Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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28 Paxton High School Reflector HOWARD OSCAR WYLIE, '16. Died December 2, 1917. Howard Wylie's death resulted from an injury received in a football game at Loda, 111., on Thanksgiving Day. No young man ever connected with the Paxton High School as a student was more admired by teachers and students than Howard. His studious nabits, his loyalty to teachers, his open-hearted, generous-minded manner and spirit won the respect, the esteem, and the love of all. His remarkable leadership and skill in the athletic interests of the school alone would have won for him great popularity, but it was his true nobilitj of mind and heart that most endeared him to teachers and schoolmates. None knew him but to love him Nor named him but to praise.”

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Paxton High School Reflector 27 N. Benton Funk, ’17. N. Benton Punk, of Ludlow, 111., is the third member of the class of i: 17 to enlist. “Ben,” as he is familiarly known in school circles, made one or more vigorous efforts to get into the service before the close of the school year. On account of his youth and the restraining influence of his parents, as ne was then under 18 years of age. the matter was deferred until after his graduation, and until December 13, when he enlisted at Champaign, 111., as a mechanic ir. the aviation corps. He is now at Camp Grant undergoing preliminary training before being sent to some special aviation school. He writes friends that he is becoming anxious to get into the special work for which he enlisted. Nevertheless, he is enjoying himself immensely, because, as all his friends know. “Ben’ is so constituted that he will have a good time wherever he is and in whatever he 1? doing. WILLIAM S. WALLACE. CLASS OF 1885, AND REV. AYRIE T. WALLACE, CLASS OF 1898, NOW IN FRANCE DOING Y. M. C. A. WAR WORK. We did not look to find any one whose connection with the Paxton High School dates so far back as the year 1885 to be actively engaged in any department of war work or service. However, reliable information was recent. |v received to the effect that William S. Wallace, of the Class of 1885. and his younger brother Ayrie T. Wallace, of the Class of 18S8, are now in France near the battle line doing active field and camp work with the V M. CL A. It will be remembered by older students that Mr. William S. W allace, after graduating from the Paxton high school, and the completion of a UnL versitv course, engaged in the profession of teaching. For a number of years hp was superintendent of the City Schools at Savanah. 111. Some years ago he icsigned his position at Savanah to engage in banking. In this it is re- ported that he was also highly successful. At the breaking out of the war, his son. who was of military age, enlisted in the regular army and was among the first to be sent to France. The father to be with his son and e- tiring to contribute his part in the great war work of the Nation, immed y disposed of his banking business and enlisted for Y. M C. A. Army Mork in France and thus accompanied his son across the sea. Whether at the same time or not your reporter has not learned, but rename information is at hand that Rev. Ayrie T. Wallace, the ancle of the yonn? soldier from Savanah. resigned his pastorate In Osh Park, and is now mlso in France engaged in Y. M. C. A. War ork. Two of the stars in our service flag have been placed there in honor of (these two graduates of other years: and we have been tempted to add an- other for the gallant young son who so heroically has led the way, though he never attended the Paxton high school.

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Paxton High School Reflector 29 CAPTAIN HOWARD BUSHNELL, '03, ON THE TUSCAN I A—CABLEGRAM FROM SCOTLAND THAT HE WAS SAFE, RECEIVED TWO DAYS AFTER THE VESSEL WAS TORPEDOED BY GERMAN SUBMARINE. Howard Bushnell, who has the honor of heading the soldier list of P. M. S graduates in the time order of the classes, has now the peculiar distinc- tion of being the first to experience the shock and the horror of an attack I» on of those cruel, death dealing vipers of the sea—the German submarine. Fo. two days after the sinking of the Tuscania. having reason to believe Howard was one of the more than two thousand American soldiers and offi- cers aboard the ill-fated ship, it was feared that he might be numbered among those that were lost. Great, therefore, was the relief when word was received in Paxton that his wife at Clinton, 111., had received a cablegram an- nouncing that he had been landed safe somewhere in Scotland. Above pictures received too late to be properly placed with “write-ups.