Shields High School - Patriot Yearbook (Seymour, IN)

Page 12 text:

COMMENCEMENT NUMBER THE Sure enough they came and Letitia, calling Arthur McKinsey to her side said, “I told you an untruth this morning, Arthur. This is my mother.” Then turning to her she continued, “Mother, I have no excuse to offer other than that I did it on the impulse of the moment. I hate the name Melvina. I always just put the initial ‘M.’ No one knew that was my name. And then you, all of you, but Bee’, looked so, so countrified. Oh, I’m so sorry I did it. “My dress was beautiful motaer. It was such soft clingy ma- terial like I’ve always wanted. Oh, that lace! Mother, mother, why did you use it. It is much too fine for me. After you were so lovely as to sacrifice tnat wedding dress of grandmother’s to think! to think that I wouldn’t own you as my mother.” Then Letitia introduced Arthur to. the other members of the family and after that she presented them proudly to the other mem- bers of the class. As she left she said to Arthur, “That’s what the minister meant when he said in the BaccaJaureate sermon, ‘There will be times when you will be tempted to be ashamed of the old things that were a part of your life before success came; but don’t do it. Re- member that they were the foundation on which your success was built. I didn’t understand what he meant then. But this little incident will keep me from ever forgetting that ‘ail I have, all I am, all that I ever hope to be’ I owe to the home folks.” Ho M., “13. I really want to find someone to call me “Pet” and “Honey,” Of course I much prefer one not stingy with his money. And if he owns an “auto” that really would be fine To take me out where’er I please to have a jolly time. He may be fat, he may be lean, he may be short or tall, As long as he’s not short on cash I wouldn’t mind at all. And to the theatres and balls I dearly love to go; And roses in the winter time I dote on don’t you know. Now if you think you fill the bill just hurry up and answer, I do not care to marry for many years to come, But while I wait I’d like a beau to pay for all the fun. Send it to me by the mail as promptly as you can sir. MABEL KASTING. P:A-T: Rouleost Page Ten SENIOR CLASS POEM . I. One lovely day in hot July As I gazed dreamily toward the sky, I fell asleep and dreamed that I Saw all the nineteen tens and they, In various places situated, Seemed all to me to be related, While some strange voice of nature stated What none of them could to me say. TE; It told me they were widely scattered, Not many where their feet had pattered In childhood days, and later flattered In days of youth and constant growth By some remark or look or prize, When they were just the proper size To learn to look with inward eyes Upon the life not based on childish oath. Til. And then beginning, one by one It told to me what had become Of each of my old classmates. Some Had gone to distant climes. First, there was Flossie, the bright lass, - vyno took first honors in our class, But she had pleased so soon, alas, To live abroad in future times. IV. Enola too a teacher bright, When answ’ring questions, ever right, Took second honors by the might Of power within her studious brain. Now Frances Murdock you may guess From her emotions numberless Had done no greater and naught less Than leave her home, and not in yain.

Page 11 text:

