Newport News High School - Anchor Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

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THE ANCHOR for the deportment mark was blank; and just for this little thing. As before mentioned, our Latin class had three girls and ten boys, but it i.s doubtful if there ever has since been “strung together such a bunch.” One afternoon, the Latin teacher failed to come to class, so it was decided to have a little recre- ation of the kind mentioned above. First, Tac Hughes led a chorus of “Amer- ica” and other patriotic songs; and I am almost tempted to believe that dear little Scotty exhibited bis vocal abilities also. Then the girls showed the boys that they could use erasers and chalk. But that did not seem to be amusing enough, so when some one suggested tying ourselves in, we all jumped at it. Every one began gathering straps which we tied together. In all we had about fifteen yards of leather which we proceeded to attach to the knob of each of the two doors. Then being securely tied in, we resumed our program which con- sisted of vocal solos, duets and representations of our worthy instructors. “All ' s well that ends well” is true enough, but it was our luck to get caught. Miss Jones came upon us and quickly sent for Mr. Dutrow. Nothing was said or done to punish the participants and “nothing” appeared on the “reports.” It was in this year that the boy’s began to jingle pocket money and candy went sailing around in great abundance until the end of our “four years.” The physics class also was a part of the Junior work and what good times we did have making experiments. Then too, our French and German was started and every now and then we struck out phrases in those languages. But the best of all our years is the one which is called “Senior.” When we became noble seniors, we stepped upon the last rung of our ladder of public school education. We were near the top of that steep hill and we could look with pleasure and pride upon the rocks and stumps below and feel that our hard work had accomplished something for us. That in overcoming the hard knocks and bumps we had gradually climbed higher and higher toward that long sought for goal, “our diploma,” symbolic of our victorious high school career. The first months of the term we had plenty of that fun so dearly cher- ished, but from February to May, most of us spent our spare time in prepara- tion for “our Annual” and Class Day Exercises. What fun we had in gather- ing our material and having our pictures taken. What laughs we enjoyed over the witty daffydils of our classmate Bob Binder, who would burst out, cleverly with some bit of witticism. Yes, we did have some little pleasure in between our papers for our English course. Oh ! such a number of papers and finally our essays, but, even if our work was hard, it is to be doubted if there is one among us who would not willingly live again his II. S. days and who did not leave this old building with sighs of regret and longing, for the hardships pass into obscurity and the joys and pleasures of those days stand out to us as happy remembrances of our lives.

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THE ANCHOR 21 Senior Class History g L THOUGH it is almost impossible for those we leave behind to forget the career of the noble seniors of June, 1912, still, for the benefit of those who have not dwelt within these “Old High School Walls” during the last four years, the annals of our grand old High School life must be discussed briefly. When we, a class of boys and girls, entered as “Rats” there was hardly one among us who realized the difficulty of our undertaking, but it was only a short time before everyone of us understood that we must study hard; for none from our jolly bunch wanted to be left behind. Of course, there were times when we felt that we needed a little recreation, and you will agree with us that “Between your studies it will pay, To sometimes have a little play.” Our first two years included a Domestic Science Course for the girls, and Manual Training for the boys. It would take too much space to record all of our good times in those departments. At the end of this course the girls pro- duced their crowning glory, a dinner in honor of ' their beloved teachers in which they exhibited their culinary art. In behalf of this great love for their noble teachers, especially (Cat) Taylor they added little extras to the dinner, such as the “cayenne” to Mr. Taylor ' s consomme (which he politely devoured, all the while burning within). The achievments of our boys must remain un- told, for it has been their policy from times way back, “To keep mum as to their great accomplishments.” Of course, we had other lessons too, such as (hard old) Latin, dear to all of us. We also Had lectures “on the greatness of Ben Greet” by Prof. Edwin Shewmake, who was a jolly good fellow. But we didn’t mind these short talks, as they generally took our English period, and oh ! but we did love English. All of these days of our Rat and Soph career were not idled away, for we rapidly became learned young ladies and young gentlemen. And what pride we felt at hearing a Miss or Mr. put on to the front of our name. We finally realized our great importance, and when we were promoted to that grand old name “Juniors” we were surely “it.” Our members proudly strutted about the halls, heads high, as monarchs of the school kingdom. No, we didn’t bow our heads to the seniors for even from the first, we have ac- knowledged no man our superior. What difference did the rank of a senior make? Were we not juniors launched into the third year of our school life? During this year the Normal Course was put in, and most of ns dropped Latin as it were red-hot iron, and quickly picked up the cooling psychology, meth- ods, or business course, leaving only three girls and a group of about ten boys to strenuously pore over Cicero and the like. We kept a pretty fair conduct record ; but lo and behold one month came and to the surprise of all, the space

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THE ANCHOR 23 Class Poem The old school bells clear peal has called The Seniors’ last command No more in the old Assembly Ilall Will meet the happy band. The wayward’s last rash deed is marked In the Teacher’s Record Book And memories clear will e’er remain Of the long fear’d angry look. No whisper of the foe’s approach Now passes through our class No troubled thought at midnight haunts For fear we may not pass No vision of the morrow’s strife, Our nightly dreams reveal, Of English class when forth we go To life’s great battle-field. Our four years’ course is crowned with work With earnest effort done : And when we’ve gone we’ll turn and say. “Yes, truly we have won.” Now out on Life we launch ourselves, As on a stormy sea, Where each must face the rolling waves, And mark his destiny. II. E. A., 12.