Piqua Central High School - Piquonian Yearbook (Piqua, OH)

Page 28 text:

26 THE PIQUONIAN Seen At The Movies AVING diligently applied myself to my work for several years, I decided, one evening, to go to a radio-film performance, the radio-film being analogous to the motion pictures of a few years previous. I purchased a good seat and got into the theatre just as the performance began. A few advertising slides of course were first thrown on the screen. I was not much interested in these until I saw the name George Cameron written on one in bold letters, above whose name was written the word, Vote for, and beneath,- the best man for senator and the representative of the people. This was indeed news to me,-not the fact that he was the best man,-but that he was running for a seat in the Senate. After this a slide was flashed across the screen on which was the announcement that Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Snyder will begin their correspondence class in the modern dances tomorrow. I was rather shocked to think that pious Shorty would ever become an exponent of the dance. Beneath these words were the pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Snyder and in that of Mrs. Snyder I easily recognized the former Dorothy Tyson. After an interval another picture aroused my attention. It read, Deposit your money in the Farmers and Merchants' Bank. We will keep it for you. George Foster, President. This was only a natural result of George's business training received while on the staff of the Piquonian and I think it is quite a credit to George that the people entrust their money to him for safe keeping. Following this came a slide on which was a lady dressed in the extreme fashion, to one side of which was written, Mme, Cora McDowell, La Pariesene Modiste, number 31, 476 Cast Iron Building. Cora, doubtless had received much of her training while taking domestic art in old P. H. S. After this came a picture of a huge lemon over which were the words, Forrest Reed, Whole- sale Dealer in Fruit. This lemon looked suspicious to me butl presume Forrest is making a success in the business. My attention was now called to a slide advertising the latest best sellers of literature. It read: Now on sale at F ritsch's book shop :- The Flower of the Green-house by Marie Guenthnerg The High School Belle, by Marie Price: An Essay on Goats by A. Reckg The Bridling of Man, or Caught in the Rains by Margaret Leonard. The next slide announced that Miss Mabel Kahn, a representative to the Women's Peace Convention, would lecture in this theatre next week. Being in need of a good sleep, I resolved to hear Miss Kahn's lecture. After this a slide was fiashed on announcing that there would be a minute intermission before the radio-films were shown. Then the lights came on and I looked about me. Over in the author's box sat Miss Charlotte Strohmeier who had taken up the writing of radio-plays, and one of whose productions was to be shown this evening. The orchestra now struck up a tune and I noticed amid the harmony some beautiful QFD bird-like tones and looked over and there was Joseph McCurdy playing on his flute just as he used to play when he went around and serenaded the P. H. S. girls. The leader of the orchestra who was a very beautiful woman now turned toward joe and to my surprise I saw that it was Edith Schemmel who had always been so in- terested in the old High School Orchestra.

Page 27 text:

THE PIQUONIAN 25 The Class of 1915 CA Historical Play in Four Actsj Dramatis Personae-Class of 1915. ACT I. Scene I-The Old High School Building-Sept. 1911-Eighty-seven ignorant little Fresh- men wander into the halls of P. H. S. At first they are at a loss to know what to do but are finally seated in Miss McKinney's room. They are then confronted by the schedule and are told to make out their programs. Horrors! What does that mean? is the universal cry, but after many questions they are able to arrange all their classes without any conflicts. Scene II-jan. 5. 1912-A cold day. The pupils appear in sweaters and gloves: the teachers shiver at their desks: school is finally dismissed until the building gets warmer. Scene III-january 31-Excitement: speeches in assembly: great rejoicing and clapping of hands greet the announcement that a bond issue has been voted and P. H. S. is to have a new building. Scene IV-June-Final Examination-Fifty Freshmen are excused from the examination in Algebra! Unheard of! It is soon discovered that this is the result of lathes set up in the manual training department: they shook the building so much that the brains of the Freshmen were thoroughly loosened. ACT II. Scene I-New Halls-Sept. 1912-The Sophomore Class, somewhat diminished in numbers in the year since they entered, are exploring the new quarters: they find the halls dark, and seem to be greatly disturbed by the noise of trains and of traffic on the street. Scene II-April 7 1913-First day of school after the great 1913 Flood: everybody talking at once: Sophomores rejoice that they are all alive and able to be back in school: George Foster and Cora McDowell tell of their experiences in the Hood. ACT III. Scene l-New Halls-Dec. 19, 1913-Everybody getting ready for the operetta, Princess Chrysanthemumf' Fred Holmes admires himself as Emperor: George Cameron speaks in deep ghostly tones: several other juniors prepare to take prominent parts. Scene II-May 1914-Juniors have an exciting meeting: plan to entertain the Seniors: decide to give a reception at New Halls: everybody is appointed on some committee. ACT IV. Scene I-New High School Building-Sept. 1914-Forty-two would-be Seniors much in evidence in the halls: everybody elated because 191'5 will be the first class to graduate from this building. Scene II-March 4, 1915-Senior class organized: speeches by Mr. Dietrich and Mr. Ellabarger: election of officers: William Hirt is made president: Charles French, vice president: Marie Guenthner, secretary. Scene IV-June 10-Commmencement Night-Seniors having ended their labors on Class Night by giving a play, The Vanguard, now have nothing to do except to listen and be admired: grand tableau-diplomas. Curtain. ELIZABETH HARKRADER.

