Santa Clara High School - Tocsin Yearbook (Santa Clara, CA)

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Pags 21 Qin gilliemnrizxm imahel Hizhhnrn Qfintereh Septemher, 1929 Qgieh December 14, 1921 gmarg fgprien Qilngt Effntereh September, 1909 f5rzxImaieh Hlune, 1913 Piet Qfehruarg 8, 1922 THE TOCSIN-1922

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THE TOCSIN-1922 f The mules threw themselves flat on their bellies, and spread out their legs. Several were not quick enough, lost balance and rolled off the trail, with horrible shrieks. Luckily enough, they had been without human burdens, and were just pack-mules. Screams and cries arose from the throng, and gripping the burros with clutching hands, the riders raised their eyes to the sky to pray. As my grandmother looked up to pray, she said afterwards, that it seemed as if the very walls of the canyon came to- gether with a great clap, and the earth shook to its foundations. There was a long shock, followed by a few minutes of ghastly silence, then came two short shocks, and all was still. In a breathless instance the mules struggled to their feet, more falling down to the churning, angry rapids below. The company slowly made their way out of the canyon of death and horror, their progress blocked every few feet by bowlders and loose, treacherous dirt. Just out of the passage, they came to a small, flat, grassy plateau, and here they pitched camp for the night. In the early morning they rose, ate breakfast, packed the mules, and resumed the way to Loreto. As they were not far from Loreto, and made rapid headway, they reached their destination in the early afternoon. It would be more truthful to say that they arrived at the place where Loreto had been. They found ships and boats from the harbor up in the hills, now mere broken hulks. From the bottom of the deep-sea, strange and beautiful sea fish, as well as numberless sharks and shells were every- where to be found. As for the town, there were bodies, wreckage, trees, bits of adobe buildings strewn over the place where the town had stood. Loreto was completely erased from the map of Mexico. The only whole thing left was the belfry of the church, whereupon, the people, seeing, cried, Ai! It is the will of God! ' As soon as possible, relief ships and steamers came to Loreto, or what had been Loreto, and carried the refugees away. Of those who fled to the hills, many were hurt, few survived. But on this afternoon the harbor was at its best, smiling and dimp- ling in the breeze. Anita White, '22, P19920

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TH E TOCSI N--1922 Mexico EXICO CITY, like most Mexican cities, is built around a, plaza which is in the center of the city. It is very much like a large park where vast crowds assemble on great occasions. It is sur- rounded by public buildings, including the cathedral, which is a magni- ficent building. The cathedral has two large towers which can be seen from the roof of almost any house in the city. Its walls are decorated with many statues. Among other buildings in the plaza are the post of- fice and Teatro Nacional which is a theatre belonging to the government. Here in the plaza at evening, the people of Mexico City go promenading, the seiioritas and their dueiias in one direction, the youths in the other, but glances are not prohibited. Most of the houses of Mexico City are similar to those of the United States. They are strongly constructed and not lacking in beauty. Wood- en houses are very rare and adobe houses are found only on the farms, in small towns, and in the suburbs of the city. Most of the streets are paved and there are some large avenues con- necting the parks and small towns, of which there are a great number. One of these parks is the well-known Chapultepec Park, which is connect- ed with the city by a long avenue in which there is the statue of Liberty and many other statues. In the park itself is the summer residence of the President of Mexico. The place has traditions that go back to the time of the Aztecs. The schools are much like those of the United States in the method of teaching, but are quite different in other respects. School opens at eight o'clock and there is a short recess about ten-thirty. Everybody goes home for lunch at twelve o'clock and does not return until three-thirty. There is no recess in the afternoon and as school does not close until five o'clock, there is no time for athletics. Since there are only six grades instead of eight, the school year is much longer and harder. There are public examinations given at the end of each year, covering the whole year's work. These examinations are given by teachers whom the stu- dents have never seen before. The questions are given orally in a large auditorium. The people of the southern and central part of Mexico are quite dif- ferent from those of the northern part. The percentage of Indians is greater and since the climate is so warm and the land so fertile they Page 22-