University of Central Missouri - Rhetor Yearbook (Warrensburg, MO)

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HISTORY OF THE SENIOR CLASS OF 1906. N THE fall of ninteen hundred four, was organized a body which later developed into what is known this the year of nineteen hundred six as the Senior Class of Warrensburg State Normal School. 'When that body was organized it was known as the junior Class of nineteen hundred four and five. During the year the junior Class exhibited a consider- able amount of power and ability, in the class room, on the platform, and on the gridiron. To enumerate the shining stars in the class room would be an endless task, so I shall pass them by. Our first evidences of greatness were shown by two of our number, Messrs. Meador and Deffenbaugh, who appeared as de- baters. Although neither of these gentlemen succeeded in getting a place on the debating team of the year, both certainly won honor for themselves, for their respective societies, and for their class. Next our noble 'nd much loved president, Mr. Chrane, pre- pared and 'very ably delivered an oration which won for him second honor in the oratorical contest. Later on in the year he, with others, was chosen by the Uratorical Association to ac- company the representative of our grand old Normal School in the Interstate Oratorical Contest held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is said that while looking after the interests of our institution in the Interstate League, on that occasion, that this worthy gentleman deported himself as became a member of our Ora- torical Association, an orator of marked ability and power, and as president of the junior Class of the institution which he represented. In the contest which followed, we were even more glori- ously represented than in either of the preceding ones. Our mighty little Miss Zelpha Short so talked, and so acted the first Friday night in April, nineteen hundred nve, that she was awarded first honor in the Declamatory Contest which took place at that time. , Q In this same contest appeared another one of our number, Mr. johnson, and although he did not win a place of high rank. he showed ability, and this provedponly the beginning of a more brilliant, a more satisfactory achievement. Such are some of the records of the junior Class of nine- teen hundred iive, in intellectual work. But step back with me a few paces, if you please. Behold Dittemore, Rader and Carter. In the dust? In the mud? They got the football just the same, and many a time We have seen them draw forth the exultant shout of cheer, as they steadily pushed the line forward, or by a series of dodges and zigzags carried the ball twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty yards down across the field toward their rewarding goal. These were some of the common sights on the gridiron. I Look! Did you see that little sphere buzzing through the air? Dittemore dropped it down there into Rutherford's basket, You 're out! the umpire cried. And so it was, whenever a runner tried to steal a base when Dittemore was catching. . But look! There it goes again! No, the second baseman didn't get it this time, Rader got a good old swing, center hit and that middle fielder wasn 't back nearly far enough. Thus we have had a few sights on the diamond. We have been told that a very large audience received a most fearful shock one afternoon while seated on the bleachers waiting to see the game which had been billed for the evening. All at once something 'buzzed past, but in an instant it was gone, and they were unable to see anything except a streak

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GEORGE MCCU RDY. B X 7 , ' . ., - O FSS X FLSH I remember a mass Of thmgs but nothmg If to her share some female errors fall distinctly Look tO her face and you 'll forget 'em all. HARRIET E. JOHNSON. All men are bad,

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which marked the course of the body. Imagine, if you can, the extreme delight of that horror-stricken throng, when they learned that it was only Mr. johnson practicing for field day, and there was no harm done. NVhen neld day came why, of course, Mr. johnson was too swift for every other one on the tract. But our record is not all to be found in the junior year. At the beginning of the school year nineteen hundred five and six it was found that the name hitherto applied to our illus- trious organization, not having kept pace with the class, was to insignificant, therefore we assumed the name of Senior Class, of the NVarrensburg State Normal School of nineteen hundred six, we were not ashamed of the name we had had dur- ing the proceeding year. It was all right at that stage of our life, but we had outgrown it. With the changing of our name we also changed ofhcers, Miss Edith Geery was unamimously chosen to guide our bark through the sea of troubles ahead of us, and under her leadership we have been led on, and have, we hope, achieved a fair degree of success. At the beginning of the year a great many of our old classmates were absent, and a number of them have not been with us since we were designated by the name Seniors, but others have taken their places and have helped to bear the burdens and share the joys of the year. This year Qwe have had our orators, no less honored than those of last, our debaters have been even more honored: and our deelaimer has won far greater honor than last year, being' this time hardly second to any. XV e have cheered our boys in football, in basketball, and in baseball. In fact in everythingin which any student organi- zation takes part, we have been represented. XVe have heard some of our girls say, Oh, if our boys had just kicked that goal, the score would have been 6 to 6 in our favor, --but that was said in a moment of extreme excite- ment. XVe have heard Freshmen and Sophomores make such expressions as, VVe live in a little square room about 4 by 6, but they will have learned better by the time they get their diplomas. However, all has not been fun and frolic, we have had a rough and rugged road to travel, emblematic of life itself. The way has been beset with Latin constructions, verb forms and vocabularies, With geometrical propositions and demonstra- tions, with masterpiece papers and cross references, with See Me's, and so fourth and so fifth, but-behold the conquerors! Some of us have been called upon to whisper Words of comfort and cheer, to extend a sympathizing hand to those of our number who were grieving the death of a father, or a mother, On our return after the Christmas vacation, a time of pleasure to every Senior, our hearts were saddened by the news of the death of one of our esteemed sisters, Miss Helen Miller. The histories of the members of this illustrious class prior to the year nineteen hundred four are so scattered and so very incomplete, that I have not attempted to search out many facts concerning them before the date of organization. Une thing, however, is fairly certain, namely, somewhere, sometime in their career they have all been Freshmen and now they are Seniors, what a vast inclusive gulf intervenes! Who can com- prehend it? Only these, myself, and those who have gone on before us. ' We are gathered here from the farms, villages and cities of the western part of the Grand Old State of Missouri, strug- gling in a common cause and toward a common goal. That goal has now been attained. The diplomas Which we are about to receive are not, we trust, mere forms and empty show, but are symbolic of the true worth-an inexpressible fulness of heart and soul within the life of every individual in the class, and when time shall have told the story of our efforts, may it then be said that not one was given in vain , but that each was the earnest of Some- thing attempted, something done. -Guy E. Brown.