Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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How would you like to give your son ten dollars? But unfortunately in his excitement, Markham spoke very loudly. Mr. Wurth leaped to his feet as if a bee had stung him. Oh, is it you, Markham? Did you bring me the change from that ten dollar bill I gave you this morn- ing?” Yes, yes, sir, said Markham, That is, —all but fifty cents—lI spent. Oh that is all right, replied Mr. Mith, I don't mind giving you fifty cents to spend.” Hang the luck! muttered Markham as he left the room, I must have a voice like a locomotive.” Notwithstanding the outcome of his first. attempt, Markham Mith still believed in the power of sugges- tion. “I believe I could influence Buddy by suggestion, if I could catch her napping,” mused this young gen- tleman while on his way to the home of the young lady whose name he had used. Оп arriving at his destination, Markham was ushered into the parlor. Buddy will be down immediately, he was told. Upon being left alone our hero let his eyes rove carelessly about the room. Did his eyes deceive him or was that Buddy curled up in an easy chair and apparently fast asleep? Markham was sure it was Buddy. What luck! he said, I will try my ex- periment at once! So creeping softly to the side of the girl he put his mouth close to her pretty head, and whispered in her ear: Perhaps you will give Markham Mith a kiss?” So that is the kind of a fellow you are, call on young lady and make love to the servant girl, said voice whom he recognized as Buddy's. Where—what—who—? ' stammered Markhar Do not speak to me again, young man! she sai icily. “Jane, Jane, what do you mean by dressing my clothes? But Jane was fast asleep. It was пеј essary to shake her vigorously, which task Buddy pe formed with no gentle hand. Jane, she said, leave this room this instant. “T want to give Markham Mith said Jan rubbing her eyes. Ever since Buddy entered the room Markham hal been in a daze, but this remark of Jane’s brought hi back to life. He realized for the first time that | had mistaken the servant girl for her mistress. Leave my house immediately! Buddy со manded in a haughty voice. Markham complied wit out speaking. What is the use of arguing with woman ? As Markham left the house he heard Jane wailing Oh—why did you send him away? Call him Бас Markham! I want to kiss you!” Markham slammed the door, shoved his hands far into his pockets as possible, and with his hea pointing toward the ground made his way slow homeward, breathing a fervent prayer that he shoul never hear of the power of suggestion again. H. M. Ellis Hahn Presents JAZZING AROUND The Senior Dance Committee was discussing the details of the coming dance of the class. This dance was to be а money-maker (ог the Senior class treasury, and all of us were trying to economize on the various things needed. Don't decorate the gym was one suggestion. The suggestion met with as fine a reception in laughter as Al Jolson's latest song hit with his jibes, on the opening night at the Winter Garden. What is a dance without decorations? Why, if we didn't have them the place would look like an empty barn. Well, are there any other suggestions?” asked the Chairman. I thought a moment, and it came to me—' Why not save money on the music? Quite a few of us Seniors can play some instrument, and some would only be too glad to volunteer their services. This sav- ing would amount to at least $35, and this sum is worth while saving, if it can b e done. For once in my life, I had done something worth while in thinking—so the other members of the com- mittee told me and the suggestion was upheld by the rest of the committee. Dear reader, you in your whole life, perhaps never had a whole committee agree with you, and can imagine my happiness; first that my suggestion had been favorably looked upon, and second, that the whole committee were in favor of it. This is a thing that is “The thrill that comq once in a lifetime, as Briggs says; that is, when Senior Dance Committee is unanimously in favor d something. The Chairman made me the head of the Senid Band, and of course I was to bring the band togethe It looked easy, but just try it out yourself sometim( The first great problem сате. Who would be tl musicians 2 I got as many members as I could to my home roo one noon, and found out that out of the ten th showed up, six played piano. Three of these we morally opposed to jazz. Two thought they coul play, but when they tried out, only one suited me, an believe me that guy could tickle the keys some. I ha my piano player. In the other four, I had three vid linists and a banjo player. Of the violinists, one wä a “conscientious objector who was “exempted” me, another was rotten, and the third was pretty fai only he didn’t have enough pep. banjo player, for he was the only one in the class w could skillfully manipulate that instrument. I pulled all the nerve in my five feet one-sixteen inch together, and put in a notice for volunteers whic was read in the auditorium asking them to see me they played other instruments than piano, violin, Бап) ог drums. (Oh, yes, I was to be the drummer.)

