South Side High School - Optimist Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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SENIOR OPTIMIST BOARD OPTIMIST BOARD

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 7 THE OPTIMIST The Class GER and excited we finally reached the temple of the Sibyl. Hither we had come to find out how we might learn the future of our class- mates. After we had explained our mis- sion the Sibyl answered: “About five minutes' walk directly east- ward will bring you to an immense grove. In that grove there is a tree containing one golden branch. This you must find and pluck off in order that you may learn what you so desire.” After rendering our thanks to the Sibyl we rushed out of the temple and east- ward. It was not long before we reached the grove and started through it. No- where in sight was any golden bough. On and on we walked. All of a sudden two caterpillars fell from a tree onto my shoulders. I looked upward and there hidden amongst the leaves was a glitter- ing of gold. Quickly I parted the boughs and plucked that so desired branch. “I have it! the golden branch, covered with leaves!” I cried. “But what are we to do with it? How can this help us?” My companion, who was now eagerly examining the bough, calmly said, “Use your eyes.” Sure enough. On every leaf was a name and a few words. My com- panion pulled off one leaf: I plucked an- other. Immediately two others took their place. “Listen to this,” she exclaimed. “Here are at least two patriotic members of the class. Pericles Belfatto is to be a colonel and Gladys a Red Cross nurse.” “I bet over half the class will be fol- lowing their example before long, but I suppose, first of all, we will see them started in their respective professions,” I remarked. Then, as I read my leaf, I ex- claimed: “Look at this! These must be the speakers of the class! Fred Groel, Prophecy a distinguished street vender of patent medicine. Harry Levin a lawyer! Well, I hope he makes as good use of his mouth in that line as he has in school. Morris Wosnitzer a stump speaker. Marion Bis- son a lecturer on pronunciation and clear speaking, and Louis Schrenzel a ventrilo- quist. Oh! I wonder if he’ll go around with a doll the way the men do down at the shore! What fun! I hope------” “Oh! stop talking so much,” my com panion chided; “and let me tell you what this leaf says. Ella Mabus is to be the head buyer for a large department store owned by Alexander Goldfinger. And, oh! imagine it! Bess Phillipson is to be the demonstrator for a new corn cure just on the market, and Mortimer Weiss a floor- walker. I wonder in what city that fa- mous store will be.” “I don’t know and don’t care,” I an- swered. “Here’s something better yet. Petite little Julia Howell is to be an equestrienne in Barnum Bailey’s, and Abram Zieger an acrobat. Don’t you worry. I’ll never miss the circus when it comes to town.” “Oh! but we have real actors also among our class. Sadie Felzenstein as a comedienne and William Rabinowitz as a tragedian certainly will make the class of 1917 famous.” My! But here are two lucky boys. William Margerum and Edward Hyman will some day both be worth millions.” “But,” added my companion, “they will be kind-hearted, for this leaf tells me they will establish an orphanage and Cecile Hecht is to have charge of it.” “Guess what Sam Waldman is to be— a hypnotist. And Gustave Goldstein a magician. Oh! I hope they’ll work to- gether. They’d make such a cute couple!” “Why, this class is even represented 18

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 SST| THE' OPTIMIST OFFICERS OF CLASS OF JI NK, '17 in the motion pictures. Edna Greene is to be an emotional actress and Ethel Hel- wig a dare-devil of the movies.” ‘‘I guess they’d better steer straight of some other members of our class, though,” I rejoined; “for Rudolph The- venet is going to be a minister and Fred Waltzinger an evangelist. But more than that. Helen Sellner is to be a prohibition- ist and—who would have thought it— Margaret Schnefel and Tessie Henecho- witz are to spend their lives in foreign countries as missionaries. Oh! I hope they’ll accomplish a lot of good. They ought to.” “But come! lets hurry or we’ll never finish. My next leaf says Estelle Gelb is going to open a beauty shop and Edith Slatoff and Mary Gross are to be the man- icurists.” “And my leaf says Esther Goldberg is to be a suffragette—I mean a suffragist.” “Oh, listen! Frieda Meisnest is going to start a private school with Lydia Koehler as kindergarten teacher, Ada Minkowitz as laboratory assistant and Oscar Katz as German professor. Good- ness! I never suspected all these would teach, did you?” My answer was, “Here is something good: ‘Paul Gipfel, a doctor for insects.’ I pity the poor insects.” “And Jeannette Weisbrod a worker in the Audubon Society.” “Oh! Pearl Barlow is to be a detec- tive.” “Rose Henig a telephone operator.” “Louise Ackerman a librarian.” “Gertrude Huff a settlement worker. I suppose she’ll be a second Jane Addams.” “Morris Ruchaisky a chef.” “And Arthur Roemmele a book agent. But, best of all! His best-selling book is a Vergil pony edited by William Cohen and George Kalnitzky. It must be a good one, for you know Miss Schenck was their Vergil teacher.” “This leaf says Selma Sternick will be a fortune teller. She’ll make a good one, I bet!” 20 «Continued on page 44)