Bedford High School - Echo Yearbook (Bedford, PA)

Page 31 text:

,WW ,M-ff' water had as much chance as has a snowball in summer. I wandered around back: there students and townspeople were rushing in and out remoxing band instruments, stage equipment, curtains everything movable Irom the new edition. I joined them but after several trips decided I was doing more harm than good so back around front I went. By this time the ruin in the east end of the building was complete and the Ilames were licking unchecked at the west end I watched, so mad- deningly helpless, as they reached Miss Bowmans room Look, the blinds in Mr 'I'ritt's room are all so even and undisturbed, why don't they do something to saxe it? a voice remarked, t'Yes, why don't they? I echoed as the flames reached that room, too, Now the des- truction of the old part was complete Would the auditorium go too? For a while I thought so Then by some miracle the fire subsided. I went inside the auditorium, Water dripped from the ceiling, smoke filled the room, broken glass and puddles of water covered the floor, but at least it was still standing I wandered through the remaining class rooms empty now except for the ever widening pools of water in the center. Then I went home, Tuesday morning school was resumed in the grade school. 25

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NOVEMBER Brings Disaster 'ln Ren 'fn aahaal As our building looked before the Ere A STUDENTS ACCOUNT OF THE FIRE At 10:23 on the morning of November 29, 1941, the ominous shrill of the fire whistle pierced the crisp autumn air. I know because I was dusting the clock. Curious I stuck my head out the window using my dust cloth as an excuse to look around, As I gazed casually over the roof tops I saw billows of smoke rolling skyward from- eheavens it can't bee the schoolhouse! I dashed for the telephone and heard the operator say, 'fThe fire is at the high school Rushing pell mell from the house, I reached it in record time and found all of Bedford there. Pushing through the crowd, I worked my way around front where the smoke was pouring from the east end of the third floor, The library was al- ready gone and as I watched, blue, green and yellow flames shot upwardeef Chemicals stored in the basement, a man said, I stood stunned and help- less, watching the building in which I had spent so many hours, tottering. The hopelessly inadequate stream of

Page 32 text:

. 4 .a.!,,,,,,,,N, . M. -0. .-me M.- e , if ,K we ,M i V ww M it .. i Y TER Comes to eafom' Look! It ean't bee yes, it is! ltls snowing! Get out the boots, shine up the skates, Wax the skis and hunt up lots of Warm clothes 'cause when it snows in Bedford, it snows! Snow, however, doesn't mean fun for every student, To some ambitious souls it means money in the pockets and blisters on the hands. To some it just means bundling upu and try- ing desperately not to get the snifiles, But these folks are in the minority. The typical student's first thought is f'Oh bliss! If it snows enough the buses Won't be able to get in, then We won't have school. 26