Arlington High School - Indian Yearbook (Arlington, MA)

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ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. 3 carry sacrifices to Athena in the Pan- Atheniac procession. The Erectheion was the centre of worship of Athena, and their rich festal draperies and the simple severity with which they are treated, fit- ting them so peculiarly for the position which they occupy, lead us to believe the latter supposition to be true. The low relief over the first stairway at the east end of our building is a por- tion of the noted Parthenon frieze. The original frieze which encircles the walls of the Parthenon probably relates to the Great Pan-Atheniac or chief festival of the Athenians, who once in four years paid tribute to their patron-goddess, Athena. Of the entire frieze the greater part is in ♦he PriLis ' . ,i ieum, the west portion is in situ on the uuiiding, and a few other slabs are in . then.s. the Louvre and elsewhere. This bri’ii. ' i ' U procession, which lead beasts for s. ' cr.iice to the Acropolis, was lepresc : a ' :. . c all that was noblest and best of Athci.i- n state and society. The o ‘rj- f.ortion. of wPi ' P »• ing. It is by Thorvaldsen and represents Alexander’s triumphal entrance into Babylon at the head of his victorious and devoted army. The hero, stately and strong, with a victory near by holding the reins of four prancing chargers, stands gracefully turned toward the pride of his heart — the Macedonian cavalcade. Plis handsome face and bearing portray noble pride rather then arrogance ; this pride seems to be reflected on the faces of his followers who, as they converse with one another and motion toward their leader, signify, by the expression on their faces, their great love and respect. In comparing this frieze with that of the Parthenon, Eugene Plon says that Thor- valdsen, when he conceived this compo- sition, h :1 probably not seen the casts of the V;;s-rcliefs of the Parthenon. The marbles were not brought to England until 1814. Drawings of them, however, had beei ' ri.adc and there is no doubt that Th I ' .aMsen consulted them. But the • .itation was not servdle, as jealous artists jh.UvC n.aintained ; on the contrary, it was periectly independent. This is especially i notable in the groups of Macedonian cavaliers, which recall the Athenian horse- men in the Pan-Atheniac Procession. Most of the latter wear the tunics and ' chlamys, which the Danish artist has re- tained, and properly so, in his warriors of Alexander’s train. He has also given them breast-plates. The attitudes these cavaliers assume, whether in curbing or urging on their steeds, are skilfully varied ; and the action of both horses and horsemen are in the severe style of antique work. The original Diana of Gabfi, a repro- duction of which has been recently pre- sented to the school by the Cotting High School Alumni, is in the Louvre, Paris. It is a full length statue of Diana, God- dess of the Hunt, just returned from the chase, and is one of the most important products of the excavations made by

