Wellston High School - X Ray Yearbook (Wellston, OH)

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HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1924 When arrangements were made for the Commencement which is to mark the exit of the class of 1924 from Wellston High School it fell to me to assume the roll of Class Historian. I am not endowed with the gifts of the great Historian Gibbon yet great as the task may be I shall attempt to construct a Roman Road through the four years of our High School career as that illustrious gentlemen constructed one through fourteen centuries of Roman History. When the members of the class of ’24 entered W. H. S. in 1920 one hundred-eight strong, we felt somewhat like immigrants from many different countries, entering a strange new land with new customs, new habits and new ideals. Several years before we had embarked on the good ship “Grammar School” and were now landing on our Ellis Island, better known to the students as the Freshmen Land. Since no immigrants appreciate the name applied to them we resented our new name of Freshies. Many became so discouraged that they returned home. However those who remained received much encouragement from our faculty members, to whom we are greatly indebted. Just as immigrants seeking citizenship are eager to learn the customs, ideals and language of their adopted country so the class of 1924 in the first year of its History in this new land became eagerly engrossed in the studies of Latin, Algebra, Geography and English, the High School Symbols. At the end of the Freshmen year we were conscious that we had achieved something. We knew we had mounted another round of the ladder of our school success. In the fall of the next year a few of our faint-hearted companions anticipating the struggle which was shortly to ensue avoided the draft rather tactfully and thus it was with slightly diminished numbers that we began our attack on Caesar. Although no world famous battles were fought, the outcome was one of victory for the class of ’24 and was celebrated with pomp and ceremony by a hilarious picnic. At this time this band of immigrants entering their Junior year of their sojourn realized their need of a leader. To meet this need Ralph Baumgartner was given the office of President, Wendell Willis that of Vice President, Ruth Rice, Secretary and Paul Harris, Treasurer. This year was made memorable not by a war with Caesar but by a color skirmish between the Juniors and Seniors. A skirmish which was finally settled to the sat-

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 ±j RAY WELSH “Red” Football 1, 2, 3, 4. He loves the teachers— Who can say? He might be one Himself some day. EMILY WICKLINE “Dickey” Glee Club 1, 2, 3, 4; Operetta 3, 4; Las Estrellas 4; Cary Club 4; Associate Editor X-Ray 3; Editor-in-Chief X-Rav 4: X-Ray Skit 4. Her motto is “Strictly Business” But she has time for play too. MARCELLA WILLIAMS “Teddy” Le Cercle Francais 4; Glee Club 3; Basketball 4; Dramatic Club. Sometimes the sad ones suit us best A constant smiier is a pest. MAUDE WILLS ‘“Bud” Glee Club 3; Operetta 3; Le Cercle Francais 4. A very ambitious little girl Who seriously considers devoting her life to “Art”. THELMA WOLTZ Inter. Nos. 4. Thelma’s very fond of Rice She’ll have it at any price. “Boh” EMMA DALE WOODRUFF “Butch Le Cercle Francais 4; Class Poetess 4. Perfect poise and self possession Follow her in a procession. 24

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isfaction of both parties, and our friendships were more firmly cemented by participation together in the Junior-Senior Reception. But since there is no achievement without progress we proceeded to the realm of the stately Seniors. Here, too, it was necessary to select leaders. Our President and Treasurer were re-elected while Robert Sellers became Vice President and Muriel Harrison, Secretary. Early in the year we realized our position of responsibility as dignified Seniors and in due time Class Emblems were ordered which have since been displayed in the form of rings and pins. We decided to avoid a repetition of the color struggle of the year before by deciding on a tug of war and we hope thereby to establish a precedent which will do honor to the class of ’24. Although we come to the end of our Senior year with less than half the number of our Freshmen Class we still have the honor of being the largest class to graduate from Wellston High School, and we are proud to be the first to graduate from our beautiful new High School Building. As we come to the closing days of our History as a High School we are conscious of a feeling of close comradeship, of a confidence in our class mates and of pride that we belong to the class of ’24. Although we are finishing our High School course it is in its truest sense a Commencement. We are again a band of immigrants facing a new life in another new land. As we look back over our school life we are thrilled by the memory of its associations and blessings and we ask ourselves—“Lives there a man with soul so dead who never to himself hath said, this is my own, my native school ?” We are not so conceited as to imagine our class will occupy the highest record in the history of our school but we have struggled perseveringly and bravely realizing with the poet that Heights of great men reached and kept. Were not obtained by sudden flight, But they while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.” And in the light of this consciousness we hope to be worthy of our motto, “We Lead, Others Follow.” —Elizabeth Smith.