WWHS Alumni "1923 Class History"

N the morning of September 10, 1919, Apollo donned his bright and gleaming rays, hitched his fiery steeds to his gilded chariot and in triumphant splendor mounted above the waiting world. For thousands of years he had traversed the same pathway, rising from the ocean, his rays piercing the bide ether above, and illuminating the earth below, and each night at the end of his ride, hastening to dip into the ocean again. For centuries he had observed the struggles and battles of weak mortals from his unique position in the heavenly orbit. He usually kept to his course, for the trivial affairs.of mortals did not hinder his customary journey.

But on this day he paused in his flight to the ocean, for ther.e was a great commotion at the Woodrow Wilson High School. Over a hundred eager, bright-eyed boys and girls were invading the halls. "Surely that class will make a record, there is some splendid, untried material in that army of youngsters," he soliloquized. Then he blinked and hastened on his journey.

As night began to descend from Heaven the sun-god in roseate glory paused a moment, waiting for the sister orb, the moon, rising round and luminous in the east.

"That was a sturdy crowd of young warriors that roamed the corridors of Wilson High today," confided the Sun-god-.

"Is that the first time you have observed them?" laughingly ventured the moon. "Why, I have been watching them in their battles through Grammar School, and though they are still ignorant, they are beginning to learn the ways of Life. 'A wise ignorance is rich soil from which the seeds of Knowledge will bring forth fruit, a hundred fold,' " prophesied the moon. Whereupon the sun sank lower into the west, sending back a rosy reflection and resolving to watch the progress of such a promising class, while the moon mounted steadily higher, content that, at last, a part of struggling humanity had risen to such a degree that it was worthy of being noticed by his lordship, the light of the world.

So under the benignant supervision of Apollo, the sun-god, that class of "freshies" struggled bravely on. Fveidently the teachers endorsed the statement that "occupation is the life of Life," for the freshmen were kept busy. They crossed the Alps, but with Miss Wrightson as guide instead of Hannabal. They collided in their battles with a new enemy—Algebra—and,they learned that it they didn't know anything they could call it "x" and find it. 'Tis true they were called "rats," but they beamed with the thought that soon they would be "educated rats" and then they could toss their heads like the self-confident sophs or traverse the halls with the stately mein of the seniors. But in the freshman stage they were timid and scuttled to places of refuge at the faint note of a whistle!

Swiftly the year glided by, and in September, 1920, the Sun-god observed that the crowded ranks of sophs at Wilson High were more orderly and more self-possessed than of old. Again, with a zest for knowledge, they buckled on their armor ready for the conflict. With Miss Griffith as leader, they daily dogged the footsteps of Caesar in his "Gallic Wars" and watched the construction of his bridge.

Then like a marshalled host, with Miss Mary Phillips as able general, they battled with the tyranny of the kings of Europe, and succeeded in murdering the divine right of kingship and establishing more democracy in the government. With Miss Bain as dictator, they mastered and said good-bye to their arch enemy, Algebra, and with the aid of Miss Devilbiss, they strove to grow in the knowledge and grace of their own native tongue. 'Tis true they worked, but not continuously, for "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." They were interested in athletics, two of their number, Mildred Walters and Katherine Springer, were on the girls' basketball team. Life was getting to be worth while.

Rapidly the three months' furlough ended and in September, 1921, the Sun-eod smiled serenely upon a familiar horde of—juniors! He enveloped them with his bright rays as they filed through the doors. So with ever increasing interest, be followed them through the third year of the conflict. He watched their furrowed brows as they delved into the orations of Cicero, saw them brighten as they found that to conquer him was but to master his vocabulary, for Cicero could max eloquent and describe an object with ten different adjectives having the same meaning! Then they tied and bound Chemistry by first swallowing his language as H2O, and.they mastered English History with Mrs. Rogers as lieutenant. In the foot-steps of Miss Mildred James they contended long and earnestly fcr the victory over Geometry. The sun-god was pleased with their progress. "Perhaps," thought he, "these young people will begin to learn the modes of life before they have to go out into the world and battle with life's problems." Certainly it seemed so, for in their zest for knowledge they began to learn what knowledge is, that you may know many things about a thing, but it is of vital importance to know the thing itself, that a person may study and learn the thoughts of others, but

"Think for thyself—one good idea

But known to be thine own Is better than a thousand

gleaned From fields by others sown."

Thus the Sun-god perceived the class was mastering knowledge.

On September 10, 1922, Apollo seemed to have burnished his chariot, imparted «ew gloss and strength to his steeds and decked himself with robes of spun gold. What was his purpose? Was he not going to again meet a worthy class of—Seniors? Certainly he could welcome them with a bright and glowing sunshine. He perceived that the senior year was one of trials and tribulations, joys and smiles, work and more of it. Bravely those Latin students who had survived the struggle with Cicero's orations, now guided by Miss Brittingham, battled with Aeneas fancng the ruins of Troy, braved the dangers of the sea and remained with him Aving his wanderings. With Mr. Walker they mastered Trigonometry and glowed with the knowledge that at last they were familiar with sines, cosines, etc., and with Miss Smith to inspire courage and patience, they contended with the History of their own country. With the assistance of their forbearing leader, Miss Anna Johnston, they overcame the barriers at the gateway of English Literature, and Mr. Sweeney's leadership they fought long and fiercely with a startlingly new enemy, Physics. That interesting enemy inflicted several wounds, such as a few "Fairs," but at last they subdued him. The sun-god beamed upon their accomplished labors, and especially shone upon their activities.

The Sun-god watched the efforts of those energetic seniors and glowed with pride as they developed along student government lines. Many remarked, "What a promising class." Aye—it was a magnificent class! By early fall they had created a Student Council. They governed the ungovernable rats, marshalled the unruly sophs and juniors through the halls, up and down the right flight ot steps and into the auditorium. They reviewed the results of their mutilation in court and exacted penalties from the culprits. While achieving these successes in student-government they also won great honors on the athletic field. With members of the Class '23 on both teams we won the Eastern Virginia Championship in both football and baseball. They displayed ability unseen in foregoing classes and made a name for the school by their clean and thorough successes. Also that class strove to accomplish something that would help the building the£ so loved, and the pupils who would come after them, so under the guidance of Miss Smith they put across a great project—the Senior "Hippodrome." It was different from anything ever presented at Woodrow Wilson Hi and proved a great success. They turned over the proceeds to the library committee. They aroused the interest of the student body in the Library Fund and secured their consent to give the locker key money to that cause. The Sun-god observed in their every loyalty, interest and love for their school.

So the seniors have won a hard, glorious fight. They have upheld the best traditions of the school and perhaps have set a standard for others. What does the future hold for them? Destiny is at her Loom ewaving the lives of each. May-she weave them successful, true and sublime, and examples and guiding stars for others. May the class realize with the poet that

"The lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime, And departing leave

behind us Foot-prints on the sands of time."

—Virginia Martin.