Bristol High School - Green and White Yearbook (Bristol, RI)

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,7 ie 7 reen an c lY u’fe VOL. II. JUNE. 1919 NO. 1 ISSUED BY THE STUDENTS OF THE COLT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL. BRISTOL. R. I. EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief, GEORGE COOKE Associate Editor JOSEPH KELLEY Athletic Editor ABNER BAILEY Literary Editors ANNA COGGESHALL GWENDOLYN HODGDON OLIVE COGGESHALL VIRGINIA AUGUST Exchange and Note Editor MARGUERITE MURPHY Circulation Manager AMBROSE STEWART Business Manager JAMES LEE Assistant FRED PALMER Assistant JAMES SULLIVAN Alumni Editor ANNIE COGGESHALL, ’18 Faculty Advisor, CHARLOTTE A. YOUNG COPIES 15 CENTS EACH EDITORIAL Very few of us realize what a beautiful school we have. It is one of the best in the country, both for its architectural splendor and the attractiveness of its surroundings. This should be a matter of personal pride to all of us who have the privilege of attending this splendid school. Perhaps we do. not fully appreciate this wonderful building. Do all of us feel a personal interest in its appearance? Do we all contribute toward the improvement of its condition? Most of us seldom give this matter sufficient thought ot consideration. We simply say to ourselves: “That’s the janitor’s job—not mine. That’s what he is getting paid for—to care for the school and its grounds.” In this we seriously err. It is almost impossible for one man to take care of such a large building. He must be inside and out to see that any waste material we may have is not carelessly scattered about the well-kept lawns or thrown about the classrooms. Furthermore, it is our duty, as pupils of this school, to preserve its fine appearance and to keep it in the proper condition. It requires a considerable amount of money to keep such an elaborate building in condition and large expenditures have been made for the repair work of this particular school. If, then, so much is expended to keep this building in a presentable condition, why should not we pupils co-operate in our efforts to improve and beautify the appearance of our splendid school ? PREPAREDNESS About the last month of the school year the Senior class generally begins to consider plans for graduation, class day, and reception, with the result that committees are hurriedly appointed to take charge of the various duties. These committees in turn are hard pressed for time, as they are compelled to do a great deal of difficult work just at the period when they need all of their time for preparation for the final examinations. These difficulties could easily be eliminated if at the beginning of the school year, or at mid-year, the class would begin to plan for the wants which come in June. The advantages of such procedure are so apparent that we sincerely hope that in the future the graduating class will follow our suggestion.

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3n JMmoriam JAMES JOSEPH WALSH, JR. MEMBER CLASS OF 1920 DIED AUGUST 20, 1918

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6 THE (iREEN AND WHITE LITERARY GRIEG One reason for Grieg’s fame in the musical world is the strange individuality ot his compositions. 1 Ins individuality—a distinction which separates him irom any similarity to a single one ot the other tainous composers—is perhaps due to the fact that he was a Norwegian by birth, lie is know as the representative in music of the national character 01 Norway. ihe northern part 01 Europe, including Sweden, Denmark and Norway, was not a particularly appropriate portion ot the lands to rear men ot ability and purpose lor musical art, or tor art of any kind, but, even as Sweden gave the wond the famous Jenny Lind, and Denmark, oade, so Norway produced Edward Grieg, pianist, of the finest musical intellect and composition. Grieg possessed the perseverance and industry ot the northern country, and because ot tnese native traits, uecaine prohcient as a student, under the masters, oi Germany, Hauptman and Richter, besides studying at tne Leipzig Conservatory ot Music. Harmony ana counterpoint were the chiei aims of Hauptmann and Richter, and through his study witli them, Grieg has composed some of the most harmonious and at the same time, strange, unequalled works. Grieg was born in 1843 at Bergen, Norway. VVhen he was la years oid, he went to the Leipzig Conservatory. His master in harmony was Hauptmann; in counterpoint, Ricnter; in composition, Rietz and Keinecke, and in pianoforte, Moscheles. While he was at Leipzig he became quite naturally involved in the romantic musical atmosphere, witii the renowned composers, Schumann. Mendelssohn and Chopin. Under the influence oi these men, his taste for expression and construction was brought out. These characteristics, however, were only suriace ones, tor they could not affect his own musical instincts, nor his own power of expressing these true musical instincts. Through Griegs vision of a national power in Norway to create music for herself, by her own men, the extension of means for progress oi music was brought out, and national schools of musical art were established. Griegs chief works are the A-minor Sonata ’ for violoncello and piano; two violin Sonatas; two piano productions, his most original and characteristic, Nor-wegischer Brautzug in Voniberziehen, and “Auf der Bergen ; and ‘Tin Herbst, for four hands. Some of his other fine works arc the Norwegian Dances. These are very vivid, and eccentric. Grieg continually varies from the minor to the major. All his melodies contain romantic expression, and very often a deep bassic melody running throughout the composition. Seldom in any of his compositions does he keep from changing key, starting in minor, then suddenly striking into the major, back into the minor, and ending in the major, or minor, wherever his eccentric disposition directs the melody. The major key, in some cases, exists for a measure only, then suddenly it has worked or rather jumped into the minor, and so on, continually changing. But never does the theme grow dull. There is no chance for the constant varying, and working into a deep passage, then a sudden down-rush into quiet, rich tones takes away any suggestion of commonplace theme. Most of his productions are made up of heavy, eccentric, varying passages. His berceuses and minor compositions, however, are not so apt to be eccentric. They arc always melodious, but in a strange way, seldom a quiet even melody. His works are said to interpret the real beauty of Norway—the land of song—for his themes take in the gloomy forests, the rich, fertile meadows and the simple people themselves. All these properties arc worked into and revealed throughout his compositions. Quoting from Dannruthers, ‘‘Grieg’s compositions are worked with the stamp of a particular country more clearly than that of any man except, perhaps, Chopin.” Take, for example, the well-known Norwegian Dances. Often they arc introduced by heavy, thumping base chords (usually in the minor), for perhaps four measures. Then the treble joins, first combining quietly with the base, and gradually crescending until a climax is reached, still in the minor. The forte is nearly always retained till the last. They are suggestive of the dances themselves, perfomed by the hearty peasants. The introduction is the thumping, heavy step of the peasant. He walks forward eight steps, turns and is joined by a peasant woman, who accompanies him with short jerky steps, with no grace or style, but in perfect rythm. As the dance proceeds, the noise of the dancers’ wooden shoes grows louder, until they reach the climax. They stop, with a final thump. A characteristic song of Grieg is the Norwegian Wedding March. Grieg was walking along a northern highway. Suddenly. there came to him from far off, the sound of bagpipes, barely audible. He stopped to listen. The sound gradually came nearer, but still faint—the sound of pipes and drums—the pipes playing a treble, happy air, the drums an accompanying bars. The sound came nearer. It was a wedding procession—the sound of horns, drums and pipes. Then suddenly it decreased, for the procession was moving around a curve in the hills. But soon he heard the sound, this time nearer. The procession ascended a near-by hill, and Grieg, as he stood there, looked back, and saw the head of it coming over the top, toward him. The sound became a well-defined melody. The pipes were trilling their air. the horns giving forth blasts and the drums beating an even accompaniment. The procession was passing him now. How gay they all looked, and what a happy air was being played! But it had passed him, standing theic, and only the sound of the few pipes in the rear rose above the rest. As it moved away the melody from the pipes softened