1924 Crucible

CLASS HISTORY

        The history of this, our Sophomore Class, dates back to September
1922, when a small group of students, numbering about eighty, organized
 to form the nucleus of a new educational institution which offered unlimited
opportunities to many students who would otherwise have been deprived
of the benefits that come with a college education.  W. LeRoy Perkins was
intrusted with the reins of this institution which was to mould the futures of
many young men and women.  The fruits of his efforts are well apparent   
and we who worked under him and with him have a deep feeling of regret
to think a man of his ability could not continue in the development of the     
work which he so ably placed on a firm basis.  It was due to his personal    
interest in each and every student which made the group seem as a large
family in which nothing but cooperation and contentment held sway.           

Ere many days had elapsed the little band of pioneers assembled
and we chose as leaders Warren Jones, Pres.; Marie Nellett, V. Pres.,       
Martha Carpenter, Sec.; William Jones, Treas.  No better group                   
could have guided us with greater success through the first stages              
of our advanced scholastic career.  Everyone seemed imbued with an        
unquenchible spirit of determination and the will to do.  Consequently,         
tho handicapped by a lack of funds, two athletic teams ventured forth, and
after struggling against nigh insurmountable obstacles, emerged victors      
in a goodly number of the encounters.   The College felt great pride in        
boys, especially in the Basket ball team which proved itself superior to any
of its class in the state.   Furthermore it brought the name of the Bay City    
Junior College before hundreds of people who were unaware of the fact    
that such an institution existed.                                                                           

Our interest however, was not solely in athletics.  We craved the
three "R's" and entered upon our work with a willingness and eagerness
characteristic of beginners.  Nevertheless it was not long before the first   
real test came, and many were found to be wanting.  The work became   
more difficult and our ranks gradually decreased in number, in fact at the 
beginning of the second semester only three-fourths of the original group
returned for further study.  The remainder fell by the wayside.                    

The social calendar came to a fitting close in the never-to-be-    
forgotten Sand Lake trip.  Students as well as faculty still recall this day of
real joy and promise unlimited aid to have it repeated.  It was with deep    
regret that we disbanded on the 16th day of June, for many of the familiar
faces we would probably never see again.                                                      

One year after the establishment of the Junior College, we again
assembled for enrollment.  Of the fifty some students who had safely          
passed the dangers of the first year, only thirty-five returned to form a        
Sophomore class.  Some ventured forth to find their niche in the business
world, others went to higher schools of learning and still others elected      
to join the ranks of educators.  We few, who returned, were compelled to  
completely reorganize and rekindle the spirit which had prevailed in such   
a high degree the previous year.  However, do what we might, the "gang"
could not be drawn out of a mood of indifference which hovered over the   
student body from the first of the second year.  It was several weeks ere    
an election of officers was held, which resulted as follows:  William Jones,  
Pres.; Genevieve MacArthur, Vice-Pres.; Walter Dreyer, Sec.;  Albert         
 Kulberg, Treas.   With this group of officers in charge, things began to hum
the old time spirit returned and the class as a whole pledged their support
to make this, our sophomore year, better than the first.                                  

At the outset of the second semester we were compelled to continue
temporarily without the services of a president, but at a rousing class          
meeting Ward Pembroke was chosen to fill the vacancy due to the former
president's failure to reappear.  This sudden change of affairs momentarily
threatened our heretofore firm foundation but without avail.                            
 

-W.F.D-

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