Courtland Union High School - La Perita Yearbook (Courtland, CA)

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MY FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL IN JAPAN Five hundred students are standing in lines silently in the auditorium. The brilliant morning sun is shining through the open windows, and many spring birds are singing, happily among the cherry blossoms in the yard. It is the fourth of April, the first day of our school in Japan, and I am indeed happy and hopeful to Hnd myself among the bigger students of the upper classes. The principal appears on the stage, and makes an address to the students. The piano is played, then the young, strong low-voiced chorus follows it. It is the school song, and although I don't know the song at all, it I'IIlS my little heart with joy and hope. We return to our dormitory, which is next to the school, before noon, and I find three of my classmates and two older students in my room. My dormitory life has begun now. At five o'clock in the afternoon, we have our supper at the dining hall, and we start our study at six o'clock and sit at the desk three hours. We do not study, because the older two tell us all about the curious customs of the dormitory and the cruelty of the older students. At half past nine we all goto bed, but as the time goes on, I begin to feel sad because I miss the smiling face of my grandmother, and the cruelty of the older students, which was told about by the two is beginning to become apparent. I try to sleep in vain until one o'clock, and then I fall asleep. -Alfred Akamatsu, '29. THE GIRLS' DRESSING ROOM AT THREE O'CLOCK Bang goes the door! Hey, stop pushing. Get out of the way. Hey, hurry up with that key, Lillian. Where's my stocking? Can't take gym today, somebody swiped my middy. Do we have those old exercises today? My legs and arms are so sore, I can hardly walk. Gosh I'm glad I'm not monit'or. Stop hitting me with your elbow, Helen. Where do we go today? Got an extra middy, Edna? Yes, but it's dirty. That's alright, I forgot mine. I betch' I'm the last one out there today. Aw, heck! I tore my stocking. Gee, Helen that stocking of yours is 'soulless.' Hey, Irene, ready yet? Oh, Katie, where are you? Wait for me, Bill, I'm almost ready. Hey look at my arm where Myrtle hit me.' I wish she'd let me play third. I guess you can play there today 'cause Laura is absent. Darn, I broke my shoe lace. Anbody got a comb? Where's my shoe? Fork over that tie, Helen, that's mine. u u u 44 aa as u u 44 u 44 u u U 1 Ffwenty aevenl

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HARD WON GLORY Notice:-All those who wish to try out for football may enroll at the athletic manager's office. Signed, Coach Browning. 'Dick' Hunter, who was in his first year of college, read and re-read this notice until he was certain that his eyes were not deceiving him. He had hoped after he had left his four years of high school, to equal his high school football career in college. He was the star quarter-back of his school and now this opportunity was offered to him. Would he let it pass just because his parents were poor, and, he, himself, had to support himself through school? No! He was willing to fight and earn glories which his heart craved and of which his parents would be proud, even if he was poor and had not the influence that some students had. Mr. Richard Hunter-weight, 148 pounds: height, 5 feet 7 inchesg age, 19 years: perfect health. First year in college. This slip was handed to the coach as Dick went out for the tryout. The coach lined up all the players in single file and after picking out his linesmen, he asked for quarterbacks. Dick had three competitors for the position: but Dick's alertness and voice had won the admiration of the coach. He was a Freshman-but the star quarter-back of the college had graduated last term and Dick seemed to be the choicest one to fill this position. All did not go so well with Dick because of his weight. He was not heavy enough and his competitors were of a heavier build, although they could not equal Dick's alertness. So games went along nicely and out of four quarter-backs, a big, heavily built Irishman got the position. Dick was not downhearted, for he had heard the coach say that he and the Irishman would change alternately the position so that each could learn the game better. The day of the big game arrived. The stadium was filled with anxious spectators. The whistle blew for the kick-off. Dick was watching anxiously with Wide opened eyes from the bench. The big Irishman got the ball and ran it back twenty yards. The game went on in little scrimmages finding neither team stronger than the other. The second quarter had started. The opposing team made a touch-down and kicked the goal. They lined up for another kick-off. The big Irishman was injured! Dick went in! His chance had come to make himself popular! Would he fail? We'll wait and see. The last quarter! Score tied! Signals were given for an end-play. Dick was slugged by an Mend of the opposing team. He suffered from this blow, but he was not the man to give up. He called the signal for the same play, for this was the only play by which his team could gain yardage. He knew that he was going to suffer the blow from,that end of the opposing team again, but it couldn't be helped. He knew it was the only way by which his team could win. Again he was struck. A little yardage was gained that time. Dick decided to put the same thing over again. The signal was given. The captain of his team jumped up from center, came to Dick, and slapped him on the back. He had seen the slugging, but he could do nothing, for Dick did not complain. There was a minute to play and thirty yards to go. A touchdown! Dick was carried in a stretcher to the ambulance, for he had been struck the third time--this time knocked unconscious. But he had carried the ball across the goal line before his legs refused to support him. He won the game! As Dick had somewhat come to his senses, he heard faintly as if it came from far away, the yell- Rabi Rah! Rah! Hunter! He turned his head and smiled as if he was satisfied. 1 -Curtis Chew, '28. lTwenty-sixl

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Who's trying to sing down there? Sounds like Velma's gentle voice. I bet we beat the Upper Classmen today. Listen to the FreshiesI Let me use your powder puff, Pearl? Who borrowed my comb? Gosh, we'll have to hurry, everyone else is gone. Bang goes the door and all is quiet until 3:30. Beatcha in. My gosh I'm hot. 'lThat was a swell home run Alma hit. That's a Freshman for you. Who took my clothes? . Well wouldn't that knock you? I have to ketch a bus. i'Some of the Upper Classmen, I suppose, they were excused first. Look out for your head Mitsookie, I'm going to close my locker door. Hey Bill, you had better get your life insured if you are going to stoop over in front of this door much longer. Hurry up or the busses will leave. Bang! All is quiet again. -Katherine Cassie, '29. DICK ENTERTAINS Oh, T-O-M! Shucks, just as we were getting good! Little Tom Draper was genuinely annoyed, for hadn't he and Dick Crocker been working on Harry Kloom's radio for ever so long, and weren't they all finished except wiring the batteries? ' T-O-M! Well I 'spose I might just as well go and find out what she wants. Tom reluctantly arose and cut across lots to his home on the next street. A few minutes later he was back, a frown on his forehead, and with an abused air announced: Ma sez cousin Mary Lou is comin' this afternoon, and I gotta see that she has a good time. . A silence fell upon the three boys. Can ya beat it? Haven' an ole girl to tote 'round and spoil our fun. She won't- know a condenser from a generator. Well, if Sally was home, she could play with her, Harry generously offered. 'lCan't she play with Nancy? I shu'd say not! Nancy ain't nice, she's tough-'sides she'd come over and bust our radio! I've got it! Have her come and lissen to the radio! The others looked with awe and admiration upon Dick. Why hadn't they thought of that? Yes, an' we can fix up a place for her to sit, an' if she wants to, we can show her how to tune in. For awhile the three boys were very busy fixing up. The fioor of the shed that served as a workshop for the youthful Kloom, was more carefully swept than it had ever been before. A relic of a rocking chair, with one rocker I'1'wenty-eightj