Central High School - Spokesman Yearbook (Erie, PA)

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2-stef gg, grass cbs - i g THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT'S PHILOSOPHY Suzanne Diefendorf Oh, Yes: although the faculty might not credit us with such a thing, we have a philosophy. More remarkable still, it is faithfully followed by every student in the school. It deals with no abstract theme, such as Religion: no, it is practical: it meets and copes with the common problems of ordinary existence: it is, in short, the philos- ophy of How to Get By. Upon occasions we expand it into How to Get By Creditably. lt has even been known to develope into How to Get By With an A. Never think that this remarkably elastic philosophy just growedu along with Topsy and our characters, No: with exemplary patience and application we developed it during our fledgling years in grammar school: we spent that period of sportive youth at Junior High in improving it by closer study of ourselves and our teachers: and now, in the harvest time of those eight years of preparation, we have made the art of bluffing one of our faculties, a seventh sense. We are able to divine, during the first five minutes of a new teacher's supervision just what course of conduct to follow. Our expressions and our general attitudes change mechanically as we troop from one class to another. 'Bluffing has now become a habit, and requires very little energy to be expended upon it. For the first time in our lives. we can' give our undivided attention to matters for- eign to school. Oh teachers, picture if ye can, with what joy four minds being at rest and our consciences clearl, we follow long-anticipated pursuits: the things we have al- ways thought we would like to dol fl would advise you to acquire such a philosophy, if l were not sure that you already have one., To give a few instances of its practical application: lVlr. A, cannot endure an opposing spirit in his class. His ruling passion is to rule and he does it, with all the absolutism of a Roman Tyrant. No doubt he believes that he has frightened his students into the awed submission depicted upon their counten- ances. Not true! The submission is depicted for his special benefit and it is no clue to what is going on inside their heads. Mr. A's other weakness is his inclination to wander from the subject. His classes take a secret satisfaction in leading him along with alluring questions until they get him fairly launched on some endless anecdote. Then they sink back into their seats, and, fixing their eyes on him in an absent stare, fix their thoughts on other and far pleasanter subjects, Does fMr. A suspect the subtle purpose of their questions? Certainly not. He believes that he commands their attention, as completely as he commands their conduct. Poor, deluded Mr. A.l He gives them a high mark because they have made a good impression upon him and because he honestly thinks they deserve it. Meanwhile. they change their expressions and proceed to another class. Miss B. demands an attitude of alert attention. Consider how thoughtless she is: it is a lot harder to express an alert attention for fifty-five minutes, than awed submission. However, through devoted study of the matter, we have learned to go through that trying period with a minimum expenditure of energy. l..et future generations take heed of these two points in their dealing with 'Miss WB.: Look at her eyes full of interest and attention: make a faint of noting down her words of wisdom for future reference: and you will never lack the necessary credits in her subject. Miss C. is a different -proposition. The personal element enters here and a certain amount of tact is required to handle her correctly. One unfortunate trait of hers, is that while she has no objection to boys as boys, she has a decided antipathy towards them as pupils. As far as l can see. the only course for them to follow, is to really work, until they have so far insinuated themselves into her good graces, as to have no fear for the future. Speaking from the viewpoint of a girl, however, l have found it wise to adopt a tone of friendly intimacy from the start. Little exchanges of compliments on dresses or shoes before class, are helpful. ln extreme cases it is advisable to go as far as to hold after-school conversations concerning the relative merit of the current movies. Work in class is secondary: but a high mark in tests is indispensible. So, when we finally come to commencement, the really momentous problem that faces us-contrary to the opinion of the worthy speaker of the evening-is this: will our philosophy cover all the .phases of that higher education , either in College or in Life, upon which we are about to enter? We think from observation, that it will. However, if we see the necessity, we will not begrudge another eight years of toil in revising it, or even developing a new one. I05

