Downingtown High School - Our Year Cuckoo Yearbook (Downingtown, PA)

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2 0 THE CUCKOO When Business Bowed Emma Hilton, ’22 She was determined to make every one have faith in her geology. She had just been engaged by the Buffalo Oil Company to give a report on some lands in Tampico which were thought to be very valuable in oil. After arriving in Tampico, she and Casey her guide had started to scout the rugged hills, each going in a different direction. Now as she paused by the hill, Casey appeared, his pockets bulging out with specimens of the afternoon’s scouting. The specimens proved to be a wonderful collection of fossils. One of the fossils was a curious button, and it proved to be a button from the uniform of a Mexican revolutionist. There was an old tradition concerning this part of the country. This region at one time was the home of a very rich tribe of Indians, and their favorite hiding place was among these hills. It was supposed that they had a silver mine hid in these deep ravines. One night the settlement around the ranch village heard a rumor that the indians had planned a raid. The people were terrified of course, but the Indians never appeared. A cowboy named Rawson had started out to learn what had happened, When he returned several days later a handful of these buttons was all he possessed. He said that there were a dozen dead Mexicans scattered among many dead Indians, and there was no sign of the tribe left. All these years, one after another had searched for the mine, but they never found a trace of it. Hazel listened with great interest to the story, and she turned to the fossils with a more optimistic mind. Hastily she put the specimens in her bag and without a word set out down the trail. It was now time for her to give her report to the Buffalo Oil Company. Reluctantly, she went to the company’s office. There were assembled the four men composing the company. She told them that there was no conclusive proof of a structure for oil on their land. A land speculator from Tampico was prepared to pay three times the desired price for one-half the land, providing that a favorable geologic report from her, whether the land contained oil or not, just so they could take advantage of people investing in land and reap a large profit for themse ves. H AZEL ROWLAND was the only woman who had ever braved the anticoed spirit in Ruskin University, and she had graduated in the school of economic geology at the head of a class of fifty men.

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T H E CUC K O O 19 He realized through failures and victories they were possible only through courage. He knew that all who possessed courage and honor could not to greatness. If we possess these qualities we have greatness in our souls, even though the world should never hear of us. Roosevelt believed in justice. He would stand for justice even though every one were against him. Everyone paid homage to his memory, not because he had l een President of the United States, but because of his honor and fearless courage. Roosevelt lacked the one great requisite that everyone must have to accomplish some things. From boyhood he was in bad health. He had the courage to keep on until he was an example of physical strength. His aim was “To Serve”. Did he not do one of the greatest things a truly great man can do, to help the weaker class of people. Edison possessed courage or could we be using the inventions we do every day. We use them and become so accustomed to them, that we never think of the months of tireless efforts on his part, to complete them. He believed that he could make an incandescent light. He tried and failed, he tried again and again. Each time was a failure. He tried two thousand times. They were all failures. He persisted and the two thousandth and first time he won. His was the persistent courage that wrould not let him rest, because he had faith, he could do it. The end w'as the victory. These are only a few of the men the world has accepted as great. To be great we must not only have accomplished something for which we may or may not be directly responsible. Circumstances have enabled some people to be great. We must have honor, humility, truth, courage and loyalty. These are the foundations for all greatness. To possess education, health, or any of these qualities and put them to a bad use is a detriment or a hinderance to mankind. Many of the criminals in our prisons of today are educated ar.d talented men. This condition is due to lack of honor and courage. If they had the courage to put their talents to a good use and not abuse them, they could be of invaluable use to society. If we possess talents and put them to a good use, it is one step nearer the goal of victory. If we hold dear these mottoes we will at sunset look back with no regrets. “With honor with Courage” For truth and right Honorable and Courageously We live our life.

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THE CUCKOO 21 This Hazel refused to do because she might cause an innocent buyer to lose all his money, and it also would be a treacherous act against the science, she truly loved. The President of the company thought that she ought not to fail them as her father was a friend of his and it would also wreck the fortune of the company. If she would only give a report she would be given a one-eighth interest in the land. Ever since her mother’s death, Hazel had clung to her father and his wishes were the ultimate authority governing her plans. Just that morning, Hazel had received a letter from her father announcing that he had decided to discontinue her allowance for all expenses incurred in oil prospecting, as his continued remonstrance over her wasteful expenditures in West Texas had been unavailing. He was glad that she was enjoying herself, and all funds she made out of oil geology, she was welcome to use as she chose. So why should she care if the President of the Company was a friend of her fathers? All the company wanted was for her to pick out the best location where she thought'oil could be found. This she refused to do whether she was disregarding her own interests or not. “You see” said the President of the Company, “If you are square with us, we can fix things right for you.” You see we have tremendous holdings thoughout the oil belt and can give you constant employment. Why, in no time you could count your earnings in six figures. Your reputation as a geologist would be assured. On the contrary, if it leaks out that we have found your work unsatisfactory, you can easily picture your position. Hazel reminded them that she was employed to make a survey of the land and not to make their fortune. Early the next afternoon they received a note from Hazel asking them to meet her that evening on an important matter. Every detail of the note showed that she was excited. “Do I understand that you own the mineral as well as the oil rights on this land?” inquired Hazel. No one seemed to know. “What had this to do with a favorable oil report for a Tampico operation,” was the inquiry of all the men. Then Hazel told them of her re-examining the land, but found no trace of oil. But as she and the guide turned to go to the village, they noticed an opening in the side of the cliff, behind a huge cactus. As they made their way through the dark passage, the light of the candles revealed a large American eagle, between several skeletons. His toe struck something round and hard. He picked it up and to his astonishment, it proved to be a button matching the one from the uniform of a Mexican Revolutionist, picked up several days before. They took a considerable number