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

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JERRY’S RECORD TIME RUN By LONY At a word from Coach Bender the two boys tossed off their sweaters, and danced on the spikes of their running shoes to the edge of the cinder track. 1 hey were of about the same height, but there the similarity stopped. Jerry Granger was dark of hair and eyes, and wore a sort of permanent frown and a purposeful On Bud P team-mate, was a blond, smiling fellow with a look expression. the other hand, erkins, his that seemed to say that there was no such word in his life as care. It was the annual California-Stanford track meet, and on both sides of the cinder oval, the bleachers were thronged. Two maniacal cheer leaders tried to outdo each other in imitations of a contortionist. Jerry and Bud were the only entries for Califronia, and as they joined the coach, they saw their oppon- ents coming toward them. Hudson, the star of the Stanford team and of the four opponents, was the only one they feared. Just before Hudson came up to the starting line, Coach Bender finished his talk to his men briefly and characteristically. “Remember, we're counting on one of you to beat Hudson, but it won't hurt my feel- ings any if you both do. You can doit. You Jerry, have more speed than he has, and if you fight, fight, to the last inch, the race is yours. Bud, you let your- HART self go, and for once in your life take something seri- ously. Run to win. Don’t imagine that this is just 3oth of you have to fight and Don’t think of anything else but breaking that tape ahead of any- a pleasing pastime. fight hard or we'll lose the meet. body else.” Jud, flexing the smooth muscles of his legs, smiled Sure coach, we'll do our best. Lis- On Monday we start East to enter the intercollegiate champion- cheerfully. ten, one more thing, said Bender. ship meet at Harvard. I am taking only one man in each event. One of you two will be in the quarter- You've been about even all season, first Jerry But the one that beats Hud- Now, it's up to you, and mile. winning, and then Bud. son today goes on the trip. for the love of California, do your best. Fight every inch of the way. As they were trotting out to the starting line, Jerry's thoughts were three thousand miles away on a bed of sickness with his poor mother. It was for her that he wished to win the race, so that he might go East with the team to see her. Jerry thought with a trace of bitterness what the trip meant to him, and what it meant to Bud, whose parents were millionaires. То him it meant his mother's happiness, her health, and perhaps her life. To Bud it meant just a carefree

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Tr ILE, SCHOOL SPIRIT FOR SENIORS Talks on school spirit are generally given to fresh- men, for it is assumed that the Senior has a super- abundant supply. Indeed many think school spirit consists in working for the school through the various organizations and clubs, cheering the different teams on to victory, and that as soon as school days are over, school spirit and all that pertains to it are things of the past. This is an entirely erroneous view of the matter, for graduation, instead. of doing away with school spirit, ought to increase it. We, who are about to graduate, will do either of two things when we leave high school. Some of us will go on to secure more education in higher institu- tions of learning, and the rest will enter the business world. Whichever we do, the eyes of those above us will be on us. If we go to college, the teachers will base their opinions of Central on the way we conduct ourselves there; if we enter business, our em- ployers will hire other graduates of our school, only if we show ourselves industrious, capable, and trust- w orthy. Let us keep this in mind and show real school spirit by making a good reputation, not only for ourselves but also for our Alma Mater. W.W.D KNOCKERS There are some people who can never don rose- colored glasses and see Pollyanna’s side of life—and who don’t hesitate about letting other people know it. There are many such in Central, and for want of a stronger term, we call them knockers. ‘They see something wrong in the way the school is run, and instead of bringing complaints to the office, where they should go, or try to right the wrong themselves (which is oft times possible), they take it outside the school grounds and air their grievances among non-Centralites. To say the least, this is poor sports- manship. When outsiders hear Centralites knocking Central, they immediately take up the practice themselves No! enemies within the school who give Central a “bad and can we blame them? It is these “friendly rep and give the real Centralites a lot of work try- ing to live it down. Central has a larger enrollment than any other high school in the city, and this may be the reason she has so many knockers. But if you can't be a real Centralite, at least be a good sport. —M. R. W. THE PIVOT When our school magazine first came into ex- istence, it was a monthly publication and issued by the student body. When we became an all-year school, the PIVOT was turned over to the Senior A Classes. confusion and misunderstanding among the student body. The PIVOT is a Senior paper in the sense that the Seniors are responsible for it only. It does not mean that undergraduates may not contribute ma- On the contrary, the PIVOT Board is al- True, your con- It is this fact which has caused so much terial. ways on the lookout for writers. tributions may not be accepted the first time, or even the second time; but should you become discouraged, remember that De Maupassant wrote for ten years without results, and gather courage from that. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor are good editors made in a Experience is necessary—essential, and by writing for the PIVOT, you will get it. Make this your PIVOT, the Senior PIVOT, Central’s PIVOT, but make it your best. It takes time but— you've got to be good to be fast. term. —M. R. W.