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think I will just as soon аз I take a little bracer. (Goes to the liquor closet and pours out a glass of whiskey.) The Woman—Oh Jim! Don't let that man touch me, don't let him, you promised me you would pro- tect me. Jim—T'll telephone for the police. (Starts for the telephone.) Robber—Y ou'd better not. I can make my ве!- away without any trouble, but you will have to ex- plain your presence here at this time of the night and other embarrassing things. Га advise you not to call the police. (Raises his glass and drinks a toast to the woman.) Robber—Are you ready, my dear? (Advances slowly towards the woman.) The Woman—Jim, please help me! Robber—So that’s his name, eh? Jim. Well, Jim, I'll give you two minutes to clear out of dis place and if you try to pull any hero stuff about protecting da woman ГП punch your face into such a shape that the women won't want ta know you any more. (Continues to advance slowly towards the woman.) The Woman—Jim, please help me! going to do anything? Jim— There is nothing for me to do, my dear. I'm sure I don't want to be disfigured for life as the rob- ber says; in fact, I regret that I came here tonight. There are others, why should I waste my time here? Mr. Robber, I have decided to accept your two min- ute offer. Robber—Very well, it stands good now, but men like you don't decide matters of that kind; they are too much of cowards to debate the question; they ac- cept whatever terms they are offered and leave the women to shoulder the blame. That's about all, beat it. (Exit Jim.) Robber—Well, lady, I guess you've learned a Aren’t you lesson tonight, ГП be going now in order to see that your friend Jim keeps moving. (Exit Robber.) (The Woman sits down and begins to think.) (The bell rings and a moment later Ben rushes in the room.) Ben—What do you know, wifey dear, the Board of Directors have accepted my invention and I re- ceive one million dollars for selling it to them. Just think—no more staying at home, no more of the old style living. From now on wifey shall have every- thing her heart desires—and her hubby will be with her all the time. The Woman—Oh, Ben, that’s wonderful, but I must tell you something before we go any farther, to-night—. (The bell rings.) (Ben gets up to answer the bell. The woman re- membering about the gloves suddenly decides to put them in his coat pocket so that he will not forget them again. She puts her hand in the pocket of the coat and draws out an old blue cap inside of which is a corkscrew, black mask and an old mustache. At this moment Ben comes in—she has her back to him and he does not see that she has the cap and other articles in her hand.) Ben—It was Jim’s chauffeur with some gasoline. My! but you look better to-night than I ever saw you before. Can't your millionaire hubby have one little kiss? (Starts towards her. She turns around, holding out the articles in front of her.) The Woman—Then you know all? Ben—Yes. The Woman—Can you forgive? —Will you for- give? Ben—If you'll forgive me for almost letting you run away with that scoundrel Jim. The Woman—Let’s both start Ше anew. you little robber, steal that kiss you asked for. CURTAIN. Now, THE POWER OF SUGGESTION Merely suggesting to a person to do a certain thing, often “The power of suggestion is wonderful. brings about the desired result. Markham Mith pricked up his ears at these words. Не had been aware that Mr. Wurth, the psychology teacher, had been speaking for half an hour, but this was the first thought that had filtered through Markham's black mop of hair. Especially is this true when the person whom you wish the suggestion to act on, is asleep, went on Mr. Wurth in the same dry monotonous tone. Markham heard that, and immediately it crowded every other thought out of his mind. He appeared as if he were in a stupor while the instructor continued his talk. Now Mr. Wurth, you should know, is a man of extraordinary attainments. Besides being able to con- verse fluently in Latin and French he can recite Ham- let word for word. In appearance, Mr. Wurth has one characteristic feature; that is a lack of shortness. When talking, this learned man looks either out of the window or at the girl in the front seat. In this respect he differs from Markham Mith, his pupil. Markham always looks at the girl in the front seat. School is dismissed. The students are on their way home most of them walked along with down cast heads, sorry that they will not have another opportu- nity to recite today. Not so with Markham Mith. АП the way home Markham thinks over Mr. Wurth's word “Suggestion acts very readily on a person who is asleep.” While still tossing this about in his mind, Markham walks into his house. Seeing father asleep оп a couch, this young man determines to try the power of suggestion. Walking softly over to his father's side, he said,

