Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - Mohawk Yearbook (North Adams, MA)

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come back in September to carry on your work, yrnuany things to remember. Always have upper- 'R r mind the children whom you are teaching. Do 5. 50,-:id to attack new things with a determination to . '11 surely be successful. nd you that behind all your trials and triumphs is the Power always inspiring you with high ideals of gnd truth. .lladcline Tracy '23 1Rcsponsc to the Seniors DEAR Seniors: For weeks and even months now you have been look- in forward eagerly to your Commencement. We, too, are npr for that great event but underneath that desire we are wondering what we shall do without you. Much of the social and athletic success of our Junior Class has been due to your helpfulness and your love. What would our Hallowe'en party have been without you to guide us and to add to the merriment? We never shall forget the feeling which you created of our belonging to one big family. Because of this feeling we have been inspired to do our very best. We have had many never-to-be-forgotten good times to- gether. May there be many more in the years to come. Who of us that went will ever forget the trips to Albany, Greylock, Whitcomb's Summit and many other such places? Not only these hikes, but the many parties and contests, in which we have taken part together, will be among our cher- ished memories in the future. Seniors, you are to be congratulated on the way you worked to make your vision of a trip to Washington a real- ity. May you as courageously and persistently overcome all obstacles. Indeed, the class of '24 hopes that in everything you attempt, whatever line of work you undertake, you may have the very best of good fortune. Today our one wish is that you might be here to welcome us this coming autumn as you were last September. How- ever, as the same good thing very seldom happens twice, we must be content to take your places and do our best for the coming Juniors. We are all obliged to admit that the class of '23 is very very brilliant. However, just remember that when we had our Senior-Junior Debate. the Juniors proved very force- fully that No Japanese should be allowed to come to this country and live. Again, we all acknowledge how athletic you are and you won a great many basketball games, this Winter. Nevertheless, when it came to playing the Mark Hopkins eighth grade girls, it fell to the Juniors to uphold the honor of the school. If we don't get the ice cream we plan on after our Glee Club Concert, would it be all right to have a midmight feed and sing Coming down from Bangor or some such charm- ing song? Don't fear for the reputation cf the third floor next year. We will all be so angelic that r.o one will ever know there third floor! None of us will do anything worse than prac- tice for the broad or high jumps at ten-thirty or eleven 0'clock while the poor innocents under us are trying to get a little beauty sleep! Your one aim this year has been to perfect yourselves in the art of teaching. You have striven hard in your work and have proven yourselves capable of doing much that is fine and good. THE AXIS 21 I am prophesying that a few years from now there will be ten superintendents, six principals, several members of the State Board of Education and many, many wonderful teach- ers all belonging to the class of '23. When you have at- tained these great heights, rentember once in a while that the class of '24 is just one short year behind you. Kalhcrine Kimball 'Z-I Glass Stung TUNE: Dana When we were within your walls How little knew we e'er How dear to hearts you would become, Your mem'ries leave us ne'er. But now we are a-leaving you, And though the wide we roam, The dear old halls of Normal Call us home. The dear old halls of Normal Call us home. The blue and gold of memories, With just a glint of tears, And happiness and laughter gay, Throughout our two short years. And though we wander far from here, Our hearts will cross the foam, When dear old halls of Normal Call us home. When dear old halls of Normal Call us home. Elizabeth C. Cooke tlnp Gratinn A rlcrinly plant is thc icy green. In choosing an emblem, by which we may be encouraged on our way over the winding, beckoning path of life stretch- ing before us, to conquer the trials awaiting us there, we too have followed the time honored custom of selecting the ivy. Gentle and firm, its symbolic ideals have withstood the test of the ages, surmounted the attack of fake ideals and vain ambitions, which so often try to crush out the worthy standards of life. Untarnished still it stands for Victory. Along its way, gracefully and confidently advancing its slender strength, reaching on to higher steeps, its delicate frosty beauty is enhanced by the glory of its achievements. Alone, unaided, it climbs on, extending its tendrils in a broadening mantle of sheltering friendliness for the smaller wayfarers. l With us, we are taking many treasured memories tinged with a bit of sadness that shadows, for There is something in our Normal Sets the class spirit astir. We must rise and follow her When from every hill and lane She calls and calls Each classmate by her name. Today, as we hesitate in starting the new stretch of our roadway, reluctant to part, yet anxious to test our strength, let the ivy- so entwine its character with ours that we may go forth unafraid and steadfastly cling to the ideals which it embodies. And let us with Robert.Browning sing:

