Luckily, as June approached, they had something else to think about out of regular recitation hours. The rivalry on the athletic field became very keen indeed. Mrs. Case did her best to impress upon the girls’ minds that a spirit of rivalry between classes would perhaps injure the chances of the school at large at the final meet.
“Loyalty to Central High!” was her battle cry. But all of the girls—especially a certain portion of the seniors—forgot the “good of the greater number” in the petty class differences.
Lou Potter, the senior, was backed strongly for first place in putting the shot and for the broad jump. Nobody but Mrs. Case, indeed, knew just how Lou and Eve Sitz stood in those two events.
The Saturday afternoon came when Mrs. Case was to try out the girls with the highest scores in the various events to be featured on the Big Day. Relay teams from each class had been gradually made up, and now these were to compete for the honor of representing Central High at the meet.
The Junior Four was made up of Laura Belding, Jess Morse, and Dora and Dorothy Lockwood, with Bobby Hargrew as substitute. They were not only all fast, but they were quick-witted. A relay race isn’t altogether won with one’s feet.
The seniors averaged taller girls, and heavier. The sophomores were nearer the weight and size of Laura and her mates; and of course, it was scarcely to be expected that the freshman four would stand a chance at all.
When the three heats were run off, however, the freshmen proved better than the seniors once, and surpassed the sophomores in two of the heats. The juniors won all three heats in fast time.
“Those squabs are coming on to be jimdandies!” declared Bobby, enthusiastically. “They’re going to be just such another class in athletics as ours.”
“And of course,” remarked Lou Potter, who overheard her, “the junior class of Central High is just the most wonderful crowd of girls that was ever brought together.”
“Now you’ve said it,” admitted Bobby, with satisfaction. “But I never did expect to hear a senior say that about us!”