Oakwood High School - Acorn Yearbook (Fithian, IL)

Page 30 text:

+ + THE ACORN From Thai ’Twas year ago, that we began This goal of knowledge to attain: Indeed ’tis true that we were young, With many hopes that seemed in vain. And gradually, as the years passed by. The great world broadened with a sigh; “You’ve twelve long years ahead to spend In school with books, your only friend.” Yet, in the grades our work was fun, It was a race to see which won The teacher's love and admiration; Low grades we knew meant condemnation. Then went we on from play to work; For we began to realize How much an education’s worth In life, a glorious prize. Till Now The Freshman colors we proclaimed As highest banners in our life. We bore them proudly, not ashamed. Accomplished much with little strife. The Sophomore colors next attained, Were standards of a goal not gained; Hut which reflected yet too well Labor beyond, too hard to tell. We battled nobly ever on, Till Junior standards lifted high, Told of our prize now nearly won; Told that our victory was nigh. As Seniors now so staunch and true We bear the colors, Silver and Blue. With hearts aflame, we scan life’s plain Eager, new honors to attain. A. F. and W. S., ’18. [28] +• O. T. H. S. ’18 +

Page 29 text:

TIIE ACORN + The Senior Chronicle NDEED every person in Oakvvood Township should be interested in the history of the Senior class of 1918. First, it is the second graduating | class of the Oakwood Township High School, and second, many homes are represented as it is a comparatively large class. Then it is up to the Seniors to relate the events which have happened in the past four years. In 1914 we entered upon our high school career with high ambitions of which the highest was to be a senior. Since we were all inexperienced it was a difficult thing to get started. But it can be said here that we who had sufficient pluck and persistence to reach our goal are the ones who got started right. In 1915 the Oakwood Township High School district was organized. There being no common high school, this district was divided: one-half of the students attending school at Fithian and the other half at Oakwood. The students of the west end found a warm reception in an old church building. The environment, to be sure, was the best in the world, and it was there in the house of God that they first learned to respect property. The students of the east end took up their studies in the Oakwood grade building. The following summer a magnificent high school building was erected near the center of the township. In the fall of 1916 we entered this building as juniors, and immediately organized our class, for we felt that in order to attain true success we must go hand in hand. It was in this stage of high school life that we entered literary societies. We did not really care to indulge, but after being urged to join either the Pioneer or Oaks society, we took up our duties and performed them willingly except when hard pressed by burdens of senior work. Upon entering the door of the 0. T. H. S. building. September 10, 1917, we put away all childish things and became dignified seniors. In the beginning the class was composed of 16 members. But during the year some very unconventional things have happened, causing a diminution of our number. Three members have taken the vows of marriage and are now living happily. All along, all of us have had a jolly good time while earnestly searching for knowledge. Furthermore, we expect to continue our search for a higher attainment. A. F., ’18. 4---------- [27] O. T. H. S. ’18 •+

Page 31 text:

+• THE ACORN ■+ The Senior Class Prophecy this city ?TER graduating with the Senior Class of 1918, I took a course in nursing in New York, thereby preparing myself for a Red Cross nurse for the battle fields of Europe. While I was studying in happened to meet, by accident, two of my most intimate class-mates of O. T. H. S., Anna Fithian and Lillie Burton, who were also training for nurses. I was overcome with joy to think that we should meet in such a strange way and especially in a strange city. We began at once talking about the good times we had enjoyed together at O. T. H. S.; of course I inquired about all the 1918 graduates as it had been several years since I had seen any of them. They first informed me that Francis Andrews was studying music at a Music Academy in Rome; and that Forest Feeler was running a dairy farm in Iowa, with some of the finest cattle on the market. They also stated that they had attended a show in one of the theaters in New York City and had seen “Doc” Smith playing the role of “Charlie Chaplin”. They made several remarks about his excellent talent as an actor. I began at once asking questions about the other members but they told me that they knew nothing of their whereabouts. So then we began planning our trip abroad, also hoping at the same time that we might have the good fortune of working together “over there”. Our transport left New York City, April 20, 1922. One evening as we three girls were eating dinner in the dining room of the ship, a young man dressed in a suit of khaki came up to us and said ,“Why don’t you nurses salute a Sammy?” To our surprise there stood our 1918 class president, William Meade. We were overwhelmed with joy to think that we should meet in this manner. After the excitement was over we began talking about our old friends. He told us that Marion Oakwood who had married Merl Alexander while attending school, was now living in San Francisco where her husband was president of one of the leading banks of that city. She herself was very prominent in the music circles. He also stated that Darrel Hanley was professor in Physics at the O. T. H. S. We next inquired about our great basketball player, Ivan Nieman, but Meade informed us that he had not seen “Nim” for a long time. However, he had recently received a letter from him which stated that he was training with the aviation corps at Kelly Field, Texas, and was expecting to be in France in a very short time. The letter went on to say that he had met Denzil [29] 0. T. H. S. ’18 +«