Ashtabula High School - Dart Yearbook (Ashtabula, OH)

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THE DART 29 A Modern.............? By TII.LIK MOHILEWSKY “Oh, Mother, isn’t that horrid, and to think both Max and I wanted to go!” The door closed with a bang, the girl dropped into a chair, the head of auburn hair went down on the table, and sob after sob issued from the small girl. “Why, Faynetta, dear, what is the matter? There, there, I know you're all tired out.” “No, Mother, I am not tired. Just because Max and I had the measley measles we’ll have to miss our first real high school party,” and again the large gray eyes filled with tears. “Now, Faynetta, brace up! Dry those tears, and talk so I can understand you. There now, what is the matter ?” The girl blew her nose and began, “Well, Maxine and I both came to school this morning and everything just went off peechie. Then after school when we were comparing and exchanging notes on school gossip, up came one of the first team girls and said, ‘Kids, you coming Friday night?’ I know we gave her a funny look. She then told us about a lawn party that was to be held on the school lawn for all the kids that had been on any of the athletic teams. It had been announced about two weeks ago but of course WE were home with the MEASLES,” and again the lips of this Freshman girl, who had made the second team, began to quiver. “Now, dear, why are you crying? Why can’t you and Maxine go Friday night? There will be no lessons, is Maxine ill?” the mother questioned. “Oh, Mother, don't you see its tomorrow night! What would we wear? You wouldn’t have time to make me a new dress.” “I think your blue taffeta would do nicely and I’m sure Maxine could wear her little brown satin,” her mother answered unsympathetically. “Why, Mother! This is to be a lawn party. It’s May now. Wouldn’t we look pretty among a lot of girls dressed in light colored silks, voiles and organdies! We’d feel about as much at home there as an undertaker would looking for business.” Maxine too, was just crushed! She considered it nothing less than a calamity, but she had a feeling that some how “Gran’ma” would see that it was “all right” as she had done on so many other occasions. To be sure, it is quite an honor for a Freshman to make the second team, but better than that, Maxine had been sub on the first team! And now, after all that glory, not to be able to go to the party. Well, it was indeed a catastrophe! “Gran’ma” Maxine’s never failing confidante, extended a sympathetic ear, and after the tale of woe had been disclosed she, too, enthusiastically suggested the “brown satin.” “But, Gran’ma, they’ll all be togged out in light colors,” and fearing the suggestion of a last year's dress, added, “and you know I’ve grown so much in the last year I won’t be able to wear a single one of my last summer’s dresses.”

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28 THE DART The Senior Play Let us forget our troubles for a while. Let me take you back to Old England, in the eighteenth century, when the women, and the men too, wore powder in their hair and hair-ribbons. Think of it, a hair-ribbon on a man! And every gentle lady made a curtsy to all her gentlemen friends and said friends returned the greeting with a bow. Picture in your mind a philosopher, a theorist in fact, who is intending to work out the theory that every man should be his own wife-raiser. So our theorist, in a cold and calculating manner picks out a young and healtny girl from a group of foundlings, and educates her until a time when she is of an age, and in a position to marry him and in due course supply him with a paragon worthy of his name. But alas for our theorist, who thinks that love in his breast has died years before! After a due lapse of time he realizes that he is really in love with his intended bride. You may weii enough say, “What next?” Just this; when at length our theorist makes his proposal to her, he makes it so deli- cately that she imagines that he is asking her to marry his scapegrace nephew, a young and lively soldier, who is really her ideal. And again, alas for our theorist! It has been well said that, “The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley.” Perhaps you have foreseen the outcome of this merry tangle. Picture our theorist, now no longer a theorist, walking slowly down the garden path, looking longingly at a house which was to have been his and hers, with the shadow of a smile lingering on his face, while from the house are wafted the strains of “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose,” sung as a duet by two young people. Now we must come back to this world of troubles again, but we saw all this and more May 13, when the Seniors put on their annual play. This year it was “Mice and Men,” by Madeleine Lucette Ryley. At that time some of our most fashionable seniors were transformed into antiques for an evening. The following seniors were the ones who were antiquated at that time: Max Dowell ....................... Mark Embury, the theorist Merle Eddy ........................ Roger Goodlake, his friend Homer Pritchard ........ Capt. Lovell, his scapegrace nephew Helen St. John................... “Little Britain,” or Peggy Homer Blakeslee................Sir Harry Trimblestone, a fop Gordon Burwell ...................... Kit Barniger, a fiddler Duane Harmon ..................... Peter, Embury’s servant Vera Emmons .................................. Mrs. Goodlake Hazel Durey ............ Mrs. Deborah, Embury’s housekeeper Kathryn Loomis............. Matron of the Foundling Hospital Luther Hollister........... Beadle of the Foundling Hospital Isabelle Johnson ..................... Molly, a kitchen maid

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30 THE DART “Well, dear, all you need is one,” her grandmother graciously answered. ‘‘I really am terribly serious about this because we want to go so much I Why, Gran’ma, there are going to be Sophomores, Juniors and even Seniors and Gran’ma, there are going to be some - - - some - - boys, too!” A smile lit the elderly lady’s face and Maxine knew that “Gran’ma was going to make it all right. ” Ten minutes later Maxine could be seen “tearing” across the street. She burst into Fay’s house and shrieked, “Fay, Fay, we can go after all.” She immediately proceeded to impart “Gran’ma’s” plan. Fay’s mother approved it. Knowing glances, muffled whispers, giggles and the details or the plan were completed. The next day dawned bright and rosy. The girls managed some how to go through the routine of the day, however, that is not saying how far from school were their thoughts. Father Time at last ushered in the dismissal of school. “Gran’ma” was to help the girls dress. It took them several hours, but finally they were ready to go. Everything about them was perfect. Any one who passed the High School about eight o’clock beheld a sight which they will undoubtedly long remember. The lawn was beautifully decorated. Tables and chairs were artistically arranged beneath the trees and a great many lanterns and bright colored streamers were gaily festooned from tree to tree. The rainbow hues of the girls’ dresses pleasantly contrasted with the unconventional black coats and white trousers of the boys. Eight o’clock sharp two girls, quaintly attired appeared. No one had seen them come or knew wn they were. They were dressed in th-fashion of 1776, one in light blue, t.. other in pink. Little white cur hung under the poke bonnets whiir they wore. The large lacy collar were very becoming to the parts the faces which were visible for tn-eyes and noses were covered by blac domino masks. Their skirts were ver full, containing hoops which encircle their hips, and lacey pantaletre-peeped beneath them. Wnite silk hose and black satin slippers adorne their dainty feet. “Ah-h-h-h” and “Oh-h-h-h” were heard as they approached tne scene of the party. The boys thronged around them and in a few minute; their program cards were filled. Tilt girls gave their names as “Prudence and Priscilla.” They were the center of attraction and many of the students thought they were there to add to their amusement. Ten-thirty came all too soon and as mysteriously as the girls appeared they disappeared. When they were safely out of sight and hearing Maxine exclaimed, “Oh, Fay, I twisted my ankle and I’ve lost one of my slippers, and just think, it belonged to Gran-ma’s great-grandmother.” “I’m awful sorry, Max, but we just can’t go back, because if we g' back, they’re bound to find out who we are and then it will spoil it all Wasn’t it just wonderful, just as we planned it, all but the slipper.” The girls again started off for home. Maxine in her anxiety for “Gran’ma’s” great grandmother? slipper, had not noticed the sharp pains shooting around her ankle. She said nothing about the pains to Fay. but decided to wait and see what was going to happen, and she limped away, holding on to Fay’s arm.