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round of gaiety, ending in a month of freedom from restrictions of training and all the money he could spend in a twenty-four hour day. As they came up to the starting point, Jerry tried to forget. He gave Hudson a quick, calculating look and his hopes sank, but he lost none of his determina- tion. The Stanford quarter-miler truly looked dan- gerous, his lines showed him to have the strength of Bud and the speed of Jerry, and as he stood on his toes breathing deeply, he looked like a young god. As they were called to their places, Jerry shud- dered and muttered, “I must win! Oh! I must win!” “On your marks—get set!” called the starter slow- ly, then after a second’s pause that seemed lıke a cen- At the sound the men leaped forward, Jerry and Hudson ahead, fighting for the inside track. were close behind. tury to Jerry, his pistol cracked. Bud and the other Stanford men As Jerry won the lead in the first fifty yards he felt a sudden lightness, he felt as if he had suddenly been given wings. His spikes bit into the cinders and his long strides seemed effortless and free. He was go- ing to win. The thought of it made him run faster, and by the end of the hundred yard dash he had gained three feet over Hudson. Faster and faster Jerry ran without effort, gaining a foot and then another over Bud and Hudson who ran abreast. Dimly he heard a mighty cheer from the bleachers, and he smiled inwardly as the sound of his name came to him. The people were yelling; he was going to win. From a point of vantage, Coach Bender studied the race, he saw Bud and Hudson fight side by side down the track, and then looked at Jerry. The wonderful speed, amazing as it was, did not please the coach. He knew only too well that Jerry could not stand the strain. He had let himself out too soon. Bud was running a much wiser race. Jerry's sense of victory lessened when he heard the sound of another runner behind him. Then for the first time he realized that he was tired. Pains shot through his legs, and his feet felt like lead. He was falling behind! He was overtaken. He saw a flash of crimson and white go past him, then another of blue and white, and then he knew that Hudson had passed him with his team-mate Bud on his heels. He He struggled to sprint, fell out of his stride and lost an- ran on feeling that the race was nearly over. [hen with a great His other foot. He began to stagger. effort he struggled doggedly after the two. breath came in gasps, but he ran on blindly. Some distance ahead he saw the judges opposite With the last ounce of his strength he The tape, snapped across the breast of his friend, Bud. the finish line. sprang forward in a sprint. But it was too late. A foot behind him Hudson crossed the line; Jerry came in third, being two feet behind him. As he stumbled free from the men who supported him and made his way dazedly toward the showers, he heard a cheer of Perkins! Perkins! Perkins! Then an instant later his own name, Granger! Granger! Granger! was shouted to the sky. When he reached the showers they were deserted He stripped hastily, and the cold water revived him. He rubbed himself dry, and pulled on his street clothes, and then stole out through the gate used by the laborers. Carefully avoiding the few people on the campus he went to a quite spot, where he flung himself on the grass, and with his head buried in his arms sobbed. He didn’t care whether California won or not, all that he thought of was his defeat, and He knew that he did not have his railroad fare to Massachusetts, Jerry lay there till dusk trying to think, finally realizing the all that it meant to his mother and him. and he hated the thought of borrowing. futility of it, he got up and walked back across the campus to the house where he lived. Anyway he must look up Bud and congratulate him, he was really glad Bud had won, it showed that he was made of the right stuff and could fight and win when he wanted to. On the stand in the hall Jerry found a telegram ad- dressed to him. “Good luck. He tore it open and read: I am counting on you to win. — Mother.” Tears gleamed in his eyes when he thought of how he had failed. Just as he turned to go upstairs the front door burst open and Jerry saw Bud and Coach Bender. With one leap they were upon him pounding him affectionately on the back. Then Bud saw the tears in his eyes and the telegram in his hand.