Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

Page 14 text:

8 THE MAGNET HE exhibition of rowdyism following the football game at Fitchburg on October 2, should impress upon every member of our school the disgrace into which a school, as a whole, falls when any of its members indulge in such exhibitions. To be sure, all the blame does not fall upon our school. But the willingness of many to join in the flag-snatching and the dis- turbance that followed shows that Leominster is falling into the class of schools that we look down upon for that very reason. There are a few towns which our team plays each year, from which we always expect such treatment. But certainly Leominster does not want to lose her reputation and become one of that class. The members of the upper classes of our school should take it Those from the lower classes follow the example of those before them. If they saw that their actions were not approved by the rest of the school, they would very soon make an end of them. upon themselves to restrain the underclassmen. We hope that in the future in the games with the teams playing at Leominster we will show more courtesy to the players and fol- lowers of the team than has been before shown either to us or by us in the past. ’ Raymonp B. Lapoo, ’I1o. The Storm All day long the angry waters tossed and And when over the earth the dark night raged, As in mortal combat the furies were engaged. Down in torrents poured the beating rain, Swelling the already overflowing bosom of the main. Prey of mountainous waves, the boat rolled from side to side, As if in fear of being swallowed by the hungry tide. descended, The storm roared on, with the black dark- ness blended. But hush! As from the crow’s-nest the bell chimes, | Suddenly the rain ceases and, through clouds, the moon shines. Thus in the storms of life, if we are patient on the darkest night, The moon will break forth, flooding the inky waters with its silvery light. PAULINE P, PATON, ‘Io.

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THE MAGNET 7 group picture will answer the purpose as well and not cost one-half as much? The cost of the graduation invitations seems absurd to some. Much might be saved if the pupils would consent to econ- omize and have small announcement cards. In connection with the reception the great bunches of flowers, which often cause many sacrifices, might be dispensed with entirely, for of what especial value or significance are they! And so on, in many instances, by the giving up of a few unnecessary customs, the cost at graduations can be considerably decreased. As to the dress on such occasions, not much need be said. Simplicity for both girls and boys should be the leading character- istic. Now, Class of r1gro, as this is your last year in our High School, think seriously of this matter of reducing graduation expenses, and endeavor to make a start in the right direction. Last year the debating club among the boys of the school could not be called a great success, for there were not enough boys inter- ested in it to keep it up to a high standard. Now is the time to start it up again, and it is the duty of some boy inthe higher classes to call a meeting and get the officers elect- ed for the coming season, Then pick out some good subjects for strong debating, some that have not been pumped to death, some- thing new, something exciting and interesting. Announce your debates and get a crowd out. Hold your meetings in the Assembly Hall and put some life into them. Get the girls interested. If they cannot debate, make them patronize your debates by showing them what fine work you can do in the art of arguing. This course in debating is very valuable to the boys, and stren- uous effort should be made to keep up these meetings. Every boy and girl should feel it his or her duty to promote interest and en- thusiasm in this branch of school life. Go to work in the right spirit and you can make this season a memorable one for the “Paton Debating Club.” DorotHy WHITTIER, ‘10.

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THE MAGNET 9 In the Mud=-Rush T came at last, pouring down the shaft; the mud rushed along with a low, gurgling sound. For five months Murilla had worked in a long tunnel through the diamond-bearing blue clay. He tore the firm, grayish earth from the sides of the tunnel with a small pick and threw it into a small cart, which was taken to one of the shafts. There, upon a large elevating- car, it was rapidly lifted to the surface and taken to the great works of the De Beeres Mines, the greatest diamond mines inthe world. After the clay had been softened by several processes, it was carefully picked over by ma- chinery, and when it finally came from the great factory not a single tiny diamond was hidden in it. The clay was now so mixed with water that it flowed easily away from the huge buildings and settled near the mines. Some disturbance—a blast, perhaps—had loosened the whole mass, and now it had rushed into the main shaft, pouring down and imprisoning all who could not gain access to the auxiliary shaft. Such rushes were not— and, indeed, are not at present—infrequent in these places, where the life of the South African is held almost worthless. The mud advanced in the horizontal tunnels, called stopes, like a wall, inclining gently back. Murilla, a native, fled along the stope in which he was working. Soon he came to the auxiliary shaft, but the crowd of fright- ened miners was so great that the small elevator seemed scarcely to be carry- ing any to safety upon the surface far above. Looking down, he could see one, two, yes, three openings below in the shaft, and there were crowds of gesticulating and crying natives waiting to be carried up on the small ele- vator. Far above was the opening, where showed a patch of blue sky, the last sight of the world that many wereto have. For the mud, though it trav- eled slowly, advanced surely through the stopes, and before long emerged from the lowest opening, soon grasping the natives in its terrible grip. Then it slowly rose to the second opening. The elevator hastened up and down the long shaft, bearing men to safety, until only Murilla and three other men were left. The mud was now - even with the opening of the stope in which they were standing. What is that noise? They strain their eyes, looking back into the tun- nel behind them, and see there the terrible mud advancing slowly. They look anxiously up at the descending elevator. At last it isalmost down to where they are; but now a new danger threatens. The rising mud keeps the car from descending to the level of the stope, and so the men can barely touch the edge of the door sill. What is to be done? Murilla has made a decision. He will sacrifice himself for his friends! Without a word, he lifts one of his companions until he can pull himself to the car, then another, and then the last. Then they try to pull him up on to the car, but the mud has risen now to his waist, and they are unable to lift him one inch. Sorrowfully they leave him, giving the signal for the