West Rochester High School - W Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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.X i I f X, BSQCIDEAQX' 4 Purify the Genesee Louis PUL'rz OT long ago, as three friends were cross- ing the river by way of Driving Park Avenue bridge, one of them enthusias- tically exclaimed, There is one of the most beautiful scenes that I have ever had the privi- lege of beholdingf' He referred to the View to the northward down the gorge of the river with which every resident of Rochester is familiar and of which no one ever tires. A companion responded, Yes, that is a wonderful view of the Genesee but l'l1 almost guarantee that no self-respecting fish lives in that dirty water. The third individual then related that the water of the river at that point was so con- taminated with waste from the industrial plants of the city that his canoe had had to come in contact with it for only a very short time to have its paint stripped off. . A beautiful scene? Yes, to the eye of the observer who does not realize the truth, it is one of the most beautiful views of a Wonder- fully attractive stream. But our own dear Genesee loses very much of her charm, in- deed seems to lose that very beauty and love- liness that she actually has, when one realizes that the river is, like so many of the streams and rivers of America, a badly polluted stream. The Genesee north of Court Street is beauti- ful at a distance only, for to the near observer her water is foul-looking and evil-smelling and the bed of the river is covered with a coating of slime. The presence of such con- ditions does not make for true beauty. Let us turn back if we can and try to picture the Genesee as it was a century ago. We may be wrong about our conception but We think that we should see a river of pure and ,wonder- fully clear water teeming with fish of the sporty black bass and speckled trout gradeg a river flowing full and steady in wet and dry weather alike between banks heavily forested down to the water's edge, a river of magnifi- cent falls and wonderful cascades and swift- running places. if To-day we still have what our friend and many others speak of as our lovely Genesee. The river is famed near and far. Her loveli- ness is even sung. But we must have forgotten or else we have not realized her transcending loveliness of a century ago. This is so because we of America have accepted, as a thing that must inevitably be, the ruthless march of civilization. We have come to think that anything that is done in the name of civilization is justified. Civili- zation may cut down our forests, and may dry up our lakes and streams. Civilization has in many parts of America so poisoned the waters of her lakes and streams that they have al- ready become a menace to human life. VVe haveaccepted it all and have justified too much of it and call places beautiful that are eye- sores in comparison with what Nature origi- nally made them. Let us grant that much of this destruction was necessary. Some of our forests had to go and some of the natural beauty of mountain and lake and stream had to be sacrificed. But let us not think that all that has been done in civilization's name is to be condoned. In par- ticular, let us not think that all that has been done to lessen the real loveliness of the Gene- see during the century past was really neces- sary. Least of all has it been necessary to give industry the privilege of poisoning the river to the point where fish-life can not exist in it. The forests that meant so much to the charm of the whole valley of the Genesee are gone forever. The full steady flow of the river is gone along with the forests. These things can not be restored nor can the river's water- falls be restored to their former glory. One thing can be done, however. The terrible CContinued on Page 235 T. rf. J

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,Xi l I X, skeins ff The water came just three inches below his ears. The beach was turned into a golf course which was mostly hazards and the faculty be- gan testing their stance. When the clouds of sand settled, Miss Gibbs had dropped her meadow-marble into the hole, winning first prize. Miss Fisher won the championship in the nail-driving contest. Teachers with bandaged thumbs may be pointed out as also-ran's. The refreshment committee demonstrated how the lunch room should be run and served one hundred and six ravenous teachers with thirty-five pounds of red hots. Mr. Edwards declared, as he was leaving West High School, that he intended to be the life of the party. He gave up in despair, when Mr. Kenyon clinched the title with his water act. ' Q Barnaby's Youth We were discussing the supernatural, old Barnaby and I. He tapped the ashes from his pipe into the open fireplace and volun- teered this tale: When I was a lad, of twenty or twenty- one, I was as wild as they make them. People are bound to reform the younger generation of today, but let me tell you, son, some of these perfect guys, who are always raving about the indecencies and vices of the modern youth, have very faint recollections of their own younger days, especially, when you con- sider that when I was young there had been no Volstead Act! As I was saying, I was a -?- raiser. The town where I lived, although only a small country place, possessed a very good saloon. It was a fine place for a young fel- low like me to go to, but I spent most of my time there. Sometimes I took a little more than was good for me. Such recollections make my mouth water! Well-one night during summer, I started for home. My course took me past the village cemetery. There is nothing pleasant about passing a cemetery in the dead of night any- way. Our village had board walks. NVhile I was strolling along with more or less apprehen- sive feelings about that cemetery, I heard an unholy racket behind me. Something was walking behind me. Every step it took came down with a clampety clump- clump. Then I could hear something jangling, like the clinking of chains. For a fellow who was in the unnatural condition that I was, it had a very ghastly sound. N ot to say that I believe in ghosts-I think it is all nonsensical superstition, to tell you the truth, but I do confess at that time I was thoroughly frightened., I could feel cold tremors rushing over my body as if an' icy hand had seized my vitals in its grip. I dared to look back. The apparition which confronted me was too much for my fast-ebbing courage to face. I saw a long, white figure, carrying a light, and its eyes stared at me with a kind of a ghostly phos- porescent look. With one yell, I raced home as fast as I could. Here my friend stopped and laughed. Con- tinuing, he said, Well son, about a week after- wards the mystery was solved. I never told anyone about my experience because as I said, I was drunk that night and I really didn't know whether I had the D. T.'s or not. Some neighbors came over one night, and it seems that the same night that I had that fright was the one when their colt broke his chain. Foolishly enough, they had taken a long chain and staked him out and had for- gotten to put him in the barn that evening. Of course the creature ran away. 'lThe fellow who owned him heard the colt running away and he clambered out of bed in his night-shirt and grabbed a lantern. I-Ie went out just the way he was and caught the colt. . So you see the ghost that I saw was really nothing but our neighbor, leading home his horse. The clanking chain, the horse's eyes reflecting the light of the lantern and the night- shirt certainly made a pretty good-looking ghost. But I've been on the water wagon ever since!