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ARUNGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. ' I ' he series of advertisement tableaux were well gotten up and exceedingly attractive, well meriting the enthusiastic applause that they received. They were as follows : — Squire’.s Hams and Bacon, Miss Anna Scannell. Rogers ' Bros. Silverware, Miss Mabel Payne. Pear ' s Soap, Miss Ida Rogers. ,. Mr. James Duff, bapono, Wyman. Pillshury’s ’itos. Miss Elizabeth McGrath. I Miss Lilian N. Peck. Pahst Malt Extract, tMr. Fred Butterfield. S. H. S. M. Braid. Misses Margaret Murphy, Alice Reed, Helena Robertson, Anna .Scannell. Parker ' s Tar Soap, Miss Dora Parsons. Queen Quality Shoes, Miss Addie Eillebrown. Next Mr. Frederic Butterfield, in his usual commendable manner, rendered two piano solos, — a. Fruhlingsrauschen by Sin- ding ; b. Le Cavalier Fantastique by God- dard. Then came the play entitled “ Quits,” which rertected great credit on the talent of the Seniors who took the various parts. Scene — Girl ' s Parlor at White Elms Semi- nary. Ti.me — Afternoon of .Senior Reception. Kittie Goldthwait, a senior. Miss Harriet Gott. Gladys Courtenay, her friend. Miss Margaret Champney. Miss Griffin, principal of .Seminary, Miss Evelyn Gott. Fred Olney, cousin to Gladys, Mr. Arthur P ' reeman. Charles Goldthwait, Kittie’s brotlier, in love with Gladys, Mr. Philip Patterson. The actors in their several roles were easy and natural and the hits here and there together with the amusing scrapes, which followed one after another brought forth repeated peals of laughter from an atten- tive and appreciative audience. Light refreshments were then served fol- lowed by general dancing in the lower cor- ridor. Yes, Seniors, your Social was suc- cessful. W ITH this number of the Clarion ends the description of the new art treasures which the Arlington High School has recently acquired. In room “A,” and on the west w ' all of the room as one enters, hangs a pic- ture of the ” Porch of the Maidens,” at Athens. This portico is on the south side of the Erectheion looking towards the Parthenon. The most striking fea- ture of this structure is the substitution of the human figure for the coiumn, of which this is the most successful example in Greek architecture. In all, there are six figures, two at the sides and four in front. On studying these figures one for- gets the fact that they are supporting members of a portico, and only wishes to admire them as individual statues so skil- fully is the architecture blended with the sculiiture. I ' he elasticity of their pose does away with the idea that their bur- den. which they carry with perfect ease and stability, is heavy ; the graceful curves of the neck which would tend to make the figure weak are strengthened by closely fitting bands of hair ; and a light basket-like capital, instead of a frieze rests upon their heads. The straight lines of their draperies carry out the idea of support, while the curves and bent knee suggest repose ; indeed, to me there is more real artistic grace and re- ])ose in one of these bent knees than in all the countless pinnacles of a Milan cathedral. There are two suppositions concerning the significance of these maidens or Caryatides. Some believe them to represent slaves in commora- lion of the city of Carya in the Pelopon- nese, which having been captured and de- stroyed by the Athenians, the women were sold into slavery ; but it is highly improbable that any such event took place in this epoch. It is more generally accepted that these figures represent Athenian maidens of the time, who for their beauty and rank, were chosen to

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4 ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL GLARION. Marc Antonie Bore liesc upon the site of Gabil in 1792. The moveinnte of the cliarming fig ' ure is full of grace and airy ease; she is just about to lay aside her chlamys, which comes just above the knees, and which is the garb usually worn by the Amazons. The treatment of the entire is very life like, but the head and lovely features of the goddess tend most to the finish and grace of the whole. Indeed the school is very fortunate to have such a statute included among its works of art. This statue is at the head of the stairway at the west end of the building, while on the wall above the stairway below is the bust of Zeus recently presented by the class of ' 02 . This magnificent bust, in the Sola rotunda of the ’atican, is supposed by some writers to be a copy of the great work of Pheidias. It belongs, no doubt, to the Roman period ; l)ut it 1 . certain that the design is not Rc with certain modifications, is al noble Greek original. It gives v clearness the characteristics of 2 settled by Pheidias. Among thes teristics are the manner in which rises straight up on the forehead, down on each side of the hea( mane : the brow clear and ope and prominently arched below ; massive beard flowing down in ric the deep set I)ut widely opened ey the refined and noble expres. mingled majesty and mildness in t so suitable to the omnipotent ru gracious father of gods and men. is the best bust Zeus handed (h Antiquity. In room 6 on the south wall h: very fine picture I)y Ruysdael, e “Landscape with Windmill.” The mill is a favorite subject of the X landish artists, and is one of the st‘, characteristics of Dutch pictures, mill at the right is nearly perfect i. tail, while at the left the stagnant flats and swamp-grass are bathed in the warm afternoon sun, which the artist so loved to portray. The whole picture is full of contentment and peace and well ty])ifies the quiet Dutch character. In room 8 is the finest landscape in the building. It is evidently an evening scene and is perhaps one of the best works of the artist-poet, Corot. It is one that we may study long and still con- tinue to discover something new to charm and delight. A huge scrambling oak, in striking outlines, rests against the evening sky, at the right of the pic- ture ; along the bank against the rich, massive foliage, with his coat flung over his shoulder, as he leads his lowing herd along the lea, the ploughman home- ward plods his w ' eary way,” while at the left of the picture “ in the pool drowse the cattle un to their knees.” I