Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

Page 15 text:

SENIOR YEAR BOOK. 15 The Declamations were well delivered and doubtles s showed the talent of the high school along this line. Varnum Parish won first honors and Alma Drayer second. The Musical program, one of rare selection, was given solely by members of the high school and no doubt the harmony did touch the hearts even of some of those who did not claim a residence in Momence. We sincerely hope that these contests will continue and that, year after year, the Momence high school will send forth orators and declaimers even as good as these. SENIOR CHARACTEROGRAPHS. J. V. D., “A Maiden never bold of spirit, so still and quiet that her mo¬ tion blushes at itself.” M. A. B., “A flash of her keen, dark eyes, forerunning the thunder.” C. I . E. C. N., “Tall and slender with hair all curled, a typical, stylish Gibson girl.” W. S. K., “ ' Three-fifths of him genius and two-fifths sheer fudge.” O. M. B., “Her fingers shame the ivory keys, they dance so light along.” A. I. D., “A sad, good Christian at her heart.” F. E. C., “She looked up to blush and she looked down to sigh.” L. M. T.y “Faithful, gentle, good, wearing the rose of womanhood.” G. N. P., “His mind his kingdom, and his will his law.” L. E. W., “Like a lovely tree she grows to womanhood, and between whiles rejects several suitors, just to learn how to accept a better in his turn.” I. M. F., “Be to her virtues very kind, be to her faults a little blind.” B. S. S., “She is pretty to walk with and witty to talk with and pleasant too, to think on.”

Page 14 text:

Oratorical Contest. On April 25, 1901, the first high school Oratorical and Declamatory Contest was held in Momence. The program was as follows: Invocation, - - - Rev. R. B. Seaman. Music, - High School Quartet. ORATIONS. Influence of Literature, Ready, Aim, Fire! Manual Training in Schools, Twentieth Century Conflict, Vocal Solo, Sarah Hanson. Birdie Smith. Elmer Smith. Phoebe Nelson. Estella Vane. DECLAMATIONS. A Leak in the Dyke, The Fireman’s Prayer, A Sisterly Scheme, Benedict Arnold, Cornet Solo, - - - Trial of Ben Thomas, The Swan’s Song, Kate Shelly, Robert, - MUSIC. Maysie Kious. Blendena Miller. Anna Templeton. Varnum Parish. Carroll Clarke. Alma Drayer. Ina Hess. Blanche Wilson. Ethel Weaver. Vocal Duet, - - - Carrie Spry and Olive MacChesney. Mandolin Solo, - - - Varnum Parish. Piano Solo, - - Esther Gray. HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS. Judges—Mrs. E. A. Wickstrom, Mrs. W. H. Bennett, Mr. P. Harney, Mr. P. J. Cleary, Rev. R. B. Seaman. All the contestants delivered their selections with perfect ease, rendering the entertainment one of instruction as well as pleasure. The orations were entirely original and gave evidence of latent power which, in the future, will be utilized in more rapidly bringing our High school to the front. Phoebe Nelson won first honors in Oration and Sarah Hanson second.

Page 16 text:

Iijtroduct-ioij. The following sketch is contributed by our Supervisor of Music, Miss Edith I. Harney. This lady comes to us from Oshkosh, Wis., where she has taught in all the grades and subsequently acfecf as assistant principal in the Eleventh Street school, the largest in the City. This position she held for seven years, finally resigning it in order to complete her studies in the Higher Course in the Oshkosh Normal school, and also to finish her musical education at the Detroit Conservatory of Music at Detroit, Michigan. Besides the work at the conservatory she has had a large amount of in¬ struction from Mrs. Jessie L. Gaynor, of Chicago, in the matter of children’s songs, and from Prof. Neidlunger of the same city, in chorus directing. Some persons seem to think that the results she has achieved in our school in a musical way are very wonderful. The fact is, however, that there is nothing wonderful about it. We expected just such results. When one has the energy and the ability to become not only an excel¬ lent musician but to fit herself, both by study and by practice to teach the best of results are naturally expected. Too many of our musicians neglect this most important factor in their education—the ability to impart. We sincerely hope that Miss Harney may be with us again next year, to continue the work so auspiciously begun. [distory of IV[usic. BY MISS EDITH I. HARNEY. The music and musical instruments of the Egyptians have been traced back to about 4000 B. C. Our chief information comes from tombs, which have been discovered and excavated. These are covered with sculpture and hieroglyphics. The oldest of the representations is in the tomb near Thebes. The musical groups usually consist of from two to eight persons. There is a hidden meaning in this, however, as, in hieroglyphics, an army which might mean a thousand persons or more is represented by four figures. So, in music, one harpest in the group might signify any number of harpists and one flute player any number of flutists. Their chief instruments were the harp, pipe, flute, lyre, lute, double pipe and tambourine. Their favorite collocation seemed to be the harp, double pipe, lute, lyre and tambourine. The favorite instrument was evidently the