West Salem High School - Neshonoc Yearbook (West Salem, WI)

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CLASS HISTORY September 16, 1912. was indeed a gala day in the history of the West Salem High School because it added to its roll sixteen freshmen radiant in spirit and abounding in wisdom, not conceit, as some authorities would lead to infer; but rather a definite knowledge of their own unsurpassed capabilities as those of that status are prone to be. 1 say we were sixteen in number, gathered at different times thru the grades. Only these of us had come from the primary together; Selma Gun-mundson, Harry Kirmse and myself. Edna Sprain had joined us in the fifth grade, Ella Cronk in the sixth, and Christine Tollefson in the seventh. Several enrolled themselves with us on entering High School and of that number Myrtle Miller and Alexa Wilson have remained to finish their course. There is a certain timidity, a vague dread about entering High School, which we felt in common with all others who have come to the entrance of the arena. Perhaps it is a certain horror at being responsible to four dignitaries instead of one; or a fear of being smiled upon by those older and more experienced in the manners and customs of the High School. Let me say to you who expect to enter as Freshmen; do not allow your knees to knock together or “vox faucibus haerere et comae stare. If your teeth are prone to chatter, clinch them, put on a bold front, for it is the fearful ones that are called “slow.” How we ever passed the first day without any serious blunders is still a mystery. No one even suggested in which direction we would find the library or that the teachers might be calling upon us when they spoke to Miss or Mr. So and So. After all it is a Chinese puzzle that works itself out pretty well; just follow the mob and use your common sense. But after school—ah then! You may go to a town meeting or a prayer meeting but if yon have never been to a class meeting you have something to learn. I don’t mean this reformed style of meeting where the class has been drilled for two previous days in parliamentary practise and then has a teacher present to prevent anyone from speaking. I mean the old fashioned kind, governed by students or not governed, We held one after the old style. If there was ever an institution conductive to a spirit of independence it was that. I think that the meeting was called in the laboratory but before it was adjourned it had held sessions in every room on the upper floor. It was a Freshmen meeting, called for the purpose of electing class officers but the majority

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SENIORS 1912 ALKXA WILSON ELLA CRLNK MYRTLE MILLER CHRIS1INE lOLLEFScN

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present were upper classmen occupying any place from the tops of the radiators and tables to seats on the floor. There was no use of expelling them for they were the kind of people who are just as bad outside as they are in, besides, tney were bound to get in anyway. If we had lccked all the doors and windows I believe they would have seeped in thru the walls or Lynn Gullickson and Leila McKee would have appeared thru a hole in the ceiling. We finally gave up. There is an old saying that “while there is life, there is hope,” but sometimes life becomes so miserable that one is willing to quit hoping. In two weeks we held a class party and elected our officers, Gerhart Barrum was the natural choice for President, as the majority of the class were girls and he was the fairtst of the male sex, One small party of conservatives advocated the intellectual Mr, Dahl, famous for his oratory, but the return of the ballot, however, soon declared the popularity of Mr, Barrum, The minority finally submitted and gave William Harry Dahl second place- As soon as possible after the meeting we sailed into the school with our colors flying; which is always a challenge. In five minutes they m'ght have been seen adorning the library C-irta'n, streaming from the Seniors' lapel or drenched in a struggle over the water pail. Such was our Freshmen year, which none of us would grudge his last pound to live over aga;n. We entered the Sophomore class with thirteen members, an ill fated number, which fact Wc.s responsible for any contentions, foreign and c vil, which have worried us since that time. Tliat year we had a principal who expected to rule, and that was right. But the very name Sophomore, as taken from the Greek, means the wise fool, therefore it was natural for us to declare ourselves as rulers, but that was wrong. Two masters cannot live together peacefully for any great period of time, especially if one is a usurper. We were no exception to the rule. During the year each class in turn had held a party, inviting the rest of the school and had sought to entertain them in an agreeable manner; which pleased the ruler. But when it came time for the Sophpmores to entertain they made a league with the Freshmen saying, “We will not do as our elder brothers and sisters have done, behold we will give a ball that shall make the uninvited ones gaze upon us with envy and the invited ones to feel that their best gowns are hardly fitting to grace such an unusual occasion.” Now the principal was much displeased with this saying and straightway he made this speech; “Oh ye elder brothers and sisters of High School who possess a calmer judgment and are not deluded