Roanoke High School - Acorns Yearbook (Roanoke, VA)

Page 49 text:

The whole fire burned more brightly and I vividly beheld the laces of the class beauties-Flora Philpotts, Josephine Shields, and Bonnie jack. In the old grammar school days I had condemned Flora as a heartless flirt, but later I learned that it was her own attractive, lovable nature which made every one adore her. j'osephine's fascinating bright eyes and curly hair proved irre- sistible to every one except the teachers, who were cruel enough to cut her deportment grade below the safety mark, Bonnie was a darker!-and a more thoughtful-looking beauty. These three faces so vividly outlined in the wavering gold and blue of the tlames reminded me of my latest visit to the celebrated museum of art re- cently established by Vernon Yost, one of the heirs of Mr. Carnegie's wealth and beneticent spirit. There were two pictures which impressed me very much- Summer, painted by Elizabeth I-lill, and lYi11te1', painted by Har- old Bottomley. Summer was a girl with golden hair and blue eyes, standing up in an automobile gathering luscious red cherries from a tree by the way- side. The whole scene suggested the season, but the girl was the very embodi- ment of the happiness and sunniness which means sumi'neri ll'inter was rep- resented by a girl skating. She wore a red cap on her dark hair and the color of her cheeks matched that of the cap. lfler black eyes sparkled with the delight that only winter pastimes can give. In these two girls I had recog- nized Mary Stone and Harriet lVilson. The pictures were entered in a con- test for a prize and the judges were to be Loveline Coleman, Myrtle Bowling, and Bloclwin Voigt. Another picture in the museum which revealed the skill of a true artist was The Perfect ll'O1T1211'l,i, painted by Helen Bulman. Dorris l-Iuff, one of our most lovable schoolmates, had served as a model. A piece of wood burned in two and tell to either side, revealing a bed of coals which resembled a room full of people with their 'laces turned toward a man standing on a platform. I instantly recalled Reginald Koehler's recent political speech, in which he touched on every subject on earth and heartily assured the people that it the Republican candidate for presidency. Gordon lVelch, were elected the country would be ruined, but it the Democratic can- didate, Tom Divers, were successful an ideal condition would result. Then quickly came the memory ot the time when Kathleen Holtz, ardent supporter of the Republicans, and Reginald were in the same history class. They fought again the fight of the Missouri Compromise, the measures of the Omnibus Bill, and the bloody battles ot the Civil lVar. Neither was victorious but Kathleen emerged from the conllict with the sobriquet, Mrs, John Brown. Recently Kathleen wrote to me that she had moved to Mississippi ther friends wonder why she does not return to her beloved Northl. 50

Page 48 text:

memories emo Tllictures in Ibe Tfire a house party at her grandmother's beautiful, old-fashioned home in the country. That evening the other guests, includ- ing Karl Harris, Ella Bowman, jesse Hollingsworth, Esther Hubbard, and Emma Ammen had gone to a dance, but I had b HAD accepted the invitation of Ernestine Showalter to attend preferred remaining at home. The dim, mellow light af- forded hy the candles on either side of the mantle was very conducive to go straying among pleasant memories. Presently the fireplace became a stage and the glowing coals and bright flames became my schoolmates playing now life games in the world or playing again the old school days. They did not come in any sensible order-those old friends of mine-but as the firelight subtilely suggested they came and as the passing of dream characters they went. First there was English Showalter, the brother of my hostess, a graduate of johns Hopkins law school. The thought of his most recent and successful speech recalled the time of his yesterdays, when he brought honor to the Roanoke High School as well as to himself by his speech at South Boston. One stick on the hre which had not been burning suddenly flared up, with the brightening fire came the name of Sara Masinter-the inspirer of the Class of 1914. Sara had an ardent co-worker in Myra XN7oolwine, whose great- est talent, however, lay in an entirely different direction, for it was flirting. Suddenly I saw in the fire the scene of the last wedding I had attended. It was that of Elsie Rau and DeLos Thomas. just as the notes of CHannahj Mendelsohnfs wedding march, rendered by the accomplished pianist, Ethel Manuel, died away, and the officiating minister, Ernest Smith, was ready to begin the ceremony, the solemn stillness was abruptly broken by a giggle from Hilda Gleaves, one of the bridesmaids. No one ever discovered the cause of the sudden mirth, but those who had known her of old never sought a reason for I-Iilda's giggling. During the ceremony the famous soprano, Emma Wfool- wine, sang softly a sweet old love song. There was soon to be another wed- ding in which the beautiful singer was to be the bride and the college profes- sor who had written Emma seventy-two letters by the time she was in the junior year at Roanoke High School was to be the groom. 49

Page 50 text:

The fire had died down but 1ny ability for seeing pictures had not dimin- ished. Now I beheld the chapel at the Roanoke High School. It looked different, for the former teachers had all departed, yet their places were filled with familiar faces. At the desk in the middle of the platform sat Mr. Mc- Quilkin's successor, Maury lVebster. ln Miss Boards place was Anna Camp- bellg in Miss Lovelaces, Carrie Oakesg in Miss Mabry's, Ruby Keslerg in Phelpss, NVilliam Malcolm: in Mr. Layman's, Elbert Priceg in Miss Critzs, Amo Bloxton g in Miss London's, Edith Mooreg in Mr. TlU1'1lC1',S, Eliza- beth Sempleg in Mr. Eeale's, Roy Lindseyg in Mr. Eindlay's, Hallie Beardg in Mrs. Sinclair's, Bessie Callowayg in Mr. Parsonss, John Sherman. The prin- cipal announced to the school that the speaker this morning was one to Whom these walls were familiar, one who had received her share of fun from school life and who had tried the patience of the teachers more than once. Thus introduced, May Rowbotham, in her peculiarly funny manner, entertained rather than instructed the pupils by her reminiscences. But it was the Faculty who enjoyed the talk most, for as May spoke, back came the bygone days, the old faces, and the old ups and downs, With the Hupsl' most prominent. l!Vl16U she finished, Martha Kidd played on her violin, Auld Lang' Synef' She played softly, tenderly, not for the pupils but to the teachers, VVhen the violin had half whispered and half sobbed the last notes, the students applauded uproariously, but the teachers sat with bowed heads and the tears were very near their eyes, for auld lang synef' My thoughts were rudely interrupted by the noisy return of the guests from the dance. Thus it was that there was not time to include all my school- mates in my thoughts at that time. INCOGNITA, IV. l ll E' ll l 51