Business High School - Commercial Record Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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The Commercial Record 41 WVORK B l4IF0lilC PLAY Winter had come. Snow was on the ground everywhere and the world seemed to be one mass of dazzling white. How I hate to go to school, said Evelyn Alberts to her mother. I feel like staying home to-day. Oh no you don't, laughed her mother. You just think you do. You say that every morning. But, mother just look at that snow. What good sled-riding there will be on the hill. Work before play, quoted her mo- ther. Yes, but I don't like to work, grumbled Evelyn as she went out the door. On the way to school she met her friend, Catherine Johnson. Seeing her companion so gloomy made Catherine curious to know what was the matter. What's troubling you now? she asked. Why do we have to go to school on a day like this, questioned Evelyn. It's such a lovely day. Work before play quoted Catherine unconsciously, using the same words as Evelyn's mother had. Oh there's no sense in saying that, said Evelyn, angrily, everybody seems to be yelling that i nmy ears. They walked along in silence for some time until htey met some more girls from their school. One of these girls, Bertha Anderson was the leader of a group of girls who were always mischief-bent. Catherine did not like these girls and tried to get Evelyn away from them, but Evelyn wouldn't come so Catherine had to leave her, as it was getting late. Where are you going? asked Bertha. . Why to school of course answered Evelyn. Aren't you coming? Go to school on a day like this scoffed Bertha. I should say ll0l. We don't go to school when we can sled-ride, do we girls? Of course not: chorused the girls. Why don't you colne with us, asked Bertha we are going over to lunch basket and a toboggan in the old Stuart's hill and sled-ride. I hid a big shanty at the foot of the hill. But what will the teacher say? asked Evelyn more than half inclined to join the girls. Oh, her. We don't care about her said Bertha boastfully, leave on, Alright, l'll come. said Evelyn just a little doubtfully. It did not take the girls long to reach the place where the sled was hid, and soon they were climbing the hill laboriously. They reached the top and started down. It was a glorious ride and Evelyn told herself she was glad she had come but conscience whispered You should be in school. Once, twice, three times they climbed the hill and rode down again. The fourth time they got to the top Bertha, who was a poor guider insisted upon guiding the sled and so they started down. Half way down the hill Bertha suddenly swerved the sled and hitting upon a stone the shock of the contact threw the girls off the sled. Bertha was the first of the girls up and, lind- ing herself unhurt began to look around for her companions. Are we all here she cried looking around. Yes-but where's Evelyn. They looked everywhere, hut could not see her. Evelyn, Evelyn. cried Bertha. becoming very much alarmed when a faint voice cried, Ht-lp! help! Where are you? She was Running in the direction of the sound of the voice Bertha and the girls look- ed over a bank and saw Evelyn lying: at the foot of it. In a minute the girls were beside her helping her up. Oh my leg moaned poor I-Ivelyn I can't walk. We'll have to pull you home then said Bertha. l'll get the sled.

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40 The Commercial Record A.MFlRIC'A-GOD'S OWVN COUNTRY America-God's Country-The Land flowing with milk and honey! When we think of this great land of ours with its wonderful resources, do we realize what a great heritage is ours? Our country, our land, the place of our birth! VVe see the vast throngs coming to our shores from foreign lands, leaving the places of their birth, their home- land, to share in the riches of this great land of ours. In only a short time they see the advantages they have in our land, and find that even the poorest can share in the wealth of our country, and they become citizens, making this their adopted country, and thinkin on- ly of their mother country as the place of their birth. They till the soil, and work in the mines and mills, helping to produce the products which make America lead the world in resources. We did not realize what our country could produce until we became involved in the great World War. Necessity caused us to declare our independence and we soon became proud to buy an article with the stamp, Made in the U. S. A. instead of in some foreign land. We produced more and we saved more: we found we had enough and to spare, so besides feeding those within our own shores, we helped our Allies by sending them food, an important factor in Winning the war. Let us see of what our wealth really consists. First, let us look at the vegetation. No country upon earth in- cludes such a variety of forest and Held products as our United States. The luxuriant vegetation of this favored country varies. From wheat, rye, barley and corn of the North, to the cotton, oranges, bananas, palmettos and magnolias of the South. The pine clad forests of Maine and the cedars and cypress of the South, rival in beauty and usefulness the giant red woods of California. Our United 'States occupies a favcred position among the nations in the varie- ty and abundance of the products of the field. Modern improvements in agricultural machinery enable farming to be carried on upon a gigantic scale and at allow cost, while the develop- ment of the railroad system and the facilities offered by the Great Lakes afford a ready access to the markets of the world for new products. Not only has the United States an ample sufficiency of the best for its people but it is enabled to transport annually tens of millions of bushels of cereals to Europe in addition to supplying foreign countries with vast quantities of meats from animals fed upon the produce of her boundless praries. Although the mineral resources of our United States have been 'but parti- ally, enough has been done to demon- strate that no other country in the world has such an extensive variety and excellent quality of mineral wealth. The precious metals are platinum, gold and silver. The principal base metals are iron, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, tin and nickel. Then we have both oil and gas, both hard and soft coal. It is said that not even Great Britain is so richly endowed as this country, with fuel adapted to the various processes used in the manu- facture of iron and steel in both crude and finished forms. Do we ever think of the wealth in the seas that wash our shores? The great oyster beds along the Atlantic coast, the cod fisheries on the north eastern shores and the deep sea fishing in both oceans. Let us think of all these wonderful gifts and thank God for this great land of ours, and while we consider ourselves a favored people, let us not forget those in the foreign landsg who- are looking to us for spiritual as well as bodily food. Elizabeth Mohr, 10-B-3.

