Washington Park High School - Kipikawi Yearbook (Racine, WI)

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seven hundred strong. For were not our own fellow students and class mates in France? The students of Racine High School have been prompt in responding to whatever ap- peal the Government has made. We are IOO per cent loyal. Moroiz Cones. The illotor Corps was organized lllay, Ifjlii, under the auspices of the VVoman,s Com- mittee of the County Council of Defense. l.Vhile we can not properly claim this organi- zation as a Racine High School activity, at first, most of its members were High School girls, under the leadership of Mrs. Helen Van Ars- dale lit-hh, '12, The work of the corps varied, including service for the Department of ,lus- tice, the Health Department, the Local Draft Boards and the Central Association. The girls distributed 150 quarts of soup during the Flu epidemic last fall, and drove into the country to collect vegetables for the canteen. They were of great service also in driving the photographers of the Smile films, and the Young XVomen's Christian Association inspect- ors of factories from place to place. livery member gave ten hours of service September 12. the last registration day. ln the last four months before disbanding, the corps responded to 75.1. calls. B1cvc1,E Cokes. Last October, 1918, the Bicycle Corps was organized with forty members. This was a unit of younger High School girls. They gave prompt service by going on errands for the Red Cross Office, collecting magazines and knitted articles for the soldiers, delivering literature and letters, and working at the Red Cross rooms They were especially good helpers dur- ing the inf'lue'i2a epidemics. Both the llotor and Bicycle Corps had me- chanical courscs and weekly military drill. NUT S11151.1.sl Mom? NUT S11121,1,sl Ulen the call come to conserve all nut shells and fruit pits. Racine High School was ready to assist. An explanation of the pur- pose of saving them was made the subject of experiment in chemistry and of expositional themes in English. The bulletin board scintillated with witty slogans, such as, Peach Pit Patriots Perse- vere , 'fWe Are Pitted Against the Kaiser, Stone Him, and Have a Crack at the Kaiserf' A large basket was placed in the lower hall. Bright and early on a lylonday morning the nuts began to come in. A little pink tag was given to the contributor of each quart of shells. One of the teachers deposited her nuts first- teachers have an unfair advantage in collect- ing nuts-and thus became the first wearer of a tag. The basket was filled and emptied many times and then came November 11. But We had again used our opportunity to help make Democracy reign supreme. T11 is CAsTA1.1A AND Pv1'11mN Do ,IXIIIEIR BIT. The Pythia Literary Society responded to Uncle Sam's call, by devoting one meeting in each month to war work. lVIany hours were spent at the rooms of Racine's Red Cross Chapter, and much work was accomplished. The members of the Club also made trench candles, which were a very necessary article to our boys in the trenches. Old newspapers, scissors, and paraffin were the required articles. The paper went through a certain process of folding and cutting, after which it was dipped into melted paraffin. About 1,000 candles were made, and we hope proved a source of comfort and help to the boys. The Castalia Literary Society displayed patriotism by discontinuing its literary work in lllay, 1917, and taking up Red Cross work. Bliss Neitzel and llfliss Harvey both prov- ed themselves very efficient as critics and facul- ty advisers of the Clubs. r-PHE ART CLASS. The Art Department also did its share in the VVar work carried on by Racine High School. During the school year 1917-1918,

