Prairie Du Chien High School - Blackhawk Yearbook (Prairie Du Chien, WI)

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CLASS HISTORY One bright September morning in the year 1915, we, the present Junior Class began our high school career. For most of us the first day had many trying experiences. Some had never seen the inside of a high school before, some were lost and lacked the courage to ask questions. But in spite of the confusion we managed to find the assembly room. Here we had some difficulty in finding our seats. Nine o’clock found us all in our seats, eager and expectant. The Principal announced that we would open school by singing“America” It certainly was the best singing we had ever heard. He then proceeded to enumerate to us the elements of success. After he had fully impressed us with the importance our high school course would play in our success in life, the various courses were explained. But of course we took whatever course appeared to be the easiest. At last the first classes were passed, And oh my! Some went to the back of the room, some to the front, girls in the boys hall, boys in the girl’s hall, some to the “M” room instead of the “C” room, yhile the others simply stood still. The teachers came to our rescue and directed us to our class rooms. Again we found ourselves in the presence of the Principal in Algebra Class. It had never occured to us to count the members of our class, but now that we were all assembled we found that we were forty five. The largest Freshman Class that ever entered high school! Forty minutes seemed a dreadfully long time to us that morning. Finally the bell rang, and we proceeded to retrace our steps to the assembly-room. We then passed to Word Analysis, nothing serious happened while there. The teacher sold some jokes and assigned the lesson for the next day. At noon we tried to get acquainted with the upper classmen; but wdierever we went we were greeted by, “Hello, Freshie”, or with threats to ‘duck’ us under the pump. They certainly were a nuisance. Before the month was over we were fully determined to exclude all Senior, Juniors and Sophomores from our Society. This, how-' ever, did not prove to be as easy as we thought. In the afternoon we were introduced to the English teacher and to the Physical Geography teacher. After the day was over we decided that high school wouldn’t be so bad after all, as all the teachers appeared to be “real nice”. The following days we fared better and we learned something new every day. Then one day it was announced that there would be a Freshman meeting in the “C” room. Most of us attended out of curiosity. The meeting was called to order by our class adviser. She informed us that the purpose of the meeting was to elect officers. But what did we know about electing class officers? Three were nominated, and

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that would be very much. Geometry was my failing. Louis (Jake) and Roy are ‘making it go’ on a ranch in Montana. They have fine herds of cattle and own a section of land. Mildred, when I last heard from her, was clerking for a friend of hers in a large shoe store. He used to be a clerk in a shoe store in Prairie where he got his start. She apparently likes it very much. Alma and Thelma are in the service of their country; they enl: ted as Red Cross Nurses last summer and are now in France. There was a rumor that they had both won crosses of honor. Lottie is teaching in Iowa. She is turning out some good pupils from under her supervision, as I learned from a gentleman friend of Lottie’s, with whom I was speaking the other day. And Anna, it wouldn’t do to forget her, the one that always settled our school squabbles for us. I had the opportunity of seeing her the other day, not in person, but on the screen, you know. She is now with the Paramount Company in America. She played the part of the little girl in “Little Sister”. I wish you had been there; to think of being fortunate enough to see one of our classmates in a photo-play; but Anna was the girl that could make good in the world. Yes, Lawrence and Henry are some men now too, Captains, both of them. Who would ever have thought they would have taken to that, but they are brave boys, always striving for the best. Henry always said he’d like to be a soldier, but I didn’t believe it. Bernadetta, where is she? Oh, yes! I remember now, she is spending her valuable time writing articles for the food department of Good Housekeeping Magazine. ‘Bun’ was her name in school, do you remember? School never would have been complete without ‘Bun’. There’s Helen Kast! She came into our high school in the Junior year, didn’t she? I don’t know where she is, do you? Teaching somewhere in Oregon, did you say? I suppose she enjoys the work, for she always said that she would choose teaching for her occupation. And who could forget Regina? A girl friend of mine who is attending the University of Wisconsin said that a Miss Sletmark was Dean of Women there, and upon asking her what this Miss Sletmark’s first name was, I was pleased to find that it was our Regina. I know she must be very capable of the position. Lucy and Christina are both doing stenography work. I believe Lucy is one of the most competent stenographers that the Prudential Life Insurance Company employs. Christina is at Marshal Field Company in Chicago. Four o’clock, Una, and we’ve been here nearly two hours, but surely enjoying ourselves in looking over this book of memories; and you and I, Una, are just teachers, but nevertheless, we enjoy it. And now we must dress for dinner.” Ruth Greene

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we all voted, but it is doubtful if any of us knew who or what we were voting for. We did not know much about the activities of the school and therefore we ventured into everything, basket-ball, glee clubs, camp-fires, and orchestra. It was immaterial to us, so long as we were represented. The result was that at the end of the year we had four star basket ball players and several good singers. The thing of most importance however, was the result of the year’s school work. After the examinations were over we found that there were very few failures. And so the term ended. September 5, 1916 we were again assembled, but only thirty-five of our class were present. There was no lack of courage nor of confidence this year. We were greatly disappointed to find a still larger Freshman Class than the year before, but then, there were so many more for us to torment, which proved to be our greatest pleasure. Every Sophomore began the year with a vim, prepared to capture any honors that came his way. There were two new teachers, one for History and the other for Science. We all liked the History teacher but we did hate the ancient history she made us study. More than once we wondered why we should be expected to know everything that happened thousands of years ago. Every so often our Botany teacher would take us to the fields and hills to collect mosses and examine the different kinds of rocks. But what we enjoyed most in his class was to see him blush. Every Tuesday those long dreaded news topics were given by the Seniors and Juniors. Thursday mornings were given over to Freshmen rhetoricals. We were glad to think that for a year at least, we would not be required to appear before the school. Then one day one of the teachers posted a list in the assembly room. What do you suppose it was? It was the names of all the Sophomores who had to appear for news topics. A week before Christmas it was announced that the school would give an operetta, before the holidays, to raise money to pay for a piano that had been purchased at the beginning of the year. “What is an operetta?”, was asked wherever we went. We knew that it was something wonderful and so to find out what it really was, we all attended. Towards spring the contest question was brought before the school; the principal was not as enthusiastic as usual, but the students responded readily. Of the fourteen students that entered the contest four were Sophomores. Although we were not fortunate enough to get first place, we got second in both the declamatory and oratorical contests. The last week of school was spent in learning what we had neglected to learn and relearning what we had forgotten. And so, fully prepared, we met the final exams.