Ruskin High School - Mirage Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

Page 16 text:

THERE ARE 66 CANDLES ON MIRAGE’S CAKE Behind the Bicentennial yearbook stood thirty-one people intent on re-presenting the past through parchment paper, cherished reminiscences of yesterday, and concrete evidences that ‘‘all this” truly was once. A MIRAGE was more than a pic- ture book, for within it one could preserve the daily things that were taken for granted. But tomorrow many of our possible memories would be lost in the shuffle of time. How many know that Ruskin wasn’t always loyal to the Blue and Gold? Old Rose and Silver Grey were once the school colors, and the Alma Mater’s opening line went something like this; ‘‘We’ll go back and shout again, fill the hills, repeat the strain, Ruskin High School!” In fact, Ruskin also possessed a school flower, the Pink Tea Rose, and as for the class bird, it always was the Majestic Eagle. The cover of our Bicentennial MIRAGE has a history, too. Based on the 1921 MIRAGE, the design of the book was moderated with the gold bird perched upon a fifty year old emblem. We were also able to uncover a bit about the original MIRAGE Staff, which consisted of only twelve students. Creating a yearbook was more a non-credit club than a Jour- nalism class. Half the book contained local advertisements, for the nearby merchants were the only financial help the staff could muster. Not only were there money problems but every photograph had to be individually glued on each page! Once under the guidance of Mrs. Bess Skinner, the MIRAGE accumulated awards ranging from Superior and First Class to All American. Eventually, Ms. Ellen Mooney filled the slot as MIRAGE advisor, and the years 1971-76 brought Ruskin’s annual such honors as All-Missouri and Medalist. Throughout the years, the Eagle has graced the cover of the MIRAGE. 12 Mirage