Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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be 'ilaligh School Spectator. 'Urns acquirit cumin. VOL. Vlll. HIGH SCHOOL, JOHNSTOWN, PA. NO. I. l T' The Washington Irving Country The sojourner in New York Ends many spots to remind him of Washington lrving. Neither the William- street house where he was born nor the quaint Dutch homestead opposite to which the family removed soon after Washington lrving's death is now standing, but one likes to fancy that it was in one of the shops in the vicinity that General Washington saw his little namesake. The story goes that a Scotch nurse-girl of the family followed George Washington into a little shop and pre- sented her charge to him with the words, Please, your honor, here's a bairn named after you. And the great Washington blessed the little boy who ,was one day to be his biographer. At Old Trinity Church Washington Irving was con- firmed at an early age without the knowledge of his father, who was a severe Presbyterian deacon. Had the boy been inclined toserious study, he would probably have matriculated at Columbia College, for his older bro- thers were students there. Sleepy Hollow, the scene of the legend and other tales, lies in Westchester County, a few minutes' ride from the city on the New York Central Railway. lf the traveller leaves the train at Tarrytown, a short drive

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Y' Contentf The Washington lrving Country The War in the East ...... Page .. ...r . ..3 The Cavern ..... . . 6 The Runaway ..... . . 9 Soliloquies of a Senior . . . . I2 Editorial ....... . . . I4 Society Notes . , . . I7 Exchanges ....... . . I9 High School Hagpeningsz . . .va . . . zo High School,Lecture Course . '. . . . . 23 Athletics ........ . . . . K. 24 Will Continue Their Studies. . . . . 26 Advertisements ....... ...27

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2 THE SPECTATOR brings him to the locality of the legend. Near a modern bridge that spans Pocantico brook stood the bridge over which the headless horseman pursued lchabod Crane, and the quaint Dutch church in which lchabod acted as pre- centor is used for service several times every year. the church was erected of materials brought from Holland, and the sexton is fond of showing to visitors some of the original nails and shingles to prove the inferiority of modern American to old Dutch products. Tho the wini dows of the buildings have been cut as low as modern windows, the exterior of the church preserves the appear- ance of a fort, which purpose it was partly intended to serve. Descendants of Katrina Van Tassel and Brom Bones fwhose real name was Abraham Van Tasselj are to-day citizens of Tarrytown, and there is a tradition among them that Brom Bones, who was living when the Sketch Book came out in 1819, was incensed at the au- thor wlio drew his picture for the public eye to gaze up- on. The sexton of the Dutch church is our authority for the statement that lchabod Crane, whose real name was Jesse Nlervyn, became, after his ignominious flight from Sleepy Hollow, a justice of no mean reputation. Close to Sleepy Hollow, nearer to the railway sta- tion of Irvington than to Tarrytown, is lrving's home, Sunnyside. Irving bought the place, a little farm on the bank of the Hudson, in 1832. To the small stone cottage built about 1730 he made considerable additions in the same style of architecture. The whole building is now almost covered with ivy vines, the original of which was a plant carried from Nlelrose Abbey in Scotland. Thus the dweller in Sunnyside had a remembrance of his friend, the author who dwelt at Abbotsford. On the farm are a greenhouse, a stable, and a gardener's cottage. The quaint, ivy-cov- ered residence, with red tiled roof and surrounding grove, and shaded walks, is one of the most picturesque and lovely country-seats on the Hudson. At Sunnyside lrving provided a home for his brother Ebenezer's five daughters and for his sister and her daugh- ter. He delighted in hospitality. His unselfish use of his means to support many poor relatives is the more beautiful because of the intense enjoyment it afforded him.