Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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'Tlte Golden Rod ALUMNI JOHN WALSH WRITES OF TRAVELS John Walsh, F30, has contributed a most interesting letter relating his experiences during a trip abroad last summer. White at high school lie took part in the Student Council, Debating Society, and ••Golden-Hod.” lie is now doing post graduate work at Harvard University. En route to Venice our ship called at many quaint ports, such as Ponta Del- gada in the Azores, Lisbon, Gibraltar, raima in the Balearic Islands, Cannes, .Monte Cano, Naples, Palermo, Patras, and Ragusa. Palma, Patras, and Ragusa, i contess, were utterly new names to me. As the harbors at most of these ports were too shallow for the liner we were taken ashore in all sorts of tiny craft, ranging from humble coal barges through ship’s life boats to luxurious speed boats. At Ponta, Gibraltar, and Pa- tras hordes of small vessels packed with wares and clamoring vendors swarmed about the ship. After almost intermin- able haggling, during which the original price of five dollars generally shrank to one dollar, the bargain being struck, the purchase was brought aboard by means of a small basket hauled up from the tiny boats below. A day’s sail from Gibraltar, Britain’s mighty fortress guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, found us at Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, the islands deriving their name from the Latin word meaning “sling.” Tn ancient times the inhabitants were renowned for their skill in the use of the sling. Caesar took many of them with him on his in- vasion of Britain. Palma boasts one of the largest bull- rings in Spain, with a capacity of 23,000. It surprised us to learn that on the night previous to our visit there had been two girl toreadors, an innovation in bull- fighting. From Cannes, France, a drive along the beautiful world-famous Riviera took us to Monte Carlo. The tortuous road clung precariously to the steep hills ris- ing sharply from the deep blue Mediter- ranean. In the distance lay the snow- capped Alps. Occasionally we passed tiny medieval towns nestling snugly in the rugged green hills. At Monte Carlo, of course, everyone visits the famous Casino. Although summer is not the bril- liant season, considerable playing was in progress. On the way to Naples the ship sailed close to romantic Corsica, home of Meri- mee s heroine, Colomba, and Elba, Napo- leon's prison. Writers have praised the beauties of the Bay of Naples lor centu- ries, and justly so. The gorgeous deep blue water forms a striking contrast with the light brown and yellow stone houses of the city. In the distance, en- shrouded in a bluish haze, Vesuvius smokes quietly, apparently unmindful of the destruction it has wrought in the past. A splendid new toll auto speedway led us directly to Pompeii, the Roman summer resort destroyed in 79 A. D. After nearly 200 years of excavation only one quarter of the city has been re- vealed, but priceless treasures have al- ready been disclosed. Indeed to the dis- coveries made here historians owe most of their knowledge of the life of the Romans. Many of the lovely villas have been restored, and in some cases the brilliant frescoes and murals are excel- lently preserved. The deep ruts worn by the chariot wheels in the paved streets, as well as some of the lead pipes of the water system are still visible. Between Sicily and the Italian main- land lie the Straits of Messina, the abode of Scylla and Charybdis of ancient days. The swirling eddies and whirlpools set

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 lite Cjolclen ..GOLDEN Editor ........Frederic Just Assistant Editor .Omer Morin Literary ....Charlotte Coates News ........Anne Connolly Alumni ......Miriam Mattson ROD STAFF.. Jokes .............Carl Hager i Edith Pyyny Sports..... ( John Mackenzie j Samuel Evans ) John Kelly Joe Monti Exchange ...........George Loney Business Faculty Advisers Vera Call, Muriel Goudey, Margaret Marr, Catherine Walsh, Leslie Millard Art THE LETTER BOX THE GOLDEN ROD STAFF Gentlemen and Otherwise: In my opinion you made a mistake in asking for opinions, because, who, after a year, or two, or three in any school, is not bubbling over with them! My present pet antipathy is the way Shakespeare is treated. A noted Irish playwright speaks with contempt for the literary departments of the world. He declares that Shakespeare never intended or desired to be treated like a God, and surely one in Shakespeare’s own profession would know more about the subject than the hitherto undisputed English departments. If a high school student saw Hamlet” played by the greatest company on earth, instead of being impressed and thrilled, when Hamlet started the famous to be or not to be,” he would probably chant that is the question.” That brings us to the question of memory selections. These appear to me as a useless attempt to make us appear well read. It can’t be done. Three days after writing twenty selections, it would be an extraordinary student who could remember seven. I could go on this way forever, but my right forefinger is tired (as I am typing the good old one-finger method.) Incidentally, how about a course in typing for preparatory students? We certainly need one. Yours truly, George C. Russell. (continued on page 25)

