Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

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THE SASSAMON PAGE TWENTY-ON E What is this business that is so press- ing?n Why, I am manager of the Matrimonial Bureau and applications are coming in so fast, we haven't enough on the waiting list to fill the wants. I had not been back to the boarding house more than fifteen minutes when up the driveway came Stella Meagher. I thought, of course, she was coming to call on me, but no, she was a saleslady for a large shoe concern. You know, Stella always used to say she never had any shoes, so now she make people buy seven or was trying to eight pairs, as she used to do herself. While Stella was there, along came Rob- erta Parker, doing what she always used to do-trying to make people pay what they owed. She was town tax collector. I hope she has better luck getting taxes, than she did when she was collecting personal write- ups. back at school. Stella and Bobbie had been gone about half an hour, when the door-bell rang again. It was a book agent and, much to my sur- prise, was Lillian Rosenthal. No one could help but buy a book, after being told about it, especially in Lillian's breezy way. There was a town meeting that night, but I was too tired to go, as I had been quite busy, as you know, during the day, and on the morrow I was invited to. visit the circus grounds, and time was growing short, as I was to start on again for Cali- forriia. I did hate to miss the town meet- ing, as I was told Amelia Aitken was town clerk. I presume she is now so used to town meetings, that one could put a wrong nomination before her, and she would re- main calm. It was with great excitement that I start- ed out nert morning for the circus grounds. Why! I hadn't been to the circus since the good old days at Natick. It was adver- tised as a refined circus for refined people, under the personal direction of Katherine Daniels and Dorothy Davies. Their high ideal was to elevate the circus as others had elevated the stage in days gone by. After the show, I just had time to make my train for California, for I was continu- ing my journey that nightg and as I finally stood on the back platform of the observa- tion car, watching, with tears in my eyes. the group of girls, waving their handker- chiefs, and as the train rushed faster and faster toward the Golden Gate, my heart sang, not a mournful farewell, but a gay au rcvoir, for I knew that we should meet again. DOROTHIE PRATT ORATION THE CIVIC DUTY OF A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE Assuming at the outset that in the Unit- ed States all men, young and old, who think at all, realize the importance of citizenship. the first step is, therefore, to define it ac- curately and in so doing we may then enu- merate and briefiy elucidate the various du- ties of a high school graduate. We have, during our four years of high school training, secured a foundation which will enable us to become real, worth-while citizens, the type of citizens which is need- ed in this great democracy of ours, for on the moral character of its citizens depends the future welfare of our country. We must all be good citizens. Merely to live without actually breaking the laws does not constitute good citizenship, ex- contrast to violate the cept in the narrow sense of those who openly or covertly laws which they have helped to make. The citizenship, word good, as applied to means something more positive and affirm- ative than mere passive obedience to sta- tutes, if it has any meaning at all. The good citizen, if he would deserve the title, must be one who performs his duties to the state and who, in due propor- tion, serves his country. A man may not be a bad citiezn--he may pay his taxes and commit no statutory offenses, but if he gives neither service to his country, nor any help to the community in which he lives, he cannot properly be called a good citizen. Assuming, then, that good citizenship necessarily implies service of some sort to the state, the country, or the public, what must be the civic duty demanded from the high school graduate? The high school

