Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR '3 Side. He entered school with the now out-going class and his course has been regular. He has carried the maximum amounts of Latin, Mathematics and Literature. He was class president in 1908, business manager of the Reflector in 1907-8, manager of the base ball team in 1908. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Pl-atonean literary society and has represented it in debate, oratory, at their annual contests and in literary parts at their entertainments. Ho is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and a past officer of the Luther League. His immediate future is undecided. He intends to acquire a law education. Ralph W. Kemp Ralph W. Kemp, treasurer C’lass ’09, was born on a farm west of Paxton. There he received his earlier education. He entered the 8th grade at Paxton and has since been a member of Class ’09, pursuing a Latin-Scientific Course. He was a member of tne foot ball team in 1908. His immediate future Is undecided. THE SENIOR BUNCH. — (A Retrospect in Lines and Rhymes) By One of Them. In eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and some in ninety-nine. These Seniors started in this school upon their upward climb. We were started in the lowest class and couldn’t be put back; We never were promoted until floor space was lacked. Wo went through all the eight rooms taking one grade at a time; The first few grades were easy and we thought school life was fine. We struck our worst in the seventh grade and thought it wasn’t fair— The season being summer some few started on a tare. W’ell, our bunch entered P. H. S. in nineteen hundred five; We gradually grew stronger as new members would arrive. We all flunked out while Freshmen in music class and lunch— Teachers said, it will take 3ix years to loose this ugly bunch. But of course they were mistaken, although some few lost their hair: We studied all the harder and got credits by the pair, Boys took lime and mixed with water; painted everywhere. Sophomore! All stayed out at night and barbered little Freshies by the score. But we cut this out when Juniors and took long extended rides When the moon was shining brightly and the stars could serve as guides. Had our banner on the flag pole; had to watch it night and day; There were parties by the dozen—O. I tell you life was gay. So when school commenced this autumn, then we all took Senior seats. We stood and yelled at the Freshies as they filed in white as sheets. Some of our crowd never study, some few have got canned from class. If this bunch gets through this semester, they’ll have to cut this sass. When we come to leave about June, the fifth, in nineteen hundred nine. We’ll be free to roam whe’er we will in the good old summer time. No more snuff, nor stealing clappers, we start forward, flag unfurled; We’ll go out as men and women to conquer our part of this world. Ralph Stine. ’09.

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THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR THE HIGH SCHOOL SOCIETY—“TO BE OR NOT TO BE” Charter Members—A. F. Trams, L. W. Kelso, ft. W. Kemp, J. K. Moffett, C. A. E. Johnson. Additional Members—V. E. Dudman, C. G. Stearns, C. A. Lang worthy. Our high school society, “To Be or Not to Be” is not a mechanically planned organization. It is rather the convention of a group of congenial spirits,—with a comman ideal in mind, with similar natural inclinations, and with a common love of literature. We arrived at the conclusion that it would be to our advantage to spend an evening of each week together, laying aside the strife and contention of ordinary school life, in the furtherance of our ideal, in couimon study and discussion, and in whole-souled enjoyment. We orgainzed in 1907, four of the student body of the class’ 09, and one instructor. The name “To Be, or Not to Be” suggested itself in a study of Shakespeare. Our club has ever met with the sanction and approval and often the co-operation of the faculty, one or more of whom have always been enrolled as members. The purpose of our circle is implied, rather than prescribed— consider its name. We have aspired to and attained greater freedom of thought and expression, and wider ranged of appreciation. You may never again hear of “To Be, or Not to Be,” but rest assured, that to us, it means and will mean much. It has given us an insight into life. It is one of the frail cords, so frequently severed, which connects our High School with our daily life and our career hereafter. We feel this. We realize it now, and, as we are leaving Alma Mater, our circle is dissolved, but the quotation, “To Be, or Not to Be”, the aspiration ' To Be” and the dark alternative “Not to Be,” together with memories of our High School Circle, is graven deep in our hearts, and unites us in a bond of meaningful fellowship. —E. J. Leon W. Kelso Leon W. Kelso, has always had his home at Paxton. His course through school has been regular, his high school training, Latin-Science. Mr. Kelso has taken a great part in athletics, has played four years on the H. S. football team and five on the base ball team, four of which he has pitched. He has represented his society (Athenaeum) in the oration and debate, also in literary parts at their entertainments. He has been for two years class editor of the Reflector, and is now treasurer of the society. His immediate future is undecided. John Karl Moffett John Karl Moffett was born and raised in Paxton. With the exception of three years, he has pursued the course of study at the Paxton schools, having taken a mixed high school course He was the first president of the Senior Class, has been interested in athletics, and has three years on the foot ball team to his credit. He is now president of the Athenaeum society, which he has represented in the debate and oration in the annual contests. He is the present business manager of the Reflector. In the fall he will enter the University of Illinois to study law. Carl G. Stearns Carl G. Stearns, the youngest member of our class,—only 1G years of age—was born at Danville, 111. He has lived and attended school at Hart-shoin, Ind. Terr., at Milford, at Champaign, and at Rankin, Illinois, where he graduated from a 3-years’ course in 1908. He has been one year here to complete his course—Lat in-Science. He is a Platonean -and has taken part in their programs and represented them in debate. He has been general editor of the Reflector and is on the base ball team. Next year he will take Literature and Arts at the U. of I. C. A. Edwin Johnson Edwin Johnson has always lived at his present home on the West

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14 THE TAX TON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR Kelso 'ol Benjamin )o Lvnjeen u Nealy jo Swanson 12 FloRd JI Wftc her )o CaRlson )z ST aRns 09 PnorJ o ? a Kelso 01 Goufi 01 Benjamin 10 Wyme 'n Lu vjeen 'll CRRcken 10 Kea if 10 TtIvGr Rckerj U k mp 09 o o n u Hi Toki vio v 09 09 01 The following resolutions recently passed by the Board of Education are self-explanatory. This action on their part will be appreciated by all students who have the best interests of the school at heart. WHEREAS. Athletics, if properly regulated may be made a helpful influence in our schools: and WHERE1AS, The Superintendent and High School Faculty are nuking an effort to promote the better side of Athletics, and to encourage honest athletic sports, BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Board of Education, express ourselves as heartily favoring a reasonable amount of such High School Athletics as may be deemed practical by an Athletic Board of Control, to be elected later; said Board of Control to consist of representatives from the Board of Education, from the High School Faculty, and from the Student Body: And, further, that we express ourselves as urging the enforcement of CLEAN athletics, this being interpreted, for the present, to mean that any person belonging to a team using our High School name, shall be a student in regular attendance: and that we will not sanction the admission of any student to take part in such sports, unless he is acceptable according to the above standard; And lastly, That we recommend that steps be taken for the admission of our High School to the State Athletic Association in view of establishing a standard of scholarship for eligibility to High School Atiieltlcs. One reason that the success of our high schoool athletics has been only partial is the lack of organization, and the fact that persons engaged in the athletic activities have not been made to feel themselves directly responsible for the sports and games that have been conducted. They have succeeded to some extent, but many times in foot ball and in base ball, the temptation has been too great to seek material from sources other than the student body. But there is being agitated at the presen time, the idea of enlisting our High School with the State Athletic Association, which states as one of its chief requirements for membership, that t ie school demand of students participating in any athletic sport, that they maintain a creditable scholarship. If for no other reason, this idea alone, should cause every student to desire that our school become a member of the Association. There is no reason why a successful athlete should not make a success of his studies. Regular attendance will, in most cases, insure a creditable standing in class work. Furthermore, the admission of P. H. S. to the