1914: Graduating speech of the YUHS senior class
THE CLASS HISTORY AND VALEDICTORY OF THE SENIOR CLASS OF 1914, YUMA UNION HIGH SCHOOL, ARIZ.
On the 19th of September 1910, twenty-one verdant little freshmen timidly approached Prison Hill; not with the intention of storming its bristling heights, but one would judge from the equipment they carried that their motives were to glean knowledge and acquire wisdom from its gloomy corridors and grated dungeons as many a poor culprit had done before.
After a careful reconnaissance the entrance to the threatening walls was finally located and they were marshalled into the presence of Mr. Greenwood who was then beginning his second term on Prison Hill.
They were informed that the Freshmen room was in the old Prison Library. On reaching the said room they were confronted by large iron bars. Was that not enough to make any Freshman feel blue? But on crossing the threshold they were greeted by Miss Post who soon made them feel at home in a very comfortable school room.
The majority of the class had received their education thus far in the Yuma Grammar School. About five were from the Somerton district and three or four from the Crane School. During that year they had the trials and tribulations common to most freshies. Latin and Algebra were terrible with. But they labored on hoping for the time to come when they could be counted with the Upperclassmen. It was generally asserted by the Upperclassmen and it was rumored that the faculty agreed too that they were the noisiest, blundering set ever turned out, and that their verdancy surpassed even the olive tree. The Upperclassmen were not so heartless as they seemed. They gave a party in the old Prison Dining Room in honor of the Freshmen, and the freshies had a splendid time.
In the fall of 1911, on returning to the Hill, they found that Mr. Smith had taken Mr. Greenwood's place. It seemed that the thought of returning to Prison was too much for some of the class, only seventeen returning.
At the beginning of the second semester they were joined by Annah Mitchell from Santa Anna, California. The class became quite famous as debaters. One debate was against the Seniors on the question of "Women Suffrage", the Sophomores taking the negative. The judges decided in favor of the negative. We must not neglect to say that they were a very studious class and always learned their lessons perfectly. Nevertheless they often wished that Great Caesar had never existed and couldn't see much use in staying up so late at night working Algebra.
September 1912, well, they were frivolous Juniors. There were only twelve who answered to roll call. Mr. Van Hoose had taken Mr. Smith's place. That year the school sent a number of representatives to the Interscholastic Meet at Tucson, and we are proud to say that the Junior representative carried off the honors for Yuma High; that being first place in singing. At the end of the term the class said farewell to one of their classmates, Frank Makameto, who had completed the required course in three years, graduating with the class of 1913.
September 1913, at last we were stately, wise Seniors. Was there anything to be afraid of? No, not even that terrible course in Physics of which so many woeful tales had been told.
In organizing our class we found that our number had still decreased. There were seven of the original ones remaining. Some of the boys had decided to take up some kind of work. One or two of the girls who had taken Domestic Science in Mrs. Van Hoose's department became so fascinated with it that they decided to get married. Happily we were joined by Vivian Gregorg from the Lone Star State.
As a class we had hoped to be the first to graduate from the beautiful new building which is now being erected. But since thinking the matter over we deem it quite a novel idea to graduate from a penitentiary. And we have reason to believe that we are the only class in the United States who have completed their four years in a penitentiary.
The Class of 1914, which I in part represent having been chosen to make the last remarks in behalf of the class, will say that the memory of our high school days will always be cherished by us and as the years go by and our activity ceases, and as new actors who are out of sympathy with our old fashioned ideas, take our places on the stage of action, when we are relegated to the junk heap as the has-beens, then will our memories of these days be one of our dearest possessions. Then we shall remember the smiling face and hearty sympathy of our teachers instead of their frown and their righteous indignation at some of our thoughtless acts; then we shall cling to and cherish the dear companionship and the rosy visions of hope of our beloved schoolmates and forget all the disputes and petty jealousies, and imaginary troubles of school life. Time, the great leveler of all things, will smooth out all the wrinkles of youth and in our day dreams we shall conjure up the delights and happiness of school days, and wrapped in Elysian dreams, sailing over summer seas in silver barks with purple sails, we shall rub our aged hands and tell the rising generation of the good old times gone by, and how perfect and obliging and kind the boys and girls were in our school days before the advent of all the new fangled innovations. The old Penitentiary will loom up in the distance as one of the magnificent ghosts of our imagination and as the years go by there will be no other town equal to Yuma on the banks of the Silvery Colorado. Oh! the delights of the past, the barrenness of the present and the rosy clouds and blue skies of the future! Let us continue to indulge in these illusions but now return with me to the present. We have spent four years of delightful school life in the Yuma High School and as we emerge from its pleasures and memories and kindness and sympathy our hearts are heavy and our minds are burdened with grief. We are leaving behind associations and pleasant memories to enter upon new duties of which we know little. As Shakespeare says "All the world is a stage." This act is over, the lights are out, and the audience and actors are ready and waiting for the second act.
Before entering upon the next act it is fitting that we should express our appreciation for the kindness and generosity of those who have nurtured and surrounded us with the means and opportunities which have made this commencement possible. We shall not say good-bye to our parents because we hope to be with them for many years to come and that we may pay a part of the great debt due them, and brighten their lives and bring sunshine into their homes.
To our community, represented by the Board of Education, we owe a debt of gratitude which can only be paid by our assistance in passing on to the next generation all the opportunities which they have so generously provided for us. All of you have labored freely, your only reward being the knowledge that you have served the community faithfully and well. We thank you for your diligence and industry in our behalf. To our teachers we owe much. A kindhearted, conscientious teacher, full of sympathy and patience and love is the greatest blessing a school can have. To the present corps of teachers as well as to those of our earlier years who are laboring in other fields we wish to express our appreciation of their kindness and forbearance and wish them all continued success in the noble but sometimes discouraging task of bringing youth into its inheritance.
In saying good-bye, let us not forget the Juniors who have been at times our natural enemies. Our rivalries have been pleasant and profitable. May we always find rivals as generous and agreeable as you. Next year you will take our places as the Senior Class of 1915. May you continue in your loyalty to your school, your teachers, and community, and you will find happiness, contentment and friends.
To my classmates this marks the end of our high school life and the commencement of other duties. Some will continue their studies in higher institutions, others will enter into the social and industrial activity of our community; still others may travel to places in remote parts of the earth, but wherever we go we will carry with us the pleasant memories of the old Prison and the pleasant school life within its somber walls.
These four years have bound us together in friendships and love which nothing but death can sever, and as the years go by let us hope that without the loss of one we may meet annually and renew our friendships in the banquet room of that beautiful building now in the course of construction and known as the Administration building of the Union High School of Yuma, Arizona. Good-bye to high school life and welcome to the commencement of new duties.
