Plymouth State University - Conning Tower Yearbook (Plymouth, NH)

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“THE CONNING TOWER'’ 1928 77 versify. From her manner ami appearance, she must be very strict with those shirking responsibility concerning daily classes. Raindrops fell with a noisy spatter and I saw Emily Watkins, sitting in tin driver’s seat of a car in the showroom of the Hudson-Essex Motor Car Company. Site was blowing the horn at regular intervals to attract attention to the new Hudson Straight Eight. Dot Gage was expounding on the mechanical advantages of the car. 1 next saw a racetrack with the fastest horses of the country ready to compete for the long-coveted cup. In the grandstand the owners were eagerly jumping up and down. Two of these were Nellie Miller and Mary Long. Each thought her horse would win, and neither was afraid to say so. The jockics were dean Hendry and Ooftie Morrison. I could scarcely see the next picture the rain fell so rapidly, but finally made out a moving picture comedy with a sweet blonde heroine. In spite of her wig. I recognized Pauline Mason. The mother-in-law was Alice Wilson who seemed to be enjoying this most undesirable part. Out on the street was a powerful racing car with Christie Morse bent on making one hundred twenty miles an hour. The car stopped suddenly, and Christie followed by her mechanic, stepped out. The mechanic was Ann Woodbury. After Ann had inspected tin car, they were off again, and each succeeding raindrop seemed to follow the route of the car to the north. At the Carpenter Hotel in Manchester we recognized Ellen Eaton and Peg Milliken going over their week's notes. They had just finished a trip through the state, inspecting bridges. They made sure that all were safe for at least seven tons. A young woman was ushered into the room. She seemed to state in one breath the advantages of the latest patent tonic. From her excessive flow of words, we recognized Vicky Varjabedian. I noticed on a bulletin hoard a poster with large black letters announcing a debate. “Resolved: That graduates of the University of New Hampshire are superior to graduates of Dartmouth”. The affirmative is to be upheld by Kav Sharon and the negative by Dot Poor. The next scene was one portraying a cottage in Auburn with Helen Preston patching little trousers before the fireplace. An attractive sign outside disclosed the name of the cottage,—“The Mose”. A vivid picture followed of the Contoocook Fair. The business managers were Annabelle Eaton, Nellie Scribner, and Helen Holmes who were very successful in their enterprise. I now saw the city of Concord. The New Hampshire Legislature was in session. A woman politician was delivering a lengthy oration on the merits of Pittsburg, and seeking appropriations for the improvement of her town. As she proceeded, we saw that Ethel Knapp was the orator. In the clerk’s chair sat Amy Morse, industriously writing a report given by Louise ('rafts for reduction of school taxes in East Derry.

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76 “THE CONNING TOWER” 1928 by, sauntering up and down the beach was a bathing beauty in a brilliant flame colored suit. 11 was Peg Duncan. On the upper deck of the boat, there was also a group of young people dancing to Izzv Pittman’s jazz which she played on a portable piano of her own invention. Dot Schurman supplemented the piano with her saxophone. The next picture showed a bird’s-eye-view of Boston. The larger raindrop broke into several smaller ones. On Boston Common stood a large, brilliantly lighted circus tent. A tall, graceful figure held the attention of the audience. Was it ! Yes, it was Elsie Greenwood, who, as a circus manager, was introducing her star trapeze performers. The one swinging was Isabelle Rhome; Ruth Reed was hanging by her teeth, while Velma Robinson and Dot Underhill danced on the tight rope. I held my breath. In the side show tent were “(Jiggles ' and “Tee-Ilee” Smith holding their sides with laughter. Huntington Avenue came in view and as the raindrop enlarged, it showed the interior of a dentist’s otlice. The dentist was Slim Chamberlin, who was extracting a painful tooth for Gladys Aldrich. Although Gladys was a prominent politician, for once she could not state her views. On the same street at the Boston Art school, Kay (’arty was a very efficient instructor in drawing. I saw a beautiful mansion on Commonwealth Avenue. It was the home of Esther Smith and her husband, a lawyer of great renown. Esther always was a great help to speakers. In contrast to this large imposing house was a small white cottage with a flower garden bordering the walk to the screened porch. I recognized the former Ellen llobbs who was now a model wife and mother. The next swirl of raindrops that started from the top of the window pane contained pictures of several schools. The first one showed a fashionable boy’s school, with Lillian Knight the chief executive. Mildred Emery was the Penmanship teacher. There seemed to be some confusion, and Ida Fletcher, the visiting tennis champion was appealing for help. In walked Viola Pray who promptly administered telling blows with a rubber hose in a most sedate manner. The next schoolroom was in perfect running order. The pupils were intent on their work, stopping now and then to ask a question of the teacher, who sat at her desk darning socks. Who was the teacher who had such perfect control of her class and why was she darning socks? Just then she turned and I saw it was Thelma Clow. She could not give up her teaching, although she was married, so she darned socks in school time. A typical modern schoolroom was directed by Miss Plum, her oldest pupil being two years of age. The next school was a girl's military school, patterned after Norwich University. It was supervised by Vivian McMullen. Miss Doris Taylor was head of the geography department in Clark Uni-

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78 “T II E C 0 N N I N G T 0 W ER” 192 8 Another drop brought a view in the same city, showing directors of the publicity bureau, who were none other than Helen Cordwell and Julia Haweeli, especially noted for boosting Xortliern New Hampshire’s scenery, good roads, and expensive cars. Across the hall, Ramona Christie, as State Commissioner of Education, was using her executive ability to the best advantage. Another picture in that vicinity depicted Mildred Towle as supervisor of the Shaker Village. I recognized two others of our class who had joined the settlement. They were Annie McGinley and Edith Caverly. The next raindrop brought delight to me, for here was featured the little town of Plymouth, nestled among the hills of old New Hampshire. Once again 1 saw the distinguished “Pennine” with Eva Dow as the owner and manager. I remember Eva’s desire to live on a high elevation overlooking Plymouth. Under Eva’s employ, Natalie Davis was gracing the dining-room as head-waitress, and Lillian Ford was bell-hopping. In the kitchen, Esther Lindh presided as chef. Near by in the small town of Cheever, in the office of a would-be large publishing company, Alice Ashley could be seen seated at the editor’s desk. In one corner of the room. Edith Robie was laboriously composing letters which would bring comfort to the lovelorn. The popularity of Alice’s newspaper was made evident in the next picture. Julia Stone, Winnie Soule, and Ruth Abbott sat in their cozy room, after a day of teaching. They were absorbed in their newspapers. Each was interested in a different section. Ruth was reading the joke column written by Leona Rowell. Winnie began to read aloud from the society news about Julia Hickey’s latest engagement. Julia Stone found I . .y Gould’s cartoons most interesting. Further north. I saw the city of Berlin, where a Winter Carnival was in progress. The two champion dog teams were owned and driven by Mary Bly Evans and Eva Balcom, who were also expert ski-jumpers. On a smooth sheet of ice we saw Artie Haggart training for her remarkable skating stunt, soon to be performed in Switzerland. Many of the striking costumes worn at the Carnival Ball were designed by Dede Hardy, Ethel Lange, and Nina Pease. The violence of the storm was decreasing, and the pictures grew less vivid, but I made out a small dusty room in a rustic cottage. Stacks of money lined the room. A tall, thoughtful girl stood at a table, adding long columns of figures, now and then she referred to the piles of money at her side. Nora Lang had inherited this huge fortune and had found good use for her great mathematical ability in figuring out her income tax. In a moment, a servant announced that her financial advisor, a neighbor, wished to see her. 1 expected to see a keen looking man, instead a small neatly dressed young lady