Philadelphia High School for Girls - Milestone Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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X-4 N I 5 X, xi - X N l ,I ,X , -5 4,5 ,: 7 . ff . , Y- -'- ef Sai-ff y y cz-.1 Q . - afw' ex ff .- . Vs - - Xiilf-A .2-' N X4 The History Once upon a time, when the rocks that made the earth were not so gray, and the beard of the seaweed not so hoary, when the stars sang together, and the Man-in-the-moon played a merry tune on his big base-violg once upon a time, I say, in those olden days, in those golden days! if you had been there, you might have seen a group of merry, laughing, chattering children hurrying along Spring Garden Street in the direction of a mysterious and awful building-the Girls High' School! I saw them, for I was one of them, and I counted them- thirty-live in all. They had little fat, round, rosy, cheeks, and cherry lips that were ready always to break into a smile. Their dresses-or shall I say frocks !-were of different patterns, but all of the same length. From their pretty heads to their dainty little patent leather shoes, they were the neatest and most charming group of little fairies you have ever beheld. To tell all the things that happened to us in the course of the first two weeks would be a little history in itself, so I shall merely say that we were thoroughly initiated into the general routine of.-High School work. As our horizon spread into the mysterious regions of Latin, ' 9

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Algebra, and Ancient IjIistory,our views of life became broader, and ideas less conservative. We' became wiser in all things-our felt school bags were discarded for straps and rubber bands, our dresses suddenly dropped to our shoe tops, we adopted the large hair-ribbon, and learned to put our hair up in pompadour style. As we became better acquainted with our school and our teachers, the first-inspired awe passed away, and we began more thoroughly to enjoy life. Then the lectures began! Every lesson had its prelude each day, in which the necessities of absolute attention and the dangers of trifling were expounded to us, we were exhorted to think more seriously, and not to 'allow ourselves to be led away by the frivolities of life. But all such sermons were given to the winds, for we felt that the world Was created for us to enjoy and we were bound to enjoy it. . How we survived that first year I can hardly tell you. Each day had its own joy, and we felt that it was glorious to come to school. Feasts at noon-time were -common occurrences, d t an no uncommonly, though under moderate restraint, they were continued into the after- noon. Having now arrived at a riper age we look back at those early days with a feelin , , 8 of silent wonder, not unmixed with gratitude, for the incomprehensible forbearance of the t h . . . . eac ers whose task it was to sow in our infant memories the seeds of wisdom and under- standing. - But I must hurry on to the Sophomore year. How proud we then became, and how we lorded it over the poor bewildered Freshmen! Now, one might think that, with the advanced dignity of our position, there would be a change in our character. Not so, alas! not so. We became w'ld th 1 er an ever. F easts became more frequent. The botany room was the favorite place for their occurrence, because the sweet odor of the flowers hel ed to do aw 'th th . p ay wi e less desirable odor of pickles. And besides, each girl had a large drawer of her own, which Wa' 't bl ' ' ' ' ' s a sul a e place for hiding the remains of the banquet-such as olives salted peanuts, Nabisco wafers, and fudge enough to last the rest of the afternoon O h ' , . n suc occasions poor. Miss O. found it utterly impossible to teach the lesson. When her back was turned, fudge A 10