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'L' igfj T Z as qi-115.5 I1 1. , - N ,D cbs THE FOAM FAIRIES Only after a storm, when the waves have high bubbly crests, do the Foam Fairies appear. They leap about on the white caps, and if you listen carefully you can dis- tinguish their shouts and tinkling fairy laughter from the roar and pound of the surf. It was on a day like this, when the black storm clouds and the fluffy grey wind clouds had parted enough to let the late afternoon sun shine on the tumbling water, so that strange colors appeared. Close to the shore where the waves broke on the sand and rocks rolling up to me where I sat, the water was a dirty brown filled with sand and bits of broken seaweed, farther out were shades of green deepening to a blue along the horizon. A green that shifted constantly reflecting the golden sunlight on its rows of white caps. It was then that l saw a foam fairy, standing on the crest of a wave. She came closer and closer, disappearing, and reappearing leaping from top to top. Then she sat on a huge one which rolled her up to a patch of brown sand at the side of my rock. She laughed a merry fairy laugh and danced, making tiny elfin footprints on the damp sand. 'On her hair, brown like the little wet pebbles, shone a dliadem of tiny petrified bubbles funbelievers call them pearls, confining within themselves the softened colors of the rainbow. Her dress was now green and now blue like the water near the horizon, with foam bubbles bursting and reappearing on it. As the sun sank lower and made a path of rose across the water l saw hundreds of Foam-fairies on each wave, throwing handfuls of bubbles at one another. They make the white caps. The Foam-fairy on the beach blew a wee shell whistle that hung on a golden thread and a great wave rolled in and carried her out. Then, when the sun was just a thin line of fire, they disappeared in the distance riding back to their home where the waves start. For although the waves roll in on every shore, who knows where they come from? l04

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fi'-FQQB 2 ' ,X fi -If Qcbsg assi?-f g i' A STUDY IN TRAMPS By Eloise lliffe Saturday Morning! To some it means a time to repose among the soft covers and downy pillows, to others a time for the accomplishing of other tasks. l cannot say l look forward to Saturday morning. l just nicely get started on some duty when ring goes the front door bell. l know it means two things, either a demure looking couble sheepishly asking for the minister, or a tramp. Of course in all ministers families the former is looked forward to with the greatest of expectation. The latter, alasl It is hard to vouch a good word for him because so many are beats. Yet tramps make wonderful material for character study. A short time ago a vagrant came to the door. Father admitted him. He said he wanted enough money to go to Albany where he had a rich uncle. When they get so far we always know the outcome on account of our years of experience with such story- tellers. He said he was sure 'that his uncle would be so glad to see him that my father would receive a check for twice the amount that was asked for. l-le leaned back in his chair sure of the fact that he had really persuaded my father. His face glowed with the thoughts of meeting his uncle. Then, he spilled the beans as that kind of a man does when he gets talking on religion, He believed in prayer he said. lt seems that a friend of his was an ardent believer in prayer. l-le told how the friend wanted to go to Cali- fornia and so he prayed about it. l-le received an answer the very next day when he was asked if he would like a free ride to California. When the story was finished all was very quiet, Surely , he thought, l'll see my dear old uncle nownl Alasl No. He had not accomplished what he hoped he had with Father. Well, and it was my father's voice, the thing for you to do is to go up to Eight- eenth Street and stand there on the corner and pray, and just as earnestly as your friend did until some one drives by headed east and ask him for a ride 'to Albany. With that the man jumped to his feet and made for the door. l-le threw a dirty glance back over his shoulder at Father and growled. You're a d--m Fool. Father waved him a good-by laughing heartily at the way l1e'd taken him up at his word. But not all tramps are like this, Many worthy men who were depressed ancl tired of it all have risen by a little start given by an understanding heart. A week ago my father was invited to Jamestown, N. Y. While there he was introduced to a very fine looking man who said: You don't know me but l know you. A few years ago l was in your city and out of work. l had looked long and faithfully for something 'to do but found nothing and l was heartily discouraged, l came to you and you found employment for me. Later l came to Jamestown where 'l have succeeded. And so it goes the world over you will find people of two classes. Men who are worthy and men who are unworthy. 106