East High School - Orient Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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doryphora dec evil in eat a from a philanthropical standpoint and have reached a definite conclusion. The result of my investigation is an effective com- pound with which I propose to rid the town of these beetles. A reward of ten thousand dollars has been offered to the fortunate person who accom- plishes such a result. I rely upon your assistance. “You shall have it, interrupted Harry. The “Professor continued, “In the morning you will rent the large, empty building to the north of the town, and I will post an advertisement offering one cent per quart for these beetles. When the pests are all col- lected in the cellar of the building, 1 will destroy them. “Odd Job Harry only arranged himself in a comfortable position in the laboratory arm chair and puffed volumes of tobacco smoke into space. The “Professor continued his work, and the other meditated until the night reached its zenith and then both retired to dream of fame and fortune from patent bug exter- minators. The next day the good citizens of Chugs noticed placards in conspicuous parts of the village. These announced Quack's plot in flaring headlines: “Wanted, twenty-live thousand potato bugs at one cent per quart, Furthermore the notices explained that a fifty dollar prize would be presented to the person who collected the largest number. Other details of arrangement followed in order. The unique plan appealed to all, since a financial impetus was given to the movement for the extermination of the beetles. The people actually abandoned all their various occupations and went to work with an encour- aging determination to collect bugs. Quack and his assistant were busily engaged for the next half week in the improvised building. The one meas- ured and paid for the consignments while the other emptied them into the cellar. The bugs flowed into the building like a spring freshet down a gully. They came in boxes, bags and wagons. Little boys and old men, girls as well as their elders deposited their collections and received pay according to the amounts. At the end of the second day half the bugs which had tormented the town for the last fortnight were gathered in the Quack building. The fourth day passed with no relief in sight, and toward evening the exhausted “Professor locked the door of the building, after posting a notice on the exterior. “Xo more bugs wanted. Outside the mob was clamoring for admission to dispose of more beetles. Heedless of their demands, the two inmates arranged themselves on some old blankets and were soon beyond the power of noise. Hours disappeared and toward daybreak, “Odd Job” Harry was aroused from his slumbers by a piercing shriek. Xo sooner was he on his feet than he saw a piteous spectacle. The “Professor” stood in the middle of the floor, jumped up and down and at the same time shaking potato bugs from his long hair, coughing them out of his mouth and vainly resisting their intrusions up his sleeves and down his neck. With a painful suddenness James remembered that he had neglected to shut the cellar door, the night before. The result of his carelessness was evi- dent on all sides, for the striped beetles had entire posses- sion of the building. “Odd Job gazed in silence at the “Professor's” fantastical movements, but the latter soon spoke in a maniacal tone. “We cannot allow these destructive creatures to escape from this build- (Concluded on page 67) 9

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A Corner in Bugs TT Only death can obliterate the memorable date, 1920. from the minds of those who were so unfortunate as to be alive during that year. Its terrors will ever darken the pages of twentieth century history. Spontaneously, on the thirtieth of June organized bands of potato bugs descended upon the eastern states of the great republic of America, and began a campaign of unparalleled devastation and universal occupation. Abject terror seized every home which had not already been occupied by these ravishing hordes. Traffic of every sort was paralized. Electric cars were forced to a stand- still after hundreds of futile attempts to operate them, automobiles slipped over the gore of crushed beetles only to come to a sudden stop and people scarcely made their passage through the streets of the cities on the backs of potato bugs that cracked and collapsed under the unusual weight. Millions of these beetles were killed and millions of others took their places. Where they came from or when they intended to leave were questions of dispute and speculation. But the fact remained that they were everywhere. They infested men’s jxxrkets and ladies’ hats. One might awake in the night and discover several potato bugs on an expedition of exploration in his mouth or ear. The fields were devastated and famine threatened the people. Unsuccessful attempts were made to exterminate these fearful pests, and fabulous rewards offered to the fortunate man who should devise a practical method. The usually quiet village of Chugs was likewise disturbed and excited by the beetles. The scene in this place was a repeti- tion of that in other districts. Probably the only serene persons in the vicinity were Professor Charles Quack and Mr. James Harry. The one was a gentleman whose hands or brains had never earned a red cent but provi- dentially his respected sire had thrust a fortune upon him at his decease, while incessant dabbling with chemicals and repeated unsuccessful experi- ments had caused the unearned title of “Professor” to be prefixed to his already significant surname. The other lived mainly at the expense of his friend and various jobs of all sorts and descriptions which lie found irregu- larly during summer and winter gave him the fitting nickname of ‘‘Odd Job” Harry. The only resemblance the two curious characters possessed was that both allowed their imaginations to soar heavenward. Whether it was a movable hen roost or a noiseless nut meg greater whose excellencies the “Professor” was preparing to reveal to the gullible public was of little moment to James. He sat almost daily amidst the din and smell of the laboratory with a pipe in his mouth and a satisfied smile on his face. Prob- ably the reason Mr. Quack had adopted “Odd Job” Harry was because the latter proved such an attentive listener and flattering approver of his flighty notions and probably why this adoption satisfied James Harry was that it improved him financially and enabled him to indulge in tobacco and idleness more than before. For several days past, wild schemes for the extermination of the potato bugs had flooded the brain of Mr. Quack. The night of liberation arrived in due course and. as usual. “Odd Job” Harry was the receptacle of his ideas. The “Professor” opened the conversation. “James. I have been considering this question of the extinction of the

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Fiftieth Commencement of East High School Class Day Officers Master of Ceremonies........................... Prophet........................................ Historian...................................... Poet .......................................... Orator......................................... 1 .awrcnce Stalbrodt .....Jean Pattison ,. Hugh W. Stewart .....Gladys Barber .....Arthur Smith Chairmen of Committees Executive...................................... Class Picnic................................... ( lass Day..................................... Graduation Dance............................... Reception to West High......................... Dramatic....................................... Rough-house.................................... .James C. O’Brien .....Jean Pattison .. .Channing Lyon .....Harold Field Martin Rutherford ... Sargent Force ....Claude Smith Commencement Calendar June 2 Reception to W est High June 8 Senior Play June 16 Class Picnic June 18 Graduation Dance June 20 Class Day June 22 Commencement 10