and Com- pany, Wholesale and Retail Shoe Deal- ers”. The name was familar to me, so I walked in and asked to see the pro- prietor. I was shown to a large office and there in a big leather chair sat Hack Abbot. Hack was surprised to see me, and in the course of our conversa- tion, he informed me that Lillian would be down in a short time and wanted me to wait, but I was in a hurry and had to leave him. As I walked down lower Broadway I saw another sign before a large theater. The sign informed me that “Hazel Wadsworth Appears To- night in the Greatest Show of the Sea- son !” Of course I immediately made inquiries at the box office, and by means

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Slips one more year into silence; Has the Junior year departed To be gone from them forever. Chieftans On the hill of old Mulberry, At the towering red-brick school house, At the door way of the school house, In the pleasant autumn morning, Al the teachers stood and waited, Waited full of expectation, Till the Seniors in their glory, Till the great and mighty Seniors, Came; and to them thus the teachers, All the Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen, Spake, and bade them hearty welcome; “It is well,” they said, “Oh Seniors”, That you come again among us. All our school in peace awaits you, All our rooms stand open for you, You shall enter any classroom, For the heart’s right-hand we give you ! Then the Seniors answered saying, “We have listened to your welcome, We have heard your words of kindness, We will think on what you tell us.” So they organized, those Seniors, Organized, and for their leader, Did they choose that same tall class-mate, Who had been their Junior chief tan, Many were their feats of valor, But among them all, the greatest That which set the town a-wondering, That which made the High School tremble, At the daring of these Seniors, Was the great November Carnival; Happy were these active Seniors When success had crowned their efforts, When success had lighted boldly On ‘1 4’s glorious banner. After the unheard of coldness, The intolerable Winter, Came the Spring with all it’s splendors, All its birds and all its blossoms, And again ‘14’s fair banner Hung above the glimmering footlights. This year was their play “The Sophomore”, And the play won fame and honor. Won extended fame and honor, For ‘14’s dramatic art. But at last arose the Seniors, From the class-rooms rose the Seniors, Bade farewell to all their teachers, To the Juniors, Sophomores, Freshmen, Bade farewell, and spake in this wise. To those whom they left behind them; “We are going, oh dear people, On a long and distant journey. To the land of Life we travel, To the unknown Land before us. Many moons and many winters Will have come and will have vanished. When we finally reach our purpose In the Land of the Hereafter.”

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of a few green backs managed to get be- hind the scenes. I stopped before a door bearing the word “Star” and knocked. A voice bade me enter, and doing so I beheld my old friend “Peg”. We were glad to see each other, and questions flew thick and fast. I found out that “Dutch” Wetzel was the leading man in this same show, but as it was a full hour before the matinee he was not at the theater. “Peg” said he was still single. I had been there only a few minutes when in strolled Walter Graf. Graf was the manager of the show, and said he had as many worries as he did when he was connected with the drama in High School. After a pleasant chat with these old friends I wended my way to the Waldorf-Astoria. As I was about to enter the lobby, a big limousine dash- ed up. The occupants alighted. They were none other than J. Marion Shellen- berger and Mary Ellen Radcbaugh. J. Marion was the owner of a large pub- lishing house which made a specialty of publishing High School and College an- nuals. Shelly said he had systematized things so that the worries of the business managers were entirely eliminated. Mary Ellen had just published her book entitled “Some Old Sweethearts of Mine”, The book contained 1,000 pag- es, and was said to be a great success. Mary Ellen was still unmarried how- ever owing to the fact that she was un- able to decide which one she liked best. I spent the remainder of the day with these two, and was indeed sorry to leave them. Hut I was obliged to bid them farewell at twelve o’clock, as I was leaving New York at 3 P. M. by way of the Pennsylvania lines, bound for dear old Lancaster. In two days I reached the town. The first person I met was Walter Plinke who had achieved fame as a teacher of German. “Plinke” was the author of a book, which if read once, would leave the reader with a complete knowledge of the German language. Walter said that there was a big reception that night at the club house built by the class of ‘14, and invited me to attend. Nothing loath, I accepted. That night as I entered the hall, I was greeted by a reception committee composed of Ferd Bright, 'Martin Wal- ker, Lucille Stout and Xeita Elder. Ferd said he was the owner of a large farm north of town, where he was raising a new seedless variety of watermelon. Martin Walker had married, and was the proprietor of an automobile factory. Lucille Stout was home for a short visit, having been touring the country for several months giving her famous lec- ture, “The Vulgarities of Ragtime Music”. Xeita had married a member of the class of ’13 and was giving music lessons in her spare moments. She said that Lelah Proxmire was married also but at the present time she was touring the South with a noted concert company. Proceeding into the big library I found Dan Shunting, who was the man- ager of a wholesale produce company. Dan’s firm were the distributing agents for Ferd Bright’s watermelons. While I was talking with Dan, in walked Vir- ginia Blackman. Virginia was the art editor of the Cosmopolitan Magazine, and had come home in order to attend this reception. She told me that Ruby Miskell had surprised them all by going on the stage, where she had become fa- mous in certain classical roles. Upon further inquires I found that Mary Et- ta Allen, like Xeita Elder, had married a member of the class of ’13 and was living in Chicago. And worse yet, Anna Troxel had been elected mayor of Rock-