Thoughts from the Graduating Ladies of 1926

I've recently had the pleasure of reading though a yearbook from 1925.  Though not my grandparents book (this one hails from my current hometown, Lansing, not Owosso, where I grew up), the book is an excellent window into the lives of high school students that were their peers in age.  I particularly enjoyed reading some of the quotes, as in those days, nearly every student had one next to their name.  Some are common sayings that have survived into modern times (Rome wasn't built in a day!) while others were probably originals.

Some of my favorite quotes are found next to the pictures of women - girls - which seem to have come, perhaps, from  girlish novels, maiden lady aunts or Mother's etiquette book.  Many have are soft and feminine, contrasting strongly with our perception of the 1920s being a time of hard and fast women.  They remind us that while culture may change from decade to decade, their are still plenty of old-fashioned girls in any age.

Here are some that I enjoyed.

"Her voice was ever soft, gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman."

"A maiden quiet and demure."

"Mine's not an idle cause."

"Modesty has more charms than beauty."

"Cultivation is as necessary to the mind as food to the body."

"She has a voice of gladness, and a smile that glides into your darker musings."

"A more noble flower on earth was never sown."

"Blessed with a pleasant and unassuming manner."

"A loyal friend without pretense, a woman of worth and common sense."

"Thy modesty's a candle to thy merit."

"Her personality is a dwelling place for all sweet sounds and harmonies."