Page 29 text:

THE PIQUONIAN 27 Down the aisle now sped an usher and when he turned to come back I almost fell to the floor when I saw it was my old friend Skinny Wilson. Forrest says he enjoys his new position better than farming and he told me that he was a silent partner to a deal by which this theatre was to become his in return for an unpaid debt. The house was thrown into darkness and the performance began. The first film was a news pictorial presented by the Hirt Radio-film corporation. The first picture showed Mayor Wolcott of Lena breaking the ground for Lena's new ball park. Chester looked quite natural in the pick and shovel role. Next came a picture of the former Miss Helen Hetherington and her husband, Duke W. W. Worke embarking on their European honeymoon. The next picture showed President French of the Tin Medal Flower Company, delivering an address to the striking Millers' Union. Mr. French always was headed toward the presidental chair and I was glad to see that he had realized his ambitions. The next film was a Radio-play by Miss Strohmeier. The cast of the play was composed of several of my classmates of the class of '15. The part of the leading lady, a poor country girl,was taken by Myrl McDowellg that of her cr-r-rule stepmother was played by Margaret Hunter. Mr. Holmes took the part of the hero who rescued her stepmother and the heroine from the bonds of Rudolph , the rent-collector. This last part was played very effectively by Mr. Henry Wallbrunn who gained a great deal of experience in collecting while treasurer of the class of '15. Marie Alexander played the part of the hero's mother who turned him away from home when she found he was to marry a poor country lass. Florence Ellermann portrayed the role of the forsaken city sweetheart of Mr. Holmes. This play was going along nicely until there was a snap and the film broke. The operator stepped out and to my infinite astonishment I saw it was Alfred Reck i During the intermission I looked about me and saw a commotion in one of the aisles. A well built woman seemed to be quarreling with her husband over where they would sit. The usher settled the dispute and when the people turned toward me I was surprised to see that the woman was Clara Lobensteiner and the little man was Garret Kirby. Poor Garret, alas, you always seem to have your foot in it. The pictures now began again but some people behind me kept talking so loud that they drowned out the clicking of the machine thereby destroying the effect of the films. I looked around and there was Ruth Maier relating the latest bit of gossip to Stella Alexander. When they saw and recognized me they became quiet and I again looked at the screen. The next film was entitled Ideals Realized. The first picture was Hanna Morton sur- rounded by suitors all clamoring for her hand. The next picture portrayed William Schoen sitting at a desk with tubes attached to his pockets into which money was rolling. The next picture showed Freda Cron in a barnyard feeding the chickens. After this was a scene of Edith May receiving a degree in college. The picture changed to one of a wedding, the bride in the cere- mony having a great resemblence to Hazel Kuhnle. After this came a picture of Helen Kopf with a huge card on which the grades were all A's and the tardy marks were 0's. The last scene showed Elizabeth Harkrader spanking a small girl in a little country schoolhouse, and I could have sworn that the small girl was Dorothea Gano whose one ambition in school seemed to be never to grow up. CHARLES JAMISON.