Steele High School - Annual Yearbook (Dayton, OH)

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Page Eighteen STEELE MAGNET He gasped. Fifteen dollars and forty cents! I don't understand. There must be some mistake. We never used-- He stopped sheepishly in comprehension. With magnificent scorn Mrs. Billings spoke. Oh, yes, indeed, we did. See what your foolish sprinkling has cost us! Fifteen dollars and forty cents! We could buy all the vegetable we would use in two years with that. Now, what have you to show for it? Nothing! That idea of yours about having a garden in the yard was a fine one. A few more brilliant ideas like that and we 'll be bankrupt, Mr. George Billings P' She turned and stalked into the house. Mr. Billings tood still, struck dumb with the suddenness of recent events. His idea P' When he recovered the power of speech, he said-but I can't repeat it here. That was the end of Billings' garden. Ul m ADVANTAGES or STEELE OLIVER TOTTEN TEELE is one of the most familiar names in the history of Dayton. It is a name which gives inspiration to many, which is on many tongues, and which is known and honored by all Daytonians. It is the oldest high school, and there is a certain dignity in being one of its members, in announcing that you are going there or that you are one of its graduates. The small boy tells every one that he is going there and the young lady from the eighth grade longs to be in Steele. And why? you may ask. My father went, 'fmy sister is going, are common expressions, and then, Steele is such a grand, old building, it has such a pleasant and friendly appearance. Yes, that is part of the secret of Steele's attrac- tion, the open-hearted, amiable Steele-look has caused many photog- raphers and artists to set up camera or easel before its Well-known front. But it is not alone on the exterior that all have lookedg they have explored its interior and found many reasons for going to Steele, for loving Steele, and for being partakers of the Steele spirit. They who have gone and they who now go to Steele, alike, find that most of the treasure and interest of Steele lies in its faculty, that Gibral- tar-like faculty, which has clung to Steele during many trying years and which stands as a monument of the Steele tide of knowledge which has swept so many large bodies of learned students out from its friendly arms. True, there are some young members of the faculty, b-ut most of them are graduates of Steele, and all have the interests of Steele and Steele's students at heart. It is a faculty of the highest eiiiciency, an efficiency which has been acquired through research, time, and practice, an efficiency which has made this faculty the recruiting ground for the other high schools. .t

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STEELE MAGNET Page Seventeen One was white with black spots, the other was brown. Both were full of the gladsome May-time spirit. The brown dog poked an inquiring nose through the gateway and sniffed. All was quiet and inviting. He entered and his white companion followed. No human being was in evidence except that still figure on the settee which emitted unearthly Sounds at intervals. Nothing was to be feared from him. The dogs made a circuit of the garden. The fresh, young lettuce tempted them and they sampled it. You may say that dogs do not eat lettuce. I aiiirm tha.t they do, and that they also eat grass, especially in the spring season. Of course, even then they do not eat a great deal, but they do eat some. ' Now, I do not know whether there is anything peculiarly exhilarating to the canine being, in fresh, tender, May lettuce, but I do know that after partaking of it, these two pups became frisky and romped back and forth across the garden. Destruction lay in their wake. As they wheeled and raced about, the loose, damp soil was lifted, and along with it came the once so promising ga.rden truck. Back and forth and to and fro they frisked as only young pups can, now across the radishes, now plowing up the beets, and now devastating the onions. Suddenly the brown dog halted in his mad career, and neatly raked out a squash plant. The white one likewise stopped and in so doing unearthed a whole row of tomatoes. They both crouched tense, leaped toward each other, and frisked away again in a wild chase. They circled, dodged, leaped, and slid, and at every moment some plant left its earthy abode and lay limp and be- draggled on the surface. In the meantime, Mrs. Billings finished her call and started home. On her way she intercepted the mail-carrier, who gave her a letter. In one corner it bore the name Department of Water. Oh, the water bill, she mentally remarked. I wonder how much it is. She ripped open the envelope and glanced at its contents. She gasped, stared blankly at the enclosed paper for a. moment, a.nd hurried on with angry mien. In the garden the white dog had taken offense at the other and a iight ensued which ultimately became so noisy that Mr. Billings was awakened. It was a. moment or two before he realized what had happened and was happening to his cherished garden. With a shout he leaped from the porch a.nd made for the two canine vandals. They noted his approach and abandoned their personal differences in flight. The dogs went through the gate together, with Billings only two steps behind. At a. scream from behind, Billings stopped short. Framed in the doorway stood his wife with horror-stricken face. A piece of paper was crumpled in her hand. Billings abandoned pursuit of the despoilers and walked with rueful face to the house. What 's the matter? No bad news, is there? he inquired. The water bin! and she handed it to him with a dramatic iiourish.

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STEELE MAGNET P380 Nineteen Many are attracted by Steele's location, and it would be hard to find a better located building. It is on the main street of the city and easily accessible to tl1e greatest number of students, it might be said that all important highways lead to Steele, and no visitor ever got lost hunting for Steele. From Steele's many windows one can obtain a fine view of the Miami River, Main Street Bridge, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, and Van Cleve Park with its pride and heirloom, the old log cabin. S0 many fine points of interest all within close proximity to Steele contribute to its grandeur and appearance, and there is more interest attached to the Park, for it cannot only be seen, but students have access to it and may stroll along the bank of the river and enjoy recreation of both mind and body. Every one is now considering the brilliant future before Steele, for the plans for improvement which are being made will remove all grounds of possible complaint and will make Steele the magnet for students of talent and ability. Last, but not among the least, we may speak of the friends of Steele, always in the majority and steadily increasing, for none ca.n frown on a school which gives so much to those who give so little. HOW THE SPIRIT OF SONG IS REFLECTED MARGARET GUY T is said that, no matter how savage man may be, music always has a charm for him. It does not fill its mission, however, unless it con- veys some impression to the hearer. No true musician plays just to play, he aims to place a picture or cause an emotion to arise in the minds of his hearers by putting his interpretation of the music into it. The same may be said of musical verse. Although the words are there, they must be interpreted well to make the song a true one. Thus the aim of all song is not to entertain, but to give a true, definite meaning that really counts for something. If this meaning is rightly conveyed, a thorough study must be made of the composition. The life of the composer often sheds great influence on his productions. One certain event may have caused the writing of the song. Thus it is necessary to study the composer's life closely and carefully. The time during which the composition was written may have had much to do with its production. In the case of our own Star- Spangled Banner, the spirit of the time made it wonderful. Whatever ca.used the piece to be such as it is should be sought in order to under- stand more fully the piece itself. After the composition has been thoroughly studied, if it is to be properly interpreted, it must be applied to the art.ist's own life. If he can find nothing in his life to which this piece applies, he cannot successfully interpret it. Any one who is able to play or sing may execute a piece