Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE KING OF HOBBIES Stories About Stamps by an Alumnus Who Turned His Hobby Into a Business By Stephen Follett TAMP collecting is the “King of Hobbies”; it is enjoyed by more people than any other pastime. In Quincy alone over 10,000 boys and girls, men and women collect stamps. There is a fascination about these colored bits of paper, every one of them telling a story, portraying battles and peace treaties; countries and rulers; jungles, plains, and mountains; humble folk and people of art, science, and literature. One stamp may commemorate the trip of the Russian balloonists into the stratosphere, another the art of Beethoven, and another the Century of Progress Exposition. Every issue of stamps has an interesting origin. Take, for example, the stamps of Haiti, bearing the over-prints of gourds. When Henri-Chris- tophe, the negro emperor (whose life suggested “Emperor Jones”) found he had no gold in the treasury, he sent his soldiers out to gather all the gourds growing in Haiti. As gourds are a necessity there, the people com- plained, but Emperor Henri said, “Bring me coffee and sugar and buy back your gourds!” This the people did, enabling the emperor to sell a large supply of coffee and sugar to England for gold. That is why Haitian money is called a “gourde.” Stamps may sometimes sway public opinion. Before the Panama Canal was built, many wanted the canal route to go through Nicaragua, but the enemies of the Nicaragua route pointed out that it would be in constant danger of destruction from active volcanoes. A French engineer, Philippe Bunauvarillia, mailed every member of the United States Senate, which was about to vote on the canal, a letter bearing a stamp showing the smok- ing volcano of Mount Monotombo. The Panama route was chosen by a margin of four votes! Stamps as an investment are good if you learn when and what to buy. In 1925 the Norse-American five cent stamps sold at five dollars a hundred. Now they retail at forty-three dollars, a profit of thirty-eight dollars on a five dollar investment. A flaw in the design or in the printing sometimes gives value to certain stamps. In 1924 a man went into a post office to buy a twenty-four cent air mail stamp. Noticing that the air plane was inverted, he bought a hundred [Continued on page 28]

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buildings going up everywhere.. Arab men and women in their pictur- esque though disreputable dress, marketing and gossipping—especially in the Kasbah quarters, the old Arab town. After Algiers, only two more days to Italy. Sunny Italy? It was pouring when we left the ship at Naples and continued to rain as we drove up to Rome. We sped along a broad, straight highway, occasionally slowing down for a flock of impertinent little goats to be herded off the road. Fields spread out on both sides as far as eye could see—all under cultiva- tion—women and children busily engaged in hoeing. Now and then an olive grove—little white sheep browsing beneath it tended by a dog and a shepherd protected from the drizzle by a huge, green cotton umbrella. Terraced vineyards displayed a wealth of autumnal colors. Nubbly hills were silhouetted in the distance, topped by ruins of old Roman towns—and in the fields below, crumbling remains of old watch towers. So much to see and not half enough eyes to see with! Peasant houses of pale blue, white or Pompeii red, each with its own little shrine.. red peppers strung across balconies to dry... faggots kept in crotches of trees and resembling im- mense birds’ nests ... women washing clothes in muddy streams ... others their washing completed, carrying it in baskets on their heads back to the road where it was spread on bushes in an attempt to dry. Gayly painted carts filled with vegetables drawn by donkeys to market.. a group of men and women, the former astride little beasts, the latter laden with heavy baskets tagging along behind on foot, sometimes a child or two tucked under their arms. Women—the backbone of the peasant class!!! The rain changed to a fine mist for about an hour in the afternoon. A double rainbow appeared and seemed to come right down to the ground before us... The end of the rainbow? I like to think so .. and of Italy as the pot of gold. Then the Eternal City. Our first few days there were beautiful with sunshine ... green foliage . .bright flowers ... fountains sparkling in the sunlight. It was so warm during the morning and early afternoon one was uncomfortable in a coat. This didn’t last long. The rain began again— weeks and weeks of it. But Rome was still the same. The Vatican, St. Peter’s, the Coliseum, the Fora, the Capitoline, the Palatine—even more marvelous than I had dreamed .. the Catacombs fascinatingly grue- some .. art galleries, statuary .. all so expressive of life, customs, history— all so awe inspiring!! I was so excited about seeing these ancient places until I arrived. Then they seemed unapproachable. I felt so apologetic for having entered them, and then—afraid to talk, afraid even to think—could only wonder and marvel. I’m still wondering and marvelling. As Alice-in-Wonderland said, “It all seems curiouser and curiouser.” Have I really been there?

