Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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W ise Acres us lantern slides of rock gardens. Then there was a boom for “Wise Acres,” and we sold subscriptions like mad. On February 8th at supper time the Harr’s (one of our neighbors) barn caught fire and we all rushed over. It was very thrilling as it lasted quite a while. When we returned to school, we immediately practiced our fire escape (a rope affair) and escaped with but few disasters. Next came mid-year exams; a bad blizzard, so bad that the wires broke down and we had no electric lights or water. And at last came spring vacation. After we returned, we tried to organize a base ball team, with little success, however. To break the monotony of the regular routine we went to a lecture on insects in Philadelphia. Later came the Philadelphia Flower Show, to which we went—and it conquered! Some reporters came out and took moving and still pictures of us, which came back to haunt us in magazines and papers for over a year. April Fool’s Day we Juniors gave a Treasure Hunt, unheard of before about this neighborhood, had refreshments, then gave a one act play called “How a Woman Keeps a Secret.” On April 12th Sue gave Betty a Birthday Party, and Betty then announced her engagement to Austin Arrington. This was quite a surprise to most of us. May—Visit to Eliza’s garden, with tea at her home and then a picnic supper on the Wissahickon near Valley Green. At the beginning of June Teddy gave us a farewell dinner at “Ye JIappy Owl,” after which we played progressive bridge. The Seniors played havoc with our rooms and we watered them most profusely in their beds. Not flower beds! We Juniors, lacking excitement, got up a Hay Ride—held on June 19th. Chaperons, refreshments, singing, and everything went with it, making it a huge success. July brought hot weather and final exams, also commencement, when our beloved Seniors left us forever (on the 22nd.) Senior Year. Several of us came back early to welcome the new Juniors—and such a number of them, over twenty. This year we were given special projects in connection with our Floriculture, such as taking entire charge of the Woodland Garden, Rock Garden, Iris Garden, Delphinium, Lupins and so on. Some of us had the job of grooming Maid Marion and training her for the Devon Show. Then we went to the Trenton Fair. Such a scramble. Every one will remember the cattle show, if nothing else. We started a Tennis Tournament, but cold weather stopped it until spring. Early in October we went to the Jersey Cattle Show at Devon. Maid Marion was a credit to the .school. Later Mr. Test took the fruit - 4 20

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School of Horticulture Class History Most of the students who form our class of 1928 arrived at school on Monday evening, September 13, 1926. The school bus met those arriving by train. Tuesday the rest of the class arrived, and in the afternoon we met in Mrs. Bush-Brown’s office and chose our subjects. The following day we began to get acquainted with classes and Seniors. After supper most of us walked over to “Ye Happy Owl” on Limekiln Pike, where we sang accompanied by a ukelele, and had various cooling refreshments. After that, classes began in earnest. Soon, as an outside diversion, came the Allentown Fair, to which we all went. At the Fair, the faculty told us interesting facts about the fruit, poultry and flowers we saw. In between times we tried to take in everything else—the never-to-be-forgotten Sylvia and Chester (Sylvia on one side and Chester on the other) and other things. The following evening the Seniors gave us a “Crazy Party.” And it surely was! Now we know why the girls collected advertisements at the Fair so assiduously. Marie Rumpp was dressed in little else but these ads! The same week the Girl Scouts of Ambler gave a Corn and Dog Roast in our corn field, inviting us, which we duly enjoyed. The weather still being warm in October, we had a picnic supper, one lovely evening, in the field. On the fifth of October an auction was given by the Seniors—very exciting and quite beneficial to all concerned. After that a big Junior meeting was held and we elected “Sunny” Borst as our President. One day Mr. Test took the Junior Poultry class to a Chicken Show at the Sesqui-Centennial. The same day, the rest of us toiled getting ready for the Hallowe’en Party which we gave that night for the Seniors and Faculty. The costumes were quite unique, likewise the games. About the middle of November Mrs. Bush-Brown gave us a tea in her office. We had a very chummy time. More classes and more work! Pretty soon our tests began, to our horror. And along about this time, one day “Peg” Simon took some moving pictures of us at work and play. December 15th we had a remarkable Christmas Banquet in the sun parlor, with presents, speeches, and singing. In the evening some of us went down to the Ambler High School to see “Anne What’s Her Name.” Soon after coming back from our Christmas vacation, about January 17th, we had an interesting Fashion Show. During the same month our Floriculture class went to Mattison’s (Ambler) to observe the flowers in their greenhouses. Mrs. Wright and the Misses Wright came over one evening to show 19 }§► -

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School of Horticulture - ■ — ■ — 8f ♦ • class to an orchard where we learned all about sorting and packing apples. We also took a trip to the Woodward and Henry estates for Floriculture. Then, Oh! thrills! The Juniors gave us a marvelous Hallowe’en Party. In the middle of November Mr. Test took the fruit class to Dock Street and Delaware Avenue, where we observed fruit storage, auction, etc. Later he took us to Baugh’s Fertilizer Plant, a trip promised us last year in connection with our Soils class. We went to a lecture on gardens at the Penn Athletic Club. We gave Miss Barber a Bridge Party, before her trip abroad, with quite a smait skit afterwards of Miss Barber on board ship. The faculty gave us an unsurpassed entertainment on “Christopher Robin.” Around December 12th we had a Christmas Banquet, when our high Seniors were very dark all of a sudden. Before leaving for our Christmas vacation, we spent one evening caroling about the neighbor hood. Upon our return we learned to our sorrow that Betty Lansing would not return to school. One day the Floriculture class drove over to Mrs. Dixon’s to see the orchid houses. On the 27th of January we went to DuPont’s at Wilmington, and spent most of the day in their beautiful and exceedingly interesting greenhouses. On February 3rd Mrs. Bush-Brown gave us a lecture on the work of some of our note-worthy graduates. The following evening our class gave a Program Dance—the first dance since we came to school. However, it was a great success. February 10th we took a trip to Florax, the rose greenhouses at North Wales, and later on we went to Horticultural Hall in Fairmount Park. The Landscape class submitted plans for a garden to the New York Botanical Gardens and Eleanor Robbins got honorable mention. After Mid-year exams and spring vacation, we w.ent to the New York and also to the Philadelphia Flower Shows. In March we had two Birthday Parties—one for “Sunny” and another one for “Jack” and “Rosebud.” On the 13th of April most of our class went to New York to Betty Lansing’s wedding. The first Reading Club meeting was held shortly afterwards, during which some very interesting stories and poems were read and discussed. We had an auction on May 8th for the benefit of our Senior Final Dance to be given on June 2nd, after “Wise Acres” goes to press. At that time we are going to hire an orchestra. It seems to me we have accomplished a great deal. We have seen many places, heard much that was both interesting and instructive. And Oh! Yes! I almost forgot to mention that we’ve worked quite hard. Somehow, we are rather proud of our class, for, with no thought of being boastful, but only truthful, we do believe we have done more in the way of social activities than any other class we have known during our two years at this school. Hollis Brautigam, Historian 4 21 ►-