4 eed Page Nine COMMENCEMENT The long looked for day had arrived; the day when Letitia Mel- vina Perkins should graduate from the High School up at Waring. The occupants of the little white farm house were astir early. Mrs. Perkins was busily preparing the breakfast of ham and eggs. Mr. Perkins was feeding and watering the stock. Maria Matilda was tying up Letitia’s dress, while Martha Lucy was combing Beatrice Margaret’s hair. Samuel Henry was extremely busy outside the house kicking up pebbles with the brand new shoes that hurt. Occasionally Mrs. Perkins might be heard calling in her wistful voice to Sammy, “Now Samniy Henry I do wish ye’d stop that. Ye’r awful hard on ye’r shoes anyway. You’ll have them wored out afore ye leave this yere place.” Then going back to her work she would mumble to herself, “Tm turrible sorry we couldn’t get Melviny what she wanted when she gradoo-ated. Land knows she’d a looked mighty purty standin’ up there with a white dress on. She ain’t never had no white dress cause I ain’t strong enough ter an’ ain’t got no time ter wash fancy white dresses. But reckon she’ll look as good as the rest on em standin’ up there in their purty blue swiss. I paid a quarter a yard fer it. It would a cost fifty but it was reduced. It seemed a lot to pay fer a dress; but then it made up mighty purty with that old lace from my ma’s weddin’ dress. I hope she’ll like it.” Soon it was time to start. The whole family resplendent in their best Sunday clothes piled into the old surrey and father drove toem to town. “Oh there’s Letitia Melviny. Father, drive right over there. I wonder who that nice looking young man sh’s talkin’ to be,” said Mrs. Perkins as they drove along a quiet street of the little vil- lage. “Oh,” she continued, “I wonder if that young man she’s talkin’ to is that Arthur McKinsey she talks so much about. “Melviny! oh Melviny!” she called. -A pretty, greetish looking girl turned. “Excuse me a moment,” she said to her companion, “that’s some of my old neighbors. They insisted that I be named Melvina and so when I wasn’t, they still held the name.” “Oh what a fib,” cried Beatrice Margaret in an audible whisper from the carriage. Letitia came up to the carriage with a disagreeable air. Her mother handed her the package that held the dress and said sim- POA ST RY O° T COMMENCEMENT NUMBER ply, “Miss Perkins here’s your dress. Your folks couldn’t come.” By this time Beatrice Margaret was out of the surrey into her sister’s arms. She looked very pretty in her pale pink frock with a large pink bow on her dark hair. Her great brown eyes were sparkling with various emotions. “Oh sister,” she said, ‘how could you tell such a story?” “Keep still Bee’ and I’ll introduce you to Mr. McKinsey,” her sister replied, her face flushing. That day Letitia met her father and mother and the children on the street repeatedly but they only said, “How do you do Miss Perkins.” Beatrice stayed with her all day but she was strangely silent except a few times when they were alone said, turning her great sor- rowful dark eyes to Letitia’s dry blue ones, “Why did you tell that awful story?” At last Bee’ joined her father and mother while Letitia went to don her graduating dress and join her fellow graduates. As she opened the package she gave a cry of distress. Blue! her graduating dress blue! But when she looked at the dress and saw the rich old lace her distress gave way to remorse for she realized what it must have meant to her mother to sacrifice the lace from Letitia’s grandmother’s wedding gown for the graduating dress. And to think she, Letitia Melvina, had denied her name and her mother. That night in the big opera house among all the happy faces one, only, looked disturbed and sad. This was the face of Letitia. Her large blue eyes occasionally filled with tears and if one had listened closely, he could have heard her say over and over, “Oh, k wish I hadn’t done it! I wish I hadn’t done it. If I could only undo, It. It was with drooping spirits that she stepped forward to re- ceive her diploma, little guessing what a pretty picture she made in her blue dress trimmed in the old lace, yellowed with age, her golden hair rippling back from her forehead, and her eyes cast modestly on the floor. A thought came into her mind as she stepped back into her place, of how she might atone for her words. Her father and mother would surely come up on the stage to slip on her finger the little diamond ring that had always been given to the first girl to graduate in her mother’s family.

Page 13 text:

THE Vv. She married one from far away, “And there she lives this very day With him as happy and as gay As one could hope to be. But Merrill as you might have guessed, A lawyer is among the best, “While Edna, one among the rest, Has lived beyond the sea. VI. Now ‘Bobby” bright and full of fun When half his life he scarce had run Took up and finished as begun A course for civil engineer. Alas for Elsie and Florence, Their life they think will now commence, For they are living like Bernice As good old maids without a peer. VII. But where’s our boy of noble deeds? A pattern is the life he leads, As o’er his lands le sows the seeds, Our good old comrade Homer; But Frances Teckemeyer, ah me, We always said that great she’d be; She does kind deeds and drinks her tea When blows the blooming clover. VIII. And Myra Laupus, cheerfu l lass, She chose a housewife’s life to pass, And lives with Francis where the grass Grows beautiful and green. Now Alma, Erma and our Fern, As you will be surprised to learn, Sit where the fires do brightly burn About the castle’s scene. Pon lets OeT COMMENCEMENT IX. There’s Joe a politician great, And Lem still lives within our state, While destiny decides Blaine’s fate, For he’s a cowboy way out west. Now Harold wise and great and good, And Cash who did the best he could Oft drive at midnight through the wood To give their medicines, the best. X. Here’s Ada married once for all, But Louis, strong and straight and tall, And Rex, who ne’er was known to fall, Send messages across the wires. Now Forrest is a farmer good, And lives with Christine as he should, And tends the fields and raises food To please his own dear wife’s desires. XI. There’s Frank Schwab is a lawyer true, And Linden is a miller too, And Hlsie Rucker one did woo Who married her to cheer his life. Here’s all the class excepting me And I will as you here may see Say nothing of myself, for glee Is mine throughout in joy or strife. LILLIAN MAE KELLEY, ’19. SEVEN WONDERS OF S. H. S. Boys’ quartette. Sophomore Algebra class. Juniors high standing. Seniors’ dignity. “Freshman benavior. New piano. Care of old building.