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 x x QUINCY HI ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS POETRY READING CONTEST At the instigation of the English department, a poetry reading con- test is being conducted in which every member of the school is par- ticipating. By a system of elimin- ation in the English classes, two members of each class will compete in the finals until the ultimate vic- tor is determined. Poetry reading may be a form of hobby and if so, it is apt to become a valuable asset in the competitions. Through this contest, all our high school has be- come poetically minded, and poetry reading has become one of the most important factors of this school year. EDDIE MORRIS INTERPRETS WIG-WAG CODE Our own local Eddie Morris, famous football announcer and sig- naller for the Harvard football score board, gave before the upper classmen his routine of arm flings and ballet kicks, found so intrigu- ing by thousands of rooters at the big games in the Harvard Stadium. Mr. Morris explained his rea- sons for inventing such a system of wig-wags. Being a member of the Harvard A. A., and realizing the need for a fast and accurate meth- od of transferring information from the field to the closely-watched scoreboard, he set about devising a clear and easy method of signalling, in order that the recipient at the board could have the news flashed on front before the next play should take place. Donning his famous red coat- sweater and white hat, Mr. Morris gave a demonstration of his wig- wag code which consisted of the in- terpretation, by using arms and legs, of the letters of the alphabet, numbers up to ten, a signal for each position on the team, each pen- alty, and a number of miscellane- ous plays. The program was most interest- ing and many of his football side lights drew laughs. He was soundly applauded and his performance will be remembered by us whenever football is mentioned. MR. HART IMPERSONATES GEORGE WASHINGTON Mr. Lawrence Hart, nephew of the author of our own well-known history reference books, presented before the assembled school an im- personation of George Washington. He gained his knowledge by dig- ging deeper than most people into the archives of history so well written by his uncle. Mr. Hart ex- plained that his gestures and tone of voice were as near to those of George Washington as one could determine, judging from old re- cords. Mr. Hart, dressed in a perfect replica of George Washington’s clothing, was interrogated by his wife, Mrs. Hart. The course of his impersonation was very interest- ing and held the attention of even the sophs. It was different from most tales of George Washington in that the unknown and most liked moods of our first president were brought out. It was very im- pressive as he portrayed the humor or seriousness of the father of our country. The program closed after Mr. Hart had answered a few questions put to him by pupils and told some humorous stories of his experi- ences in other schools. THALIA CLUB HEARS SPEAKERS The Thalia Club, with Miss Howe in charge, is made up of the junior and senior girls of the school who maintain honor grades in all their subjects. Although a great number of girls apply for membership, only thirty may belong. At a recent meeting, Miss Marr told of her work in connection with the Grenfell Mission, which is car- ried on in Labrador and northern Newfoundland. Miss Mair’s talk on this unusual subject proved to be most fascinating to the listeners. At another meeting, two alumnae of the club, Nancy Follett and Mar- jorie Hill, who are now attending the New England Conservatory of Music and Mount Holyhoke College respectively, spoke to the girls about “College Life and the Bene- fits Derived from Going to Col- lege.” The club members enjoyed hearing these speakers, espcially since most of them intend to go to college. GIRLS CLUB HAS TWO HUNDRED MEMBERS The Girls Club, open to all junior and senior girls, is certainly ever- popular. The membership reached the two-hundred mark the first semester. The club has met with the North High Girls Club several times and also with the Hi-Y Club at the Y. M. C. A. At their regular meetings, there have been several speakers including Omer Morin, a sopho- more, who spoke on “Astronomy”, Miss Dawes, Miss Call, and Miss Browne, who spoke on “The Dif- ferences between English and American Schools,” “The Planeta- rium at the World’s Fair,” and “The Other Wiseman,” respectively. At Thanksgiving, the club spon- sored a drive for the collection of canned foods. During the Christ- mas season, they gave a Christ- mas party for small children, dec- orated the school, and sent sprigs of holly to the faculty. At one of the joint meetings with the North girls at our school, a stylist from Boston spoke on clothes and color harmony. For the spring, several interest- ing programs are being planned by the executive committee, the offi- cers, and the faculty advisers, Miss Wheeler and Miss Wakeman. DO YOU ENJOY DEBATING? One of the most active clubs in the school this year is the Debating Club, under the leadership of Mr. Lee and Mr. Noyes. Various teach- ers, as well as club members, act as judges. They have been fortunate in having as speakers, Mr. Paul Rear- don, who gave a graphic account of his experiences in debating, and Mr. Thomas Burgin, member of the Quincy City Council, who spoke on “Parliamentary Law.” Each member of the club is given a chance to debate and each may choose a question for a subject. It is interesting to note that one of the questions of this year was: “Resolved: Football Is Overempha- sized in Quincy High.” The affir- mative won. In the last few months, the club has become well acquainted with parliamentary law and impromptu speaking. The Debating Club invites you to become one of its members.