Browns Valley High School - Thunderbird Yearbook (Browns Valley, MN)

Page 17 text:

thunderbolt, upon the evening air and echoed and re-echoed in the hoys’ ears. They looked at one another, somewhat startled, discussed the situation in the fewest words possible and decid- ed to move along. A party of young ladies, representing all classes, desiring some excitement, went to the school building, entered the open door and start- ed a Taillabaloo in the assembly room, around the piano. Suddenly, a gruff voice demanded: “Who are you?” Then there was a hurrying and scurrying down the stairs. The source of that voice lighted a match and caught a glimpse of two of the girls, as they fell over one another down the stairs. At last, the Sabbath came, and no banner bad been unfurled since the preceding afternoon. The Junior girls prepared one, and delegated the boys to hang it. that evening. This, they fearless- ly decided to do. Assisted by a young man who resembled a Senior in stature, but who was real- lv an employee of the local Tribune, tJiev entered the building that night and proceeded to climb into the belfry. The young man resembling the Senior, was upon the ladder when the superin- tendent came from his hiding place in the office and gruffly cried out, “Is that you. Arthur?” The young man answered to the affirmative and quickly made his escape, before the Prof, could identify him correctly. The others also escaped and went down town for reinforcements. These, they obtained and again proceeded against fhe building. The Prof, routed them and went for the assist- ance of the local police force. The boys were spied first, as they rounded a corner on Third and Maine Street. Bang! Bang! Bang! went the .3S Colt of the Chief of police and the boys ran for their lives, one of them calling. “Bun low, the bullets are flying high.” Unable to trace the route that fhe boys had taken, the Chief proceeded to escort the Superin- tendent home. At the foot: of the plateau, the Senior semblance of the Junior assistant was halted at the point of a gun and the wave of a “billie.” “Where’s the ‘bunch?’” demanded the angry Prof. The Senior knew what was coming and

Page 16 text:

The Board of Education was in session that night and expected to visit the school house at nine o’clock, to inspect the new steam heating plant. The time soon arrived for their coming. The Senior boys and girls were frightened, but they dared not come down, for the Juniors had the hose attached, preparatory to giving them a good soaking, should they attempt to escape. After breaking one window, and two plants, tearing the handles off of two doors and flooding the hall floor, the besiegers became discouraged and departed. The Seniors descended, repaired the damaged places as best they could and watched for the coming of the Board until about 12:30. They then closed the building and went down on Third Street, near the Fire Hall, where they found a threshing engine with twenty pounds of steam on. The temptation proved too much for the boys, they tied down the whistle and raised a most unearthly noise. The meeting of the School Board, still in session about a block away, broke up suddenly and the members ran to the scone of the noise, followed by residents from all parts of the town. After some work, the marshal suc- ceeded in cutting the wire that held the whistle, and all retired peaceably to their homes, to l e greeted, the next morning, by the same banner, proudly floating upon the gentle breeze. This was the last day of the week and school was not in session. In the afternoon, the janitor, think- ing that he might quell the disturbance, removed the pennant and hid it. That evening, the same boys took the cloth that remained from making the first one, and prepared another banner, almost as good as the first. They were walking leisurely toward the school building with it, discussing plans for its defense, when a form, looking much like that of I he Superintendent, emerged from the side door. The boys stopped, looked and listened until the stalwart form moved toward them. Then, they retreated slowly. The words: “Boys, what are you doing here?” came from the figure near the building. There was no answer. “I want you to strictly understand that there shall be no more rowdyism around this building. You boys had best go home at once,” fell like a

Page 18 text:

was fully prepared. “I don’t know where any ‘bunch’ is and, fur- thermore, I haven’t been with any, tonight. If you don’t believe me, you may step up on the plateau and I’ll prove to you where I’ve been,” was the answer. “Now, I want to tell you, once for all, that this rowdyism must stop at once. I want you to use your influence with the Senior class to quell it. I shall impose a line of five dollars upon that class, tomorrow morning, for starting this trou- ble, and I want it paid at once.” Tbe Chief replaced his .38 caliber and “billie”, the Prof, cooled down, each said “Good-night” to the other and proceeded to their homes. The next morning, a fine of one dollar was im- posed upon the Junior boys, caught in fhe build- ing, and fifty cents upon the girls caught. The Seniors were notified of their $5.00 fine and also that a fine of twenty-five cents per week would be charged for non-payment. A Senior meeting was called, but order could not be maintained, so all the girls but one report- ed in the office and pleaded “not guilty” to any charge in connection with the banner. These were released and the three villainous boys and one girl arraigned before the “court of inquiry.” The girl was dismissed, and the l oys, informed that their fine would be one dollar and sixty- seven and a half cents, each, with the same pen- alty for non-payment. The bill was paid and all trouble was satisfac- torily settled. AIITlIUn NELSON, ’10. d 1 fcj