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'The Golden up by the strong current, once the terror of the ancients, are still foreboding and dangerous for small craft. After visiting Patras, the cruise ended at Venice, that grand old city, almost too well known to describe. The curse of modernization, which has taken the charm from so many quaint old places, has touched Venice only lightly. The palaces, some dating from the fifteenth century, still line the Grand Canal. The only harsh note is in the ferry system of motor boats which ply the Grand Canal incessantly. The stately gondola has great difficulty in maintaining its dignity among these rushing gasoline launches. The Rialto, the Doges Palace, and St. Mark’s remain to remind the traveler of the glory that was Venice. Leaving Venice we motored through the Italian Alps, known as the Dolo- mites. over a spectacular road, at times climbing ten thousand feet and often skirting alarmingly close to the edge of cliffs with the valley several thousand feet below. Along the way were visible evidences of the bitter Austro-Italian campaigns of the World War with stretches of barbed wire, demolished forts, and gun shelters high up in the rugged mountains. At the time we passed through here, relations between Italy and Austria were particularly tense, and on all sides were signs of military ac- tivity, troop movements, mountain forts under construction, and sharp vigilance on the borders. Less than a week later, war was narrowly averted following the assassination of Chancellor Dolfuss. At a small inn high up in the Alps we enjoyed the company of royalty in the persons of Princess Ileana and Prince Michael of Roumania, who were travel- ing incognito. Although their identity was unkown to most of the guests, their presence created no little excitement among those who were in on the secret. Easily the most impressive part of the entire trip was the Passion Play at Oberammergau. This being the three hundredth anniversary of the Play, a special performance was given. One third of the inhabitants of this pretty little German town of 2500 people take part in the Play. So intensely devotional are these farmers and woodcarvers. they perform with extraordinary skill. The text, music, costumes, and scenery, have all been developed, and the actors and chorus trained, in the village. The Play, regarded as the most remarkable drama in the world, lasts from 8 o’clock in the morning to 6 o’clock in the evening, two and one-half hours being allowed for lunch. The visitors live with the people in their own homes as guests rather than tourists, and one cannot fail to be im- pressed by the unusually cordial atmos- phere of the village. Nowhere could one find as many of the finer qualities of character united in a single group of people. The great influx of tourists, 6,000 a day, has left these sturdy villag- ers absolutely unspoiled. Through the courtesy of a friend we enjoyed the privilege of meeting several of the leading players, including Anton Lang, considered the outstanding figure in the recent history of the Play. He took the role of Christ for thirty years and now recites the prologue. We also met Anni Rutz. who plays the part of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Klara Mayr. cast in the role of Mary Magda- lene. All spoke very good English and quite charmed us by their gracious manner. From Oberammergau our course led to Lucerne, thence to Paris, through the war area to Brussels and finally to Hol- land. The highlight of the trip through the land of wooden shoes and windmills was the visit to the quaint little Isle of Marken. on the Zuyder Zee. At present the Dutch government is engaged in re- claiming the vast area lying under the shallow water. At Marken the people retain their picturesque old costumes, wooden shoes, wide baggy trousers for the men. and bright skirts and neat lace caps for the women. Xo European trip would be complete without a visit to the British Isles, which abound in literary and historical tradi- tions fapiiliar to the American. And particularly rich in its associations is London, with stately Westminster Abbey, tile Tower of London. Temple Bar. Dick- ens’ Old Curiosity Shop, and the Cheshire Cheese, the meeting place of Samuel Johnson’s group. Not far from London in a beautiful countryside lies Stoke Poges. the scene of Gray’s “Elegy.” Little has changed since the poet penned these stately lines. Today as then The curfew tolls the knell of parting day” from the neighboring town of Windsor, and “The lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea. A few miles from here are Eton College and Runnymeade. where King John presented the Magna Carta. (continued on page 44)