Central High School - Mirror Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

Page 30 text:

li NO, INDEED, fairies are not dead. The world is as full of fairies toda as ii was in the time of Cinderella’s pumpkin coach—that is just as full of beautiful, bright things that make men wonder and imagine. I shall even venture to say that this age is more delightful than any preceding one. for now plain, everyday men really do what fairies were formerly supposed to do. Once one of Mother Goose’s little girls wished that she were somewhere else . She fell asleep and awoke miles away in the longed-for retreat. I, who am not even a remote descendant of Mother Goose, have slept away three? hundred and sixty miles. There was a lime when I devoutly believed in the magic |»ower of Snow-White’s mirror. At a later time, it seemed like a wild stretch of human imagination. Now I think it is too trivial for any consideration. My next door neighbor. without the aid of a witch or her charm, but for the fee of a little needle extracts the most wonderful music from a box. He has but to communicate his preference to this box and he may hear, “Twinkle. Twinkle Little Star, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose,’’ or “Nearer, My ('.od to Thee” sung by beautiful voices—sometimes of people long since in the land of spirits. In the I .and of the Living, some benevolent fairies have arranged wonderful communication. Friends miles apart may chat to their heart’s content. Sometimes a magic wire carries the warm words, but very often little fairies themselves roll the sound waves into balls and toss them from hand to hand. There is no doubt in the world that Cinderella's God Mother was wonderfully clever to make horses out of rats, and neither is there ail) doubt that the Ford Manufacturing Company traffics in black magic when it makes coaches that go without any horses whatever. Not long ago, I was waiting in one of these horseless coaches, in front of a hotel, when suddenly the sidewalk yawned and up came a trunk. In a subterranean passage, an Aladdin, attired in blue overalls, with a button, instead of a wonderful lamp, had pressed this button with a smooty thumb and Sesame had opened. Pretty Polly Gookin’s father was no more surprised by the dancing devils on Fcathertop’s pipe, than I was by a sight that I saw last summer. A strange girl had come to Sunday School -yes, to Sunday School, in her best clothes, and with the Golden Text on her lips. During the perusal that always greets strangers, I was shocked to notice figures on her card case, spinning around and around. They were going so fast that I could not distinguish their forms. I was almost exasperated when I noticed that the figures were going more slowly and that the electric fan had almost stopped. Whether this is fact or fiction, foolishness or science, whether Mother Rigby’s glowing coal was more powerful than Edison's brilliant blaze. I leave to you. “But clo you believe in fairies?” Mary Griggs, M5. 32

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A Woods Story HOW strange everything seemed! The erv room seemed changed! The poker and tongs were walking al out and the clock was dancing a jig, but the most interesting thing of all was the story which 1 heard one piece of wood tell another. A very, very long time ago, said the wood, “there was a little acorn. It fell off on the ground and the next spring it came up, at first only one sprout, but soon it grew to be a line tree. All of this, the big tree told me when I was yet voting. 1 grew taller and taller each year and finally I became tin monarch of the forest. Ah! what happy times those were! In summer the birds built their nests in my I ranches and sang sweet songs to me. In the autumn all niv acorns and leaves dropped off but I was not sad for soon the squirrels came to gather my acorns and take tHem home with them to cat during the coming winter. In w inter the ground was w hite with snow. The wind whistled through my branches but I was not sad. I waited with patient heart until spring should come. Then my leaves came again, the birds returned from the sunny southland, and the ground at niv feet was covered with bright flowers. But this happy time was not to last. One day in summer woodmen came in search of large trees. 1 was seen and immediately cut down. I fell »« the earth with an awful crash. Then I was hauled to a sawmill where I was sawed into hoards and beams. I was bought by a wealthy man and put into a house. If this is the end. thought I. how much better it is to be a house' than a tree. “Years passed, the house was torn down and the lumber carried away. I was bioughl here and cut for kindling. How long I shall I e in this state I do not know, do you? Tow Moon, ’IS. 31

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THE clubs and societies of the High School have proved a never-failing factor in adding interest to school life. Most pupils belong to some organization. The Commercial. Spanish. Dramatic. Glee and Kuterpcan Clubs have aided materially in regular work along their particular lines. Who can overestimate the use of these societies? The Literary Clubs, as usual, have had great influence on the social life and literary interest of the students. The joint debates this year were especially good. These occasions are most important in the life of C. II. S. They induce prominent citizens to come to our school, they stir up lively spirits among the student body, and they give club members a chance to increase their ability as statesmen. The first debate of the year was on the question, Resolved, That the Present Convict System Should Be Abolished. The affirmative was upheld by Mr. Cmsted Pitts of the Curry, and Miss Alva i.owrey of the Clio; the negative by Mr. Julien Saks of the Yancey, and Miss Mary Griggs of the Pierian. The former were declared victors. The last debate was one of much life and interest. The subject on this occasion was, Resolved. That the Present Tax Rate of Birmingham Should Be Raised.” Mr. Tinsley Harrison debated for the Yancey, with Miss Beryl Rogers for the Aglaia; against Mr. John Townsend of the Hilliard and Miss Bertha Engel of the Clio. The judges gave the victory to the affirmative. ♦ As we go to press, the Girls’ Oratorical Contest has not yet taken place, but each of the clubs has held its preliminary contest and has chosen its representatives. The girls are all thinking by day and dreaming by night of the great day. THE CLIO This spring the Clio has prospered greatly, ami has enjoyed many pleasant trips over the United States. The study of Birmingham was especially interesting. The girls visited many parts of the city and learned a number of interesting jjoints about the social, industrial, and historical life of the city in which most of the girls have been reared. Other cities were visited. A most delightful clay was spent in Atlanta, where we recalled several scenes of the Civil War 33