Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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4 THE SPECTATOR in terms that it really merited. As soon as he well could, he turned away and walked thru the olive grove. He had to walk, or do something to quiet his excited feelings. How had his friend dared to commit such an overt act? His suit must be prospering well, indeed. Glaucon himself had noticed no change in Actia's cordial man-ner toward himself. Suddenly an idea came to himg he would bring matters to a head before she had seen the statue. He would declare his love to her that very night. He turned away and walked down the hill toward her home. lt was almost darkg here and there thru the olive groves groups of people were strolling along enjoying the quiet peace. Suddenly Glaucon stopped as tho some one had struck him. He heard the voice of his friend mur- muring words of burning love. With whom could be his companion? Who but Actia? Glaucon listened for a mo- ment, and then came Actia's sweet voice, tenderly assuring Phidias that she was already his. With a suppressed cry of rage, Glaucon turned on his heel and strode up the hill, his heart torn by hate, envy, and anger. He was hardly conscious of where he was going, but at last he found himself before the statue of the one to whom he had just been about to declare his love. In one wild, mad moment of rage he seized a mallet, and, with a few quick strokes, he partly mutilated one of the most beautiful pieces of sculpture ever produced. In a moment he was seized with remorse at what he had done, but it was too late to repair the mischief. The next morning Phidias found that he had sustained a double lossg both his friend and his statue had disap- peared. The centuries roll by. Our three friends are long since dead and buried. Two are forgotten, but one has earned himself fame eternal. A laborer digging a well on the little Greek island of Melos discovered a partly mutil- ated piece of sculpture that the world immediately pro- claimed a masterpiece-the Venus di Nlilo.

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THE SPECTATOR 3 object of their affection was a maiden of the name Actia. She was very beautiful, in a classic way. Her features were regular and clearly cut, her body was slender and graceful. Besides being so beautiful, she had many accom- plishments, and it was small wonder that she had many suitors. Of these Glaucon and Phidias soon came to be thought the most successful. Tho these two saw the inev- itable issue, yet neither spoke of the matter, each tacitly agreeing to let it go as long as possible. Matters stood thus when a messenger came to Melos to speak with Phidias. By this time the fame of Phidias had gone out all over Greece. This messenger was a repre- sentative of the board of men in charge of the public art works of Athens. They proposed that Phidias should come to their city, where they would give him a good position. They wished him, however, to carve first some statues to be sent to Athens for the critical judgment of the Athenians. . The young man was delighted with this proposal on account of the advancement it offered, and his friend rejoiced with him. ln spite of his friend's protests, Phidias decreed that Glaucon should not see the statue until it was altogether hnished. The people of the island became inter- ested in the affair and helped him in any way possible. Phidias was allowed to work in a buildihg on the sacred hill. This was a slight eminence covered by olive trees, which was used somewhat as a pleasure park as well as for religious purposes. Here Phidias toiled unceasingly. At length the statue was completed. Many rumors had gone out about the beauty of the carving, and Phidias had con- sented to unveil the statue publicly the next day. Early on the preceding evening Phidias took his friend Glaucon to see the statue. For a moment after his first glimpse of the carving Glaucon stood there torn by the conflicting emotions of anger and admiration. Well might he admire, for the statue excelled all others he had ever seen in beauty and grace! It represented, according to the artist's conception, the ideal womanhood. It was indeed a noble statueg but the woman-it was Actia in marble! This was the cause of Glaucon's anger. With an effort, however, he controlled his feelings and praised the statue

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THE SPECTATOR 5 Two Victorief .BY H. J. R., o9 'wESTTOWN HIGH SCHOOL had organized no base- ball team for about five years. The school was too small to support both baseball and track athletics, and the coach favored the latter. ln the midwinter of the year 1907, the school became divided as to whether a track team or a baseball team was to be supported. lt was decided that the matter be determined at the next meeting of the Athletic Association. The leader of the baseball faction, John Auburn, was one of the best football and basketball players in the school. As he was greatly flattered, he became conceited. He thought he did not have to train to make the basketball team. Only after having criticised him severely did the coach put him on the team. At that time, the basketball team without him at center was deplorably weak, and Auburn knew it. Once, before a game, he broke training. For this he was severely censured by the coach in the presence of the team. He then began to think that the coach had a spite against him and that he had put him on the team because he was forced to do it. The coach's opposition to baseball was also resented by Auburn. Accordingly, at the coming A. A. meeting, which was to be held a week before the basketball game with the bitter rivals of High School-Westtown Preparatory School-Auburn determined to urge his friends to defeat track athletics. But the coach, in a speech, clearly showed the A. A. the advantages of track and the disadvantages of baseball. When the vote was counted it was found that the school had again decided to support track athletics. Auburn, greatly incensed, thought that the coach had taken this stand just to spite him. He planned revenge. At first he thought he would stop playing basketball imme- diately. After considering the matter he decided that it would be a severer blow to the coach to practice regularly with the team and quit the night of the game, not affording the coach time to train another man for his position. Ac- cordingly, he practiced hard the next week and obeyed all