Cleveland High School - Beacon Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

Page 26 text:

V hanging cedar, there may be lurking the big one which escaped you on a former occasion. You approach carefully. You know just where to cast your fly to take advantage of the current, you make your cast, you t vitch the fly spasmodically in imitation of a struggling insect, and-a strike! He ' s a big one! Be careful now! The Hne is taut, the rod is curved as you reel in a bit. Now he makes a sudden run for refuge under the log. You bring him up cautiously. It will never do to hurry him with your light rod and tackle. Again-and again-with startling suddenness he makes a dash for liberty, but at last he is tiring and you bring him safely into the landing net. What a beauty! The bright red spots are brighter still as the sunlight falls upon his gHstening sides, bringing out the beautiful tints and markings. As you note the fierce, proud look in his eye. the perfect lines of his body, a secret feeling of sorrow for the vanquished fighter swells in your heart for a moment, but this feeling is soon quelled as you thrill again with the joy of suc- cess in capturing so fine a trophy. The added weight in your creel is a wel- come burden, as you pass on down the stream in happy mood. Now just around that next bend, you remember, there is an ideal place. . . . Ralph Cole. fc Ul 1 A Critical Moment Page Twenty-two

Page 25 text:

FISHING T T ENRY VAN DYKE has said that fishing is the out-of-door sport - ■ ' most honored in literature. This is probably because it has so ic I many delightful accompaniments. The ripple and flow of s hin- ing waters, the songs of birds, the bright colors of wild flowers along the stream — all these sweet and joyous things enter the angler ' s experience, dwell in his memory and fill his heart with poetry whether he ever puts it into verse or not. One lucky cast into the stream of literature brings up this stanza from The Fisher ' s Call. written by William Andrew Chatto in Fisher ' s Garland, 1837: Oh. what can the joy of the angler e.xcel. As he follows the stream in its course through the dell! Where every wild flower is blooming in pride And the blackbird sings sweet, with his mate by his side. Then up. fishers, up! to the waters away! Where the bright trout is leaping in search of his prey. Deep-sea fishing for the fierce, fighting sailfish or the powerful tarpon, casting or trolling for bass or pike or muskellunge in inland lakes, or just plain fishing for perch or croppie or sunfish — all these have their attractions. But for pure delight, what can surpass the quest for trout in the cool, sparkling waters of a lively brook or friendly river? Perhaps you can imagine a silvery stream, lazy in some places, extremely ambitious in others. It makes its way now across the meadows, now between wooded hills, or through a deep and silent forest. The peace and tranquility of such surroundings, the pure, invigorating air, cleanse the mind and refresh the heart, and put us more in love with living, The lure of the stream enters your blood. As you look down its course, its winding curves seem to beckon you on and on. regardless of time. If the stream is new to you. it will provide many pleasant surprises as you explore the promising spots eagerly. Surely there must be a big trout in that deep hole or under that jam of logs and driftwood. What a thrill of satisfaction when a trout suddenly surges up to your lure and verifies your judgment! In a familiar stream, you recognize with renewed pleasure the old reliable spots where, on previous occasions, a whopper of a trout has risen to the fly, to be caught — or lost. There under that old sunken log. beneath the over- Page Tu ' cnty-onc

Page 27 text:

RIFLE SHOOTING HO, upon hearing of rifles a few years ago. did not associate them with murder, robbery, and war? In recent years people have begun to think of them more kindly and are connecting them with sport rather than with death and horror. Rifle shooting as taught in modern high schools and colleges is absolutely non-militaristic and is directly opposed to crime. Although the rifleman need not be a perfect model of physical develop- ment, he must be able to co-ordinate eye, nerves, and muscles. And this co- ordination can only be obtained while in good health. Marksmanship is one of the finest sports in the world. Ever since David ' s encounter with Goliath it has appealed to young men. for many a boy has been thrilled by a tale of this youth who dared pit his marksmanship against a giant. Every country has a national sport and every climate a favorite pastime. but marksmanship is universal. The sport of shooting has been passed down to us through the ages. The protection of the weak against the wicked, or perhaps just the love of the hunt and a means of obtaining food, or the desire for mastery of a difficult art may have been sufficient incentives to make men and boys strive for expertness in the use of firearms. According to a tradition that goes back to Colonial days, we were once known as a nation of riflemen, because of our marksmanship with the rifle. This arm played a most important part in the history of our country. And it was the main dependence of the pioneers for food and for protection against Indians. But even in our early days the rifle was very much in evidence as a sporting weapon. The old Kentucky flintlock figured conspicuously in the community turkey shoots, and in many other competitions. At no time in our history have there been as many Americans engaged in the various forms of practice with the rifle as there are today. The game may be divided into three classes: large caliber shooting which is done at ranges from two hundred to one thousand yards: small-bore shooting, usually twenty- two caliber arms and ranges up to two hundred yards; and finally what is known as free-rifle shooting, in which the shooter is allowed to try his own hobbies and ideas of gun construction without restrictions. The alluring possibilities of target shooting are annually drawing to the sport more enthusiastic participants than the present range facilities v ' ill accom- modate. Many high schools and colleges are installing fully equipped indoor galleries in their basements and gymnasiums, and are encouraging the sport among their students. V, J, TiEFENBRUNN. Page Tivcnty-three s