Arlington High School - Indian Yearbook (Arlington, MA)

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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

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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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ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. 5 o-i :P ' ®c»-g LITERARY DEPARTMENT I-©. 1 ’ CONCILIATION WITH THE PHILIPPINES. There is much discussion at present, one may say all over the world, as to whether the United States is pursuing the correct method in dealing with the bit of humanity, which lies literally un- der our feet. I will not say what my opinions are, but will simply state a few facts which occur to me in my most mel- ancholy moods. The war, or as we are informed, the chase, over in the Philippines has been drawn out until every man, woman and child, at least in the United States, has had opportunity, and renewed opportun- ity, for deliberating this subject. I hope my classmates will pardon me if my thoughts run in a furrow formed by a noble orator of the eighteenth century, which has lately been reproduced, per- haps, on a small scale, in a spare corner of my brain. If one stops to think over this ques- tion the awfulness of the whole matter at once presents itself. Think of the young men tramping in an unknown land, re- ceived perhaps only by hunger, hardship and ambuscades, and all for what ? Some people argue that this is not the right policy. They th.ink that peace should be a worldly virtue, and advocate dealing with the Philippines in a con- ciliatory manner. Peace is of little value when it is won at the point of the bayonet, as my friend, Burke, has told me, for if the bayonet is removed war again springs up. This idea of peace is admissible to the L ' nited States, as other questions equally important have been settled without war ; and again, may not a su- perior power offer peace in perfect safety? The inhabitants of these islands are chiefly Malays in the western part, and Papuan Negroes in the east. They live mostly on the coast and lead a sea-faring life. Certainly a most ideal lot of subjects to conciliate with. Care is necessary in dealing with such an object, for is not the honor of the United States involved ? The industries of these islands have greatly increased in the jjast few years, but one may see a number of their most civilized inhabitants lounging on tbe piers as he enters any port on the coast. In the case of commerce, the carrying trade has been mostly done by other countries. However, they even export tobacco to the United States, although it is one of our chief products. They also export the famous Manila cordage, hides, rice, gums and cigars. Were we to use force in subduing them, it would only, perhaps, be temporary, un- certain, and would greatly impair the ob- ject. Then, too, the islands are so far aw ' ay that the advantage would be entirelv with them, as it takes days and even weeks for a slow transport steamer to reach the seat of action. The United States has three ways in which to deal with this outlawed world in regard to its rebellious spirit — to change it, to prosecute it as criminal, and to put up with it as necessary, but to change it is impossible, to prosecute it inexpedient : thus compliance is neces- sary. Do the inhabitants of these islands want to be governed by a nation of which they know comparatively nothing? Do they wish to be governed by a man sent over, who knows, perhaps, nothing of the wishes and needs of the people ? Certain- ly they have reason to be touched and