Eveline’s Senior Year: Senior Class Play

I shared a photo of my grandmother Eveline Coates’ high school graduating class in Mystic, Iowa a few weeks (now months!) ago. Along with the photo and her diploma, a couple of other mementos were saved. One is the program for the Junior-Senior Banquet in honor of the graduating Seniors. It was interesting to see how World War I seemed to be the overarching theme of the festivities. I decided to take a deeper look at what her life may have been like during the 1917-1918 school year. There was a lot going on, a war and the beginning of an influenza pandemic to name the two biggiesThe list of related posts is getting long, so I’ll link them at the bottom.

The week before commencement was a busy one for Eveline. The Junior-Senior Reception (which I am skipping over for the time-being) was Friday evening, May 10th. Two days after the reception was the Baccalaureate Sermon, followed by the class play on Tuesday, class night on Thursday, and commencement on Friday. Before and during this week, the seniors rehearsed the play and practiced for commencement. I’ll bet there was shopping too – as students planned what to wear to the reception, class night, and for the graduation ceremony. In the class photo, all of the students are wearing caps and gowns, but the girls, especially, might have worn a new dress underneath. And what about final exams? Were the seniors also applying for jobs or college or working to learn a trade? Doing extra chores in the absence of an older brother drafted to military service? As it is today, the end of the school year was a busy time for the graduating seniors of Mystic and for their families.

Mystic High School Graduation Invitation, Class of 1918,
Mystic, Iowa

Performing a class play before graduation is not something that we did when I graduated from high school, nor when my children graduated, but it seems to have been a common practice at the time.

The Senior Class Play was a one-act comedy, “Why Not Jim?” written by Helen F. Bagg. Ms. Bagg seems to have written quite a number of light-hearted plays that were often performed by high school students.

The price of admission was 15 cents and 25 cents. The school principal, Neva Prior went to Centerville to shop the Wednesday before this busy week. Maybe she needed something to wear for commencement, or supplies for one of the events.

Semi Weekly Iowegian, Page 6, Centerville, Iowa
1918 May 9

The play was staged at the Strand Theater in Mystic. I wish I could find an older photo of the outside of the building.

Strand Theater, Mystic, Iowa about 1972, accessed from Facebook

A digital copy of the play Why Not Jim is available from the Internet Archive of the Library of Congress.

We can try to imagine the set on the stage of the Strand Theater.

Probably the Strand Theater, Mystic, Iowa about 1930-1931, accessed from Facebook

The play called for a cast of nine characters.

There were eighteen graduating seniors. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any newspaper accounts or other sources that named who played the characters or how the play was received.

There are three male characters in the play and three boys in Eveline’s graduating class, so I’ll assume each of the male members of the senior class had a part to play. Unfortunately, I have yet to identify anyone in the class photo other than Eveline and Alice Tingle, her future sister-in-law. But I do know their names. The names of the young men are: Art J. McDanolds, David E. Lodwick, and Clarence H. Swanson. But who is who?

And who played the parts of Alec Fraser, a young author married to Edna.
Charles Ramsey, a friend of the family, who is responsible for “Jim.”
and James Barry, friend of Charles, who is willing to do a lot for Vivian?

A description of the costume requirements provides more information about casting the parts.

If I were to take a guess, I’d guess student #1 in the part of Fraser, #2 as Ramsey, and #3 as Barry. But what do I know?

There were only five parts for the fifteen senior girls. Did one of the students fill the role of director or did one of the teachers have that responsibility? There were costumes to prepare, backdrops to paint, doors and windows and a window seat to build, props to gather, tickets and money to handle, the stage to light, make up to apply, and costume changes to help with. It would be fun to know if my grandmother acted in the play or was one of the crew. I would guess she was not an actor, unless that was a side of her personality that I never saw.

If only Eveline lived in Centerville, the county seat, rather than Mystic. The newspaper listed all of the students and the parts they played in the Centerville senior class play and many more details for other senior events as well.

I was unable to find any details about Senior Class night, which occurred the night before commencement. I can only guess that it was a party atmosphere to celebrate their last night together as classmates.

Although I did not match the prompt photo, this is my contribution to Sepia Saturday. Please play along and visit other bloggers who participate: Sepia Saturday.

