Conshohocken High School - Echo Yearbook (Conshohocken, PA)

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THE BLUE AND STEEL 8 nature of that play. Besides the few instances that have been discussed in this essay, there are countless superstitions, customs, popular sports, and proverbs that have been made immortal by the pen of Shakespeare. If there were time and space, pages upon pages could be written about the curious and varied forms of folk-lore abounding in Shakespeare’s plays. In this essay I have tried to give some small idea of the wealth of information contained in Shakespeare’s artistic productions con- cerning the imaginative realms in which I believe no other dramatist had such an intimate relationship as did Shakespeare. Elizabeth Koch, ’28. In the Depths His Majesty, our Superior I War Lord, the Kaiser!” Amid JL shadows cast from bulbs swiftly dying to flickering yellow upon the dark cylindrical interior of a maimed U-Boat now to become a sea tomb, my men slowly raised their wine glasses, each hollow stem containing a lethal dose of poison mingled with sparkling cham- pagne. The glasses were drained and stems snapped in the clutch of stiffened fingers so instantaneous is their death. While I watched, they were gone—gone! And I—alone! A shudder ran through me and I flung an arm up before my face to shut out those dead, gaping eyes staring so life- lessly at me. I tried to face what was before me— death. Death—for me who was so young and prized life so dearly! In despair I whirled around to seize the glass upon the table whose contents should instantly reveal to me the secret of death and free me from the tomb, but in my haste, my rl-cve had swept the glass upon the floor where it shattered into a thousand pieces, mixing its contents with the sea water which had seeped in. For a moment I stood—aghast— scarcely breathing. Then it registered at last upon my brain. I who did not wish to die would have my desire. Death was denied me for the last of the poison was gone. I laughed aloud in a crazed sort of way. 1 was trapped—trapped—and doomed to wait for slow suffocation and probably madness with my dead men for com- panions. Still laughing rather madly at the irony of Fate I stumbled into my own private apartment and closed and locked the door to shut out from me those white, calm faces. Trapped! Trapped! The words beat against my brain until I thought I would go mad. I shut my eyes and tried to make myself believe it was all a horrible dream. Once more I lived through the happiest moment of my life when His Majesty, the Kaiser, decorated me for bravery and bestowed upon me the finest U-Boat in the Royal Navy. Gaily we set forth to win the war— my men—and I with my splendid ship. Then what followed that was only a part of the horrible dream. The depth bombs had found their mark, tearing open the outer shell of the ship, crippling the diving tanks so that now they acted only as anchors to hold the hulk, a bat- tered captive upon the ocean bottom. Once more I reacted the failure of the efforts to raise her, and then how I had supervised the suicide part of the crew, and as was the custom in the Royal Navy, how I had waited to make certain that all of my men died as they wished before I should cross the void. Then—ah! my blood chilled ! Once more the words beat against my brain—Trapped ! Trapped! I jumped up in a frenzy and flung myself bodily against the wall, screaming now rather wildly. Suddenly it dawned on me I was be- coming crazed. Wild laughter shook me. Then my heart stood still. What was it ? Were the dead men tapping at the door to add more to my torture? Once more it came—a slow tap! Tap!

