Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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8 THE MAGNET Jack Hardy’s Chance it: ARDY had been sick about the time of the beginning of college in |) September, and it was almost a month before he was able to be- gin his studies with the Freshman class. Of course by this time circles of acquaintances had been formed, and Jack, who was somewhat reticent by nature, found it hard to become thoroughly acquainted. Thus it was that he kept strictly to his room, except when he was out for foot-ball practice, and so gained the name of being odd. Although he tried very hard, Jack did not expect to gain a place on the team his first year, and centered his abilities for the most part on playing in the second team. The coach, however, recognized great chances of abil- ity in him and played him when he could in positions on the first team. When the list of substitutes for the team was posted, Jack was nearly be- side himself for joy, for the second name from the top was his own. i. Princeton’s greatest game of the season was ushered in by a bright, brisk November day. The air was cool and sharp, making ideal weather for football, and as the men lined up for preliminary practice there was a general air of vigor and courage stamped in the form of every one of them. The Princeton men traveled by an early train to Cambridge, for the game was to be played in the Stadium; and, most important of all, Jack Hardy went, too, since he had been doing good work as “ sub.” The Stadium was filled that day to the top promenade, and a more cheer- ful and happy crowd could not have been found; for the very spirit of the day seemed to have affected every one. Hardy, wrapped in a great lettered ““P” sweater, sat on the side lines, anxiously watching every play, jumping forward with a glad shout when Princeton won a few yards, and sinking back with a groan when she lost. In the first ten’: minutes of play Harvard made a touchdown, and every Harvard sympathizer in the Stadium rose to his feet and filled the air with cheers and glad shouts. Every one watched breathlessly as a try was made for goal and—lost. 3 Harvard was unable to score again during that half, and Princeton started the second with a rush that nearly took the men in crimson off their feet. Princeton’s right half got around left end and carried the ball to the middle of the field, where he was tackled with a sickening crash. When the whis- tle blew and the men untangled themselves from the heap, Princeton’s right half-back lay still and white, and a chill went to the heart of every Prince- ton rooter. The doctor pronounced him unable to continue the game, and the hopes of every “sub” beat high, when the captain turned and looked searchingly toward them. Whom would he call? -

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THE MAGNET - and while putting money into the treasury of the class would at the same time tend to increase the outside interest in the school. Now, classmates, we beg of you to look into this matter very closely. Get together, and let every one express his ideas; put some vim into the matter. And, lastly, come to some definite con- clusion immediately. We hope that next month the scholars, especially the editors of the lower classes, will have more inclination and time to devote to the paper than they have had this month. The general lack of disorder and ungentlemanly conduct in the school is very noticeable at present. The rougher elcment, which once gave the Leominster High School a bad moral stand- ard, has long since taken flight, and left in its place boys and girls who understand what they are there for. The citizens of the town have done everything possible to pro- mote education. They built the present new building at a great expense; and surely the scholars should appreciate it enough not to deface the building or otherwise contrive against the good-will of their benefactors. We'could not do much toward giving the building; but we can do a lot toward keeping it. It is said that good surroundings promote good thoughts; and it certainly seems to be the case with us, for in the last year the standard of the school has been raised to a marked degree. A proof of this is the increased number of graduates from here who entered college last September. Out of a class of forty-five, twenty- five directly entered colleges or technical schools of high standing. The school has been raised to its present condition only by hard work and sharp discipline on the part of the Faculty and an aroused spirit of loyalty from the scholars themselves. It is up to every one of us to leave the building as good as we found it; to make our athletics second to none; and our work, above all, a good, straightforward, manly effort; and, frankly, Seniors, it is for you to set the example. Ricuarp H. Scanton, ’o8.

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THE MAGNET 9 “ Hardy,” called the captain; and Jack in a whirl of joy pulled off his sweater and ran quickly on to the field. He was put in at right half and set out to do or die. A center rush of Princeton netted hertwo yards. The left half-back was sent through guard, but made only a bare two yards more. It was her third down, but three minutes to play, and still six yards to make her dis- tance. Would she punt and give up her last chance or try to make her distance? The full-back drops back as if to kick, the ball is passed, and the quar- ter-back, intercepting it, passes it to Hardy, who is off around left end at once. With but one man between him and a touchdown, Jack sprints down the field with the men in crimson trailing out behind him in vain pursuit. Har- vard’s only hope rests on her quarter-back, who, with crouched shoulders, braces himself for the shock. Hardy gathers all his strength and, just as Harvard’s man dives for his knees, he rises in a magnificent leap, completely hurdling his would-be tackler. - The excitement of the Princeton rooters is lashed to a fury, as they see nothing between their man and atie score. The air isrent by a vast cheer of “’Rah, ‘rah, ’rah; ‘rah, ’rah, ’rah; ’rah, ’rah, ’rah, Hardy-y-y!”’ When Jack hurdled his man, he did not land properly, as he had not done the hurdles for some time; and his right ankle was turned clear over, sending a shooting pain, like the stab of a thousand needles, through his whole side. He staggers and almost falls; but as a groan rises from one side of the Stadium, he realizes how much the hopes of Princeton depend on him, and the thought spurs him on. He staggers on, with that horrible pain nearly overcoming him at each step. Summoning all his will power and his last ounce of strength, just as a man plunges forward to tackle him from the rear, he hurls himself bodily over the goal line, amid a cheer from twenty thousand throats. He conquers the pain just long enongh to see the goal kicked, and then, as the cheers, coupled with his name, and the shouts of his fellow students become more and more indistinct, he sinks into a sweet unconsciousness. It was his chance,—and he had made it. R. H. S., ’08. GT NIGHTFALL The golden sun is slowly sinking Slowly it sinks ‘neath the hilltops Neath the horizon far away, And finally out of sight, And its slanting golden sunbeams While a dark line, far to the Eastward, Bid a last and fond good day. | Heralds the coming night. Softly the moon steals upward, And casts its bright clear rays In the path of the poorand the rich man. Gladdening their homeward ways. Ra tinoe 0G