Womelsdorf High School - Weicon Yearbook (Womelsdorf, PA)

Page 11 text:

Editor-iu-Clnirf WILLIAM LEISEY Associate' Editors FRANK XYHITING KATHRYN XVIEST MARIE l-llilfl-'ELFINGER Business Mauagvr BETTY SUE NANTZ Assistant Busimfss MHIIHKQKAI JOHN LENGEL SI'z'1'1'tary DAISY BASHORE Trvasurrr VIVIAN BRIGHT Fafuity Editor ISABEL I ICHTl-IORN UIIttf'Vl'tdSSl1IHI1 Editor MARY HOIfl-'A eicon Assistant UI1Ctl'l'f'ItlSS7l'Z6lll Editor Assistaut Art Editors HAROLD GASSERT Club Editor EIfEIE HOWIAQR Assistant Club Editor EDWARD ERIE Atlzlvtir Editor RICHARD SHERMAN Assistant Athletic Editor ROHLAND STAGER Ciass Editor RUTH PUTT Assistant Class Editor MARK WENRICH Snapshot Editor CARL BERGIER Assistant Suapslzot Editor GEORGE Tv1AC NEAL Art Editor IQLLIOTT LA ROSE MARIE HEFITELFINGIQR EEEIE HOWER BETTY SUE NANTZ MARGARET CRIMES RICHARD SHERMAN JOHN LENGEL RUTH PUTT Wfit and Humor Editor SHIRLEY ANDERSON A111 uzui Editor ROHLAND STAGER Assistant Alumni Editor BETTY DISSINGER Art Advisor J. R. GIBSON Favulty Advisor WILLIAM A. EURRHART Pugi' Ifiz c

Page 10 text:

WILLIAM A. BURKHART Buys' High School, Rcucling, Pa. Alhright College Uiiivi-i'sity of Pennsylvania English. l,:1tin, German, French, Biology BA. Degree 326660 fion E dedicate the WEICON to Mr. Wfilliam A. Burkhart, Whose helping hand has been a guiding star to success and happiness

Page 12 text:

we eicon WE, the senior class of 1941, when looking for a title for our year- book, could find none better than WEICON, taken from the name of that famous Berks Countian, Conrad Weiser-QWEI-ser, CON-radj. Conrad Weiser was born in 1696, on the second of November, in Afstaedt, Wurttemberg. At the age of fourteen, he emigrated from Ger- many with his parents and a company from the Palatinates. They settled in a group in New York. Here young Conrad lived for eight months with an Indian chief, who took a great fancy to him and taught him the Indian language, so valuable during his life. In I723, with many of his German neighbors, he settled at Tulpehocken near Reading. He engaged in farming and acquired a large tract of land in Heidelberg Township. His knowledge of the Mohawk secured him a position as interpreter for the province in 1732. He held this position as long as he could attend to its duties and was present at all the treaties made. His word was held in great respect by the Red Men. During the French and Indian War, he was commander of all the forces raised west of the Susquehanna. In his last years he lived in Reading. He died in 1760 and was buried in the family graveyard near Womelsdorf. Conrad Weiser was the father,' of the so-called Pennsylvania Germans. Let it be remembered and repeated that our ancestry numbers in its line noble characters-men who would grace any position in life. Here is a pioneer in civilization, an honorable and an honored public officer, and historical character abreast with the men of his day. As such he left: Q'Footprints that perhaps another Sailing over life's solemn main A forlorn and shipwrecked brother Seeing, shall take heart again. A bronze tablet in the west wall of Stichter's Hardware Store, Fifth and Penn Streets, Reading, bears the following quotation- Pos- terity will not forget his services. These words were spoken by Wash- ington as he stood by the grave of Conrad Weiser at Womelsdorf. This memorial was purchased with money contributed by the school children of Berks County. Finally, Conrad Weiser believed in one maxim we all can follow: Be thyselfn-a motto that is overlooked and neglected too much today. But remembering it, our hero may prove for us the words of truth in Longfellow's poem: Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of timef, We trust that the name XVEICON may live in cherished remem- brance of one of Womelsdorf's greatest citizens, Conrad Weiser. Page Six