Waukegan High School - Annual W Yearbook (Waukegan, IL)

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ities of life. XVhetl1er the above come true or not, I feel safe in saying that the Class of 1906 will be a credit to XVaukeg:1n, to its individual 1ll0lllb01'S, to the teachers who have borne our sliortcoinings so patiently, to the Alumni whose ranks we are about to enter and to the XVaukegan High School. Edward Gillan, Prophet. 'V'

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In its place is a row of white tents over which floats, side by side, the stars and stripes and a red cross on a white back- ground. Desperate fighting is going on in the background and wounded and dying soldiers are being constantly brought in on stretchers. A nurse dressed in white and wearing her badge of office on her arm, hurries to and fro among the tents, giving di- rections, attending to the wounded and giving water to those she could aid in no other way. In this ont-of-the-way place, we find Agnes Dalziel, serving her country in reality and acting as the only reminder of home to those dying soldiers. Now I behold a postoiiice in a country store. Behind the bars of the little postofiice is the postmistress, Ada Kuebker, ar- ranging the mail and waiting for the afternoon rush. On a box in the corner of the store proper sits the champion checker player, within easy reach of a box of dried apples, impatiently waiting for someone, especially one of the summer boarders at Miss Oliver's, to accept his standing challenge. Blanche Oliver is keeping a large lake resort frequented by the society of the city during the summer months. Presently one of these guests, a pri- vate tutor of German, who is spending the summer at her old classmate's delightful resort, enters, greets those present and asks the postmistress if there is any mail for Mary Dady. Ada hands her a pink, scented letter which she proceeds to read at once. The substance is as follows: Harry Reube, a highly re- spected physician, is about to give the commencement address at the IVaukegan High School. As M'ary is an old friend of his and of the above school, he respectfully tenders her an invitation to the same. Short and sweet as Harry's letters usually are, as Mary read, a deep blush overspreads her face, which does not es- cape the champion checker player, who remarks: Ah, another letter from Harry. They are coming pretty regular. And George Carney makes a dive at the dried apples. But now the scene is at hand in which, in the course of events, I should appear. Following the start I received as a class prophet, I accepted a position on the weather bureau. But deciding futures for a bunch of graduates, I find is a different proposition from trying to deceive the public. There I can not depend on visions but must supply facts. But now the circuit of the class has been completed. The visions vanish abruptly and I am brought back to the stern real- 22

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The Class Poem X2 The scene is a peaceful valley Where the river Hows on to the sea Where the wild flowers are blooming And the winds blow over the lea. The tents of an army are pitched there Gleaming white in the shining sun, And the bugle sounds its message For the day is just begun. But the scene in the valley changes And the peace that was there before Is replaced by the din of battle And the cannon's awful roar. And the sun that was just rising Is now well over head, Instead of a living army, On the ground are piles of dead. But the din of the battle passes And the smoke goes slowly by While through the shattered branches The sad wind seems to sigh. The remains of the splendid army March on their weary way, NVith a glance at their fallen comrades, In the light of the dying day. And the night settles slowly downward The sun has left the sky As the ranks of the living army, Press on-to win or die. And so let us-dear class mates Press onward to life's fray, With a thought for weaker comrades Who have fallen by the way. And, if success be lacking Let us nobly meet defeat, 'Till in some more distant country We shall all together meet. -Edythe Gunn Poet y