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20 THE AXIS. QDDFCSS of UHCICOITIC PARENTS, Teachers, Classmates, Friends-The class of 1923 extends to you a most cordial welcome on this occasion which brings with it commingled feelings of joy and sadness: joy, because we have reached the goal for which we have so long been striving: sadness, because of the severing of long and intimate companionships. During the exercises of this afternoon, I bid you listen to our chosen representatives as they project before us the various pictures of our Normal School life or as they prophesy of the far distant future. To the participation of such scenes the class of 1923 bids its friends welcome. In these two years we have learned to know and value one another: we have formed the unrivaled friendships of school life: also we have shared our pleasures beneath these poplars and together we have read to the end of long chapters of opportunities. I can wish nothing higher or happier for us than that through our lives, in joy and sorrow, in brightest sunshine and deepest shadow, there may remain with us the consci- ousness of duty well performed. We have reached the goal towards which we have been striving here at Normal and must now enter upon the greater field of life which lies stretched before us. We must cast away the actual privi- leges and pleasures of our Normal School only to hold them with the firm grasp of our memories. Our equipment is good, our armor strong, so let us meet our worldly battles face to face, remembering that a nation looks to her schools for girls of intellectual and spiritual leadership. We go forth as members of a large family, to meet again when occasion offers, ready always to help one another and never forgetting to honor our Alma Mater. We want to carry sunshine out into the big world. Even at this time we do not wish to darken life by sad thoughts because we know the memories of our school days will brighten our future. The girl with a high aim and firm purpose, with unselfish ambition and longing for the ideal, knows no failure or de- feat. For her and for her alone, all the experiences of life combine to prove the way to further achievement. For she knows full well, that she,- Who puts back into place a fallen bar, Or flings a rock out of a traveled road, Her feet are moving toward the central star, Her name is whispered in the God's abode. There are those before us who hold especial claims upon our gratitude. Those who have helped us to see the truth so beautifully expressed in Edwin Markham's ode To Young American: I In spite of the stare of the wise and the world's derision, Dare travel the star-blazed road, dare follow the Vision. It breaks as a hush on the soul in the wonder of youth, And the lyrical dream of the girl is the knightly truth. The world is a vapor, and only the Vision is real- Yea, nothing can hold against Hell but the Winged Ideal. Mr. Smith and members of the Faculty, we thank you for your care and for thc interest you have taken in the welfare of those who come here each year to your kind oversight, and we want you to believe that we will ever cherish in our hearts the thought that to a great extent it is to you we owe the inspiration we have gained and the privileges we have en- joyed-the privileges of fitting ourselves for the noble and honored profession which we are about to enter. We thank you for the sacrifices you have made for us: for the life and labor that you have embodied in your teaching. We cannot repay you, and promises are empty forms, but we trust, we know, that our lives, that every one of our lives, will be cen- ters of greater influences for good for having been taught by you. Friends-the events of this day and of the past school days are to be long remembered and recalled with pleasure and now in the name of my class, whose representative I am proud to be, I bid you welcome and hope you will thoroughly enjoy the program which we have prepared. Hvlrn OHV: ill QUUFCS5 to the 3uninr5 DEAR Friends, Faculty, Classmates and Juniors: Today marks a mile-stone on our steady climb up- ward. Just beyond the horizon we see the beacon light of service encouraging us to go on. Yet, as we have worked together, helped each other over the rough places and laughed merrily on the smooth roads. what close friendships have been woven. Today before answering the beckoning light, we pause to realize that we must leave you who are so dear to us. We have attained our goal because you have been loyal and helpful as we have striven onward. Be as- sured we shall keep you ever in our most precious thoughts. Members of the faculty, your efforts have been endless in fitting us to be guides to young America. You have im- planted within us high hopes and aspirations and we will endeavor to fulfill your expectations. Our wish is that we may be able to go out into the broad educational field and carry on the ideals of loyalty, helpful- ness and service which you have so faithfully set before us. We, as Seniors, have made many mistakes. It hardly seems necessary to give you Juniors who have porved so fine in this year's work, a bit of advice. Yet, perhaps in the coming year, as Seniors, you will meet unexpected diffi- culties. In behalf of the class of '23, I bestow these bits of counsel upon you: First, to the girls in Taconic Hall: Don't plan too much upon having ice cream after your Glee Club Concert. You may be disappointed. If you stay out of class, report to Mrs. Van. It's wisest. When superintendents come to interview you, wash your faces. Mr. Smith told us to. When you wear knickers, keep off -Main Street. Try to restore the reputation of third floor. It has suf- fered greatly of late. Do not fall ou of bed at twelve o'clock at night. Be loyal to your House President and council members. To the Home girls: Gym class is for you girls as well as Taconic Hall girls. Miss Lamphier's room is not the place for a boxing match. Don't dance in the Taconic Hall social room during lunch hour. Buy a supply of cosmetics and leave it in the cloak room so that fewer will be tardy to classes. To all you Juniors: We came here with a great aim in view. Each day in our dear Alma Mater brought forth new prob ems for us to face. The solution of these problems has expanded our wisdom and knowledge. Today we feel fitted to go out, not to conquer the world, but to continue and steadily broaden our educa- tion. t