If you would like to read other posts about Eveline’s Senior Year, you can find them here:
Eveline’s Senior Year, Part 1
Eveline’s Senior Year: The Draft and a Carnival
Eveline’s Senior Year: A Look Around Town
Eveline’s Senior Year: Musical Notes
Eveline’s Senior Year: Smallpox
Eveline’s Senior Year: What are you Serving?
Eveline’s Senior Year: Root Beer on the 4th
Eveline’s Senior Year: Miners, Miner and Maps
Eveline’s Senior Year: The Weight of Mining
Eveline’s Senior Year: Gatherings and Gossip
Eveline’s Senior Year: Knit Your Bit
Eveline’s Senior Year: In Search of a Back Story
Eveline’s Senior Year: Sign the Food Pledge
Eveline’s Senior Year: Produce, Preserve, Conserve
Eveline’s Senior Year: Graduation Memorabilia
Eveline’s Senior Year: Baccalaureate

The Weekly Journal Project #5

I decided to post a weekly journal (again!) Feel free to join me. Just post a journal entry on Monday summarizing the previous week. Or make your journal a photo a day. Whatever you like. If you are a family history researcher, you know it is good to remember to document your own life! Link your journal entry in the comments of my post so I’ll be sure to read it and so will anyone else who sees it. If more people join, maybe I’ll learn how to do a “linky”party.

Week of September 5-11, 2022

I’m late posting today. It has been busy.

Monday, September 5

Such a beautiful morning! 67 degrees! I can’t remember the last time I felt that coolness. Since the rain made its recent return, the snails are back and most mornings I find one in or on this pot that holds petunias. One bloom in particular must have been very tasty over night. So this morning there was a medium size snail facing a small snail. Often, I’ll put my fingers on the shell, the snail will retreat, and I can lift it off the pot. Not today. The larger snail retreated part way, but seemed intent on staying where it was. I shrugged and walked away. When I returned, the little snail was riding piggyback (snaily back?). I missed the show! And the motivation. I don’t know much about the personal life of snails.

And I keep thinking – they were facing each other. The small snail crept its way up onto the bigger snail and turned around so that they are facing the same direction.

* I went to the mall for the first time in a very long time and bought some 75% off summer clothes.
* Started the audio book The Templar’s Last Secret.

Tuesday, September 6

* Met a friend for tea and a pastry at Crema Bakery. I am so sad that they are closing in a little over a week. They have been such troopers and helpers during the pandemic. I’ll try to go back one more time before they close. It was so nice to catch up with my friend and eat a delicious croissant with chocolate. Then we bought more treats for our families and a treat for a friend working at a Beto office. Nice to see her too and get another sign before the election.

* Church book group started a new book: Decolonizing Christianity: Becoming Badass Believers. This one will spark conversation. The author doesn’t mince words.

Wednesday, September 7

This crazy boy is 10 years old today. Born in foster care and adopted by us, he has never had a hungry, abusive, or traumatic day in his life. He fooled us into thinking he was choosing us when he was just too afraid to wander and explore. He made me a believer in generational trauma. Full of fears, his favorite activity is going to bed or napping with one of his humans. It’s safe! He can relax! That, and eating. He developed a fear of the sound of a bell years ago when Tina was watching Bob’s Burgers. ?!?? I once considered starting a social media account for him called “Bubba Doesn’t Like the Sound of That”. Storms today, so I spent a lot of time on the couch with him serving as his comfort human. Happy Birthday, Dreamboat! You drive us crazy, but we love you.

* Some ESL students and I met at church to make port pillows.
* The microwave died. My husband went right out and replaced it.

Thursday, September 8

First ESL class of the fall semester. There were glitches, but everything pretty much worked out okay.

Friday, September 9

* Finished my Sepia Saturday post early! Again! Eveline’s Senior Year: Baccalaureate
* Finished 50 more Get Out the Vote postcards.

I enjoy driveway art on my walks.

* Husband and I watched Thor: Love and Thunder. Some comedic moments.

Saturday, September 10

Finished some port pillows while watching the UT/Alabama game. Not the game anyone expected. I’m a Longhorn fan when they are the underdogs.

Sunday, September 11

Nothing much. Youtube church. I don’t remember what else!

In other news:

Not dead! We were sure this moringa tree that my daughter desperately tried to keep alive was a goner. But it is coming back from the roots.

I know we considered pulling up this miniature crepe myrtle during the long, hot summer. It looked fried.

* I also started reading Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation. I’m afraid I have too many books going at once.
* And, of course, Queen Elizabeth died and there was the 21st anniversary of September 11, so I watched many remembrances and news of these historic events.

I’ve been working my way slowly (on purpose) through a book of Mary Oliver poems: Devotions. I read this one the day after Dreamboat’s birthday – another rescue dog!