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r-ii7+qii 1 gm ,X I I 1 I, QXQCIDEMIX' 4 Thoughts on Journalism On seeing a reference to that habit of columnists of having briar pipes, typewriters and horn-rimmed glasses in the pages of this paper, I was tempted to discuss this phase of journalism with my friends and to really come to a conclusion as to why they do it. Because my friends will not, as a rule, stand for this sort of thing, I must inflict it on my reader. As to briar pipes. If one visits the editorial rooms of a modern newspaper, the great things you will notice are the pipes. At any time, day or night, if there are reporters, columnists or such in sight, they will be smoking pipes. Of course typewriters are a necessity but a great many people can write their stuff out just as easily and with a great deal less bother. But of course it's part of the outfit. Now why in thunder is a pair of horn- rimmed spectacles necessary to success in the world of journalism? They usually make the wearer look not wise but often foolish. The more foolish the wearer the thicker the rims, as a rule, and the thicker the rims the more foolish is the look imparted. However, I know some people will disagree with me about this. Everyone to his taste. If, however, it is thought necessary for literary perfection to get a supply of briar pipes, -typewriters and specs, by all means let the Students Association buy a supply and fit out all members of the Occident staff. We must have perfection!!! Off to College Among our girls who have left W'est High are Marjorie Costello, who is attending Gard- ner Hall, and Jeanette Hillhouse, who is at the Montessori School, both of New York City. Dorothy Henry has gone off to the land of Canucks. She is at Branksome Hall, Tor- onto. Elizabeth Herrick is studying at Mechanics Institute, and among the others who are remaining nearer us, are Zoe Emery, Margaret Simms, and Helen Whipple, who are at the U. of R., and Virginia Morse, at the City Normal School. Eleanor Kemp has gone to Nashville. Faculty on Vacation This summer, West High was represented in the Old Country by several members of the faculty who, taking a steamer rug under one arm and.a crate of lemons under the other, assumed the delightful role of tourists for two and five-tenths months. V Miss Halsted, one of the globe trotters, traveling with Clarkls expedition, visited France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, England and Scotland and took a thirty day trip through the Alps. Miss Halsted became very proficient in scaling the snowy peaks as did Miss Allis who was present at the celebra- tion 'of the Swiss Independence Day. Many of the faculty spent their vacation in the vicinity of Lake Ontario. Miss Huff en- joyed her vacation on Ojibway Island, Georgian Bay and Mr. Pultz lished-and re- clined in the wonderful atmosphere of Lake of Bays, Muskoka. Mr. H. A. Carpenter stayed at his camp in the woods. Taking the real estate slogan to heart, he built his own lodge and attached a chimney which is a strict anti-tobacconist. . Mr. Lee McEwan and Mr. P. A. Carpenter, unable to separate themselves from scholastic- ties, corrected Regents Papers at Albany. Mr. Sauer, craving excitement, cranked his Hiv- ver and spent the summer backing down mountains in the Adirondacks. Mr. Spinning was with Mr. T ichenor and Mr. L. G. Smith at Algonquin Park, Ontario. After teaching six hours every day, he has returned to West High to rest up. Mr. Fulcomer toured with a Chautauqua through the New England states. The com- pany presented a popular play called, Crossed IVires. I We hear that Mr. Fulcomer had an import- ant part as one of the wires. No more accidents, no more booze No more split rails, lives to lose l So sang Bill Whaleyand Longnecker when the school term started. Where did they learn it? At the General Railway Signal Works, of course.