Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-03-12
MERRY WERE HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATES
Alumni Association Formed Under
Delightful Conditions.
BIG GATHERING AT Y. M. C. A.

FRtf ~ ~h& "
cs Represented at the Meeting
Good Speeches and Fine Music
Marked the occaslon-Event a No
table One.
The High School Alumni! Association
was organized last night under cir
cunstances unique In local history. 1t
Is somewhat remarkable that though
the first class graduated from the
Martinsburg High School was in 1878,
a period of thirty-two years elapsed
before the formation OF an alumni as
ISOLATION. The present organization
was brought about largely through
the efforts OF Mr.. l.. Dew. Gerhardt
and who very properly, becomes the
first president OF the association.
The alumni meeting was held in the
large gymnasium OF the Y. M. c. A,
which was tastefully and appropriately
decorated for the occasion. The high
school colors, orange and black, pre-
dominated. -Four f~estoons Of bunting
OF those colors stretched from the cor
ners of the room to the center Of
the ceiling, while hanging gracefully
were four lines Of college pennants,
every college aud university which a
Martinsburg High School graduate
had ever attended being represented.
This feature of the decorations was
especially attractive. Back OF the
speakers desk at the north side of
the room flags. pennants and bunting
adorned the wall, the handsome ban
ner Of the high school occupying the
center, while palms, ferns and other
ported plnts formed a pretty bank In
front.
AS the people arrived at the Y. NJ.
G. A. building they were met in the
lobby by the ushers, Messrs. J.. w.
Barrick, Harry A. Downs and l.. Dew.
Gerhardt, jr., and escorted to the
gymnasium where they were received
by Misses Lulu Muth and Laura HON.
rich, Profs. M. L. Wachtel and G. III.
Harris and Mr.. l.. Dew. Gerhardt.
Passing the receiving line the alumni
and visitors encountered a bevy of
pretty young ladies, namely, Misses
Lorena HODGE, Beulah Rutherford,
Nellie Hess, Louise Foreman, Mary
Opie Tabb and Allye Michael who
| pinned a high school badge OF orange
and black on each. During this time
the City Band Orchestra discoursed
several pleasing selections.
When Chairman Gerhardt OF the
general committee called the meeting
to order at $40 o'clock the gymnasium
was crowded and the visitors gallery
filled, presenting an animated scene
not Don to be forgotten. Nearly all
the graduating classes from 1873 TO
1909 were represented.
The exercises began with a barry
tone solo by Prof. C. II. Stein, OF Get
tysburg College. who sang with splen-
did effect Sullivan's Lost Chord"
Miss Myra Cline playing the piano
accompaniment.
Then the venerable Rev. DR.. Will
liam Gerhardt was introduced. DR..
VIM. Gerhardt was principal of the
M~artinsburg schools for about twenty
five years. He said that the last class
graduated from the High School un-
der his supervision was that OF 1886,
and 1t was the worst class of all. be-
cause 1t caned him. He explained
that the members presented him with
a handsome gold-headed cane which
he still proudly carried.
DR.. Gerhardt was followed by Miss
Bernadetta Dean, OF Cumberland, a
former resident OF this city, and a
graduate in the class OF 1908, sang
most beautifully Arditf's Those Rosy
Lips" AS an encore she sang "Auld
Lang Syne," an air that struck the
popular chord. Miss Mary Hoffheins
was her piano acconpanist.
One OF the best speeches OF the
evening was made by Mr.. A. b. Noll,
OF the class Of 1892 and 1t, like the
others, was we'll received. Following
Mr.. NoI Misses Elizabeth Trimble
and Louise Foreman played a plano
duet. the piece being an arrangement
OF airs from Verdps operas.
AT his point the alumni formed a
permanent organization. the following
officers being elected.
President, l.. Dew. Gerhard; first
vice-president, Miss Lula Muth; sec
ond vice~president. James F. Thomp
son ir.: secretary. Miss Grace Lind
say: treasurer, Edward Rutledge.
The bylaws OF the association, as
reported by Prof. M. L. Wachtel, Mr..
Harry A. Downs and Miss Lorena
HODGE. were adopted.
Prof. Stein sang another fine solo
after which Capt. w. b. Colston, *
president OF the Board Of Education,
delivered a short address in his usual
felic'tous style He was followed by
Miss Dean, who sang "The Bobolink.p
An encore was demanded but the fair
gorgstress only bowed her acknowl
edgements.
Senator Faulkner was TO have spo
ken at the meeting, but he was I'm
avoiaably detained in Washington