Vermontville High School - Verhian Yearbook (Vermontville, MI)

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VALEDICTORY -Barbara Northrup Parents, Teachers, and Friends: The student lives in three tenses. Behind him and about him is the world which his fellow-men have learned to harness more or less successfully to their needs. About him and in front of him is the world which he must harness more successfully than they did. For he must not merely repeat their achievements of the day before; in him the race must grow in grace to meet the ever new demands of a living universe. Thus education throughout is a doing on the part of the learner. But what he learns to do as an apprentice is different from what he will do later as a master workman-- different, but yet recognizable and functionally the same, for while both the sensory content and the motor response of his action will change, the new action will be only a readaptation of the old content and response which he learned to make when a similar sensory content presented itself. It is a taking of the most useful tools in the race's workshop by the student into his own hands and by his own trial and effort learning to use them, but in such a way that he will go on perfecting his skill in their use as long as he lives. When we started school and were given instructions in breathing, it was plain that the only object which they had was not to give us a knowledge about breathing, but to get each one of us to use our own lungs in a health giving fashion. And when a teacher teaches exercises to dance, to run, to swim or to box, it is a doing on the part of the student that they seek. It is difficult to think of a knowledge of physical training which could have any other functions than to direct physical doing. If he gives instruction in painting, singing, or the playing of an instrument, it is plain that our instructor must guide, but the student must perform; that no matter how much the teacher may know about the theory of the art, that knowledge will have meaning for the student and can be imparted to him only in connection with his own doing; that all formal lessons such as learning to read the score, finger exercises, the necessary parts of a larger process and without significance by themselves. The skill which is sought is a habit. One's knowledge grows in proportion to one’s doing. It is “experience” which makes the days of men to proceed according to art and inexperience according to chance, and different persons in different ways are proficient in different arts. Theory or thinking grew out of practice, problems came out of doing. Knowledge is not an adventitious thing. It had no being for itself. Even sensations do not come to us of themselves, but are internally aroused by bodily defects which we suffer. I can walk on the ground and hardly know that I am walking, but when I am in a high building and look down a thousand sensations that I never noticed before make themselves felt. Sensation is due to the break-down of habit. Discovery of facts is not due to their presence nor to the possession of a mind capable of grasping them, but rather to the using of mind in the direction in which the facts lie. Inventions and discoveries are remarkable simple after they have been made, but it is only the person who is hunting for something of that sort who makes them. One who would learn anything must put himself in the way of learning it. He must do that which will make him feel the problem. There is a definite something to be done by the pupil when he learns to read, write, or to number. Merely to get good marks and to get through school, we have seen, cannot be the object of his striving. Lets look at the things we have had in school. Science is a craft, language is a tool pure and simple. Mathematics are special forms of thinking. Geography is each one’s simple picture of the world. Our school career then has been to train our minds. To teach us to take responsibility, cooperation, to prepare us for security by helping us to find the type of work we are suited for. To prepare us for family living by teaching us to get along with the world. Learning to give and take. We feel we have learned these things and we hope now to go out in the world and prove to our parents and teachers that our twelve years have not been wasted. 12

