Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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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

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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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6 THE SPQECTATOR instructions. The coach jubilantly thought his wilful pupil had reformed. The night of the game had come. On the way to the game Auburn met the coach and told him to go to blazes and get someone else to play center. The coach was so dumbfounded that all he could do was to turn and walk away. Auburn, however, went to the game, taking an inconspicuous place behind a row of girls where he would not likely be recognized. Then came the game. To be brief, High School were played off their feet in the Hrst half, and, despite the Hne work of the guards, the score stood eighteen to six in favor of Prep. At the end of the half Auburn saw the look of despair on the coach's face and felt sorry for his conduct. Upon hearing a girl near him say, lf John Auburn were in the game we should win yet, he began to think, and decided that perhaps she was right. Then quietly leaving his seat, he slipped into the dressing room. . As the second half was just about to start, Auburn, in his basketball suit, walked from the dressing room across the floor to where the coach stood and in a frank voice said to him, I played you about as dirty a trick as a fellow could, but I'm sorry for it. If you'll let me play, l'll go in and play my best. But his request was drowned by the pleading of his teammates, and the coach consented. In the half that followed Auburn played the game of his life. He had his opponent completely up in the air. Everywhere was he to be found. Even the far-famed Prep. guards could not stop him. With a minute to play, High School tied the score, and a well-thrown basket by Allison, a High School forward, won such a game as had never before been played on that floor. John Auburn had won two games that night. ...,.,X.LLQQ!.:f..,., ' 4f0J'fB5N '