Bourne High School - Canal Currents Yearbook (Bourne, MA)

Page 17 text:

CANAL CURRENTS 15 THE LOG DRIVE I shall never forget my experience at a “log drive” sev- eral years ago in Maine. The preceding Fall the trees had been cut down, piled up, and taken to the river-side, to be carried down to the mill in the spring. It is a most thrilling adventure to be awakened very early on a spring morning and hear the bustle and noise of camp. The ice had melted but there was still a little snow on the ground. Men were busy everywhere, — some getting break- fast, others collecting what looked like long poles with big spikes in them. These I later learned were called “peebey- poles.” I noticed, too, that the men wore spiked shoes. This was to prevent them from slipping off the logs. It was a perfect day and as we walked through the woods I felt sorry that those fine, big trees had to be cut down. I was consoled by the thought, however, that new ones were growing all the time. Upon reaching the river, I was completely overwhelmed at the sight of the great number of logs bobbing in the river. There were so many logs one could hardly see the water. Men were running over the logs, shouting and keeping the logs from jamming by means of their peebey poles. They had to use dynamite when there was a jam. I was standing near the bank and the logs were packed to the shore. Now, there is nothing I like better than spruce gum and these happened to be spruce logs. I saw a lovely big log close to the shore and I thought I would see if there was any gum on it. I stepped on it and knelt down to get the gum. I was so busy that I didn’t notice the log was slow- ly moving away from the shore. Suddenly it rolled over and I rolled with it! I realized if I didn’t get out of that icy water soon I would be jammed as well as frozen. Holding tigh t to my log I called for help. One of the men near me heard me and came running. He got me safely out and put me on shore. It was a wonderful experience, watching the log drive, but for the remainder of my stay at camp I was content to stay on shore! Louise Barlow, ’37.

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A PERFECT HOMESTEAD As the first few crimson and golden rays painted the horizon in the east, announcing an early sunrise, a peaceful and picturesque environment without a doubt would be noticed by a person standing on the precipice which over- hung this certain canyon. Near this precipice a stream of water fell in glistening splendor over the rocky canyon side down to the green valley below, continuing to the other side and disappearing through a narrow pass. A belt of pines surrounded the valley, continuing up the canyon side. From these tall, graceful trees came a refresh- ing scent and their gentle swaying brought forth entertain- ing music. Near the stream-bed, running through the center of the valley, rested a log cabin, whose fresh logs told of recent birth. From the chimney arose a lazy column of smoke, — the inhabitants were already up. Behind the cabin was an- other building, about twice as large, where the live stock were kept. To one side stood a long pile of wood cut in cord lengths and near it some split wood. On the other side of the narrow stream, gained by a small bridge, was a large tract of plowed land, with fresh-cut fur- rows as straight as a string. Here was pure cool water, green grass springing forth from fertile soil, a great abundance of wood, a possibility of gold being found in the surrounding land, beautiful scenery and plenty of fresh air. Who could ask for a better home site than nature’s grand open spaces? Grant Ellis, ’37.

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16 CANAL CURRENTS IN AN OLD FASHIONED GARDEN On a night all still and starry In a garden of the past There the flowers nodding gently Are the very, very last Of that throng that years before them Danced and shook their heads in glee, Merry, careless and light-hearted Yet, these seem as fair to me. Long ago I saw this garden When it was the joy and pride Of a tiny, fair-haired maiden In the cottage by its side. In the summer months tney blossomed. Tended by her loving care. In the winter months she waited Knowing they were sleeping there. In the summer they were brightest. As they were — so was she too. Bright and cheerful, gay and loving. Golden hair and eyes of blue. In the winter they had faded One by one to fall and die. And the maiden too lay near them Underneath the winter sky. For as Death, the Reaper, gathered them He took the maiden too. She, the fairest flower among them Lily-white and Violet-blue. Dorothy Ryan, ’38. TELEVISION Television, I believe, is the most promising and useful experiment of the age. The American people are apt to think Television is a thing not in use as yet and only in the experimental stage. However, although television is not yet perfected (nothing else is for that matter!) this assumption is entirely wrong. Television is today used in more than ten different depart- ments including the War Department. It possesses more than twenty-five regular broadcasting and experimental transmitting stations and has thousands of regular receivers. The mechanism of a television transmitter has three separate divisions: — first, the scanning disk which is the old-