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CLASS HISTORY Looking back over our four years in High School, we realize that we have not only learned, but have had a good time doing it. It was the year of 1945 when we entered High School as Freshmen. Yes, we remember it quite well. Why shouldn’t we when the Sophomores gave us an initiation that would hardly let us forget. It was raining that night so they couldn't take us outside the building, but they made up for it in the inside. Mrs. Hallenbeck was our class advisor and our officers for the year were: President -Neil Parker; Vice-President-Barbara Jennings; Secretary-Marcy Strow; Treasurer- Joe Berry. On Halloween night we went to “Call of the Wild at Charlotte, riding over in the back of Earl Gehman's truck. Not much happened the rest of the year, so after a few months more of education, we took three months off to rest up. Filled with many summer experiences and covered with sun tans and freckles, we entered the tenth grade with a more determined desire to become successful. Poor us, we weren't allowed to use lipstick this year on the new Freshmen, but we found other ways to give them a miserable time. Three new teachers who couldn't come to Initiation gave us a skating party later in the year. Our officers were: Ken Beardslee-President; A1 Mix-Vice-President; Barbara Northrup-Secretary; Don Baker-Treasurer. Mrs. Northrup was our advisor. At Halloween, we gathered together our forces and sold more tickets than anyone else to make Joyce Dack the Queen of the F.F.A. Carnival. Two new basketball stars were discovered from our room, Ken and Al. They won many a game with all the rest of the team! Mrs. Northrup liked us real well so she volunteered to be our class advisor again in the eleventh grade. Our officers were: President-Barbara Northrup: Vice-President - DeVere Cook: Secretary Neil Parker: Treasurer-Barbara Cotton. This year we devoted to gathering money for the big events of this year and next. We sold pens, pencils, eversharps, potatoe chips and magazine subscriptions. The Knapp Family presented a program for us. Ken Beardslee was elected Vice-President of the Student Council. Something which brought the world on the heels was our Junior Play directed by Mrs. Northrup. “ Lindy Lou was the biggest success of many years. Our four singers, Al, Ken, Vencil, and Don dressed up in black suits, top hats, bow ties, canes, and mustaches sang and danced. After our play was finished, Mrs. Northrup gave us a party of ice cream and cookies. A few weeks after the play we started decorating for the Junior-Senior Banquet. We chose as our theme, the Pioneers. Mrs. Hallenbeck was our honored speaker and the four boys again sang. Thus ended our career as Juniors. Our Senior year! Just call us “49 er's. The following were our officers: President - A1 Mix: Vice-President, Don Baker: Secretary, Barbara Northrup: Treasurer. Barbara Beystrum. Kenny Beardslee was elected President of the Student Council. Mrs. MacCreery was our class advisor. In November we presented “That Crazy Smith Family directed by Mrs. MacCreery. The boys rounded out the in-between acts with acting out of songs. We sold Christmas Cards and magazine subscriptions. The boys came up out of the fog the last minute to beat the girls so the girls treated them to a pot-luck supper and took them to the show, “Red River . The Woman's Club honored the girls and their mothers at a tea at the Chapel in February. The women presented each girl with a white carnation and gave them a wonder- ful evening that none of them will forget. In May the big events started happening. First was the Junior-Senior Banquet that the Juniors devoted so much time and energy to make it a success for us. We went home with stomachs heaped full of luscious food and our heads heaped full of unforgettable nemories. May 8th. we left for our Senior Trip on the Luxary Liner up the St. Lawrence River ind returned May 13th. very tired, but packed with knowledge about the boat. Last Sunday night was Baccalaurette in the church which the Juniors decorated in jur class colors and motto. Tonight is Graduation the proudest moment of our lives « e leave wishing every student the best of luck in their remaining school years. 11

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SALUTATORY ---Barbara Cotton Parents, Teachers, Members of the School Board, and Friends: Just as Uncle Remus had a laughing place, we have a learning place, which is our school. It is a place where we get together with many other students and learn toco-operateand to share. We learn to get along and take part in the hayrides, dances, the Initiation Party, and many other activities that all schools enjoy. We were first taught toco-operate when we entered Kindergarten where we had to eat and play together. A little later when we all ran out at recess and yelled first base, second base, pitcher, and catcher, if we didn’t get the position we wanted we had to accept what was left. Some of us wouldn’t accept it and then there was a fight. This led to choosing up sides against one another and a mass riot would form on the playground. The world is just such a playground where these kind of fights start, only it doesn’t end with writing, “I shall not fight again” one hundred times on the black- board, but it does end in war. The later part of the year, the Service and Citizenship Committees of the Student Council formed a Clean-Up Week. A time set aside to clean the school, the desks, halls, rooms, lockers, and just a general cleaning for everyone to participate in. This is just one example of the many ways in which Vermontville gives their students the opportunity to le nn the importance ofco-operationand responsibility. Our success in life will depend on our determination to do right, to respect the rights of others and to be a good citizen. As I have tried to illustrate throughout my speech, Vermontville High School has these things and in every way gives its students the best opportunity to secure these ideals. But what degree of success we attain will cfepend on the amount of will power we put forth. Some of us will go farther in life than others because we have put forth a greater effort, but whatever rung we reach on the ladder of success, ”Our Will is our Fate.” GIFTATORY --Rachel Cole --Helen Shipman BARBARA COTTON we have this book of house plans for Barb so she won’t have to draw the plans for her and Ronnie’s house. BURDETTE MYERS for Burdette we have this bottle of hair tonic so he can always keep his hair combed. BARBARA NORTHRUP as long as we can remember Barb has got all A’s on her report cards so we have this report card with all E's on it so she can't say she never got one. WAYNE WALTER we give Wayqe this car hoping he won't reck this one. BARBARA BEYSTRUM we are going to give Barb this spy glass so she can see farther. KEN BEARDSLEE we have for Ken this baseball bat so he will be sure to make a hit.