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failed to receive the nickels of the students and faculty, as the Red Cross Banks, which were distributed in the halls, caught all the small change during the week. The contest between the boys and girls aroused intense enthusiasm and keen competi- tion. Up to Friday noon the girls were far in the lead, as they had the advantage in num- bers, but they were very willing to call the race a tie and have everyone make a special effort to cram the banks. The sum raised was contributed by individ- uals, but some few groups wished to give as organizations: llliss VValker's Senior and Junior English classes gave the amount of 54.50. The Junior Dramatic Club gave 35.00. The lfnicar Staff gave up the banquet that had been planned and contributed fI5.00 to the fund. The entire amount raised was 3160. Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors all worked diligently to make the campaign a success. There were many individuals who worked untiringly. lXfIiss DuFour, of the his- tory department, deserved a great deal of credit for the success of HSelf-Denial VVeekf' SENIOR AND JUNIOR GIRLS, CLUBS. Among the patriotic clubs of Racine High School, both the Senior and Junior Girls' Clubs deserve special recognition. The Senior Girls of the Class of '18, with their class ad- viser, met every Friday noon in room nine. The girls enjoyed the social hour together-and how well acquainted they became, for while their nimble fingers worked at knitting and sewing, they chattered as only High School girls can. During their existence as a club they made the following articles: 49 sweaters SI pairs of socks II helmets I4 pairs of wristlets 4 trench caps IQ bath Initts 9 scarfs Nearly every girl in the club became a mem- ber of the Girls, Patriotic League. The various exemption boards also received the assistance of these girls. The Junior Girls ,IQ, made a large number of bed stocks and three beautiful colored afghans. 'THE FRENCH CLASSES AND CLUB. The French classes are safe in saying that they struck a blow at the Kaiser. The girls used every spare moment for knitting, and, as a result, made a large number of scarfs, wrist- lets, and helmets. The French classes of IQIQ are IOO per cent as to membership in the Red Cross. ln 1917 scrap books were started by the pupils. An exhibition was held in the French room in February, 1919. The display, con- sisting of the scrap books, a German helmet, a cap Worn by a German private, and several vases made by French soldiers, proved very interesting. A French soldier was adopted by the club in the fall of 1917, and every month a dol- lar has been sent to him. A Christmas pack- age, accompanied by many cheery French let- ters greeted the soldier at Christmas time. R. H. S. IN LOYALTY PARAIJES. The spirit of R. H. S. was shown not alone in the parade on hlemorial Day, 1917, but also last April in the Third Liberty Loan par- ade. Gn lllemorial Day about five hundred students, besides a majority of the Faculty IHC1'1lbCI'S, were in line. The captains and lieu- tenants were students from the upper classes. These boys took entire charge of the High School line of march. Qur honored Batteries C and F, and the Ambulance Corps were with us in the first par- ade. lNIany R. H. S. students and alumni were in these units and left Racine in July of that year. No wonder then that when we were given a chance to show our loyalty by march- ing in the Third Liberty Loan parade, we turned out in larger HLIITITJETS than ever, over

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the members of the class made Food and War Savings Stamp posters. A contest for the food posters was held at the Racine Public Library with the following results: First prize-Crescence Heinrichs. Sceond prize-Laura Lund. Third prize-Earl Rabe. The contest for the War Savings Stamp posters was held in Milwaukee. This was a state contest into which the High Schools of the state entered. Harold C. Jensen, by popu- lar vote, received first place, and Crescence Heinrichs received third place. During the present school year, 1918-1919, the Art Class painted two thousand Christ- mas cards. The designs for these cards were made by Helen Byron, Welton Harris, and Bennie Piediscalzo. A few cards remained un- sold on account of the forced shut-down of school, but a net profit of fifteen dollars and thirty-two cents was made, which amount was given to the local Red Cross Chapter. Racine High School is very proud of the record made by the members of the Art Class. They have brought honor to the school, and helped to make the war work of the High School a success, impossible without their valua- ble aid and co-operation. THE SPANISH CLASSES AND CLUB. The patriotism of the Spanish Class was shown, when each person sacrificed a penny for every English word used during the class reci- tations. By carrying out this plan, the stu- dents were on the alert to use only Spanish words. lllany were the pennies dropped into the bank by the unwary. These pennies, which accumulated, were used for War Savings Stamps. The girls of the club engaged in knitting and doing various other kinds of Red Cross work. The boys assisted the exemption boards by running errands, and helping with other necessary tasks, OUR AINIERICANIZATION WORK. April 6, 1919, the Second Anniversary of the entrance of the United States into the World War, came on Sunday. llflonday, April 7, the English Department of R. H. S. began the study of the History of the VVar. Every student in our High School takes English four years. Consequently there was not a boy nor girl but participated in the study. For a week we went back into history to learn the far-reaching causes that brought about the world struggle for Democracy. For two weeks we followed the Allied forces from the Battle of the lylarne through the Argonne Forest to Chateau Thierry in their effort to push back and silence the invading Hun. VVe signed the Armistice, and while we waited for the establishment of the League of Nations, we, the students of the great war, held an exhibit of pictures, collected from time to time and bound into books, on such interesting subjects as 'fThe Tank , Airplanes and Air- shipsu, Pictures of Qur Soldiers and Sailors in Francef' We wrote a history of the Red Cross. We made charts showing the relative strength of the armies and navies of the world, the insignia of the American forces, and the costumes of the women in service overseas and at home. We drew maps showing the German ambition, and the movements of the Allied forces to thwart that ambition. VVe wrote biographies of such important characters as Garibaldi, Cavour, Bismarck, Pershing, and Admiral Sims. VVe built miniature tanks and airplanes. We brought souvenirs and trophies that came home with our boys from France: and then, as a culmination for Americanization week, we held a purely Americanized exhibit. Every department in school was represented. The Commercial Department exhibited several of its new acquisitions: a Burroughs adding machine, a Comptometer, a check writer, and other very recent inventions which are truly American and which have revolutionized the commercial world. The Open Door to American revealed pictures and pamphlets which made the desire to f'See America Firstly uppermost in each person's mind. The great industries that have given Racine her com-