1908 Class History⁄Photo, Philo Public School

 

Scrapbook copy of a writeup on the Class of 1908.

1908 Class History 1908 of the Philo Public School

Ladies and gentlemen: You have before you the remarkable class of "naught eight". It has taken twelve long years of study to attain the state of profection in which you now behold them. It has the name of being the largest, handsomest and brightest class ever graduated from the Philo Public School.

It is very unusual for a class to graduate from a town school, of which all its members live in the country, but this class is composed of all "country jakes" as they are commonly called. When the class entered the High School in 1904 it consisted of thirteen members, of which nine were girls and four were boys. In 1905 three of the girls were claimed by St. Joseph's Academy and two years later one of the most brilliant members of the class bade them a tearful farewell and departed to the far east to complete her education. Of the four boys that belonged to the class as freshman, only one has been brave enough to endure the sneers and jokes of the girls to the end.

The six that are left spent their childhood days within a few miles of Philo. Only one, Miss Maude ( Elizabeth Mark ) learned her letters in the Philo school.

The members of which the class now consists are Bertha Maye ( Harford ) the eldest who has been a good scholar in all of her studies but has far exceeded the rest in the study of "English." Estelle Merideth ( Burr ), better known as "Ted" stands highest in the class in feet and inches. She is especially noted for her graceful movements and is expected to make a first class society leader. The hopes of the class for future fame rest upon Nellie Gertrude ( Kearns ) who will surely become an opera singer. Mary Ethel ( Plotner ) who has joined the class in the past two years is making a special study of weeds that are injurious to farmers. She will take up the study of Botany in some other institution in the coming summer. Kenneth Burr ( Lovingfoss ) finds that his fame depends on his excellent powers as a historian and upon being the first boy to graduate from the Philo High School in five years. Maude Elizabeth ( Parsons ) the baby of the class has by her brilliant intellect, gained a year on the rest, graduating at the age of seventeen. Her mission is to teach, but she will probably be more interested in practising household science in a few years.

During the past four years of their happy school life, they have belonged to different secret organizations knows as the "Jolly Five" and the "Happy Six."

The class colors are green and white, the flower is a white rose. The motto is "Never let study interfere with other plans, if you can help it" and their teacher will bear witness that they have lived up to their motto.

How the pupils of the High School can ever exist without the presence and examples of the class of '08 is a problem that will never be solved satisfactorily. Their teacher, who has conducted them safely and creditably thru' the four High School years has decided that he could not instruct, and manage the school as it should be, without the class of '08, so he, too, leaves the school with the great class of nineteen hundred eight. ( Note: Last names per the 1906 Souvenir given to all students of the classes of 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1910 by the Compliments of G. H. WRIGHT, Principal.)

The Philo Class of 1908 Announcement along with the class ribbons (green and white) worn by Nellie Kearns is shown below:

 

 

 

Submitted by Dick Kearns