Westfield State University - Tekoa Yearbook (Westfield, MA)

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On February 18, 1925, the State Department of Education and the School held a reception for Dr. and Mrs. Russell, to introduce them to the City of Westfield and the educators of Massachusetts. Mr. Wright, Deputy Commissioner of Education, represented the State Department. As a part of the formal program of the occasion, Dr. and Mrs. Russell were welcomed by representatives from civic and educational organizations, the alumni of the school, and the undergraduates. In May of 1925 came the Triennial Alumni meeting, when the alumni as an organ- ization had their first opportunity to meet Dr. Russell. By the strength of his courage, the intensity of his loyalty, the largeness of his vision, Dr. Russell has in these few months of comradeship with the Class of 1926 infused in us a new vitality, fired us with new purposes, deepened in us the under- standing of true happiness. He has accomplished this through no formal school- room teaching, of which he has given us but little, but through being with us, living our life, keeping the doors of his heart and home and study always open for our perplexities, our aspirations, and our enthusiasms. The days have not been long enough for all he had to give, nor for our eagerness to take. His activity has been so truly democratic in spirit, his effort to reach as many of us as possible so sincere, that if we have shown the least bit of spirit and initiative, or willingness to cooperate, our effort has always been appreciated and utilized in some form. What his work in the organization of student government has meant to us as individuals as well as a class cannot be adequately expressed by a few brief words. We know that it makes us work as we have never worked before, not because we have to, but because we wish to. Through it our interests and energies have been turned inward, centering around the school ideal. But as we, some years from now, visit in the halls of memory, it may happen to be the small, the seemingly insignificant and trivial which we remember best. The sleighride last winter — do you remember? — the proms and the parties, the Friday song nights, the Christmas carols on Dr. Russell ' s lawn, the fire in the fireplace — and last summer when the Seniors left for the wide, wide world, who of us did not notice the tears in Dr. Russell ' s eyes? Now it happens that off and on, Dr. Russell betakes himself to the heavens, sojourns among the stars, saunters along on the Milky Way! And when he comes back he always brings some Stardust to throw into our eyes- so that our vision is kept clear. We see our school, Dr. Russell, and the Class of 1926 swept along by the in- spirations and ideals of the Past, through struggles of the Present, to a TRIUMPHANT FUTURE

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fl k % t I TEKOA STAFF alice Mcdowell Editor-in-Chief MARY DEPOPOLO Advertising Editor IRENE OLIVER Joke Editor ESTHER GULLMES Art Editor JULIA McMAHON Squib Editor CLAIRE HEAFEY Club Editor GRACE SOULE Athletic Editor HILKA AALTO Business Editor MARY McCANN School Life Editor KATHERINE LONGTINE Photo Editor JULIA RICHARDSON Prose Editor „STATE COLLEGE AFIELD, MASS .