Urbana High School - Rosemary Yearbook (Urbana, IL)

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Hatchet Oration Senior : Full many a legend hath been told About this hatchet, wondrous old; Full many a song has found its way From olden times to the present day. Telling whence this emblem came; And every tale has added fame And interest to its mystic name. But careful research bared the truth Of ancient years to the present youth; And truth is stranger far, you know. Than all the hectic tales which grow In fertile minds, or man-made plot- imagined tales, with mystery fraught. But we shall tell you whence 'twas got, And how it came to Urbana High, In those olden days, so long gone by Before the white man came to dwell In Champaign County, histories tell. The wandering tribes of Kickapoo And Miami Indians lived here too; The Pottawatomies set their tent. And. as the seasons came and went, Returned to hunt the moose and deer Abounding on the prairies here. Before Urbana was a town They brought their people, settled down And built their tents near Main and Race Where Davis’ grocery grows apace. A little further down the hill There bubbled forth, their thirst to still, A spring of water, clear and cold ; A comfort to these warriors bold. ’Tis near this old historic spot That C. N. Clark has a business lot. When first the white man hither came With thought this Indian land to tame, The red men of the Kickapoo, And all the other Indians, too, Bore keen resentment; then they swore That they of sleep would have no more Till they had driven every man Of white blood out of this, their land. The Indian Chief, Chicagou. strove In vain ; the white man throve. He throve in spite of trials severe. While every danger hovered near From every hostile Indian band Who treachery against him planned. Then when Chicagou saw at last There was no doubt, the die was cast; The white man must be made a friend, The struggles, lighting, all must end If the tribes of Illinois Were to live and not to die. He gathered his chiefs together then And bade them bring both women and men. To meet the white man near this spring. With Indian chant and tom-tom’s beat The ceremony was complete. They buried a hatchet as a sign of peace; And promised all their wars to cease. They kept their word, and as time passed on Urbana grew to be a town. The schools were formed ; the high school too. Was added as the system grew, One day—we do not know the year So cannot tell it to you here— Some senior lads from Urbana High Stopped at the spring as they passed by To quench their thirst. )ne kicked the ground And heard a hard and ringing sound. Then they one and all would see What this amazing thing might be That, buried beneath the hard earth’s crust. Responded thus to his gentle thrust. They dug it forth and brought to light The very hatchet you see tonight— Chicagou’s hatchet, ancient, old. Whose legend hath just now been told. They made it a mascot for their class, And decided it should onward pass 'l o each senior class as it came in line; And so it has. to this very time. But each class must prove its right to it By showing forth its power of wit; In mental contest, strong and bold. But not with weapons as of old. The classes meet by proxy: I (Continued on Faye 108) 1281

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Salutatory Tonight we, the class of 1938, have attained the goal toward which we have been striving for the past four years. We realize that during our high school course, we have been not merely pre- paring for life, but that we have been experiencing a very important part of our life— a formative part which will determine in large measure what we will he in later years. For this reason we have devoted ourselves not only to our studies, but also to various activities, athletics, literature, dramatics, music, and social affairs, —in order that we may have a well rounded preparation for the life to come. We hope that we have maintained the high standards of former years and have left a record which subsequent classes will feel proud to emulate. If we have done so the credit belongs, for the most part, not to 11s but to our teachers, parents, and the school board who have helped us in innumerable ways through our school career. This is a great occasion in our lives and one which we meet with a feeling of both joy and sorrow—joy as we think of the future which seems so bright, sorrow as we think of leaving all the friends whom we have made at Urbana I ligh School. We realize that tonight is the last time that our entire class will be together, for soon we will go our separate ways. Hut even though separated from both classmates and teachers we will never forget them, for to quote Shelley: Music, when soft voices die. Vibrates in the memory— Odors when sweet violets sicken Live within the sense they ijuicken. Rose leaves, when the rose is dead. Are heap'd for the beloved's bed; And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone. Friendship itself shall slumber on. Some of us are going on to higher education and others are going directly into active life. We take this opportunity to wish the members of our class success in their later accomplishments. With a deep sense of gratitude for everything you have done for us. we ask you. teachers, parents, and friends, to join us in these class day exercises. (27I June Mathews Bob I Iollf.v

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Juniors JUNIOR CLASS OFFICERS Roskmary Representative. Dick Kerr; President. Jack Kinder; Vricc-President. Gernon Hessclschwerdt; Sec- retary-Treasurer. John Hayes.