Diary of Worcester High (found in a Pennsylvania State Composition Book)
Nov. 23, 1917
By John Thomas
[This “diary” contains names from the graduating class of 1918: Florence A Bean, Florence F Blattner, George F Blattner, Katie G Halteman, Russell K Heebner, A Kinsey Huber, Esther M Jones, Clarence L Kreamer, Mary S Kreibel, Rachel E Kuhn, Russel H Place, George Miner Thomas, Oscar K Rothenberger, Albert B Schultz, John W Thomas, Earl F Snyder, Margaret S Wisler, Elmer C Yerger]
Worcester School 1915 Upper Grades
Row 1: 1 John Thomas, 2 Harold Krauss, 3 Leon Loos, 4 Paul Brooks, 5 Leon Blattner, 6 Harold Allebach, 7 Gladys Heebner, 8 Margaret Wisler, 9 Bertha Henning, 10 Katie Halteman
Row 2: 1 Elmer Yerger, 2 Elmer Kline, 3 Russel Heebner, 4 Oscar Rothenberger, 5 Stanley Geyer, 6 Florence Bean, 7 Marion Hunsberger, 8 Mary Kriebel, 9 Teacher A Lincoln Anson
Row 3: 1 Alvin Anders, 2 Albert Schultz, 3 William Kriebel, 4 Lester Weigner, 5 Russel Hendricks, Myrtle Souder, Elsie Godshall, Elsie Kraft, [name of one girl is missing], 10 Wilson Fell, 11 Bob Brooks
Row 4: 1 ? Bossert, 2 Elmer Blattner, 3 Helen Gardner, 4 Ernest Schultz, 5 Bertha Van Fossen, 6 unidentified, 7 Bill Ingersoll [or Russell Place], 8 Hartley Hynes, 9 Helen Krauss, 10 Clyde Kibblehouse, 11 Lowell Hendricks
Row 5: 1 Norman Anders, 2 unidentified, 3 A Kinsey/Kenny Huber, 4 Clarence Allebach, 5 ? Rogers
Donation from Maynard Rothenberger [son of Oscar Rothenberger]
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Let me tell you that this job that I have now is no easy one about every pupil in this room has asked me to put nothing in the diary about them. I hate to insult them but business is business and I have to work for my own interests.
Can any of you answer this question? Why —————————-sharp————desk to ———– If you can’t let Elmer Yerger settle it.
This would be a good prop. for Russell Heebner to work out If the lips of one are placed in juxtaposition to the lips of the other the homologous part of the first is equal to the homologous part of the other.
Albert is telling us that he will stay home every time we have Literary Society. One would then think he objected to the Sec. But we know that Albert is secretly pleased with his new position especially with his secretary.
I never yet heard Elmer Yerger swear but just the other day I asked him how Marion was, and he said some words not found on valentines I know He didn’t mean it but then you know I think Elmer goes to church every Sunday.
Kinsey would better get a pair of leather pants. for his pants are always tearing, at some places I would hate to mention, or he might wear dresses.
By the way I might mention that if you want to hear a good reproduction of the Old Grey Mare just take an occasional trip on the truck down the road It is worth six bits to hear Kinsey sing it. His language and tone vary but all the same it’s worth hearing.
Although the episode which occurred in the girls cloak room is now passed over, I would not do justice to Kinsey if I would not mention that sad event which resulted in having a portion of his coat removed from the rest. It’s an awful thing to happen to a twelve dollar suit so Kinsey sat up till twelve o’clock last night and placed the rented portion back in its proper position.
The other day when Florence Lambert was called to the telephone, Kinsey told me he would like to know who had any business with her during school hours, I didn’t think Kinsey would get jealous so quick
I wonder who wrote out Earl Snyder Caesar lesson the other morning, It was written by some one whose hand writing I could not distinguish. I guess we’ll let Earl keep it to himself. When I got on the truck this morning Kinsey pulled out of his pocket a half pint whiskey bottle full of something that certainly did look like whiskey but it only turned out to be a half a pint of four weeks old cider.
Clarence Kreamer must not like to sit upon the floor behind the piano, anyway he’s behaving a little better.
The girls of our room thought it would be a capital joke to hide the foot ball from us, really it only cost them a little trouble in hiding it and we got it again without being handicapped by its loss, and the only thing that really worth recording is the accident which happened to Kinsey’s coat.
Florence Blattner found a hat pin an admirable weapon of defense on the truck one day last week. If you don’t know how women handle hatpins just call up Abraham Kinsey Huber for particulars. Oscar must feel very lonesome since two of his seat mates have gone out to other quarters.
Did you ever notice that queer look on Albert’s face when Clarence and Margaret start to talk with each other and grow funny. You had better stop Clarence for your safety sake.
Prof. Fox still has in mind that debate we had the other week and the poor society with it, for just before recess he gave us one of those frequent short lectures.
I guess Ill have to give up writing such diaries for I guess Prof Fox wont put up with silly things as he call them
For If I don’t put such things in there won’t be no diary you see there is always an alibi for such things.
I don’t know anything else so I’ll quit before I insult some one and get some material for a first class quarrel on my hands.
