West High School - Senior Occident Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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WEST HIGH SCHOOL V

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Alma Mater Sweet be thy memory, High School of ours, Fair be thy destiny, fadeless thy flowers. Hearts that have loved thee have won in life’s fight, Names that we honor thy standard holds bright. Our Alma Mater dear, to thee we sing. May all thy future years new honors bring. May friends thy banners raise, thy foes grow less. All love and praise to our old R. H. S. YELLS W-E. VV-E. ST, S T. VV-K-S-T. West High. Rochester Rah-Rah, Rah-Rah-Rah, Rah-Rah, Rah-Rah-Rah, Rah-Rah Rah, Rah-Rah-Rah, West High, Rochester Sis-s s s-ss-s-s Room! West High ! Rochester! 8

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The Early Inhabitants of the Genesee Valley Realm of the Senecas ! no more In shadow lies the Pleasant Vale Gone are the chiefs who ruled of yore, like chaff before the rushing gale. Their rivers run with narrowed bounds, Cleared are their broad, old hunting grounds, And on their ancient battle fields The greensward to the plowman yields. Like mocking echoes of the hill Their fame resounded and grew still, And on green ridge and level plain Their hearths will never smoke again. Even to this day. relics of the Indians arc constantly found all along the Genesee; evidences that the Indians inhabited this section of the country not very many years ago. The only knowledge which we possess of the Indians came from some of the writings of their chiefs and noted men. The Senecas, called Ho-nan-nc ho-ont were most closely connected with this section of country. They came about five hundred years before Columbus made his discovery of the New World and remained until the last century. The Senecas belonged to the league of the Five Nations or Iroquois, which included all the Indians in New York State. The Senecas were not civilized to any extent, and their homes were not the best. In early times the cone-shaped hut was built of poles covered with bark or skins. Later, when the axe came into use, the hut was oblong-shaped. Hunks, covered with skins, were built around the walls a foot from the ground. The fire was built in the center of the hut on the ground, so that the smoke might creep out through the chestnut branches spread over the top, which were the only protection from the weather. The hospitality of the Seneca was one of his most prominent characteristics. He would share his last morsel with his despondent brothers. Although the Scncca was gentle at home, he was the fiercest upon the war-path. No foe ever entered the territory who was not immediately exterminated. Among the noted chieftains of the Senecas we must not overlook Red Jacket, Complanter or Handsome I-ake. They grew to be benefactors of their people and men worthy of a place in history. Each one strove to promote the welfare and civilization of his people. Like more civilized nations, we sec that they had men upon whom they could depend in times of danger. The Senecas had held a place in the region so long that it was hard for them to give it up in 1825. when a greater and more civilized band stepped in to clear away the forest and hold undisputed sway. 10 M. H. 06