Welch High School - Wildcat Yearbook (Welch, OK)

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0112155 illiatnrg It is sometimes instructive to look back and see how Destiny has given us a lick here and Fate a shove there which has sent us in the right direction at the proper time. The relating of these events is known as history. So this history is the relating of the events of most importance which have been performed by the Senior Class of '15 during its four years of High School. Four years ago there was a class of boys and girls whose grades were such that they could be recommended for promotion from the Eighth Grade into the High School. Part of the class went into the business world to take their stand among men of the day, others be- came teachers, and others, remembering that the growth of the in- tellect is spontaneous in every step, entered High School to go a few steps higher. So those who today have the honor of being Seniors began four years ago as Freshmen. Our remembrance of the transition was somewhat like this: On the morning of the beginning of the school term of 1911-12, the would-be High School pupils met in the Eight Grade room. Mr. Rogers, then superintendent of school, came in and ushered the class into the High School room. There he introduced the class to the upper classmen as the newly made Fresh- men. The Seniors put on their dignified airs, the Juniors their frowns, while the Sophomores, with their smiles, pronounced the word Freshmen with all the sarcasm that the word may contain. But we remembered the saying of Emerson, Never mind the ridi- cule, never mind the defeat, up again, old hearty there is victory yet for all justice. We were then given seats in that part of the High School room reserved for Freshies. During our Freshman year we were given the task of mastering physical geography, Latin, ancient history and algebra. We began our Sophomore year with full ranks. This year we read of Caesar's campaigns, and solved many of the puzzles of algebra. It was also a pleasure to have Miss Joe Barker as teacher in English and modern history. In 1913 Mr. Rogers resigned his position as superintendent of school to return to Missouri. Mr. Provines was chosen to fill the vacancy. We, therefore, had the honor of introducing ourselves to Mr. Provines as juniors. Mr. Provines opened school of the term of 1913-14 by complimenting the High School as a whole, and espec- ially the girls, upon their good looks. But after a few classes in which the Juniors participated, he found that the Junior girls were not only possessors of good looks, but also of good brains. We had now learned the great maxim: There is no rock so hard but that a little wave may beat admission in a thousand years, and so we had been knocking at the door for admission to the Senior class for several years before we finally effected an entrance. When the door was opened we did not go in as one afraid to enter but rather in the way that William Cullen Bryant tells us in the following lines from Thanatopsis, Not like the quarry-:slave at night, scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust. For the purpose of demonstrating our ability as Seniors we have been compelled to write an endless number of themes in English for Miss McCellan and Mrs. Hill, pass a History quiz whenever Mr. Victory thought the sign was right and in Shorthand we have been fined for exceeding the speed limit. We have now run the gauntlet of four years High School and on May 20, 1915, will receive that much coveted treasure, a Diploma, This closes the collective history of the class of 1915. May the in- dividual history that is yet to be written add honor and brilliancy to the class record. PAUL OTTO SIMMS.

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SUSAN O'CONNOR Her stature tall, with iirm desire and expectation. Chief characteristisc- Reserved. Probable fate, an old maid. HAROLD DURALL Need was, need is, and need ever will be, for such as he. Aims--To be a tall man and successful citizen. Svvninr Glass WILLIE MILLS Busy all the time even though the boss isn't looking. Girls, keep away, I'm bashful. Pastime-Fanning. JIMMIE TROLINGER And still the wonder grows, That one small head can carry all she knows. Chief attraction - A sweet disposition.

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Ginza lirnphrrg How much one short year can bring forth! Looking backward, we comment with surprise upon the countless happenings in the course of the past twelve months. Looking into the future, we re- alize that each succeeding year will be crowded fuller than the last and that within a few short years, we, who now know the daily inci- dents in each other's lives, may be separated as far as the east is from the west. About twenty years after I had finished the Welch High School, I became a newspaper reporter for one of the largest newspapers in the state of New York. In my capacity as reporter, it devolved upon me to canvass both Europe and America to find as many wandering old maids as possible and bring them through the medium of the so- ciety columns to the attention of the bachelors. In my travels I was surprised to find some of the girls of the Class of '15 still eligible to appear in the old maids' column. During my stay in London I came across one of the main bas- ketball forwards of the Welch team, Miss Jimmie Trolinger. At first I hardly knew her, for she had grown so large. She said that she had become an ardent suffragette. While in France I met my old schoolmate, Mr. Benoni Durall, now a traveling lecturer on gas and basketball rules. He told me he was going to come back to the good old United States and secure a position as secretary of the Standard Oil company. From France I went to China, and there, to my surprise, I found Misa Helen Hancock, still single. She had taken up missionary wor . After completing my tour, I purchased a ticket for New York. On my arrival I found that Mr. Raymond Smith had taken up work as reporter on the same newspaper to which I was attached. While in New York, I found Miss Josephine Linihan, teaching Domestic Science in one of the High Schools and still unmarried. In Chicago I visited one of the Agricultural Schools where I was surprised to see that humorous fellow, Mr. Harold Durall. When it comes to jokes and fun, Harold was always Johnny on the Spot, his special line having been jokes-good jokes, bad jokes and stale jokes. The funniest thing about his jokes was that he enjoyed them more than any one else. To know how to farm has bean his highest ambition and now he is teaching the science to tit ers. On my short stay in Cincinnati, I saw Miss Hazel Roberts. She had had several serious love affairs, but as priests are not per- mitted to marry, she will remain single. She expects to be a great leader in the Woman Suffrage Movement. Mr. Paul Simms, I found was practicing law in Springfield. Paul was always somewhat of a ladies' man and is in favor of the Suffrage Movement. Miss Susan O'Connor was in Kansas City working at the millinery trade. She is talking about setting up a shop in Welch in the future. While in Denver, I saw Mr. Everett Wrinkle. He was on his way to California, where he is engaged as a Horticulturist. On my way to Oklahoma, I stopped in Topeka, where I found Miss Helen Jones. She was teaching in the High School there, where she is making a practical use of her education. On arriving in Welch, I was surprised to see Mr. Harold Smith. He had finished a four years' course in medicine at St. Louis and was now practicing in Welch as chief Pill Roller. I also found Mr. Eugene Hayes still on the farm, one of the noted farmers and stock raisers of Craig County. WILLIAM MILLS.