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PAGE TWENTY THE SASSAMON get a book. So in I went, found my book and went to the desk. Shades of Shakes- peare.-Eunice Putnam! IIow's the library going? Sure looks natural to see you be- hind a desk. Have you seen Bernice Carr yet? asked Eunice. No, where is she? She's down stairs in the Children's li- brary. So down stairs I went to see Bernice. Sure enough, there she was tell- ing fairy stories to a group of young- sters. I stayed just long enough to say, How-do, then went out to where Alma was waiting. f'lang, clang, came a bell from behind us and suddenly a large, red fire engine whizzed by us, with Agnes Collins at the wheel. Agnes used to he great for whiz- zing through the town and she's still at it. We came to a small store with very at- tractive dresses in the windows. As l was sadly in need of a dress, I went in. From behind a curtain stepped Winifred McGee. Fan I help you? Why, hi, Dot! ex- claimed Winnie. What are you doing here? I inquired. Well, you sec, went on Winnie, Eliz- abeth Roberts founded this dress-making establishment and makes all the dresses, while Rose Shaughnessy takes trips to Par- is to get ideas. You know, Rose always did have very good ideas on glad rags. Then Iiliazbeth had to have someone as business manager and also to attach French names to the dresses, so the only one suited for that kind of work was Marie Hogan, there- fore, she is here, too. Every store needs a clerk, so that's myself, explained Win- nie. After purchasing a dress, something told me it was dinner time, so on coming to an :attractive tea-room, called The Three Dots. I went in. No sooner was I seated when up stepped Dorothy Gray with a bill of fare. Of I know now why this place is called The Three Dots. Where are the other two? Well Dot McGonigle is the supervisor of the kitchen and Dot Klein is cashier over there in the cage, explained this Dot. The food was delicious, many thanks to Dot McGonigle, and when I went to pay for it, I was so glad I was an old friend friend of Dot Klein as she made me pay for the check by telling her about myself. My next stop was at a strange place and I never would have gone there if it hadn't been for the infomation Alma furnished me. It was at the Undertaker's Rooms. The man did not interest me, it was his wife, Theresa Murphy. O! how married life had changed her. Not once while I was talking with her did she roll her eyes, and you know that's qute unusual for her. As usual, Theresa had lou of news and after a half hour's talk, I just had to tear myself away from her. On going out on the Main Street again, my atttention was attracted by a store, painted bright green with the sign, Ma- haney and Greenleaf over the door. I knew instantly that it was probably a rival of other five and ten cent stores, and on entering I saw Anna walking about, evi- dently floor supervisor. Wearing out shoe leather for a change -Hey, what? What does Elizabeth do? I asked. Oh! she looks out for the financial end. Quite smart at figuring, you know. Use Lord's Hair Tonic, loomed before us as we proceeded down the street. Don't suppose that means Evelyn Lord, flashed through my mind. So in I went for in- formation. Sure enough and Evelyn hap- pened to be there. During the bobbed hair era, Evelyn had cut hair for a living. I can remember when she did that, back in the locker room at Natick High. Now that long hair was the fad, she had invent- ed a hair tonic whch had been a great help to all bobbed hair victims of a few years before. Evelyn had even tried it on her- self and now had beautiful long tresses, but how it did change her. As Alma and I were about to leave and return to the boarding house, along came Blanche McGlone. Blanche! What a stranger. Yes, I am rather, but you see, my busi- ness is so rushed, that I hardly find time to eat.

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PAGE TWENTY-TWO THE SASSAMON graduate must do something active and use- ful in the community in which he lives. He should know and realize the good points and also the shortcomings of his town. It is in the ordinary, every-day affairs of gov- ernment that the attention of all good citi- zens is most necessary. It is then that those who constitute the undesirable and objectionable elements get control, for they are always on the watchg and to defeat them it is essential that those and honest government watch, too. The idea spare the time without who desire good should be on the that they cannot detriment to their own affairs is a mistake. The high school graduate must also be educated. He has been given every oppor- tunity for a good foundation-good schools, good teachers, and a willing, helpful public at all times interested solely in his welfare and development. Granted these things, it is our duty to them and to those who fol- low us to make the best of what we have and to profit by our mistakes, so that we can lead our educational institutions to a greater degree of perfection But we cannot do this by shirking or re- fusing to do our part in this development. If we can go to college, we should go. We are not true citizens if we pass the chance by. The greater the education of its chil- dren the greater will be the development and progress of that community, and if we are not interested in that, then we fall down miserably. It is not a matter of choice whether a man shall trouble himself about affairs of government in his community, or con- fine himself to his business, his profession, and his pleasures and leave others to gov- ern-it is a matter of obligation which can- not be avoided by any intelligent man who has any understanding of the government under which he lives. The essestial feature of our government is that the burden rests upon all men, and that no one can devote himself wholly to his business or his pleas- urrs without shirking a duty. Do we not know that government in a democracy can- not be successful unless all take part, ac- cording to their capacity? There is no man free from responsibiilty. The selfish n'en who have special interests at stake are going to take partg the bitter and prej- udiced men whose hearts are filled with hatred are going to take party the corrupt men who want to make something out of the government are also going to take part. Consequently the forces of unsel- tishness, of self control, of public honesty, of justice, of public spirit and love of coun- try must be used against them, and these demand from us every possible contribution of personality and power that we,as future citizens, can give. Therefore, we have a two-fold duty. We must be active and useful and we must avail ourselves to the fullest extent of the chances we have to become educated. But above all, we must stand shoulder to shoul- der, not asking the ancestry or creed of our comrades, but demanding only that they be in very truth Americans and that we all work together heart, hand and head, for the honor and greatness of our country, state, and community. THOMAS E. KELLY CLASS WILL We, the class of 1925 of the Natick High School, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make, constitute, and declare this to be our last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all wills or testamentory writings by us, here- tofore, at any time, made. I. To the faculty we bequeath the mem- ory of the great pleasure of having looked upon our beautiful and intelli- gent faces for four years, and the still greater pleasure of not having to look upon them for four years more. II. We bequeath to Mr. Archibald a de- tective and a few blood-hounds, hoping they will be of some future use. III. To Mr. Collins we bestow an approved umpire to be used when we play Way- land again. IV. To Mr. Larsen we leave a package of Wrigley's gum. V. We bequeath to Miss Morrill another pair of sneakers to replace the ones that were bequeathed to her last year that seem to have been lost. VI. To Miss Ellison the class bestows