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22 THE AXIS Then welcome each rebufi' That turns earth's smoothness rough, Each sting that bids, nor sit nor stand, but go. Be our joys three part pain: Strive, hold cheap the strain. Learn nor account the pang. Dare, never grudge the three. Elizabefh Dunphy ling Eong - Tune: Voices QfEz'c1z ing Now that we are leaving Normal Our hearts are filled with memories dear, Our voices join in songs of praises For Alma Mater in the coming year. As a token of our love, dear Normal, W'e plant this clinging ivy vine, A symbol of our life devotion To deck these dear old walls of thine. Climb, O Ivy, strong and steady, May nothing mar your progress true, Protect and guard our dear old Normal, i We leave the future years to you. R. Agan '23 K. .lfclfahon '33 3unior Qlilase ibistorp In answer to the call of America for more experienced teachers to prepare her future citizens,fifty-fourjolly but timid girls entered the halls of North Adams Normal School in the fall of nineteen twenty-one. These fifty-four mem- bers made up the class of nineteen twenty-three. Each realized to a moderate extent that she had a great task, a great duty, before her. Early in our career we be- came aware that we knew far less than we had credited ourselves with knowing, that in Miss Lamphier's class es- pecially, accuracy was not only helpful but necessaryg that we could sing solos even though we thought we couldn't and that the class of nineteen twenty-three had few artists in its midst. We were also warned that although the Sen- iors were few in number they were exceedingly precious. After the first days of our sudden awakening we were in- formed that the faculty, in view of the fact that Mr. Smith had become our new principal, had planned a house warm- ing in his honor, and we were invited to help make this event a success. We do not know about the surprise of the party, but we do know that all concerned spent an enjoy- able evening at Mr. Smith's home. Shortly after, we were socially received by the members of the faculty and the Senior class at the annual Junior Reception. On this occasion we discovered two inter- esting and welcome facts. The first was that the Seniors were as fun loving as we, while the second was that Miss Skeele was a friend to drive away the gloomy hours, which fact became known when she gave her demonstration waltz with the broom. We had often heard that this or that m-an was a stick but we had never tried this substi- tute for dancing partners. If for any reason your man can't come to the next dance don't feel too bad, just try Miss Skeele's suggestion. Then, the business activities of our class began A meeting of its members installed, Miss Madeline Tracy as its president, Miss Irene Messier as its vice-president, Miss Florence Mack as its secretary and Miss Ruth Nesbit as its treasurer. Some of us received invitations from the Seniors to become members of the Glee Club. It was with fear in our hearts and voices that we attended its first meetings. The last of October we were told that the first of aseries of four Man Dances was to be held. Man Dances ! What are they? Who ever heard of a dance without men? Such questions were among the many asked by us when we heard this expression. Later we found that there could, indeed, be dances without men. You may be sure that each girl present at this affair resolved to take advan- tage of this one of few such occasions, and had the best time possible. Eleven o'clock sounded all too soon, and good- byes must be hastily said to the lads who had been found with such difficulty. Many were the girls from the dorm who that night expressed an envy of the home girls, as they climbed the stairs of the dorm to retire andinciden- tally to dream of the man of the first Man Dance. Miss Skeele again showed her interest in twenty-three by helping in the planning of our Party for the Seniors. Here, again, we found the Seniors an enjoyable group. Who will ever forget the costumes of Mr. Smith and Myron, on that night? Not one member of twenty-three at least. By Christmas, the dorm girls had accustomed them- selves to the rules of their council and were wearing hats, if not because of the hat rule because of the cold. With the beginning of the second half of our school year, our dear friend and adviser, Mrs. Couch, left us to take a trip south to improve her health. Mrs. Caldwell took up her duties and made an able substitute for us. Who will forget the pride of our class upon the publication of the first school paper under the capable direction of Miss Ruth Clarke and her able assistants? Nineteen twenty- three may always remember with pride that she is the mother of the school's first paper. We hope that in years to come THE AXIS will continue to improve as it has under her direction. In March we witnessed one of the finest productions ever presented at our school. This play, The Three Chaufi'eurs, was given by the Seniors under the careful supervision of Miss Baright. To her was extended the hearty congratu- lations of a most appreciative audience. Until then we had failed to realize that twenty-two had so many good substi- tutes for the opposite sex. On April twenty-eighth we watched, with longing, the Seniors start on their trip to Boston which they had been planning so long. Then, we resolved that our class, too, would take a trip, not to Boston, but to Washingt0r1- Whether or not we should be successful remained to be seen. The Seniors warned us, and the faculty advised us, not to place our goal too far away, but all to no avail. At last, the Juniors were to have a chance to prove to the public of North Adams that they had in their midst 3 group of talented young women capable of its patronage- And so, on May nineteenth, in spite of the disapproval of the weather man, the Glee Club Concert was given. During our short stay at North Adams Normal we learned to love and admire the Seniors and faculty and it was with deep regret that we realized that graduation was near 2 t