Lawrenceville High School - Sentinel Yearbook (Lawrenceville, VA)

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Tlie Four Leaf Clover (11300 Mi 0 tor? n O me has been assigned the task of writing the Class history. This is at once useless and difficult. It is useless because the good work of this Class speaks for itself. It is difficult to rightly picture the deeds of this Class. However, it may be that I can record a few facts of its already well known history. Let us look back three years, at the beginning of the session 1907-08. The Class assembled for the first time in September 1907, with an enroll¬ ment of seventeen. ( How proud we felt, that we were in our second High School year, or the ninth grade.) Seventeen! Almost three times the number left now! We thought we knew it all then, as we were in the ninth grade. But nine months grind in Mathematics and Latin removed all such pride from our swollen heads. The English was very hard, the hours we spent over it are innumerable. Zoology was not easy, but Bot¬ any—that was the worst of all—such names that tied our tongues in hard knots trying to pronounce them. During the session two of our number dropped out, leaving fifteen to struggle on with our work. The year as a whole, was uneventful, few important events occurring. The intermediate and final examinations though, were the cause of much worry and not a little extra studying. Never-the-less, we made very good progress during the session, twelve out of the fifteen being promoted to the next grade. Thus endeth the first chapter. On the third of September 1908, the tenth grade (or the Juniors, as we wished to be called ) came together at the High School for the session of 1908-09. Some changes had occurred. Many of the old familiar faces of the preceding year were gone, and their places taken by strangers. A new teacher. Miss Smithey, of the Mathematic department, was added to our efficient and accomplished corps of teachers. The standard too had been raised from 75 to 85 per cent while examinations were not required if an average of ninety per cent was made in the subject. The raising of the standard meant harder work, but we went to work with a determination to win success. At the beginning of the session the Euzelian Literary was organized with the eleventh and tenth grades and as many of the ninth grade as wished to join, for members—twenty in all. The society was something new and rather awkward at first, but was enjoyed very much after we became accustomed to it. The debates were very pleasing, so exciting, while all of every program was enjoyed. Our class work was more difficult than the year before, on account of the standard having been raised—so difficult that one of the Class was returned to the ninth grade. Physics was exceedingly difficult, Latin was 10

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The Four Leaf Clover Now we have successfully and honorably completed the course of study prescribed in L. H. S. and our High School days are ended. This day divides, as no other has done, the past from the future of our lives. We linger here a few moments in the blended light of Memory and Hope; here we gird ourselves for the toil and conflicts that remain. We have crossed one narrow sea of life safely. The voyage we are soon to begin will only end when the heaving sea of life itself shall have been traversed and the anchor falls upon the shores of the Silent Land. Only God knoweth whether this voyage will be prosperous or disastrous, but we know that it depends upon ourselves—upon the use we make of our gifts and powers we possess—upon the ends we choose and towards which we work—upon our worthiness of aim and purposes in life—upon our fidelity to the unalterable principles of uprightness—upon our cordial love, belief and practice of the truth. This world is waiting for each one of us to come and fill our place, though it may not be exalted or conspicuous. There is not a name in this dear Class of 1910 that may be ever known in fame or be indelibly stamped on historic pages. Not one of us may ever achieve what men call greatness, but there is a greatness which each of us may surely attain, and honors which we may win. It is the burdens cheerfully borne and duty faithfully performed that makes the honor that crowns and glorifies the memory of those who help to make the world sweeter, purer, and better. “ Be then true to ourselves and to our age, our Country and to our God, true to the Country wherein we have been carefully nurtured and to the obligations imposed by the intellectual and moral culture and power that we have here received.” Bettie Short 9

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The Four Leaf Clover by no means easy, and French was begun with much trouble, especially in accent. Geometry, also, was commenced with trouble in proving the orig¬ inal propositions. The English and other studies were similar to those of the preceding year—only much more difficult and nerve-racking. While we had a hard time with our studies, the session was a pleasant one, otherwise. There were some disputes, of course, but on the whole, peace and harmony prevailed, and we came to understand each other bet¬ ter, being bound firmly by the ties of friendship. Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Easter, each brought their pleasure. The public meeting of the Literary Society just before Christmas was a very pleasant occasion. The Society, also, entertained the Emporia base ball team and visitors, during the spring at a most enjoyable evening, culminating in refreshments. Other little meetings from time to time helped to relieve the strain. The examinations too, were survived more easily than we had anticipated, some of us being excused from taking nearly all of them. ( But the final reckoning was yet to come when five of the class met with hard luck.) The first Commencement exercises were eagerly and intensely watched by our Class, because next year we knew that some of us would have to go through the same performance. The Commencement was a joyous occa¬ sion and vacation was pleasant—entirely so to six of us. Thus endeth the second chapter. September sixteenth saw six Seniors sitting solemnly sighing. School had begun and the home stretch was before us. Seniors! How great sound¬ ed that name in our ears ! How strange and unfamiliar! Six Seniors, five sweet and pretty girls and one ugly boy assembled to be the models for the whole school as our teachers often informed us. Time once more had wrought its changes. Five teachers of the faculty including the Principal were gone and new ones were in their places. Our friends, especially the boys were thinned in number and the ranks filled by new faces. Our Class too, seemed bare of the cheering voices of our five comrades of last session. The Literary Society was reorganized and the whole High School enroll¬ ment admitted as members. The class work was very hard this last time. The marvellous tales of Virgil were mysteries to our ignorant minds, and as for scanning—it was an impossibility within a mystery. French was not much less complicated. Solid Geometry was a hard proposition and Trigonometry could only be worked by a lunatic—certainly not by us. Chemistry was not the worst, but it was in no wise like unto our conception of Heaven. Bitter was His¬ tory, anythingbut Paradise, unless Paradise consists of dates and outlines. Civil Government was as dry as a law document and about as interesting. Last and worst of all came our English which was one continuous stream of II