BENJAMIN, WHO CAME FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE

What shall I do?
When I pick up the broom
he leaves the room.
When I fuss with kindling he
runs for the yard.
Then he’s back, and we
hug for a long time.
In his low-to-the-ground chest
I can hear his heart slowing down.
Then I rub his shoulders and
kiss his feet
and fondle his long hound ears.
Benny, I say,
don’t worry. I also know the way
the old life haunts the new.

Eveline’s Senior Year: Baccalaureate

I shared a photo of my grandmother Eveline Coates’ high school graduating class in Mystic, Iowa a few weeks (now months!) ago. Along with the photo and her diploma, a couple of other mementos were saved. One is the program for the Junior-Senior Banquet in honor of the graduating Seniors. It was interesting to see how World War I seemed to be the overarching theme of the festivities. I decided to take a deeper look at what her life may have been like during the 1917-1918 school year. There was a lot going on, a war and the beginning of an influenza pandemic to name the two biggiesThe list of related posts is getting long, so I’ll link them at the bottom.

Eveline’s graduation invitation listed a week full of activities prior to graduation.

I’m going to skip the Junior-Senior Reception for now and focus on the Baccalaureate Sermon in this post.

Baccalaureate Sermon, 8:00 P. M. Sunday, May 12, 1918. The sermon was given by Rev. William H. Slack at the Methodist Episcopal Church of Mystic, located next to the high school. Rev. Slack registered for the draft about four months later. His registration provides a description of a thirty-nine-year-old white man of medium height and stocky build, with black hair and blue eyes. The minister was reported to have delivered a “splendid” address to the graduates.

The M. E. Church is the building on the left. (Old high school building)
Semi Weekly Iowegian, page 6, Centerville, Iowa
1918 May 16

Miss Edna Evans was a teacher in the high school, but she had previously been Eveline’s teacher in elementary school. A couple of class photos from Eveline’s collection picture Edna Evans.

Edna Evans, teacher, East Side School, Mystic, IA. undated

Vergyle/Virgle Inskeep, Lola White, and Claudine Cook were graduating seniors. Blanche may have been a sister to Claudine. The songs, Welcome Pretty Primrose and The Last Rose of Summer, may have been chosen in tribute to the class flower – the pink rose. The Library of Congress has a recording of Welcome Pretty Primrose. I couldn’t get the link to embed properly, but if you click on the link, you can sing along while reading the lyrics.

https://www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-130359/?

The Last Rose of Summer is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore, written in 1805. The poem is set to a traditional tune called “The Young Man’s Dream.”

‘Tis the last rose of summer,
    Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
    Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
    No rose-bud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes
    Or give sigh for sigh!

I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one.
    To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
    Go, sleep thou with them;
Thus kindly I scatter
    Thy leaves o’er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
    Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
    When friendships decay,
And from love’s shining circle
    The gems drop away!
When true hearts lie withered,
    And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit
    This bleak world alone?

The male voices who sang The Sailor’s Dream, are not members of the Senior class, so I assume they were Juniors. Unfortunately, I could not find this song in my search.

I enjoy searching for people and music and descriptions that put an event into context and provide a sense of the time and place, and then I wonder some more … How was the church decorated? Were there flowers? Pink and green ribbons attached to pews or chairs? The pulpit draped in class colors? … Graduating seniors dressed in their “Sunday best” and in the company of their parents and siblings… What message might the minister have wanted to convey to these graduating seniors in a time of war? Did Eveline feel a bit melancholy listening to The Last Rose of Summer?

All I can do is imagine.

I wonder if families and friends lined up at the doors of the M. E. Church as they arrived for the Baccalaureate service?

No need for you to stand in line to explore how others have responded to the prompt photo. Just click the link and you will arrive at your destination: Sepia Saturday

If you would like to read other posts about Eveline’s Senior Year, you can find them here:
Eveline’s Senior Year, Part 1
Eveline’s Senior Year: The Draft and a Carnival
Eveline’s Senior Year: A Look Around Town
Eveline’s Senior Year: Musical Notes
Eveline’s Senior Year: Smallpox
Eveline’s Senior Year: What are you Serving?
Eveline’s Senior Year: Root Beer on the 4th
Eveline’s Senior Year: Miners, Miner and Maps
Eveline’s Senior Year: The Weight of Mining
Eveline’s Senior Year: Gatherings and Gossip
Eveline’s Senior Year: Knit Your Bit
Eveline’s Senior Year: In Search of a Back Story
Eveline’s Senior Year: Sign the Food Pledge
Eveline’s Senior Year: Produce, Preserve, Conserve
Eveline’s Senior Year: Graduation Memorabilia