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

Page 15 text:

A, W. 0. L. By VioLa HAMMERSCHLAG Springtime. Balmy air—blue skies. It was one of those days when all nature seems calling. (We are giving this lengthy description in partial defense of the two youthful characters in the story.) Betty's steps lagged as she walked along the cor- ridor. She had managed to endure it for three periods—to sit in class and study, when, with every fibre of her being, she longed to be out in the open air. Betty sighed—how she hated, today of all days, to go to that fourth period Spanish class! Dolefully she began the four flights climb to the upper regions of the building. On the second flight she was joined by Bert. (If this were an allegory instead of a didactic tale we would label him Temptation.) “Hello, Bet,” said Bert. Ba- t “Gosh, I hate like the dickens to go to class.” “Me, too,” assented Betty with more eloquence than grammar. “Let's get a couple of lungfuls of air before we go up, anyway,” Bert suggested. The two stopped at the landing and wistfully peered out of the barred window, which now seemed to take on a new significance. The bell rang out upon the silence. “Holy Mack- erel!” said Bert, “there's the bell.” Then after a moment he added philosophically, “Well, we couldn't go now if we wanted to.” “No,” said Betty, resignedly, “I don't suppose we could.” There was a moment's silence. “I tell you what,” Bert suggested, “let's go to the “Dolly Jefferson’ for a soda.” Betty thrilled. She adored the “Dolly Jefferson” 一 此 was so expensive. “Well”—she faltered, but Bert was already descending the stairway. “Meet you here in two minutes,” he called. But of course it was five minutes before an excited Betty, hatted, coated and powdered, joine d him. It seemed to Betty that two thousand eyes peering from two hundred windows were watching her exit from the halls of learning. Betty felt deliciously wicked. She had deviated from the straight and narrow path. She was a CUT- TER! Unconsciously she pulled her tam further over her face and plunged her hands deeper into long- suffering pockets—she was a desperate character! Awful thought — suppose some watchful eye had really seen her go! Betty glanced admiringly at Bert. That young man was walking nonchalantly along, apparently untroubled by any qualms of con- science as if he were not, at this very moment, due in Junior Spanish. Even at the “Dolly Jefferson,” as she sipped the refreshing soda, Betty cast several wary glances over her shoulder, lest a member of those two vastly im- portant forces, the Family or the Faculty, should appear. An hour later the two delinquents again came in sight of school. Betty was glad to see that the build- ing still appeared the same. Evidently she hadn't been missed and no warrants had as yet been issued for her arrest. She began to feel somewhat relieved and intensely important. She had joined the vast army of the erring and up to now she had “gotten away with it.” No one seemed shocked at her entrance in the lunchroom. Betty began entirely to forget her esca- pade. As for the slip that Mr. Oaura, the Spanish teacher, would require on the morrow— why worry twenty-four hours ahead of time? So much might happen in one day. Mr. Oaura might be absent— Betty remembered that he had a slight cold—and they might even have movies the fourth—all events which would defer the evil hour of reckoning. But—when Betty reported to her home room at the end of the noon period she was presented with an official looking document with which most of us, except the hyper-virtuous, are familiar, in the form of a slip ordering her to appear at Mr. Sanford's office at 1:20. The letters danced in myriads be- fore her eyes. It had come—the summons! So they knew all! With palpitating heart and faltering footsteps, Betty wended her way to the dread office of Mr. Sanford. That gentleman leveled his usual austere gaze upon the culprit. Betty shifted from one foot to the other. It flashed across her mind that “An honest confession is good for the soul.” Better to begin immediately—perhaps. she might appeal to this man’s sense of humor. Perchance he, too, had felt the call of Spring. “一 it was the first time, Mr. Sanford,” she be- gan. “And—well”—Mr, Sanford glanced at Betty piercingly. “And—well—the weather is so beautiful, I just couldn't resist 一 it wasn't so hard, Betty reflected, after you got started. “Hm”—murmured Mr. Sanford. “It was just for one period and”— (Continued on page 46)

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SHAKING HANDS WITH THE PRESIDENT By ELsIE FUGELSTAD All aboard for Washington. It was on Saturday, the 19th of March, that I left on the 10:30 Capital Express. The trip was an interesting one, and long to be remembered. In Delaware and Maryland the fruit trees were in full bloom, and once in a while a group of children could be seen gathering wild flowers. Well, that was al! well and good, but when the announcement “Washington” passed through the train a great thrill of joy took possession of me. I had waited for the word for five hours, and now at last I was there—Washington, the capital of the United States, with its magnificent buildings, beauti- ful parks, and wonderful hotels. The ten days that I was there passed very quickly, as my time was taken up very much with sightseeing and observing the numerous places of interest. What about Washington monument? Yes, I was there, but not only was I satisfied to visit it, but I insisted upon walking up the 999 steps. It took one-half hour to climb the seemingly endless staircase, but once its height of 555 feet was reached a more wonderful pea view could never be seen. The day was very clear, fM and so enabled one to get a bird's-eye view of Wash- gm .f Ml ington and its neighboring states. In Washington “See. kad] an expression of the Nation’s life may be seen. The dome of the capitol is a thing of surpassing beauty. Its appeal is not alone that of architectural grace; it is a visible symbol of the Republic. In its beauty, strength, security, and permanence is typified all that America means to us—and so, with the assistance of a guide, I was taken through the capitol, the area of which is over three and one-half acres. First, I was taken to the rotunda, then visited the Hall of Statuary, the Hall of Representatives and its rooms, the Senate Chamber, the President's Room and the Supreme Court, where Chief Justice White sat as noble looking as the Rock of Gibraltar. Every- where richness of construction and wealth of decora- tion could be seen. “The rotunda portico is the scene of the inauguration; there the President takes the oath of office and delivers the inaugural address. The guide emphasized that it was where Lincoln delivered the second inaugural address on March 4, 1865. But time is flying, and it would require a volume for me to tell you the other numerous attractions in Washington which I had the opportunity to see. However, another point of interest I must bring out, which to me is the most important one. You all, no doubt, are fami liar with pictures of the Executive TOCOL issit (Continued on page 47)