Northern Oklahoma College - Roundup Yearbook (Tonkawa, OK)

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' 2-is. f --rx V X' f. I. - .N 7- The Fergusonian Society was 'organized during the winter of 1903 for the purpose of developing the literary talent of school boys and for the purpose of giving parlia- mentary practice to those desiring same. Mark Shartel was the one chosen to fill the president's chair for the first time. Since then there have been new presidents chosen each term. This gave a chance to the best men to rise to the high office even when there were only two terms in the school year, and since the number has been increased to three there is even a greater chance for the ambitious member. There were twenty- two members during the first year, all being charter members. During the first year a contest was held with the Athenian Society, in which the Fergusonians were victorious. The second year the membership increased to fifty- three, and again the Fergs were victorious in the Spring contest. It was this year that our present critic, 1-larry Winebrenner, acted in capacity of society essayist in the contest. The third year for the society seemed to be a rather hard one, the membership falling to twenty-eight. The society divided during this year and some of the former members formed what was known for a short time as the Adelphia Society. However, it soon died. The contest was lost this year to the Athenian Society. During the next year the membership increased to thirty-nine, and with the in- creased membership came increased interest. Th society again won first place in the contest. As in the former enumerated years, the same winning and losing was maintained and the society seemed to progress slightly until in 1912, when they again came to the front and took first place in the Spring contest. Itnwas during this year that Mr. Finley, who had always acted as advisor for the society, left, and as youth first in the world alone, we put forward a bold front, we worked hard, and above all, we made progress. There were forty-three members during the year. In the year 1913 the membership increased to forty-six. Mr. Pechstein acted as our advisor. The society won first place in the Spring contest. The society was also successful and won first place in the contest of 1914. During that year Miss Lois Borland acted in the capacity of Critic. The greatest number of active members ever graduated from school went forth to the world during this year. The society was almost depleted. The burden of carrying on the further work fell to under- classmen. Upon them depended the future of the society. Their work stands as a showing of their achievement, even granting that the society was not successful in the contest of 1915. Mr. Hopkins acted as advisor and- critic during that year. The school year of 1915-16 has been such that it IS hardto tell of the work done by the society. The Spring contests have been done away with on account of the ex- tremely antagonistic spirit which was always prevalent at the contests. Instead of having the contests, the school 'was considered as a state, Utopia by name, and a general election held. Candidates delivered speeches and .general party feeling ran high, The Hashrapers, a party formed from the Fergusonian soclety, were suc- cessful in landing the greater number of votes, hence elected the. majority of their L-andidateg, The presidents for the year were Virgil Haldeman, Wilbur Guild, and S. Earl Trekell, each holding office in the order named, as there were three terms. 77

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A 44 ' -1 Senate History, l In the year of 1905 the Adelphian Society was organized. This society cn- isted under this name until February, 1908, when the namefwas changed' to the Senate ,Literary Society. It did not take the members of the newly organized society long to establish a cred.itable position in their school. The young who had ,the power of initiative and were alert to the opportunities which meantlpractical criperien-ce, were later commended for their literary work. ' ' ' i From the first the membership of the society has been small enough to make effective work possibleg and it is not to be regretted that the societyfhas been conser- vative in the selection of new members. The boys who have remained in society were not those who wished to follow the line of least resistance but rather those who were willing to follow that of suustained effort. They have not asked merely what pleasures will this bring to me individually, in what manner will this society work immediately contribute toward my earning capacity, but ,in what way will the knowledge gained from society work strengthen me so that I will not drag on my associatesg so that I will not only pull my own weight, but be the means of ,inspiring and encouraging 'others to greater effort. In 1915 the lively, industrious spirit that prevailed in the Senate Society could be detected long before the Spring contests, Again our contestants put their society work to a test and the result WaS a rank of second place among the five literary societies. James Young and Philip Wilbur won an overwhelming v.ictory in the debate. The remainder of points which counted toward our high rank in the Spring contest were won by Sam Aikins, Oratorg Irvin Gard, Essayistg and Ralph Miller, Reader. Our society men have not only proved themselves efhcient in society contests, but in the other activities of school as well. In 1914 Dennis Almack was Editor- in-Chief of the Boomer, member of the Senior play castg Elmer Moody was Editor- in-Chief of the Crimson Rambler, member of the Senior play cast, author of Class Will, winner of the University of Chicago scholarshipg Charles Roff, Jr, was Editor- in-Chief of the Crimson Rambler and was also class orator. Of the Senators grad uating in 1915, Sam Aikins was Class President in '12 and '13, member of Senior play castg Cecil Barclay was Business Manager of the Crimson Ramblerg Ralph Miller was President of the Senior Classg Raymond Scrugham, Editor-in-Chief of the Crim- son Ramblerg James Young, Class Orator, Those who witnessed the Senior Play will remember how much of its success was due to the work of Sam Aikins, Erwin Walter, and Ralph Miller. . Another significant fact that points towards the ambition and tick t 't ' s - o-1 -iveness of the Senators who have been graduated since the last Boomer was published is that they are all continuing their school work either as pupils or teachers, Several are supporting themselves at different universities, Among these are: Charles L. Roff, Jr., and Frank Balcerkiewicz at the University of Oklahomag Jesse Romig who is stenographer for the Dean of Men, at the University of Illinois. , I When the members of the society have learned to never give up when they have gone into something worth while, and have said, We will do it, nothing on earth can prevent them from having what they want-a banner 76 society second to none.

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..-. A' Fergusonian Society Motto: A journey of a thousand miles is begun by a step. ' Emblem: Ostrich. C0101's: Old Rose and Gold. SOCIETY YELL Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Ra-li! Rouian! Wlioop-a-la! Zip-a-la! Fergusonian! President .... Vice-President ...... Recording Secretary Corresponding Secretary ......... Chairman of Executive Committee. Cllalflllall of Delilrquent Committee Marshal .................... . .... I-Iistorian ffor tlie yearj ', , . Critic .................. Officers . . . .S. Earl Trekell . . . . . Oren Roberts Virgil' K. Hzilcleman ... .A. Ray Smith .Floyd O. Moore . . . .VVilbu1' G. Guild .. ..Kietl1 sLynch .... . .S. Earl Trekell Harry Winebreun er '73 l