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THE BLUE AND STEEL 7 moon, planets, meteors, stars, comets, and thunder. Frequently Shakespeare’s char- acters swear by the moon. People were often spoken of as being born under a lucky star or an unlucky star. How- ever, in “Julius Caesar,’’ Cassius says: “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are under- lings.” Shakespeare was well acquainted with natural history: in his writings we find many characteristics and habits of birds of all kinds referred to. The power of the cock-crow to dispel evil is well- known. The crow has always been reckoned as a bird of bad omen. We often hear folks say they “have a crow to pick with someone.” This occurs in “Comedy of Errors”: “Well pluck a crow together.” The dove is a symbol of peace. Shakespeare often uses the word gull as synonymous with fool. The lark was used as the subject of many of his most beautiful descriptions; its sweet song was always its mark of distinction. An idea brought out in “Merchant of Venice” is that the nightingale never sings by dav, in which Portia says: “I think, The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought No better a musician than the wren.” Many people still believe that the hooting of an owl is portentous of death. Its weird shriek reaches the ear of Lady Macbeth while the murder is being committed: “Hark—Peace! It was the owl that shriek’d, the fatal bellman, Which gives the stern’st good night.” And in “A Midsummer-Night’s Dream” we read how “The screech-owl, screeching loud, Puts the wretch that lies in woe In remembrance of a shroud.” The raven with its hoarse croak is regarded as a harbinger of evil. The proverbial constancy of the pigeon is alluded to in “As You Like It” (1113). Besides the birds that I have mentioned there are many others which frequently occur in Shakespeare’s verses. From even a slight perusal of his plays, it is easy to see how well ac- quainted Shakespeare was with the char- acteristics and habits of plants and animals, much of which knowledge he must have acquired by observation. Like- wise he was familiar with insects and reptiles. Shakespeare had not only a good knowledge of technical medicine of his day, but also knew many interesting par- ticulars about the folk-medicine in by- gone times. A common remedy to stop bleeding was the one alluded to in “King Lear” where one of the servants says: “I’ll fetch some Hax, and whites of eggs, To apply to his bleeding face.” Folk often jokingly attributed ulcers in the mouth to the telling of lies. In “Winter’s Tale,” Pauline says: “If I prove honey-mouth’d, let my tongue blister, And never to my red-look’d anger be The trumpet any more.” In Shakespeare’s day vinegar seems to have been termed “eisel”; was supposed to have been highly effective in prevent- ing the communication of contagious dis- eases. Thus it has been used by Shakes- peare in Sonnet CXI: . “Like a willing patient, I will drink Portions of eisel, ’gainst my strong in- fection.” In the olden days anniversaries and customs connected with the calender were celebrated with a great deal of merry-making. Most of these festivals, however, have been out of use so long that many of them would probably not be remembered were it not for Shake- speare. The title of “Twelfth Night” originated in the festivities associated with the festival of Twelfth Day, which was a season of merriment. Midsummer Eve was a time when the imagination was unlimited; it was thought to be a season productive of madness. Hence, “A Midsummer-Night’s Dream” is an appropriate title for the imaginative

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THE BLUE AND STEEL 9 Tap! the outside. I was saved! Then I knew—they were signals from Eleanor G. Caine, ’28. History of the Class of 1928 TH E good men do goes before them. Shakespeare never said that but that’s because he never knew our class. Long before the Class of 1928 entered the portals of the Conshohocken High School the fame of its originality and willingness to help was well known, and although we entered in the approved fashion of Freshmen—excessively green and intensely bashful—our ability was shown the very first year. We scarcely had time to get acquainted with our numerous classmates—there were 108 in all—and to spot the location of our class- rooms, when preparations for the foot- ball season and the annual operetta were started. Immediately the Freshmen of- fered their help, and many being ac- cepted, proved their worth by working hard and giving splendid support to both enterprises. Many also joined the orches- tra and when the other sports came along the same thing happened. Basketball, baseball, and track all had their quota of supporting Freshmen. At one time during the year the Blue and Gold, our school magazine, was in a very precarious state. It looked as though it would have to be discontinued. But as soon as the situation was made known to the school, the Freshmen came to the rescue, forming a volunteer ad squad and turning in all the class notes and stories possible. Thus the Blue and Gold was saved and we have been able to maintain a successful magazine ever since. The year came to a close, final exam- inations were met and conquered and the Class of 1928 completed its first year at high school. Vacation over, we returned in the Fall to again take up the duties of high school students. But though there was no difference outwardly, a subtle change had taken place. No longer were we little Freshies, meekly enduring the taunts or indifference of the upper-class- men. We were Sophomores—a year older, about five times wiser, and at least ten times more dignified. Now we were the Lords and Masters, with the Freshies to obey our every command. Even when we looked up the meaning of the word Sophomore in the dictionary at the re- quest of a Senior we were not very much taken aback. The dictionary might call us “wise fools” but we knew better! Taking stock of our classmates and teachers we found a change in both. Some of the teachers had gone and others had taken their places, while a number of our classmates had either been trans- ferred to other schools or had left for good. Still we were a large class and a number of rooms were needed to hold us all. We greeted old friends and new and then settled down to work in earnest. Again the operetta, the orchestra, and the different sports were staunchly supported by members of the Class of 1928. This year, too, there was an essay con- test on the lives of different composers. Members of every class in the High School entered it but I am very glad to say that it was won by a Sophomore. Another high spot of the year was the event of the orchestra’s first broadcasting over the radio. Here the Sophomores not only played with the others but rendered many fine solos, both vocal and instru- mental, and if we are to judge by the fifty odd telegrams we received, the con- cert was a huge success. Thus the year went by with everyone busily and happily engaged in school work and play. All too soon our Sopho- more year was over and our second vaca- tion arrived.