Medina High School - Medinian Yearbook (Medina, OH)

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floor, thus’ setting a good example for our lower classmen. Now that we have, as Caesar did, crossed our Rubicon, we hope to fight a winning battle through life, and feel sure that we will. We have enjoyed our school course. The teachers and superintendents have been our good friends. We shall always remember our days in Medina Pub- lic Schools with pleasure. -jlmtuttry (Class g latistirs By Marian Fisher. To the January class of 1918 is given one distinc- tion of which no other class can boast. Above all other qualities, rises the fact that we are the first class in the history of M. H. S. to graduate in the middle of the year. We are “but seventeen.” of which number seven are masculine and ten are feminine. On account of the swiftness of our march through school we are all very youthful in age, (of course not in knowledge). Five of the girls are seventeen, three can proudly say they are “of age,” one has just reached nineteen, and Lucile Winters, our in- fant prodigy, is just “sweet sixteen.” We also have two boys of that age, Joseph Bartholomew and Royal Brockway, but we fear that epitaph would be too mild for them. One hoy, or perhaps’ man, has also reached the proud age of 19, while the others march in twos, 17 and 18 years of age. Our heavy weight champion is Raymond Bennett, Ki4 lbs., while Louis Bartholomew, at t he other ex- treme, can just pull down 115. Of the girls, two have not reached 100 lbs., and Isabelle Warner, our toothpick, weighs just 84 lbs. The weight of the heaviest girl is 136 lbs. The average weight of the hoys is’ 138, and Royal Brockway comes nearest this average, while Helen Bigelow is nearest 114 lbs., the average weight of the girls. Edwin Kellogg, the tall man, extends 5 ft., 11 in. into the air, while Bud Munson, our pigmy, is 5 ft., 3 in. (Though he has grown, you see he still keeps up his reputation.) Helen Bigelow, the tallest girl, is 5 ft. 8 in., while Isabelle Warner and Lucile Win- ters, by standing on their tiptoes ' , can just reach 5 ft. 2 in. The combined height of the class is 93 ft., or just one yard taller than the Medina stand pipe. We are, of course, a religious bunch, though we have but one religion apiece. We have 9 Congrega- tionalists, five Methodists, two Episcopalians, and one Baptist. . As to politics, 14 of us are Republican, 2 Demo- crats, and 1 non-partisan, but most important, we are all true Americans. The future? Ten of us intend to go to college, but most of us are undecided as to the place. Ohio State, Reserve, University of Virginia, and Spencer- ian Business School seem to be the most favored in- stitutions. Our future occupations will lead us in various channels of life. We shall have one dentist, one capitalist, one banker, two dry goods merchants, one farmer, two physical training instructors, one dietitian, one school marm, one musician, one stenog- rapher, one fair maiden announces her intention of keeping Bachelor’s Hall on Riverside Drive, and wonder of wonders, we will have a “lady lawyer.” We doubt not that in the future, M. II. S. will be proud to claim every one of the class of 1918 A for her own, for “We are little But we are mighty.”