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42 The Commercial Record Evelyn was soon put on the sled and was being pulled home by the girls. It was not a very gay procession for each of the girls were thinking of the trouble they would get into when they got home. When Mrs. Albert saw Evelyn on the sled looking so white and drawn she was very much alarmed and ran out of the house to bring her in. We were sled-riding over on Stuart's hill and Evelyn hurt her leg said Bertha. Oh mother, sobbed Evelyn I didn't mean to play hook but-her voice trail- ed away into nothingness and she faint- ed. Please go for Doctor McCann said Mrs. Alberts to one of the girls, and hurry. When the Doctor arrived Mrs. Alberts had put Evelyn in bed and was anxious- ly waiting for him. After the doctor had examined Evelyn's leg he turned to Mrs. Alberts and said. She has broken her leg, but I don't think it will be very serious. A week or two's rest wll help her. ' Thank God said Mrs. Tlberts fer- vently. The next day when Catherine called she found Evelyn sitting up in bed looking curiously happy. Oh Catherine she cried, I've sure- ly learned my lesson this time. I'll never again say that there's no sense in saying Work before play. I'm so glad Evelyn said Catherine joyfully, and best of all Bertha has had her lesson too and we're all going to form a club and call it 'THE WORK BEFORE PLAY CLUB. What uu you think of that? Think of it, cried Evelyn. Why it almost makes me glad that I did break my leg. Elizabeth Darling, 10-B-5. A GLIMPSE OF THE 'WEST I am standing in the valley of the Willamette River in Oregon. To the east of me I can see Mt. Hood over 11000 feet high. It is 65 miles away yet it does not look to be over 6 miles at the most. The view is magnificent. A narrow valley stretches away to the base of the mountain with here and there a hill or a range breaking into it. At the foot of the mountain I can see large forests, the distance giving the trees a bluish tinge. A little nearer the trees look rather black, until at last my eyes wander nearer home and I see the trees are dark green. In the valley to the north of me I can see a threshing machine at work. Wagons are hauling the wheat in to the thresher and a great pile of straw is rising up under the end of the con- veyor. Farther away is a large herd of cat- tle. There must be over two hundred head at least. These are milch cows and belong to one of the dairies that supply the people of Portland with fresh milk. Far to the north I see Mt. St. Helens. It is 70 miles away. The top is rounded and from where I am standing it looks as if there would be good sled riding on the side of it. To the left of Mt. St. Helens a small mountain, with snow covered peak, forces its way into my sight. 'Some people say it is Mt. Rainier but they are not sure, so it is best to leave it nameless. To the west lies Council Crest on the other side of the Willamette over- looking Portland. Behind it lies the coast range. This range is covered with immense forests of pine, fir, spruce and many other woods. In the south I see more hills, ranges, and mountains, but none as high as those in the east and north. These are also covered with forests. Here is where the great forest fires occur when summer has been dry and hot. Many times have I seen the state militia go past on trains to fight these fires. Nearer at hand I see orchards of ap- ples, peach, plum, and cherry trees. Well do I kno-w these orchards, for, I like to visit them when the fruit is ripe.