St Elizabeth High School - Elizabethan Yearbook (Oakland, CA)

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ELIZABETHAN NINETEEN-THIRTY devoted to each other and to their two sons, Borys and john. The critical period just before the World War found them in Conrad's native land. After many mishaps and weeks of misery unofficially interned in the enemy country, they finally reached Italy and thence sailed to England. Some of his books were at times slow of reception in literary circles, but to this he was utterly indifferent, and would continue with another volume. And yet his wife says, he seemed oddly jealous if one book had a better reception by the public than another. He died suddenly in August, l924, sincerely mourned by his own circle and by many noted men of letters, his contemporaries, john Galsworthy, Cunning- hame Graham, Richard Curle, and others. As a writer he worked hard at his profession. ln spite of personal impulse and inconsistencies, he loved his family and friends deeply, he seems to have had a fine understanding of England and her people and manners. The Rescue , Lord jim , Typhoon , and Tales of Unrest are a few of the most popular of his many books written over a period of thirty years. Lois Le Doux '30, '4 The Optimistic Freshman The Sophs disturbed his peace from morn till night, Ah, sad indeed was this poor Freshman's plight: They plotted in deep conference for his fall And sold him tickets to the study hall, They made him wear a hat of brightest green, And for half a term he might be seen Sauntering all unknowingly to class A note pinned to his coat Keep off the Grass . Did he despair and on this brood? Not he, but rising struck an attitude Which nobly said, Though thorny be my way, A noble Senior, l shall be some day . Arthur Fisher, '32. -23-

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ELIZABETHAN NINETEEN-THIRTY poet who writes, and there is something of the preternatural brilliance of disease in his poetry. In his Endymion, which is the story of a young shepherd beloved of a moon goddess, Keats gives us, as he himself says, an unsuccessful attempt to imitate the beauty of Greek mythology. lt has many beautiful passages which have often been quoted, but on the whole it is confused and unequal. It has been called a 'confusion of beauties and weaknesses,' 'a tangled jungle of rich foliage,' but in it are some of the loveliest flowers and fruits of English poetry. His later poems, Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and his Odes are all more mature than his first works and yet they are most attrac- tive because they excel in the fire and passion of the delight of youth. Toward the last, Keats was invited by Shelley to live with him in Rome, although he did not accept this invitation, he was attracted by the idea of going to a southern climate as a last resource in search of good health. He went to Rome, and, soon after his arrival, died in the arms of his artist-friend, Severn. His last words were: I am dying. l shall die easy, don't be frightened: be firm, and thank Cod it has come. His influence upon the poets of his century has been unique and abiding: there is scarcely a poet, from his own day to the day of Tennyson and Rosetti, who does not exhibit some trace of that influence. To them, and to us, the work of this ill-fated boy, whose sun went down while it was yet day, is A thing of beauty and joy forever. x Joseph Conrad IN an intimate biographic sketch of her noted husband's life, jessie Conrad, an Englishwoman, shows us many personal characteristics of joseph Conrad. He was born in war-ridden Ukrania in l858, and in his early years Conrad saw much of distress, trouble, and hardship. As a mariner he made many sea-voyages to Australia and other far countries, and as a result of his travels he had many adventurous tales to relate when he finally returned to England. Here at home he formed many acquaintances and friendly connections which helped him greatly in his chosen career as a writer. He was personally very temperamental and, at times, quite inconsistent, although his many works show keen thought and unaffected interest in the choice of his subject materials. Like many people of temperamental nature, Conrad had a deep understanding of and love for human nature, which is shown in the reminis- cences of his travels and personal memories of World War incidents. Often, even after he was well established in the literary world of his adopted country, he was tempted to leave England and impulsively answer the call of the sea. Throughout their married life of close to thirty years, his wife, a semi-in- valid, helped him much and was always ready to follow him whither he led. They traveled a good deal at various periods of Conrad's writing, they were ,27...

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ELIZABETHAN NINETEEN-THIRTY Fabiola Crreat is the City Eternal. The blood of the saints and martyrs, Shed in the clays of her glory, still leaves a stain on her honor- Leaves a stain through the years, of blood shed in causes heroic, Shed by Pagan Rome, with power in hand like a plaything, Deep in the hidden caverns, the true Church flourished and grew, Called to her people oppressed, called them to worship in secret. ln a Patrician home at the foot of the Quirinal hillside, Set amid garden of splendor, dwelt a Patrician maiden, Fabiola, famed for her beauty. Scornful and cold she appeared, and weary already of pleasure, Longing though still in the darkness, for the light of the truth which she knew not. One there dwelt in her household, Syra the faithful slave-girl, Who, though forsaken by fortune clung to the faith of her mother, And together with Agnes, the cousin, prayed for Fabiola's conversion, Prayed that Our Lord and His Mother might give her the grace of the faithful. The worldly possessions of Agnes were given at her death to Fabiola, Fulvius, the brother of Syra, maddened by greed of the money sought out this noble lady. When she refused his demand, he drew out his dagger to stab her, But Syra rushed in between them and received the blow of the dagger. Grateful, Fabiola attended the wounds of the faithful Syra. Teacher and pupil were they, Fabiola eagerly learning All that the other could teach her of the doctrines and truths of the Faith, At last came the time of her baptism and she entered the fold of the faithful. Rome-O thou city eternal! Where now is thy pomp and thy glory? Only one honor remaineth, thou art the citadel chosen, To uphold to the world the true faith, Out of the pagan shadow the church now emerges triumphant. Her glory is thy glory, O Rome. Thora Beaubien '32. .-2Qi