HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1913

The Gateway, University of Omaha 1913, No. 1, Vol. 1

 

Formation of the UNO Alumni Association

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An Alumni Association will be formed on the evening of June sixth. The possibilities of such an organiztion are unlimited and no one can prophecy the influence which this organization will doubtless have on the University and its future.

 

There are but two alumni of the University of Omaha, Miss Claudia V. Galloway and Mr. Harry Jerome. Miss Galloway came to this institution with credits from other colleges and was able to complete her work in one year. She graduated in 1911 and has the honor of being the first graduate of the University of Omaha. Miss Galloway is at present training the minds of Omaha children for the Omaha Board of Education. She is a credit to her Alma Mater and our school may be justly proud of her achievements.

 

The Class of 1913 are vitally interested in Mr. Jerome for he was a member of that class until his graduation in 1912. Entering with advance credits he carried extra work and by his characteristic energy and enthusiasm in his work he was able to finish a year before the rest. Last summer, he attended the University of Wisconsin, taking a specialized course in history. This past year, he has been a member of the faculty of his Alma Mater. May as great success attend him in the futue as he has had in the past.

 

History of the Class of 1913

On the fourteenth of September, 1909, the ship was formally launched and with it our class as the only passengers, numbering twenty students. The passenger list read as follows: Rhea Lamoreaux, Beulah Hunter, Harry Jerome, Zella Beebe, Katherine Matthies, George Percival, Helen Hansen, Clara Hendrickson, Stanton Salisbury, Ferne Nicoles, Gladys Solomon, George Parish, Julius Johnson, Willard Flor, Thomas Hughes, Grover Smith, Glinton Halsey, Jean Hamilton, Kathrine Ingals, and Earl Parker. The frame of our vessel, Redick Hall, was not new but this was its first voyage upon the sea of knowledge and instruction.

 

After a brief period we became well acquainted and soon organized into a company with George Percival as President; Zella Beebe, Vice President; Rhea Lamoreaux, Secretary; Clinton Halsey, Treasurer, and Pansy Williams and Willard Flor, Sergeant-at-Arms. What a glorious time awaited us! Our first large social affair was a Hallowe'en party in which everybody joined and enjoyed themselves immensely. The next affair of importance was the reception for High school Seniors. We hoped to stop at some port and obtain more passengers in September 1910, so we managed to touch at this same port around Christmas time and entertained the prospective passengers. All the event went off in fine style and we decided to make this an annual affair.

 

Don't think for a minute that we forgot to study during all this time. The custom officers were coming on board before we could proceed farther and we were all anxious to make a good impression. That danger was passed and no one was found to have hard spots like diamonds nor soft spots like silk.

 

After this we were entertained by Clara Hendrickson at a Valentine party and Gladys Solomon at a St. Patrick's day party. Both evenings were enjoyably spent and added two more pleasant memories. Near the end of our journey, we had an oratorical contest. My, how the ship did rock that night and how nervous and shaky it made us all feel. Jean Hamilton won first place. Our first journey drew to a close and we decided to come back in the fall.

 

The next trip began on the nineteenth of September 1910. Most of us came back, but now we had another class of passengers and we moved up to the second deck. Some of our class left us, but in their place we happily obtained Mebane Ramsay, Beatrice Barnhart and Marguerite Walker. Immediately upon arriving on board we organized again; this time with Stanton Salisbury as President; Pansy Williams, Vice President; Julius Johnson, Treasurer; and Clinton Halsey and Beatrice Barnhart, Sergeant-at-Arms. Of course, we had our social events and this time we decided to have a hard time Hallowe'en party. What costumes there where! The Senior reception was also held and very largely attended. Another affair, which we enjoyed very much, was a theatre party given by the Misses Matthies, Beebe, Lamoreaux and Nicoles. While all these things were going on, the company was building an addition to the ship in the form of a gymnasium. During this year we had our first basketball team and as they needed some money for expenses we instituted Gala Day. Pansy Williams was chosen May Queen and was fittingly crowned in the open. But what concerns us most was the Ladies' Minstrel show. This was our first attempt at the show business, but it proved to be a neat success. Miss Galloway, who was to graduate, had boarded our ship that fall, our class gave a banquet for her in the Loyal Hotel. The second trip was coming to a close, but we must not forget to mention the picnic we won from the other class by selling the most tickets for Gala Day.

 

The next September found us again ready to start, with a large increase in our members for we now had three classes and we now called ourselves the Juniors. We elected Harry Jerome President; Katherine Matthies, Vice President; Gladys Solomon, Secretary; Zella Beebe and Mebane Ramsay, Sergeant-at-Arms; and Miss Edna Sweeley, Class Advisor. The journey started much in the same way as in the past. This year each class gave a party and we chose to give one on St. Valentine's day at the Solomon home. It was a great success. Gala Day soon came around again and Gladys was chosen May Queen. Our class gave an original sketch called "At the End of the Pier" in which we dressed to represent different countries. Harry Jerome surprised us by announcing that he was going to graduate, so we chose Katherine Matthies as our President. There were two closing social events of the year. The first was a reception given the class in honor of the graduating class and the second was a hay rack party given by the Misses Beebe and Matthies. My, how the time does fly and we now landed, with one more year to our credit.

 

As we gathered together on the seventeenth of September for our last voyage, we found our numbers diminished to eleven. We had elected our officers in the spring with the following results: Clara Hendrickson, President; Pansy Williams, Vice-President; Helen Hansen, Secretary; George Parish, Treasurer; and Zella Beebe and Mebane Ramsay, Sergeant-at-Arms; and Dr. Jenkins and Miss Sweeley, Class Advisors. In October, the class decided to give a play in order to obtain money for the purchase of a class memorial. "Hicks at College" was the play presented on the thirteenth of December. On the following Saturday a luncheon was given to the under classmen who had helped make it a success. We also entertained the Freshmen because they had sold the most tickets. On February 12th, Helene Hansen gave a banquet for the class at the Paxton Hotel. At the beginning of the school year, Clara Hendrickson had given us a party that once more proved that she was an excellent hostess. Our party to the school was scheduled for March 28th, but was postponed to May 25th. This affair was given at the home of George Percival and was thoroughly enjoyed. Gala Day was again here and we presented a minstrel sketch. Senior Chapel was held May 26th. Professor Halsey gave a short talk. Class day occurred June 4th with an appropriate program. On June 5th we received our diplomas and on the next night we had our last class banquet and organized the Alumni Association. So our happy days upon the ocean and ship ceased.