Des Moines Technical High School - Engineer Yearbook (Des Moines, IA)

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1921 COMMENCEMENT NUMBER--THE TATLER 1921 It had all come about through the guest that Helen Lodge had brought home with her from school for the Thanksgiving vacation. Helen Lodge was such a-well Mother had given her a lecture on slang that very morning, so she supposed she shouldn't say boob- but if she couldn't say that how was she to express her opinion of Helen Lodge? Helen was always ready to follow anyone's lead, to bask in the reflected light of anyone a little extreme and Helen was enjoying immensely the sensation that Elaine was making. It wasn't just this thought that stirred her wrath, Rosemary told herself and truthfully too, it wasn't that she was jealous of Elaine's popularityg there was something about Elaine Blake that made her feel she was not worth all the attention she was getting. The pretty red lips set themselves into such a grim line as she met her reflection in the mirror that not even the dimples in the corners came out. Oh dear, it is terrible to be fat! one hundred and ten pounds! and I don't sup- pose Elaine weighs more than ninety-eightg I have always wanted to be thin. It is most interesting looking. I'll just show Bob Banning I can get thin, if that's the kind of girls he admires so much and then S-then I'll let him know that his type doesnit interest me in the least. With the true spirit of a soldier, Rosemary took herself in hand. The next morning she ate her grape fruit and a little dry toasty the rest of the things she left untasted. Then after hunting out the vari- ous diets for reducing she had clipped from the Woman's Corner of the paper, and deciding on her course of action, she walked down town and back. Elaine and Helen had departed but Elaine had promised her host of admirers to return at the Christmas holidays and already festivities were being planned in her honor. Rosemary kept herself out of things for the weeks between the vacations. She had two reasonsg first her diet did not include fudge that was invariably served at the parties or ice cream or anything that made life worth while. Even the box of candy that Uncle John had sent her for Thanksgiving-and Uncle John always sent simply delicious candy-was locked away with only one piece missing. Her other reason was that she thought it would be a good lesson to some people to know that her world could go on without them. Three times in one week she had given study or other engagements as an excuse for not accepting Bob Banning's invitations, and other boys she had put off the same way. A week before Christmas her Mother remarked at the breakfast table one morning: Do you know dear, I have been wanting to tell you how pleased I ani with the way you have been attending to business lately. Bed at nine o'clock, and all the lessons prepared with of course an occa- sional good time thrown in, is my idea of what is proper for a young girl. You looked so sort of peaked around Thanksgiving that I was beginning to worry about you. But I have never seen you looking ooooooo e one noone og..o........,..........0 ,.. ,,,,,,,,. 26

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1921 COIVIMENCEMENT NUMBER-THE TATLER 1921 A Bubble H LITTLE bubble dancing in the air As wafted by the winds, you play carefree, VVhat secret do you hold in that cell fair, And where may we seek for the opening key? For reflections of another world are caught In pictures painted in most radiant hues Which artists o'er the world, to match, have sought, But found them only in reflected dews. NVhere is this land so far and yet so near W'here visions of true happiness revealed A place of perfect peace and far from fear YVhich ne'er by that long darkness are concealed? You come as do the rainbows in the sky, A part of God's great scheme sent from on high. Helen Ruby E8. Trying to Grow Thin C 4 CONSIDER her stunning, simply stunning. Twice the class to her that there is to the girls around heref' 'tYes. the second speaker replied and she's as thin- Oh! The little figure, huddled out of sight in the depths of the big davenport, could hardly keep her indignant ejaculation from be- coming audible. t'Oh, oh, oh! She stuffed her lingers into her ears and burrowed her pretty flushed face into the pile of downy pillows. Then the brown head came up and a small foot came down with some- thing very near a stamp. By this time the persons eliciting her in- dignation had passed on, but she knew who they were. She was very sure of that. Who cared for Fred Nelson's opinion of the girls around here or any place else? Not she. Bob Banning was differentg at least she had supposed him different, but he was really just like the rest. Just like all boysg for of all ungrateful, disloyal, blind stupid creatures boys took the banner. To be taken in by a girl like Elaine Blake! To slight the girls of their own crowd! And Bob Banning admired Miss Blake because she was thin. No doubt he thought her fat. And he had always pretended to admire her. Hadn't he even told her one time that girls of her type just suited him, the deceitful thing? And all the time it was thin, scrawny, girls like Elaine Blake that attracted him. Well she was through with them all. Finding her way to the telephone she called up her father to come for her-she wanted to get home early. Then murmuring an indistinct excuse which included 'theadachew and home early and father to her surprised hostess, she was ready when the familiar honk sounded outside. Safe in her own room she gave full vent to her indignation. The evening had been horrid-horrid. oooooso canoe ooooeoc--o--one--n-use uno ooo ooooacoooo 25

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1921 COMMENCEIYIENT NUMBER-THE TATLER 1921 betterg your color is so good and your eyes so brightg why I venture you have gained five pounds in the last two weeks. t'Why Mother! exclaimed Rosemary in dismay. I have notg I'm not nearly so heavy. I've been dieting and I've surely lost instead of gained. Her mother laughed merrily, Well, you surely don't look it, dear! There was little consolation in her mother's compliments and she was out of humor when on turning the corner she met Bob Banning, the first time in days. Why Rosemary he said where have you been keeping yourself? We've missed you from everything for the last two weeks. The bunch is going skating tonightg won't you go with me? Rosemary ignored the last requestg she preferred skating to all other sports and even in her present mood she couldn't Hnd it in her heart to refuse this invitation right on the spot. Oh, I don't imagine it was I you have been missing from the good timesg it was probably the absence of Elaine Blake that has been making things dull. Let's see, she and Helen will be here the last of this week, won't they? Elaine Blake! Bob's voice expressed genuine astonishment. I am sure I don't see why you think I should have missed her. Be- sides, she isn't coming home with Helen again. Haven't you heard about it? It seems Helen's folks didn't approve of Elaine and they gave Helen the choice of cutting the whole bunch that she had gotten in with or coming home. I guess Helen chose school, but it's all off with her and Elaine. Then she won't be here for the holidays? Too bad! You boys will be disappointed, wonlt you? Now see here, Rosemary, you don't mean to insinuate that I fell for Elaine, for I didn'tg I sized her up from the very first. Oh yes you did Bob! A little of the iciness had left Rosemary's voice but she was going to show him that she wasn't so easily fooled as he thought. You were just as much taken with her as any of the boys. Didn't I hear you myself praising her?l' When did you hear me? Rosemary, I tell you- Why Bob I heard you with my very ears say you thought her thin. Yes thin! that's just what I said to Fred. Thin you know, noth- ing to her. Just light and showy, that's all. I meant mentally, not as a compliment, you know. Fact is, though, she is thin, isn't she scrawny? I never did admire that type, I like the ones with the dimples, you know. Rosema1 y's were all showing now and he was on safe ground. They had also come to the class room door and he had just time to say, You,ll go tonight, won't you Rosemary? Yes, if Mother thinks it all right she answered and her world looked very rosy again. For she liked Bob and skating and Uncle John's candy and all had again entered her life. .. Patricia 0'Keefe, E5. U 0 0 0 Q 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 l 0 0'-0--0--I--0--vo Q 0 0 0 0 0 0'-0--I--0+-Q--0'-oft Q 0 0 0 0 0 Q 0 l O 9