Itaretil Club, 1922-3

Top Row -- John Larson, Margaret Osgood, Claude Hayden, Mildred Pixley, Miss Emerine, Catherine Degnan, Paul Berg, Madeline Gordon, Bessie Petrie, Malcolm Pattee, Helen Slocomb, Pauline Smith, Thelma Wheeler, Madge Blanchard, Lyrill Taylor, Anita Daum.

Second Row -- Manford Pattee, Dorothy Iddings, Franklin Petrie [Petry], Marshal Sanger, Marguerite Bowman, Sherard Henry, Bertha Stenerson, Eudora Dye, Mr. Botkins, Sarah Ruge, Sylvia Rudolph, Ruby Wheeler, Gladys Sprague, Hazel Karst, Miltrida Edmonds, Louise Miller, Neil Bahr.

Center Row -- Raymond Kimmet, Mr. Lansford, Justin Viant.

The purpose of the Itaretil Club is the topic of my little discussion, but I think I will in as few words as possible speak of the things we have done, the things we are doing and the things we hope to do.

Last year, early in the winter, Fabian Henry called a meeting for all of those interested in a literary club, and some thirty responded. He was elected president, Sylvia Rudolph, vice-president; Doris Clark, secretary, and Marguerite Bowman, treasurer. Then the question came up as to what we should name out club. It was proposed that we should spell Literary backwards. But as the "y" looked too much like yiddish it was decided to take the word Literati and spell it backwards. The question of pronunciation was solved by Mr. Dickey, so there we have Itaretil.

Then, as our name suggests, we are the literary side of the school life. The main things are: debates, readings or recitations. We have had four teams in debating and will have many more before this year is out. Everyone is expected to help out, so you see they get valuable training, as debating is one of the best means of training for public-speaking you can find.

Music is not left out either. The program usually has several musical numbers, and all that will are asked to take part.

At the next meeting we intend to hold a criminal court. The justice of peace, citizens, constables, jury, judge, lawyers, clerks and prosecuting attorney will be chosen soon and the preparation begun. This will be very interesting and educational. The girls and boys of the High School are the voters of tomorrow and this is one of the important processes of the law and everyone should be familiar with it.

The annual banquet -- as we also gave one last year -- was given March 16th. The Domestic Science girls served and everyone agreed that it was a great success. These banquets are very educational. The proper etiquette of any banquet table is carefully followed out and this training proves valuable to a person at some time in his life.

This year, we have fifty-six members, including six of the faculty. Fabian officiated as president until the close of the first semester and then I was elected; Margaret Osgood, vice-president; Sarah Ruge, treasurer, and Lyrill Taylor secretary.

Over thirty members ordered pins with our emblem and name on them. We are very proud of our organization, and if the spirit prevails that is in the club now, it is bound to prosper.

Our aim and purpose, then, is not to allow the High School to neglect literature, public speaking, and music. This can be done in a better way in a club than in a class room because we, as a club, are able to mix sociability with it in such a way that it doesn't appear to be work, but pleasure.

Who knows but what you will hear from musicians and orators ten years from now who received their first inspiration from the Itaretil Club?

Eudora Dye, '23