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In answer to this announcement, eight more showed up, including a trombone player (Г had to take him), a cornet player, who was very good, and cello player whom I let in the band because he helps me out when I don't do my homework in stenography. The other five included two violinists and three pian- ists, who came in spite of the announcement. I, nev- ertheless, kept the violinists tor second violin and un- derstudy. Гће went ош than they came in. I called a rehearsal at my home, others had engagements, and still others find the house” ( ) After giving explicit directions how to reach my home, I called another rehearsal. At last they all did come, but in pieces. One came at the right time, and the others drifted in during the next six hours. Their excuses were they could not find the house. Instead of going to Avon PLACE, they had gone to Avon AVENUE. One looked for me on Astor Street, and got to his destination after another hour's walk. Пре dance was а month off. We were not organ- ized. The first thing we did was to elect a leader. We elected Joe Jenkins to that post. I had only one copy of the popular songs of the present time, and so all had to read from that one copy. They all gathered around the piano and took a chance on Dardanella. We started to play it, but somehow the violinists and the piano player started to race and—the rest of the bunch were “‘also rans, who did not qualify at the finish. The song was played over and over and at last we got it right. I started off with an oriental drum solo, later the cornetist put in his part, and then the whole bunch fell in, and the song sounded great, even-if-I- gotta-say-it-myself. pianists faster and some came, Couldn't Our band included the following great jazz artists: better th van Joe Basile Prof. Bebby T Meyer Linnick 7 Wilbur Sweatman Ingraham “Ваше-Ахе” any other or in other words, THE GREATEST BAND EVER GOTTEN TOGETHER. Cornet player Pianist Violinists Trombone player Banjo player rummer Cellist JAZZ We still needed practice in keeping together, and never didn't we practice. And believe me, it is lucky that my family doesn't live in a two family dwelling, for if we did, then it would have meant war for years, because of the noise we made. Each had his own in- terpretation of the songs. If they would have been in good tone and time, it would have been all right, but they were all wrong in time and it sounded like the key of “Н” when they put in their own inter- pretations. As I was the head of the Band Committee, I had to write to all the leading music publishing houses in New York for professional copies. I sent letters away, and soon got answers that if I wanted all the coming pieces. I should have ту band join their club, and they would send us all the latest songs, all parts, two a month, and sometimes more. One's rate was a dollar, for twenty-four songs, and anoth- er's two dollars, for at least two a month, and maybe more—if they were put out. I was told to send for them, and sent $3 for the music to the different publishing houses. The music came, and had all the parts needed. asked for my money which I expended, and was told to ask the G. O. for it. I put in a claim for the money, after gelting the required number of signatures, and re- ceived — МО, not the three iron men, but a flat denial of the funds, as the G. O. was in its usual state, bankrupt. I collected this “‘cush’’ from the rest of the fellows, and I was all right in my financial standing again. At last the songs came, and all had their parts. ‘Then everything went better, and we played our parts like regulars. The night of the dance came, and it was an- rounced that the SENIOR JAZZ BAND was to render its services. We came, and it was a sight— especially myself. I had a big bass drum in one hand, and the case with the snare drum and traps in the other. Anyone who knows the size of myself can imagine the scene. Why, I tell you, I never saw so many people so friendly to me as that night. I re- ceived smiles from everyone. When I got into Ше school, everyone laughed. Memories of the scene were immortalized in the Pivot of the following month, by Max Tischler. The rest of the band didn't look so funny, except that fellow who played the 'cello, and he looked fairly good, because he is six- foot-four, and I am nearer to four-foot-six. We started to play, and the first song we played fine—that was Swanee. Our band looked as good as any. We jazzed away at that song, and after getting encored times, we quit for a while. The trombonist, cornetist, and yours truly, went out to get clean collars during the intermission (ours were sweated into dish rags while jazzing “Swanee’’). The next song, “Пагдапейа” went off fairly well. We played Carolina Sunshine,” “ОВ By Jingo,” “Blues,” and started in jazzing There's a Lot of Blue-Eyed Marys Down In Maryland,” when who should walk in but—the strong arm squad of the Musicians’ Union. ‘They tried to get us for dishing a Union Band out of a job. I, and the rest of the band, got away with our instruments first. I сег- tainly looked funny carrying the bass drum with all the traps hanging on, the cowbells clanging as I ran. A big musician caught me. I grabbed my largest cowbell, and hit him in the stomach. He was 16814 pounds heavier than I, and at least twenty inches taller, and so had the reach оп me. Не gave me a “haymaker’ and I hit the floor with a thud. When I “сате to I found myself on the bedroom floor, surrounded by the whole family, telling me to shut up as they wanted to sleep on, if I didn't, at four o'clock in the morning.