Manchester High School - Somanhis Yearbook (Manchester, CT)

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SOMANHIS EVENTS ray ¥, oat -— AV RIN ANA NANG ZN WN VANVAl | SIN SENIOR CLASS

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SOMAN HIS. BVEN TS 21 IVY ORATION Friends: As we, the class of 1925, gather here this afternoon, there is a feeling of mingled joy and sorrow that grips our hearts. In a few short days we shall sever all active connections with this beloved S. M. H. S. Only memories of the four eventful years we have spent here and the sym- bolism of this ivy will bind us to our Alma Mater. During our years in S. M. H. S. both as a class and individually we can now see in what respects we fell short of the mark. To you who still remain, the Senior Class gives these words of counsel, the result of experience. Do not forget the primary academic purpose of your bei ng in High School so that when you stand in this place, as we do now, you will have no regret. For four years the Class of ’25 has endeavored to uphold and raise the standards of S. M. H. S. in its academic work, its social organizations, and its athletics. The Debating Club has had a most successful season in again winning the Danaher Cup. The worth of the Dramatic Club was shown in the successful production of “Green Stockings”. The Hi-Y, which has for its purpose the development of Christian character, has had one of its most successful years. The Student Council, which has developed democracy in our school, proves to be a distinct asset. “Somanhis Events” has during the past few years improved until now it is one of the leading High School Publications in the East. The “Pro Merito” and the “Carpe Diem Sodalitas” Clubs have been inaugurated this year, showing that the under classes have the right spirit. The success the athletic teams have experienced during the past year, is very commendable. Our second year of football was a marked improvement over the first. Our championship basketbal! team was undoubt- edly one of the best in New England. Our baseball team has been the most successful one that we have had in many years. Our Track Team has been of the highest calibre in the state, as was also our Tennis Team. Freshmen: ‘The spirit your class has shown this year is splendid. The number of honor pupils from your class shows that you are interested in school work. Keep it up and when you are Seniors you will reap the benefit of your early. efforts. Sophomores: The school has appreciated your fine spirit this year. Next year you will be upper classmen; be prepared to do your duty as such. Try out for the teams; if you do not participate, give your most earnest and loyal support to all S. M. H. S. activities. As Juniors see to it that S. M. H. S. will be proud of the class of 27. Juniors: From now until next Commencement you will have the honor of bearing the Senior responsibilities. Yours will be the duty of leading all activities of S. M. H.S. “Somanhis Events” will be practically yours; sub- scribe to it; contribute to it; and help it maintain the reputation it now en- joys. The Debating Club will be almost entirely yours. We must win that Danaher Cup next year; one more victorious debating team and the cup is ours! The largest share of athletic activities will fall on you; continue your good work with renewed vigor. The Alumni look to you as a class to main- tain the honor, the reputation, the scholarship, and the athletic standards of bo a A Rec Classmates: With the presentation of this trowel to the Junior class we hereby resign all Senior duties and honors to the class of 26. As we will soon join the ranks of the Alumni, it is now our time to pay full-tribute to and bind ourselves to South Manchester High School. With this tribute in view we have planted this afternoon the ivy, the ivy—a symbol of growth, expan- sion, and loyalty. Classmates, the ivy and the spirit of ‘25 challenge us to go forward and to strive to the very best of our ability to continue faithful to the spirit of S. M. H. S., and thus be a credit and pride to our friends, our homes, and our Alma Mater. Sherwood R. Mercer ’25.

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SOMANHIS EVENTS 25 MODERN MAGAZINES No other country in the world has such an array of periodicals as America. There are magazines to appeal to every individual taste and hobby. Different types of people naturally demand different types of magazines. A business man looks forward with interest to the arrival of his particular business journal; the farmer peruses every issue of the agricultural journals in order to follow each step in the development of good farming; the housewife is delighted when, in scanning the pages of the latest issue of her favorite ladies’ magazine, she discovers a new recipe for making pudding, a new crocheting pattern, or a new device for simplifying her housework. Then there are the news magazines which are of interest to all those who wish to follow the important events of the day. These have become very popular because of their independent discussion of a wide range of subjects dealing with current affairs. By far the most widely circulated news magazines are: “The Out- look,” “The Literary Digest,’ “The Independent,” and “The Weekly Re- view.” “The Ladies’ Home Journal,” “The Saturday Evening Post,” and “The American Magazine” are typical of the most popular periodicals for leisure reading. “Harper’s Magazine,” “Vhe Atlantic Monthly,” and “Scribner's,” represent the best of our literary magazines. “The Scientific American,” though not so generally read, has its appeal for the many inter- ested in science. Magazines published entirely for entertainment are becom- ing more and more popular. “Puck” was for many years the most popular comic magazine, but it has recently been discontinued, leaving the field to “Judge” and “Life.” Almost all of these magazines have grown from small unrecognized publications to popular, widely circulated periodicals. “The Saturday Evening Post” was established in 1728 by Samuel Keimer, Benjamin Franklin’s first employer. It was originally named, “The Universal Instructor in All Arts and Sciences, and Pennsylvania Gazette.” When one year later Benjamin Franklin became the owner of it, he changed the name to “The Pennsylvania Gazette.” Despite many advers ities it existed under this title until 1821 when the name was again changed, this time to “The Saturday Evening Post.” Through the enthusiasm of the new owners and editors, the magazine was able to boast, in 1827, of a circulation of more than 7,000 copies weekly. But when in 1899 its fortunes began to decline, Cyrus Curtis of the Curtis Publishing Company took over this unimportant periodical at its lowest ebb. By persistent effort, he made it what it is today, one of the most popular and most widely circulated periodi- cals in the world. Its development illustrates the most spectacular growth of a periodical in the history of America. Its distribution has for several years reached 2,000,000 copies a week. It has been necessary to limit the output to prevent its circulation from reaching an unmanageable figure. “The Ladies’ Home Journal” and “The Country Gentleman” are other examples of what Cyrus Curtis has accomplished with periodicals. ‘The Ladies’ Home Journal” consisted originally of only a few columns on domes- tic life which appeared in a back section of one of Mr. Curtis’ magazines. Mr. Curtis, with the aid of clippings from other periodicals, compiled these rather unimportant columns himself. Mrs. Curtis thought some of the material very absurd and often jested with her husband about it. One day, as a result of having his rather poor attempts at writing a woman’s column ridiculed, he turned to his wife with, “If you think you can do any better, why don’t you write it yourself?” Mrs, Curtis, spurred on by this remark, took over the writing of the columns which, under her head, became so popular that it was established as a separate edition. The publishers, on printing the first edition, asked Mr. Curtis what he wished it to be named. He answered casually, “Oh, call it anything; it’s a sort of a ladies’ journal.”