Diary for Dec. 7, 1917
Whether or not the diary I read off two weeks previously was suited to you depends on how I struck some individual characters. So takes whats coming and pass it over
Here is an item from Fairview One day last week as the school truck came out the school road at Fairview Miss Esther Jones was seen running up the pike, I guess she thot that a walk to Centre Point would not be in accordance with her wishes, hence her hurry to reach the truck before it left for the Worcester Academy. The chauffeur waited, and I have it from a reliable source that Esther was all but winded when she reached the truck.
The other week Kinsey was missed from school one day, I don’t suppose there were many of you that knew why he was not hear. But another here the solution to the whole mystery. He tore his trousers accident occurred to his trousers, and was ashamed to remain.
Clarence Kramer was once learned by a girl how to dance. a little about dancing. From that short lesson little knowledge Clarence thought he could dance with anyone and so tried it with some of the girls. Of course he made some blunders such as dancing on his partners toes he had better wait a few years till he gains some knowledge of dancing then attempt it with the ladies again.
One of our classmates is going to leave the ranks of our Senior class, and seek other quarters. We hear he is going to work in a printing office. I wonder if he will ever get the job of printing wedding announcements for some harticu—members of our class.
The class of 1918 which last year was one of the largest in history of WHS. Seems doomed to lose that honor, two of them have gone to work and have given up studies others moved out of the community.
I wonder what Albert would say if the Professor would give Margaret that seat behind the piano. It would not suit his wishes nor those of Margaret.
Albert says he is going to learn Elmer Yerger to write notes. To be sure Albert has had experience, and Elmer has not, but his rates of 250 a lesson are not exactly wh—Elmer desires to pay.
If Milton’s Proverb The Childhood shows the man as moving shows the day is embodies in Kinsey I certainly would like to know what he would be like in his older days.
As this diary is in fact the weekly paper of the school one of the pupils desires to put up this notice.
To the Program Committee
Please put some body else on the program for singing we hear enough of it on the truck down the road. Some of our pupils are certainly not farmers
Did you ever notice the one who instead of milking in his or her pail send the stuff upon the shoes
Esther Jones aint what she used to be since Carl Reichenbach is not hear anymore, She does not have so much to say and look sad. But Russell H will probably be something better than Carl. Did you ever see ? wink at Rac–. Miner does not have an excuse so he says that he was winking at our president Albert.
Diary of WHS
Jan 4, 1918
By John Thomas
It has now been four weeks since I read off my latest paper. But yet I regret to say they have been four uneventful weeks so my business has not been benefited by the extended vacation. The first thing which I can yet well remember was a remark made by a Senior girl, which brought out some things which I disagree. She said most boys have no sense and only the girls have, I think that boys have just as much if not more of it than some girls.
I have learned that Clarence Kreamer’s best friend is an attendant at the Fairview School. I suppose you know her.
People with long legs must be extremely fond of walking especially when they are forced to when they are furnishing sport to others against the law. The two Russells sitting opposite each other namely H and P. had a tussle on the truck and were promptly sentenced to walk Home I hear that it occurred some distance on this side of the W. Creamery and yet it seems so cruel to make a fellow walk 4 mi in zero weather as I learned was the fate of Russell But it probably furnished some excellent exercise for both of them.
I read in the paper that bachelors are to be taxed. I do not know upon what basis these taxes are to be laid but I am sure their will be a strong incentive to marriages.
Fate is often very cruel said the boy who’es mother caught him stealing jam and sentenced him to go to bed, It just happened that Clarence who did not know Thursdays lesson received it again on the board today. Its tough sometimes.
I guess Ill have to put something in about Kinsey, I suppose you saw he got his head sheared. I guess he’s going to Skippack to night. That’s a sure sign. Kinsey is a bad boy ask anybody. I Souder the chauffeur of the do the road truck, has to stop every evening to have a scrap with Kinsey, he is always a lively personage and quite often gets into trouble and thru it he gets removed to a seat up front, but yet he is a not such an awful bad boy or else he wouldn’t go to Skippack.
Pearl Kline told Clarence he was a nice little fellow, and told some others of that little spooning party she and Tip (?) had last summer.
The other day when quite a bunch of boys was assembled around Marion Detwilers desk, they done something which arised the suspicions of Peggie. for she soon after ward came around and opened the desk to see If some one had not placed a note into it.
I think it would be appropriate if we elected as President Elmer Yerger and as secretary Marion Detwiler.
Kinsey had is hair cut today. The barber had such a job to get his wool off that he soaked Kinsey 50 cents, with the hair in the bargain, Kinsey figures he can make out a dandy pillow with them and send it to a soldier as a patriotic measure. That will be “Doing his bit” as Kinsey expresses it.
Clarence is a slacker, from all sides of that word. He’s latest offense is slacking his Literary Duties.
George and Elmer are having some scraps lately I wonder whether they are having any troubles over Marion.
Kinsey you had better stop chewing gum, or tobacco which ever it may be or else you’ll get throwed out the door, and that would be very unpleasant you know, because of the hard nature of the steps.
The Diary of W H S
Feb 14, 1918
(No entry)
Class of 1918
Pennsylvania State Composition Book
Gilbert & Guldin Pottstown, PA
School Supplies a Specialty
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