Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

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Local Content in Public Speaking. On Thursday evening, April 20, the Annual Oratorical Contest was held in the Gym. Only a small crowd was in attendance, but the contest proved a very spirited one. PROGRAM Music--Victrola EXTEMPORE CONTEST Issues arising from the question of Phillipine Independence -----Victor Taylor Increase in the Army Richard Smith Treaties with Nicaraugua and Haiti Ray Cook Music DECLAMATIONS The Death Disc ’—-Irene Hardy Helene Thamre” Lucy Hayden “Jean Val Jean” Fern West The Honor of the Woods” Lulu Knaur Decision of Judges Presentation of Cups Supt. T. R. Johnston Richard Smith received first in Extempore, and Victor Taylor second. Lulu Knaur won out in declamation, and Lucy Hayden second. The Judges were from Grant Park, Watseka and Lowell. PAGE TWENTY-NINE CUP WINNERS 1916 Cu .

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PAGE TWENTY-EIGHT Freshman Prophecy URING the score of years which have passed since I was a Freshman in the Momenee High School, the United States has made wonderful progress along many lines. Among the modern conveniences is a sort of biographical atlas for each county containing a brief record of the achievements of each person over thirty years of age, a sort of a moral and historical “Bradstreet,” as it were. These volumes are kept at the state capital at Springfield. While visiting there, an insatiable desire to discover the whereabouts of my former classmates led me to peruse these weighty volumes which were stored away for the edification of future generations. Robert Farmer, now a representative in the state legisla¬ ture, gained me access to the library containing these prec¬ ious volumes, and to my great delight, I found the names of all except two of my former classmates; Andrew Kinney, who is in Africa selling mittens to the natives there, and Henry Seavey, who had taken up his abode on an iceberg near Greenland for the purpose of making detailed study of sharks and other sea animals, thus demonstrating the great promise he gave as a member of the Zoology class in the High School. I found recorded the following glowing ac¬ counts of the other members of the class. Lawrence Burch, despite the attractions he seemed to have for a certain Sophomore girl, is still a bachelor, and an admiral in the U. S. Navy. Vera Burns, following her natural bent, is working in a curling iron factory. Ger¬ trude Butterfield and Gertrude Porter are teaching in the Philippines, and Edward Bvdalek is a chef in one of the popular New York restaurants. Ray Chatfield has suc¬ ceeded Mr. J. E. Melby in the undertaking business, while Roy is cruising around the world in his yacht, on his honeymoon. Maybelle Clawson and Feme West are great musicians, and are at present performing in the Chicago Opera. Stanley C handler is engaged at all favorable times in testing out different motorcycles and trying to win a prize in some race. Martha Conrad and Lester DuMontelle are running a restaurant together at the Log Cabins. Hazel Hall is a dashing Chicago widow, and Marjorie is the principal of the Momenee High School. Irene Hardy is a missionary in India. Leslie Hilsenhoff and Otto Tharp are in the army, and Kathryn Hobbie and Arthur Younglove are movie stars. Everyone knows about Elizabeth Jensen, since she has just been elected suffragette governor of Illinois. Emma Jensen is stenographer to the president, and Roland Lanoue is a second Caruso. Myron Kinney is a ranchman in California. Ida Kurtz and Hazel Mills are trapeze climbers in a circus. James Lamport is a modern farmer. Violet O’Connell is a milliner, and George Searls a barber. Harry Shaffer is proprietor of the consolidated dry goods company of Momenee, while Beulah Peterson is a clerk in the ribbon department of one of his stores. Frank Tomas is a mechanic living in Kankakee, and Roy Hess and Oswald Brown are a pair of adventurers, now in Egypt looking at the different mummies there. Laurie Mills lives on a farm in Kentucky, and Ora is a matron at the Illinois Orphanage. Doris Harms and Opal Simonds are models in Marshall Field’s store, Chicago. Fred Cemrad is the editor of the ‘Momenee Daily Sun.’ When I had finished reading what I have here told you, I was very proud to have been one of the class of ’19. Florence Logan.

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PAGE THIRTY Public Speaking in M. H. S. In this branch of the High School work, M. H. S. has been more than successful. Time after time we won out against almost impossible odds. Such names as Willis and Ryan stand out in Oratory, and every represetative has reflected credit on the school. Alt.ho falling away slightly in Athletics the last few years, we have triumphed over the best K. H. S. could produce in Extempore for the last three years. From 1901 to 1912, Oratory and Declamation were the fields, but in that year the former was replaced by Extemporaneous Speaking. The contestants in this must read the weekly: Outlook, Independent and Literary Digest for a period of six weeks. Twenty subjects are selected, and each contestant draws two subjects. nonaa County Oratorical—1915 Before a large and enthusiastic crowd, Momence again demonstrated their superiority in Extempore Speaking in the Assembly Hall of Kankakee High School, on the evening of Field Day. Robert Dennis, speaking on, ‘ ‘Issues Involved in the Fall of Constantinople,” easily bested Hamilton of Kankakee, whose subject was, “The Citizen Army.” Mr. E. E. Wheeler, President of the Association, introduced the speakers, and after their topics were dis¬ cussed, the declaimers delivered their renditions. The Contest proved very close, but Mae Mallaney, of Notre Dame was given the preference, with Esther Goodknecht of K. H. S. second. Excellent music was furnished by the High School Orchestra. Li l of Winners in Local Contents. YEAR ORATORY DECLAMATION 1901 Phoebe J. Nelson Varnum A. Parish 1902 J. Lenoir Pifer Ivy B. Porter 1903 Sarah H. Hanson . Ina M. Hess 1904 Gilbert A. Willis L. Floye Brown 1905 L. Floye Brown Jamie E. Rvan 1906 -Clennie B. Little Margaret Nelson 1907 J. E. Ryan Lenore Halpin 1908 Margaret Nelson George Grabe 1909 -Geo. A. Grabe Johh W. V. Stratton 1910 Geo. A. Grabe- A. Marie Jackson 1911 Ivan E. Crosby . Bessie R. Brassard 1912 Chas. A. Tuttle Clara E. S. Dixon 1913 Chas. A. Tuttle T. Lucile Peterson 1914 Hilton C. Nichols T. Lucille Peterson 1915 Robert M. Dennis Martina M. Condon 1916 Richard R. Smith Lulu M. Knaur Extempore Speaking. □oeuoizzoeh In Memoriam. After an illness of scarcely more than a week, Eunice Beebe, of the Freshman class, passed away at her home on Nov. 20, 1915. She had been in poor health for some time, but the news of her death came as a surprise and shock to all. The Freshman class attended the funeral in a body, and six boys acted as pallbearers. Beautiful flowers were sent by the school. The family has the sympathy of the High School in their bereavement.