Vandergrift High School - Spectator Yearbook (Vandergrift, PA)

Page 10 text:

10 THE SPECTATOR Sergt. Donald Bladen. ’16, Is now at Rahway, New Jersey. Sergeant James Bortz, T7, was with the S. A. T. C. at Bucknell University. Corporal Avard Brinker, ’17, is now at Camp Mills, N. Y. “Skinny” landed in the United States February third, after spending an active year and a half in France. Private Thomas Ceraso, ’17, was in the S. A. T. C. at Pitt. Private Wallace Cowan, T7, was with the S. A. T. C. at State College. Private Clair Clepper, T9, arrived recently in the United States after spending some time in France. He was woundqd slightly. He is now at home. Private Mateer Darbaker, T6, was in the naval unit of Michigan. Private Henry Fletcher, ’20, is still in France. Private Guy France, ’20, is in France. He has been cited for bravery in action. Corporal Thomas George, T7, is now stationed in Virginia. He has been in the service for two years but was not sent across. Private Frank Gigliotti is now in France. He has been severely wounded. Private Arthur Gumbert, T7, is now on his way home from France. He was expected to arrive about the seventeenth of February. Private Frazer Horne, T7, is at S. A. T. C. at Andover. Sergeant Samuel Henderson, T7, is at Camp Huston, Texas. He has been in the service on this side for almost two years. Private Arthur Hilty, T7, is honorably discharged from the service. Private William Hodge, T8, was with the S. A. T. C. at Muhlensburg. Corporal George A. Hunger, T7, is with the famous Tenth Regiment in France. Private Ralph Hodel, T8, was with the S. A. T. C. at Pitt. Private William Dock, T8, was in the S. A. T. C. Naval Unit at Pitt. Private Floyd Mohney, T7, is in France. Private Russel Mohney, T8, was the Pitt. S. A. T. C. Private Louis Morris, T7, is in France. He was severely wounded and is now helping in one of the government post offices. Corporal Frank McGregor, T7, was in the S. A. T. C. at Bucknell. Private Merle Yerty, ’20, is at Camp Normoyle, Texas. First class Fireman, Ralph Mclntire, ’21, is expecting to leave for France. Second-class Seaman, John McKim, T8, was in the Naval Reserves at the University of Michigan. Private John McMahon, T7, was with the Allegheny College S. A. T. C. Private George Owens, T8, was with the S. A. T. C. at Pitt. Sergeant Joseph Patton, T7, is still in France. Private Neil Patton, T8, was with the S. A. T. C. at Pitt. Private Judson Prugh, T7, was in the Naval Reserves at the University of Michigan. Private Harold Richey, T8, was with the S. A. T. C. at Allegheny College. Private Eugene Schall, T7, is on his way home from service in France. Private Allen Snyder, T7, was in the S. A. T. C. at Worchester. Corporal John Townsend. T7, has been honorably discharged from the service. He arrived home from France February third. Private Lawrence Walthour, T7, has been honorably discharged from the service. Private Karl Watt. T8, was in the S. A. T. C. at Bucknell. Private Rudolph Wherry, T8, Is In France. Sergeant-Major Guy Whitacre, 16, is now in New York. Corporal Roy Yerty, T7, is now with the Ammunition Train, stationed ten miles across the Rhine, somewhere in Germany. Charles St. Clair, one of our former teachers, is at Cape May, New Jersey. Lucius Ward, another of our former teachers, is also in the service.

Page 9 text:

THE SPECTATOR 9 EDITORIAL THE SPECTATOR The Spectator is published by the students of the Vandergrift High School. It contains the work of the V. H. S. pupils and accounts of the everyday incidents of the school life. It is hoped that it will be a factor in enabling the different classes to understand each other and in helping to make the school life profitable and enjoyable. It is the aim of The Spectator to help to improve the school life by pointing out faults that need remedying, and commending those qualities that are praiseworthy, in the school and in the student body. The Spectator will be the means by which the Alumni may follow the events of the school, and perhaps recall their own happy school days. It will also serve to give the townspeople, the fathers and mothers of the high school pupils, a concrete example of the kind of work the school boys and girls are doing. So it is with the purpose of helping to make the school life more enjoyoble and more profitable that The Spectator takes its place in our midst. ----oo---- THE NEW BUILDING Every pupil of the Vandergrift High School is happy, because we are now in the new building. And what a building it is! The old building compares with it as—but comparisons are odious, someone has said, so we shall refrain from making any. The heating system is not perfectly adjusted yet, but when it is, the temperature will be uniform in all the rooms. “Patience and perseverance conquer many obstacles—in time! The building has the windows arranged so that the electric lights need to burn only on very dull days. There is plenty of light for every seat. The seats themselves are of a comfortable and convenient type. The domestic science, chemistry, and physics departments are very well equipped, making possible a thorough course in the sciences. The location of the building, in a quiet part of Vandergrift, is unsurpassed. Situated at the summit of a hill, the building gets plenty of sunlight on account of its elevation. The view from the building out over the hill and valley, looking up the winding Kiski-minetas, is inspiring. With a gymnasium and auditorium, which we earnestly hope the future will bring to us. we shall have in Vandergrift one of the very best high school buildings in the state. ----oo---- A SUGGESTED TRIBUTE TO THEODORE ROOSEVELT. - In honor of Theodore Roosevelt it would be a splendid plan for each student to plant a tree or shrub that would live for years. It could be planted in a park or on the school grounds, where the public could see it at all times. As long at the tree or shrub lived, it would be a beautiful monument to him who so heartily loved the great out, of-doors. Harry Goldstrom—’21 OUR SERVICE STARS LeRoy Felker, T9 was in France about four months. He was wounded severely July 19, 1918 and died the following day. John Wherry, T7, died at Luxemburg Heights, from spinal meningitis following a gas attack. Second-class Seaman Harold Bair, T6, is now at Bucknell University. He was in the Naval Reserves at Cape May, New Jersey, but was never sent across.

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THE SPECTATOR IN MEMORIAM In the Vandergrift High School Service Flag there are about forty stars. Two of them are of gold, in honor cf two of our number who have given “the last full measure of devotion”—Charles I e Roy Felker and John N. Wherry, Jr. ' In behalf of the class of 1919 and the class cf 1917 we wish to take this orrortunity to express our deepest regret in the loss of these members, and to extend our sympathy to their immediate families, relatives and friends. Charles Le Roy Felker Several years ago, when his father moved from Vandergrift. Le Roy Felker remained to carry on his studies in the Vandergrift High School. He worked in Murphy’s Drug Stole for several years, where he came into contact with a great many townspeople and gained many friends. He was a lover of nature, and nothing appealed more to him in his spare time than to stroll out over the hills or to take hikes through the country. He was especially fond of studying plants and animals, and several of his friends had finally induced him to make nature-study his vocation. Had he remained in Vandergrift, Le Roy would have graduated from our High School, but the call of his country came first. War was declared on April 6, 1917 ar i Le Roy enlisted in the Marines the latter part of the month. He was among the first to go from Vandergrift. He was eighteen years old at the time of his enlistment. He was first stationed at Philadelphia and was later transferred to the Fifth Regiment, Fifty-fifth Company, United States Marines, which was reviewed in Washington, D. C. and in New York City before going to France. In June 1917, he sailed for France with the first contingent. He was a member of the first United States Army to set foot on foreign soil. Le Roy was in France a year before the United States started the final drive which ended the war. All remember the drive the Marines made about July 18, 1918, which opened the 11 way for the United States Armies. Le Roy Felker participated in this fight and was severely wounded on July 19. About the latter part of August, word was received that he had been wounded, but no further word was received until December, when his father learned through a Red Cross hospital that he had died on July 20. Thus ended the career of a young man whose future seemed most promising. John N. Wherry, Jr. John N. Wherry. Jr., was a member of'the class of 1917, and enlisted on May 7, 1917. He was eighteen years, eight months, and one day old at the time of his enlistment. He was sent from Pittsburgh to Columbus. Ohio on May 10, and from there was sent to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. From here he was sent to Fort Bliss. FI Paso, Texas, where lie was assigned to Ambulance Co. No. 3, of the Medical Department of the First Division. He was then sent with his company to Vicksburg, Mississippi, to the reunion of the soldiers of the Blue and Cray. From here his Company was sent to Fort Oglethorpe and then to a port of embarkation. John sailed for France about the fourth day of December 1917. The ship arrived in a French port the day before Christmas. He was in Europe a year, and his duties carried him through France into Luxemburg and Germany. On the eighth cf January 1919, word was received by his parents that John had died on December 26. 1918. while with the army of occupation, in Germany. His death was caused by tuberculosis and meningitis, which were thought to have been contracted from a gas attack received while removing wounded soldiers from the Argonne Forest to Field Hospital No. 3. John took an active part in the affairs of the high school and was very much interested in high school sports. He was on the Varsity football team for two years. He was among the first to go from Vandergrift, and he lived to see the war brought to a victorious conclusion.