Northeast High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 22 text:

hot-bed of mischief that paper bags filled with water were dropped upon the heads of unoffending pedestrians in the street below: it was here that one fresh member was made to chew a cake of soap and another received a bath in a bottle of ink-in short, if there was anything savoring of torture. mischief or fun abroad in the air, it could always be traced to The Archive office. At least that's what Andy said. To recount all the episodes that occurred during the year: to tell how many of our number achieved fame and notoriety. would occupy more space than is here allowed. How red pepper was turned loose in the Dutch- man's room, causing every one to sneeze his nose off: how toy balloons were liberated in the front chapel, how electric light globes were slipped into fellows' pockets, which upon being struck with a book exploded with a sound like a cannon cracker: and a thousand and one other pranks of a like nature. How Horn became celebrated for his chapel address on Hairy Beeff' Maurer for his attempt to dabble in yellow journalism: Ovington for his magnihcent poetry: Miller for his niatchless gall, and ability to get into trouble: Greasly, Rumig, W7 McCann, together with a select group of like dignitaries, for their angling exploits, when they succeeded in landing a large number of suckers at the butt end of the pole: Sammy Eletcher, for his eHorts to run Northeast on a Fletcherite basis, also for his endeavors to persuade the class to adopt for its guidance a policy known as Fletcherism. How XfVess Brown demonstrated that the Class Benefits and Class Play were financial successes by appearing in a new suit shortly after having lost some of the tickets for those functions. About this time it was decided that it was time for N. E. to fall in line with the march of progress, to keep up with the other schools in the matter of social functions: and accordingly it was determined to give a play and dance. An all star cast, consisting of Malcolm Edward Miller, Howard T. Knapp, Norman Ovington, Samuel Fletcher, Robert Lehman, Conrad Maurer, Miss Lillian Crosier, Miss Anna Fletcher, Miss Elizabeth Knapp and Miss Rial R. Taylor, were chosen, and under the able coaching of Prof. Charles C. Heyl, the comedy Our boys was presented at the New Mercantile Hall. Everything went off line and dandy. And how could it have been otherwise, inspired and encouraged, as we were, by the enthusiastic support given the entire movement by both instructors and students, both of whom stood manfully by us, giving their moral support and material aid? lt is no wonder that it was a big success. XfVas the audience appreciative? Wfell, rather. XVhen the curtain descended upon the final spasm, most' of us found ourselves possessed with enough vegetables with which to start light housekeeping. Soon after the play was over, and before any of those who had it in charge had a chance to blossom out in a new suit, Mr. Robb announced his intention of taking a select group on a three days' cruise to thc National Capital. At once there was a great rush for ringside seats, and on the 21st of April the party started. They were 21

Page 21 text:

there is another question. Mr. Firmin is a hue man. VVhy? Because he acknowledges that he likes study, and chemistry in particular, even less than we do. He informed us that he didn't know a thing about chemistry until after he left college, and the question has been asked, 'ildfqhere did he get the gall to say that he learned anything then FU I-Ie does like athletics, though, was water carrier for some class foot ball team. I believe, and if you can get him started talking foot ball you are safe for that period, for the thought of the lesson will never enter his head at all at all. His laboratory was the picnic ground of the whole school. Poor man. I am afraid we made life miserable for him. Wfhat with put- ting limburger cheese on the radiator, swiping his rule, locking him out of the room and breaking test tubes, he had to hustle to keep up with the show. Another favorite pastime was for the whole class to jump up and down in perfect unison, with the result that Strad. In the room below thought that the ceiling was falling. Mr. Firmin has a very unique system of grading us. He has a cardboard disk marked oi? into four divisions, D, G, P. and N. A little needle is balanced over this and it is spun around. If it stops at a G, that is our mark for the term: if at N, the same. It is the fairest way, for then every boy in the class has an equal show and there is no chance to show favoritism. So far I have neglected to mention Professor Moyer, our trig. teacher. I-Ie is the man who says he will not recommend a boy to hll a responsible position who sharpens a pencil in his room. I'Ie also thinks himself quite a wit, and if cracking old worn-out pointless jokes without number makes a man a wit, then Prof. Moyer most certainly is one. .-.,.:.. , H ..w.ev ' , lil I III xx , I f' ,xlixxx I I ,,,. , , ,. Q-gl., tx, r- W ' fmwag 4? . hx -' - 1 P 4 Tl X7 4'-Hi '-:' f fqgllhlf tag, 5 . Irv . l fir .l,. w , dnt.. , f f 'nl,l!1 1,HI Lt' - 4- 5,91 PFC X 'if .l f by Ti l fl. ' MR. MOYER Wfhen the Mary and Ann problem came out he endeavored to solve it, and informed us that it was no problem at all, and that the age of Ann was x, an unknowable quantity. During the last year of course we had charge of the publication of the school paper, f'The Archive. The immediate publication was in the hands of a band of desperadoes, who dignified themselves by the name of The Archive Stan? Miller was Editor-in-Chief of the paper, but it is a well established fact that Conyers Button Graham was the power behind the throne. I-Iis timely suggestions and pointed criticisms made him an inval- uable personage. Ask him. These culprits held out in a little closet tucked away up on the roof. It was from this den of thieves that they would sally forth on errands of desperation, terrorizing the entire school, it was from the window of this 2 0 I

Page 23 text:

given a private car, Mr. Robb said, not so much for our benefit as for that of the other passengers. The three days in XfX'ashington were quickly gone, and almost before, we had gotten over the feeling of importance which shaking hands with Teddy Roosevelt had given us it was time to turn home. Did we have fun? just ask the proprietor of the hotel at which we stopped. After this every one was busy hustling around to remove conditions or trying to prevent getting them so that there was little time left for anything else. Thus our history nears its end. Yes, the history of the Class of 1904 is all but hnished. Yet a little while and our life here will be ended. A new Senior Class is coming up to take the place so shortly to be vacated by us, while we must pass out into the world to fight the stern battle of life as best we may. For three years we have associated here at Northeast: for three years we have worked side by side, sharing common hardships, bearing common burdens. ln that time we have come to understand, to sympathize with each other, to feel that our classmates form an integral part of our existence. In that time we have become bound into one compact, sympathetic body by the bonds of constant association and friendship. But now, just as we begin to really know each other, we must part. Wie have reached the point where eventually all trails must end, the parting of the ways. W'e stand at the cross roads for a moment, our farewells are said, and we plunge for- ward, each on his own separate path. From now on our paths diverge, from now on we will grow apart more and more, until in a little while we will have lost sight of one another completely. But no matter how widely divergent our paths may become, no matter how completely we may lose sight of our old companions, yet we will still have Memory for our friend, and he is a friend who will never 'fail us. In after years, even though we may be weighted down by cares and troubles, yet by summoning memory to our aid we can escape the cares of the present and lose ourselves among the joys of the past. Memory will call up to us familiar faces long forgotten, and enable us to live over with him once more the three rich, full, golden years of joy and happiness spent at Old Northeast. And now the curtain descends upon the history of the Class of 19041 'fi 22