Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

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30 1925 SENIOR ANNUAL HISTORY OF CLASS '25 Now are we presenting the final tableau in the history of our class. Yet a few more weeks, and the great ship with its precious cargo of a little better than one hundred souls will ride peacefully at anchor in its longed-for haven. Long has been this voyage and prosperous: days of calm and days of storm: days of hope and days of despair: days of light-hearted frivolity and days of earnest endeavor. Can there be one voyager upon whose brain the events of this four years journey has not been indelibly stamped? ,Is there one whose sorrow in the dim and mysterious future will not be lightened by reverting to this most happy period? If such there be, we know him not. Therefore is my task burdensome: the class history a hollow mockery. It was in the September of 1921 that there entered into the Rome Free Academy a great multitude of new students who, according to the custom of the school, were called Freshmen , but, according to the custom of the upper- classmen were called Freshies . I do not know whether we deserved this name or not, but I am inclined to think we were very meek at that time. We were informed that to protect ourselves from being ruled by the upper-cla,ssmen we must elect a set of officers. This ritual being duly accomplished, we felt more safe from those haughty and dignified upper-classmen. During our second year, as is usually the case, we were not seen or heard from to any great extent, but in our third year we realized we were in that realm of the upper-classmen, working for great achievements. We found that we were in a gallant, gay crowd and were being swept along on a tide of school and social activities. However, our greatest delight and accomplishment was to reach the height and fame of Seniors. This we did the following year and found to our great dismay that we had only one more school year to spend in dear old R. F. A. We decided to make this year the very best. We started out by giving our best support to all the school activities. We think it can truthfully be said of us that we have given the class of neither 1924 nor 1926 cause for sorrow arising from bitter defeat and that it has always been our policy to bring joy to all and sorrow to none. . The history of the class of 1925 as undergraduates is now almost com- pleted. The proudest moment of our lives, when we shall receive the diplomas of graduation, is yet to come, but is not far distant. Then we will be scattered to the four corners of the earth, some of us, perhaps, never to meet again. But whatever the future may have in store for us let us ever retain the spirit of R. F. A. and, grateful for the memory of these happy years of school life, let us express our gratitude by ever increasing love and devotion for our Alma Mater. H. L. A., '25,

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l9Z5 SENIOR ANNUAL 29 Photos by McClusky Margaret Stedman Wolff Ruth Margaret Williams A lovely apparition sent Ruth, we hear, is quite a child. To be a moment's ornament. But we are told she's not so mild. Gladys May Wood Jessie Irene Wellman We wonder if Gladys Wood, Her eyes as stars of twilight fair, But, no, we hear she's far too good. Like twilight, too, her dusky hair. Ervin William Ziemann Horace Wocdcock He that laughs last laughs best. The It takes a college girl to understand Hor- laugh's on you, Ervin. ace. Staff. , , , Emlyn Gifford William- Ham Milton Wi11i3mS Milt,, That girl he talks to back at the reference As Miss Seely would say, Many girls table Isabell. take Milton, but how few have learned to appreciate him. First Boys' Slingerland '25. First Vernon Center '25. Orchestra. l

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l925 SENIOR ANNUAL 31 GIRLS' PROPHECY I was walking slowly through the woods when suddenly I heard a low moaning. I advanced in the direction from which the sound came, and saw a queer old man, about three feet high, vainly trying to free his long snow-white beard, which was held fast in a crack in the bark of a tall pine tree. When I reached the old man I took out my jackknife, intending to cut his beard in order to free him. But he objected to having his beard cut. So I inserted my belt axe in the crack, and by exerting all my strength, was able to free him without harming his beard. How can I reward you? he asked. For three days I have been impris- oned in that terrible manner by an evil witch. If you had not freed me I would surely have stayed there until I died of starvation. I am a wizard, and I shall do all that is in my power to reward you. I thought for a moment. Then I asked, Can you look into the future? Yes, he replied, but to do that I must be in my enchanted cavern. If you will come with me I will show you what you wish to know. I followed the old man through the forest until we came to a large rock. He tapped thrice upon the rock with a heavy cane which he carried. An invisi- ble door in the rock swung open, disclosing a narrow passageway. We fol- lowed this passageway until we reached the cave. I peered curiously about me as I entered. The cave was dimly lighted by a queerly shaped lantern, which was suspended from the roof. A raven croaked thrice as I entered. A large owl, perched on the back of a three-legged chair, winked solemnly at me. A small red fox, chained to a leg of a heavy table, arose and snarled warningly as I approached, but at a sharp command from the wizard he lay down and became silent. About the cave hung many heavy draperies, embroidered in fantastic designs. All this I noticed in a few quick glances. The magician then motioned me to sit down on a bench. I did so, and he drew back a curtain, disclosing a magic mirror. Look into the mirror, he directed me, and slowly repeat the name of the person whose future you wish to know. A vision will appear in the mirror, and you will see what you wish to know. The first girls I named were Hilda Flack, Geraldine Karlen, and Catherine Rosenburgh. I found that they had founded an Anti-Men Society, which had utterly denounced the masculine sex. I-Iow like their attitude in R. F. A., did you say? In addition to their activities in this new society, all of them were prominent socially in Rome and elsewhere. Christine Shaylor was the superintendent of a deaf mute institute. She made up for all that the inmates could not say, and then some.