Western Michigan University - Brown and Gold Yearbook (Kalamazoo, MI)

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One of the outstanding experiences of my college life there — I dare riot mention all — was that football game in the fall of 1913, when Kalamazoo licked Ypsilanti. Can you not remember the parade, the theater escapade, and finally the big bonfire on Normal Hill? That game was a landmark in Kalamazoo athletic history! Besides the athletic events, the social life was a great pleasure. The dances were all carefully planned and managed in a very attractive manner. They have constantly improved in nature and enjoyment since I left, and now I understand that there are almost enough men to go around ' at these parties. Be that as it may — the parties cultivated our taste for refined, well-chaperoned dances. I belonged to the Normal Literary Society which — we were led to believe — was very superior to the Amphictyon Society. I am not so sure now, for I do not recall ever having attended a meeting of this rival society. This group gave the students a chance to develop many necessary qualities for public activities later in life. Probably the thing in our training which proved the Waterloo for many of us was Practice Teaching. In some way we suffered, learned, survived, and later came to look back with gratitude on this practical training. Although there is much more to be said, such as the broadening experiences of having room-mates and landladies, and other necessities for a college education, I want to demonstrate that a woman can stop talking. Still, I must add just this word more. The facidty of the Kalamazoo Normal School do not stop educating and advising their students at graduation. Instead, they map out for themselves a life task, and as each graduate appeals to them for help they are always ready to lend a hand. God bless them. Sincerely yours, MARY E. HOWE. Western State Normal School — High School Life Certificate 1913-1914 Lawton, Mich.— Taught 8th Grade and History in H. S 1914-1915 University of Michigan— A. B 1915-1917 Grand Haven, Mich.— Principal County Normal 1917-1920 Detroit Teachers ' College — Director, Rural School Department 1920-1923 The Alumni have made good. The stories given above are but a few of the many that might be told. Seniors, let ' s carry on.

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Western Normal School 19 Our class in June 1919 forged the fifteenth link in the chain which had its beginning in 1904. It was our priv- ilege to share in many phases of West- ern ' s growth during 1917-19. Some of these phases were: first, the appropri- ation granted to the library; second, the establishment of the A. B. Degree Course and finally, third, the deepening of her sense of relation to the life of the na- tion and the strengthening of that rela- tion by opening her doors to a Student Army Training Corps Unit. At this same time our activities were varied, reaching into the fields of aca- demic study, dramatics, forensics (the Forum being established as the men ' s debating society), athletics, and numer- ous drives and war activities. Thus equipped we went out to our respective fields of active interest to try to exemplify the characteristics predom- inating the spirit of our school and the men and women who guided us. With such a backgroimd -hatever we may have accomplished in our active work is due in large measure to Western. My first year of active work was spent as mathematics teacher in an elementary school in Detroit, Mich. Since then my work has been that of critic teacher in the Detroit Teachers ' College Training School, and the latter part of last year I served as assistant-principal in an elementary school in that city. At the present I am enjoying a year at Teachers ' College where I have seen again some of the Westerners . Those of us who have been away from Normal for several years, feel a stronger appeal than ever and certainly e feel that she has a clearer right to every service we can render. FLORENCE STRATEMEYER. FLORENCE STRATEMEYER Western — Life Certificate 14 Since the Western Normal School is beautifully located, it did not matter whether we rode up in the mountain car or walked up the front stairs or up the South walk, — just so long as we did not try to ascend or descend by the wooden steps parallel to the hill-climbing car, — when we reached the school we were impressed by the beauty of the scene below us. This elevated existence may account for the fact that the faculty were so broad-minded, so tolerant, so appreciative of each individual ' s struggles and so willing to work hard to develop each personality.

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Western Normal — Physical Education 20 I am proud of the fact that I had an opportunity to be a member of the various athletic teams which represented the Brown and Gold. The kind of school you are, and the kind of backing you get stands out most prominently in the kind of a team that represents the school. In order to have a winner there must be in evidence plenty of co-operation. Western always was a winner. That one fact alone shows the spirit of faculty and student body. In reference to my work here in Mount Clemens there is not much to be said. I came to this town with an idea of working and I found that there was plenty of that to be done. I have met with the heartiest co-operation in everything. There had never been any work of much consequence done along the lines of Recreation, and that, which had been started had always been stopped for some unknown reason. However, we are past that condition now and are in a fair way to compare favorably with any city in the state. I have found in my work here that Service without a price tag attached to it is the only kind of service that will succeed. It is the only kind the people appreciate because it is genuine, and will stand the wear and tear. Whatever my success has been or .will be, I have but one source to thank — the faculty of Western Normal School. OLSEN. NOTE : Olsen has made a great success at Mount Clemens. The town thinks there is no one quite like him.