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

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Opium By Ben-Ami Kaplan commencement night in the city high school ТЕГЕ wd the auditorium 15 packed. The school orchestra fitfully. drowned by the hum and bustle of the | his able as it 15 interesting. Mis embled audience. last, the audience, is аз deep hush drowns all sound. [he orchestra kes up the processional march and the heroes of tay [ne m. AM eyes turn to the streaming double ied slowly out of the center doorway. Ап wersotic looking youth leads the procession with a woud chin and happy smile. “That's Jack Finkelstein.” irienels among the seated to his peroxided partner. the Lancet. Snappiest line for a feller like him you ever heard. whispers one of his “President of his class and editor of D» some big shot all right.” [Һе girls keep sailing down the center aisle all blushing and proud in their white silks and laces while their male escorts, in dark jackets and duck trousers. keep step with assumed nonchalance and artificial in- difference. Applause in profusion abounds as they take their seats on the platform. Immediately begins their silent searching of the seeming multitudes before them in the hopes that each may weed out a dear face г two for an imcomparably deiightful telepathy hrough the whole evening. Jack Finkelstein sitting at the front where all presi- dents and editors are expected to sit, has no trouble in finding his folks the seventh row from the front. He smiles to them with much satisfaction and Mr. and Mrs. Finkelstein and family are in heavenly bliss. heir Jakie, the one apple of their eyes, he—their lakie—is president of the Senior Class of June 1929; he. Jakie, is editor-in-chief of the Lancet. “Мата,” whispers little Anna, her eyes large with Jakie is right in front, in the big chair. “Sh! my darling. Look.” [he principal. a kindly gray-haired man. an- ‘Chief Factors for Success.” an address bv Jack Finkelstein.” Applause. awe, look! nounces: Jack Finkelstein rises from his big chair and «peaks. He speaks well, with a ring of true convic- He, within himself, believes He believes becauses he him- on and determination. »verything he is saying. self has experienced most everything he propounds to he booms, “із the direct Where happiness you may be sure, my friends, that there was And Jack is happy. Happy to sit in the big chair before his fellow-graduates. happy to stand and deliver his ideas on success and vive his own personal views and advice on the subject. He has been one of the outstanding forces at school and has made himself liked, and Jack liked to be When he finishes with an eloquent phrase his audience. “Success,” cause of personal happiness. there is no previousiy no success. popular. and a gesture full of meaning he sits down in his big chair amid thundering applause. The principal must wait a few moments for the commotion to subside. [he program continues. Ail this while a pale looking senior sitting toward the back is gazing abstractedly in the direction of his His name is Harry Gimbelson and tasted that success which his friend below experiences all along. Не never had that de- Not that he was indifferent, because he wasn't. Far from it. Не only thought it a lot of hot air and nothing else. As for success: didn't he make good in his studies? Didn't he belong to the Debating Club? Couldn't he have made the varsity debating team but that an- cther friend wanted to make it very badly and he stepped away in his favor? Didn't he belong to a number of clubs but never thought it essential to hold office? Not that he was proud, nor, on the other hand, was he afflicted with an inferiority complex. He was neither. It just meant forty below zero to him. He liked the activities and worked. and that was his satisfaction. His folks. his mother espec ially, would always put up Jack as an example of a live wire and as an exponent of success in later life. She would try to persuade him to become a more spec- tacular figure at school. But Harry always resisted. Now. as he is sitting there toward the back of the platform, he regrets that he had ever resisted. No, not for his own sake. For himself it still means nothing. But as he regards the Finkelstein family below as they are near bursting with happiness and After parents below. he has never sire. It meant nothing to him. pride he feels a deep pang for his own parents.

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all. if he himself didn't care. at least why did he not think of his parents? How happy they would have been if he were to have addressed this audience now! His reveries were interrupted by the principal's soft bass voice and again the president of the class rose, and with a forma! little speech, presented the Senior Gift to the school. Due thanks from the principal, and the program was resumed. In the middle of the class song little Anna clutched Look, Mama! there's Harry on see him? A pause. up front her mother's arm. the side over there Yes, darling, not so loud.” Mama, why don't Harry sit Jake is? Sh! І don't know. You must keep still.” But Mama, Harry's such a nice boy and they put him all the ways in the back. Why?” Listen, darling, keep still now. You'll ask Jake where a little later why Harry is sitting in the back. The diplomas are given out and as Harry passes Jack by, sincere congratulating smiles are exchanged beiween them. Jack begins to look eagerly at the loaded little table beside the principal's chair. Не knows that all the honors, letters and awards are on that little table. Не also knows that not a small share will soon be his, and he smiles to himself thinking of his address earlier in the evening. Harry sees the same little loaded table but feels worse for doing so. He cannot meet the gaze of his parents. Jack Finkelstein, flows the voice of the principal, receives one letter as president of his senior class.” The president rises. The voice flows on: “One as editor-in-chief of the Lancet. More applause. The editor steps forward. The principal had not finished. One letter as presi- dent of the General Organization. Jack, all aglow. shakes hands with the gray-haired тап and returns to his big chair. The acclamations below raise the This is the first time that student ever received three letters at commencement. Mr. and Mrs. Finkelstein are wild Jack is oblivious to all as further awards are given out to members of his class. He is intoxicated. He does not know what to do with the three envelopes so his kindly partner, a girl, takes them smilingly away and places them in her lap. You'll tear them, she whispers. Applause. same letter roof. any with ecstasy. Jack Finkelstein,” says the principal. Jack wakes up with a start. “А gold medal as captain of the debating team.” He receives it with a bow and again returns to his seat unconsciously smiling to the roaring audience. “To one of the best and most hard working mem- bers of the Debating Club, a complete edition of ‘Great Orations of the World,” to Harry Gimbelson. 7 Harry could hardly believe his own ears. Some one nudges him sharply and he stumbles down to the front and takes the white paper package from the smiling principal and returns bewildered. to his seat in the back. The hand-clapping is loud and sweet in his ears and now he dares look down to his parents with a happy grimace. Among those who receive medals as members of the fencing team is Jack again. When his name is called the applause is promoted to a shouting. Some baby, he is, remarks our peroxided friend amid the acclamations. You bet, more coming. says her side-kick, “апа there's Yea! Jack! And more does come. The Pasteur Club presents him with a book and the Rifle Club with a medal. The presentation of a scholarship for a four-year course in jurisprudence from some distant institution is the climax. It is that the commencement exercises of the class of June 1929 are the commence- ment exercises of Jack Finkelstein. In the vestibule he is swamped with acclamations. It takes the appear- ance of a sort of reception hall for his benefit. Even the janitors who know him well come to shake hands It is just as Jack expected clear with him and see him off. it to be. Harry’s acclaim by his parents and friends is much quieter and restrained. He himself is vastly pleased at the surprise afforded him by the Debating Club. He seeks out the president of the club, tali, red- headed, and thanks kin for the favor. Not at al!, Harry. you deserved it. we wouldn't have given it to you.” Otherwise “That was the best time I ever had in my life, says Jack to Harry when going home together in a taxi with their families following in another. “1 wish you all the luck in the world, Jack. Gee. but you were the whole cheese. As for myself. I'm (Continued on Page 73)