Academy of the Holy Angels - Echoes Yearbook (Fort Lee, NJ)

Page 44 text:

v - Sf , ff Q Ecnoss 1.9-as If ag, To Q e 5 , ., K I funn: A . nnuuum fir 'f- no wonder she looked familiar! It was none other than our dear Class President, Eleanor Hennessy, well known for her executive ability. The star next to hers seemed very quiet. This was soon accounted for, however, for there I saw Helen Oliva, Latin book in hand, at a desk in the front of a large classroom. I realized that Helen's dream was to come true and that she was to be a Latin teacher. The next little scene was in direct contrast to the previous one. This star was spinning violently on one point and seemed enveloped in a cloud of smoke. Finally, it came to rest, and through the drifting smoke I beheld Alice Decker. Around her lay a confusion of bottles, beakers, test tubes, flasks, and glasses of various sorts and sizes. In her hands were the tags of two bottles which by this time were in bottle heaven. The tags read Tetranif trotoluene and Tetranitroaniline. I realized that she had dared to attempt their reaction to heat, and the wonder was that anything was left of Alice. I understood that she was to be a famous chemist, that her schoolfday desire was to be fulhlled. I looked eagerly at the neighboring star. It presented an oflice scene. There was a desk with a card on which I read, Miss Mary Farrell, Private Secretary. So my dearest friend, through her quiet, diligent manner and attractive personality was to win fame in the business world. My! what a hubbub! Was it a battle? Sticks were being knocked about in all direc' tions. Of course! Why had I failed to recognize it at once? It was a game of hockey. And who was associated with hockey? No one but Loretta Trainor, to be sure. There she was in her sport outfit, surrounded by her victorious team. Victorious as usual! Who could defeat Letty at that game? Was it to be her vocation or her avocation? The star did not answer me in words, but I surmised that physical culture was to claim her in its rank of teachers, though she had always told us that she aspired to be an ordinary schoolfma'am. The next star held a large, wellffurnished library stacked with books. There at a desk by a sunny window sat a young lady buried in a book and oblivious to all around her fit seemed to be just past noon and patrons of the library apparently had not yet begun to appearj. There was something strangely familiar in that slender figure at the desk. Ah, yes, of course! How could I be so stupid. It was none other than May Peley, happy and contented, for she was now a librarian as she had always wished to be. Another beautiful building! What was it? Oh, the sign read, Mademoiselle Grace Christ's Fashionable School for Girls. Focusing my telescopefdiploma, I peeked in at a large window. There stood dear Grace, surrounded by a group of darling children. Who was better Btted to teach them, not only lessons of bookfknowledge but also of grace, of kindness, and of love? Again a hall! But oh, it looked familiar! It was our own H. A. gym. Hither and thither in the midst of an exciting basketball game ran Irene Dowling, referee. I knew that Irene had returned to her Alma Mater as gym teacher. But there wasn't any star in the next place. Looking about I saw it balanced daintily on the tip of the crescent moon. And there beneath it was Inez Cavinato, poised in the curve of the moon, paintbrush in one hand and pallette in the other, working at her masterpiece. She paused and drew back to scan her work. As pretty as the picture on her canvas she looked, with her head tilted sideways and one slender arm swinging gracefully down in the silvery light. Right beside her sat Edith Haas, our own Dedee, who between little spasms of delight was deftly charcoaling Inez's profile on her paper. So she, too, was to follow an artist's career! 40

Page 43 text:

-ff EcHoEs . 73 fas t X 1.9.2-s Q , 5 V ' s V ,. I lllllllllllllllllllllllllllIn f 1 .gunmxx ,,,. mmunxxxnm sw , Class Prophecy Nine hundred ninetyfnine sheep had already jumped over the fence, and as yet Mr. Sandman had not paid me his accustomed nocturnal visit. I simply could not sleep. But who could? It was the night before Commencement, and on the next day we would leave our Alma Mater and go forth into the Wide, wide world to seek our fortunes. What paths lay ahead of us? My thoughts were doing little jigs all over my brain. Suddenly I saw a tiny, white light. Was it a silvery moonbeam stealing in to offer me sympathy and consolation? No, for the light grew steadily brighter and, as I watched, I heard a musical voice saying, Good evening, Margaret. Perhaps I can help to solve the problems which are now troubling you. I looked in the direction from which the voice came, and there I saw the queerest little man swinging on the foot of my bed. He was clad in black cap and gown and carried a diploma in his hand. But in place of a tassel hanging from his cap there hung a tiny golden star which gave the light I had first seen. On his feet were long shoes with the toes curling up. When I had somewhat recovered from my surprise, I answered, Good evening. Immediately I began to feel that something most unusual was about to happen, and I was delighted with the prospect. With an encouraging smile, my quaint friend invited me to go along with him, promising to show me something really interesting. In a jiffy I had donned kimona and slippers and was walking at the side of my little guide. He really wasn't so very much smaller than Ig for if he were, there would be no little man to invite me out. We went down the long corridor and then up the front stairs, up, up. It was dark and forbicldingflooking, and ordinarily it would have sent queer little shivers up and down my spine. Tonight, however, I didn't notice the darkness because the little star shed a soft, bright beam of light ahead. Before I knew it I was up in the dome. All around us were the tiny windows at which I had often gazed from the campus far below. Looking at my guide I saw that he was opening one of these little windows, and presently the vast expanse of the heavens with its myriad stars was spread out before us. The little man now handed me his diploma and told me to look through it at the stars, adding that perhaps I would see enough to answer some of the many questions that were teasing me. I took the diploma, which had somehow lengthened and taken on the appearance of a telescope, and putting it to my eyes I gazed out at the starry vault above me. How different everything was! The stars were not mere golden lamps, but on each moving objects were visible. As I gazed in wonder, the evening mail plane soared southward just above the dome. In its wake was a cloud of smoke which soon drifted into letters forming the words, The Future. I then noticed seventeen particularly bright stars grouped in a circle around the Man in the Moon who was smiling so broadly that his face seemed all mouth, and that was of crescent shape. - The Hrst star to claim my attention presented a scene of great excitement. Within it I saw a great public hall filled with women who were apparently discussing some grave question. In the chairwoman's place sat someone whom I seemed to recognize. She was tall, neatly and plainly dressed, and Wore an expression of strong determination. Ah yes, 39

Page 45 text:

. 4 C' js , ,gif-. ' 6 +1 EcHoEs . ggi 19-2'8 Q . . ,Q . , 5 R, I u ll lllllllllllillllllh 'L In the next star I beheld a Texas ranch which seemed to stretch for miles on every side. Well in the foreground I saw a large and comfortable house with dainty flowerbeds and neat graveled walks all about it. On the long, shady veranda, with a book lying open beside her, hands folded idly and a farfaway, dreamy expression in her large brown eyes, sat our own Angela, the baby of our class. Sweet and peaceful as ever she looked, and happy, too, though the dreamy eyes held a look of longing. She was thinking of dear H. A. Again a large room! This one, though, was all white and still. Rows of beds lined the walls. As I looked, a nurse quietly and gently turned away from one of the beds. It was Marion Zimmerman! Lucky the patient who had her to soothe his pain-our gentle, patient Marion. I next saw two bright, happyflooking stars close together. Little white cottages with merry children romping on the trim lawns caught my eye. Under a shady oak beside one of the cottages sat Helen Sella and Delia Keating, both looking serenely happy. Another office! This time I saw Helen Seuferling working rapidly. Helen had decided to conquer the business world, and she would do so or no one ever would. Listen! Sweet strains of music are filling the air. I glance quickly at the next star and therein is unfolded before my eager gaze a large and wellffilled music hall. On the stage stands a slight and graceful figure. Surely I have seen those dark, soulful eyes before. There is a moment's breathless pause and then a world of melody flows from those parted lips. Yes, it is Claire-our Claire of H. A. days. Glancing at the bulletin which is displayed near the stage I see that she has become a worldffamed prima donna, the most successful contralto singer the world has ever known as well as a pianist of great repute. Well, we all foretold that, when she was in our midst, so my surprise is not so great, after all. But where was my own star? A tiny, friendly star suddenly twirled round and seemed to wink, Here I am. just come and catch me. Delighted with my study of the stars of Holy Angels' Class of '28, yet disappointed at not seeing the center of my own particular Ztar, I turned to hand my telescope to the little man who all this while had stood quietly eside me. ' After a friendly chat of a few moments we walked over to where a bright moonbeam was streaming through one of the windows. At his bidding I sat down upon it and- alas for Senior dignity !-went sliding right down to my own little bed. Just as I reached it I heard a scream, and awoke to ind myself under the bed with my roommate looking for me. -MARGARET EISENMANN, '28 41