Chowan College - Chowanoka Yearbook (Murfreesboro, NC)

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clear, quiet Ruth Norwood had surely exceeded our expectations, and besides being senator from North Carolina, she is known far and wide for her numerous mathematical inventions and hydrographic calculations. As I watched her my mind Hew back to a dear little Senior ring and Ruth ' s numerous calculations in regard to its various dimensions — sometimes large, sometimes small — and some- how large again. Yes, hers was a mathematical mind, and she has developed her knowledge until she has accomplished untold wonders. Hers is the study of oceanology, coasts, bays and harbors. And did you know that by her great calculations and observations the current of the Gulf Stream has been changed, thereby affecting the climate of the North Pole and making it the most renowned and most enjoyable of summer resorts. Yes, her bill called for a deal of discussion and eventually it seemed it could not be settled. A lull finally fell over the House, and with a word from Speaker Tayloe, a bent form silently and stealthily made its way to an opening in the wall. Strange, weird numbers were called out and I felt puzzled, so I turned to one of the attendants who told me that the person in question was Bruce Vann, and that she was consulting Empress Nell Ward of Mars concerning the inventions and suc- cessfulness of certain movements on her planet. My attention was attracted to the main entrance. And could I believe it ! Yes, in walked the President of the United States, none other than our own Rose Nowell. In her school days she had shown a wonderful talent in this direction, and alwavs seemed to have a knack for planning and making others perpetrate those plans, but little did we think that she would develop her talent to this extent. She was the principal factor in determining the rights of woman in America and in putting down man rule. Just as all eyes were riveted on her there arose a mighty cry. Suddenly I sprang to my feet and looked in the dir ection of the noise. It was a heart rending spectacle that met my gaze. The cry came from the lips of a persecuted husband who was being dragged in by a woman whom I recognized as Jessie Watson. He was dressed in pink lawn bloomers, pink silk blouse and he was ruffled and curled. She quieted him with a characteristic gesture and said very deliberately to the President, I am the one who needs help. ' ' Her complaint was that her husband was not willing to stay at home and wash dishes while she was on a political campaign. The President called on her chief attendant, Pauline Eley, who was able to quiet the excitement in a very few seconds. After the meeting adjourned I approached Eva Boyette who was another representative and inquired concerning the whereabouts of her cousin and class- mate. To my amazement she informed me that Grace Pearce was the ruling power over the small republic of Abyssinia, formerly known as Ethopia. M) ' mind was in a turmoil. Will wonders never cease, I thought. Here was Pauline Ely, chief aide to President Nowell ; Eva Boyette, a repre- sentative from North Carolina, and Grace Pearce, who was never known to be satisfied with anything longer than an hour, ruling the country we studied in Sun- 27

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froplipry Oh ! can it be that fourteen fleeting years have passed since we happily left this institution of learning — guarding proudly our precious sheepskins — with an air of supreme superiority to all the common mass of humanity? Such great and varied changes have taken place ! Old Father Time ' s tricks are too numerous for us, even in this age, to prophesy concerning them, so instead of assuming the guise of clairvoyance, allowing fancy free play or giving you the benefit of dream phantoms. I deem it more appropriate to introduce to you my once dear school- nrates. Yes, my once classmates — though honors sit well on their noble brows, anil fame has made their names renowned. In the year 1928 it was my good fortune to spend the winter in Washington. D. C. One day while Congress was in session I dropped in to hear the proceed- ings. I must confess I received the greatest shock of my life, for whom did I behold b ut our old classmate, Bettie Williams Tayloe, as Speaker of the House. Can you blame me for being overcome with surprise, for all the while we thought she preferred cuffs, collars and red neckties. I soon discovered that very import- ant business was being transacted, so I slipped unobserved into a shadowed seat, thinking to learn something more of my classmates. The House seemed to be engaged in a heated discussion, which would have ended disastrously for some one, had not Ruth Norwood arisen in her mighty stateliness and introduced a bill demanding that Palm Reach and the Isle of Palms be tabooed by winter tourists, and the balmy Xorth Pole resorts be more frequently visited. Yes, our own 26

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day-school as Ethopia. Truly, this is a wondrous age ! As Eva and I passed out of the Capitol I admired the wonderful interior decorations. She informed me that they were done by Lillian Brite and Fannie Jenkins, who were employed bv the Government to decorate the buildings according to their ideas of art learned at Chowan College. It was true that they had taken extensive courses in Boston, New York and Paris, but President Xowell discarded all ideas gained from those sources and desired only Chowan talent. Strains of music greeted my ear as I left the Capitol. I went in the direction of the sound and found I was just in time for the afternoon concert by the United States Marine Band. The graceful movements of the conductor attracted my attention and as I drew nearer I recognized Maude Sawyer, who was exercising all the power of her musical temperament for a careful directing of that famous classic, Clementine. Each musician was carefully following the movements of the conductor in order that none of the beautiful effects of this famous com- position might be lost. Could I believe my own eyes ! Yes, there sat Kate Jenkins playing the bass tuba. I always knew that that breath control of Kate Jenkins would amount to something, but I hardly thought it would find its way through a brass tuba. In the stirring climax the oboe was the most prominent instrument of all. I looked to see what manner of person could draw forth from the oboe such soul stirring tones, when to my astonishment I recognized Helen Winborne. As the last pathetic strains died away on the evening air, I drew forth my red bandanna and walked slowly away. 3ProjiJ|prg for tl|p f rnpl|pt cannot tell lioii. ' the tale may be. I tell the tale as it was told to me. While Ruth Sawyer was narrating for your benefit the varied careers that have been ours, from the time we left Chowan until this notable reunion, I have been thinking over Fate ' s tricks to her. Such a thing as one of us becoming famous was never thought of back in our school days, but Ruth has surprised us. I am sure you have all been reading articles in the magazines concerning the new foods and the new fangled ways of preparing them. We make sure our husbands keep posted on them. Those articles are written by none other than the renowned Domestic Science specialist, ] Iiss Ruth Sawyer. My husband makes the best fricasseed hippopotamus and consomme made from elephant ' s trunk from her recipes, but the finest results of her recipes is the orangoutang salad garnished with persimmons. Isn ' t it great that she came from our midst ? I will not take time to enumerate further on her great work, but from these few illustrations you can see what she is doing. Perhaps after all she is only making preparatimis for the future and is still concocting recipes for the use of i raham flour. Ci.. ss President. 28