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Slmtuaru (ClaBfi Htaturg By Helen Bigelow. In September, 1905, a group of five-year-old chil- dren went to visit Miss Ella Canavan every school morning for two hours. She taught them how to skip around the circle, fit round pegs into round holes, and sing “Goodbye, dear teacher.” This group contained five girls and one hoy, Helen Bigelow, Marion Fisher, Pauline Griesinger, Edwin Kellogg, Bessie Warner, and Eleanor Wright, who were so happy, and bright that other hoys and girls were drawn in just as a whirlpool draws ships, only in a kinder way. We, for these were the nucleus of the January 1918 graduating class, ran the gauntlet of teachers — Miss Dawley, Miss McDougall, Miss Tubbs, and Mrs. Wright, and the three “R’s” in the usual way while in the Lincoln building. We had listened with awe to the tales our older brothers and sisters’ told us of the grammar grades. But the secrets of the old building were net for us yet. We were sent to the room in the Odd Fellows’ block, which is next to Pelton’s Grocery, where Miss Warner presided over us during our struggles with fifth grade geography. It was quite handy to run into the store at recess and buy fresh cinnamon rolls, though, no doubt, Miss Lacy, our sixth grade teach- er, did not feel that way about it. The next year, to our great joy, we were promoted to the seventh grade and the high school building. During this time Medina people were beginning to appreciate the fact that the owners of the fine sev- enth grade records deserved a better home in which to continue their studying. So, one morning, much to our joy, Miss Drake directed us to take our coats and books and march over to the new Garfield build- ing. We had been quite proud of our new room, but were most jubilant when told that, partly on account of crowded conditions’, but particularly because of our well-ordered intellects, we were to make the seventh and eighth grades in a year and a half, and then become Freshmen in high school in January. We entered Miss Wheatley’s room with fear and trembling, but found that she enjoyed sleigh rides and jokes, as well as arithmetic and grammar, it was money earned by the eighth A grade which started the Yictrola fund. We also gave the eighth B graders a farewell dinner — a course from each country represented in our graduation exercises, from Irish stew to American sherbet. One wintry morning we were escorted to the high school, to begin our careers as Freshmen with, it must be confessed, a little trepidation. ■ We stood the taunts of Baby Freshman, Eighth Grade Babies, and various other insulting remarks because we knew that the other high school people were jealous of our honors! With Miss Feeny’s aid we managed a few hilarious parties and good times. As sophomores — now very dignified — we enjoyed initiating two Freshman classes, and began to realize how much fun it was. So time went on — we strug- gled with Caesar, and then marched into Cicero’s orations as Juniors of unexcelled virtues. Miss McGonagle saw to it that we, as Seniors, were given a room of our own. To make it more fully worthy of us we redecorated the walls, cleaned the windows, varnished the desks and mopped the

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Sanitary HaLetortnrg IDEALS OF CITIZENSHIP By Edwin Kellogg. Parents and friends, I feel that a great duty and obligation rests upon me tonight, for it has been made my task, yes, and privilege, to represent the graduation class of January, 1918, at this, their commencement. I know that it involves a great re- sponsibility to attempt to portray the ideals and as- pirations of the class, for I surely cannot show all the good and noble virtues of its members, and on the other hand my failure would reflect upon their reputation and good name as a class. 1 have nothing new to bring to you, for at every commencement and leave-taking of this kind the same situation obtains and the same thoughts are expressed. Yet I feel that this institution and these occasions are more dear to the hearts and lives of the towns-folk than they can ever realize. Were this custom to cease, the people would miss it as something that had become a cherished part of their lives. Year after year the older ones of the village see a group of young people come before them to take their formal farewell of high school days, boys and girls whom they have seen grow up from childhood and pass through the schools of the village, those who have grown dear to them and have filled a place in their affections. It is true that some remain here to live peaceful lives in the community, but many pass away into other scenes of activity and perhaps are lost to view forever. So, as we come to you to- night in that old, old way, we hope that you may see the deep significance of it all, a meaning greatly deepened and enriched by the darkness of the times ; and as we go forth, each one to his life-work, may the memory of this glad beginning remain with you as a glistening bead in the rosary of recollection. We look back upon a pleasant past, a past made more dear to us by the tasks and troubles that have been interwoven with the jov and gladness. Every class looks forward to an uncertain future, but a future filled with greater doubt than in years past awaits us, a future that even now sends forth boding of strenuous times to come. So it seems Avell for us, who are about to step forth into the arena of the world’s progress, to con- sider something of what our parts in the great bat- tle of life are and Avhat they should signify, as citi- zens of this great republic, this nation than which none other may truthfully claim to be more grand and glorious. So as we are about to more actively take upon us the duties of citizenship, let us consider the ideals that we must hold before us to become true, useful citizens of the commonwealth. As Ave search for a definition of a citizen, here is what we find, in brief: “In the United States a citizen is one who oAves allegiance and support to t lie govern- ment and is entitled to its protection.” To give al- legiance necessitates patriotism and loyalty on the part of the citizen ; to give support demands that Ave have the spirit of service and of sacrifice. Moreover, each must live efficiently, possessed of that civic and industrial intelligence, that skill to do a needed service, and that high moral sense which the nature of our existence as a democracy is seen to demand. Each person has his OAvn conception of patriotism, oftentimes based largely upon party and politics.