Eastern High School - Echo Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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THE EASTERN ECHO It was hard for us to part with him, but We smiled bravely, for we re- membered that he had received a promotion. lVlr. Flowers came to Eastern in September 1921. l-le immediately pro- ceeded to get acquainted with the faculty and the students and to look East- ern over to see what was needed. The first task, judging from the hearty co- operation which he received from both teachers and pupils, was not hard. Evidences of the fruits of his search for needed improvements soon appeared- more light and heat in our heretofore gloomy and chilly assembly hall, more lockers in the locker-room, the placing of the fire alarm signal where everyone could see it, and numerous other important little things. Of course it was in- evitable that we should have traffic rules sooner or later because of the crowded conditions, but it would be hard to find a simpler and more effective set of rules than those drawn up and enforced by Mr. Flowers. Eastern's standards have always been high, but they were never higher than during the two and one half years that Mr. Flowers was among us as prin- cipal. Everyone knew as soon as he had given us his first message from the assembly hall platform, just what kind of man he was and what he expected of every Eastern girl. There were few second offenses by those who overstepped the line and went before him to receive their just dues. l-le inspired us to do our very best for Eastern, and inspired us with school spirit and loyalty. Some principals are respected and admired by the students and faculty, but are not successful socially. Not so with ours! l-le fitted in anywhere, from the most informal party, where he laughed and told jokes and seemed to be one of us, to the faculty reception, where he had to appear in a hard-boiled shirt and accessories. l-le had a joke for every day in the year, or if he hadn't one he could make one up-a good one, too. He knew how to make us feel at home with him so that we talked to him almost as if he were our dad. But do not think that he was always joking and laughing. Upon occasion he could make us feel like the proverbial thirty cents, and our hands and feet would turn icy cold or we would blush fiery red and our feet would feel so big and clumsy that we couldn't see how we could get them through the office door. In the last few days before he left, we tried to make him feel that we hated to see him go by being just as good as possible and by working hard. We endeavored to show by punctuality and perfect attendance that we were co-operating with him. We wish lVlr. Flowers the best of luck, and we bid farewell to him as our principal, but not as our friend, for We know he will come back to visit us. -nw if DECEMBER DAWN A grey day- Grey, overhanging clouds Like the breast of a doveg Falling smoke Like a nun's grey veilg Chill, barbed air Like stab of steel- Harbingers of stormg Then the conquering sun, Like prodigal, returned. -Nl. A. D.

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THE EASTERN ECHO Mr. William R. Flowers Probably the reason that we hear so many adverse criticisms of ourselves, is that the kindly thoughts are hard to express. We have them, but some of us feel that to put them into words is a waste of time, and some of us are too selfish to say to others the kind things which encourage and which are so much needed in the everyday working-world. With the departure of Mr. Flowers from this school, it is our desire to say some of the things which we have been feeling during the period of his princi- palship. We feel that his executive ability has been displayed consistently in ways which are both helpful and time-saving. It must mean a great deal, for instance, for a new teacher to be met at the office door on her first day in the school, and to have handed to her her schedule card and all material necessary for the routine work of starting a new school year in a very large school. Be- cause of this efficient handling of class schedules, our school has started in to work on the first day at nine o'clock, and there has been no confusion. Of course, this presupposes a great amount of work done ahead of time by Mr. Flowers and Miss Carpenter,-work which the general public, who have not been behind the scenes, could not possibly comprehend. This lack of confusion, brought about by efficient handling of routine work, has been furthered a great deal by Mr. Flowers' spirit of co-operation. There is not any question which has, within our knowledge, been discussed with Mr. Flowers, which he has not sincerely, conscientiously, and impartially tried to decide according to his ideas of what is just, and of what would make for the best good of the school. But the thing which amounts to the most, after all, is that Mr. Flowers has always been kind and considerate. It makes such a difference in the morale of the teaching force if our desires are granted begrudgingly or if we are made to feel that what we want to do is the right thing to be done. We have been allowed all the freedom that is possible fconsidering that we are merely small spokes in a large wheell, and it has made routine work much more pleasant than if we were continually feeling an authoritative pressure. We bid goodbye to Mr. Flowers, and hope that he will continue to ad- vance in his work and, above all, that he will always be happy. Edith Joesting. QW , 5' How many times you have written, or at least seen, in classbooks this verse: To know, To love, And then to part, ls the sad, sad fate Of a schoolgirl's heart! Doesn't that just fit our case? After we had met him, it did not take us long to know him, almost simultaneously we loved him, and then the cruel fates, in the form of the School Board, took him away. Some outsider asks, Who is HE? Oh, ye of little intuition! He is Mr. William R. Flowers, who is-no, no-who was our principal.

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THE EASTERN ECHO I5 Kinglefs Best Sport Christine Behm, 1924 Zfxfifxaf H, there she is, cried a little black-haired girl, the tall, slen- der girl in blue. ' 'Yes, ' ' exclaimed another, that is Kingley's best sport. cheers for Mary Lyston, the great- esalathlete Kingley ever had. Come on, girls, ye I I-low the cheers did echo and re-echo as Mary Lyston, a senior, swung from the train! The popular girl, flushed and triumphant, was led by her devoted friends through the mob of girls. I-ler blue eyes were dancing: she was radiant with happiness. Each year had increased the number of her already numer- ous admirers. . The young lady simply doted on applause and attention. The entire twenty-two years of her life had been full of success and popu- larity. It remained to be seen how reverse circumstances would react upon her. Cer- tainly Kingley had never seen Mary's lovely blue eyes other than happy and smiling. Within the privacy of her room, she turned to her chum with the question, Are there any interesting new arrivals? The usual crowd of freshiesf' Lucy re plied, and no new sophs. But, she added impressively, there is one new junior, and she is positively the most striking and the most lovely girl I have ever seen. I just know you will like her. Everyone does. She is not quite so tall as you, and has curly auburn hair, and magnetic black eyes. Her manner is lovely, and, what's more, she is engaged to a man who was an ace in the World War! At this information Mary had started al- most imperceptibly, but she drawled, 'fI..ucy, ciear, haven't you learned yet that this college requires more than a beautiful face and a thrilling engagement? It is necessary to have some accomplishment, and- That's just it, cut in Lucy with anima- tiong she is a good athlete. I know that ap- peals to you. She has already been made coach of the junior hockey team. They were out practicing when your train came in. What? exclaimed Mary, You know very well that heretofore a senior has been coach. Yes, l know, said Lucy, but, you remem- ber, last year the present junior class re- quested the athletic instructor to allow them IY4 'X r N l'xx.A Three to have a girl from their own year as coach. They argued that a senior could not be with them heart and soul. As a result, Etna East- wood, with a fine athletic record from a west- ern college, has secured the honor. Where did you say she is from? asked Mary. She is from the west, replied her pal. She was covertly watching Mary because the popular senior had never before seemed so distracted when a new arrival was being dis- cussed. Of course, she rattled on, as an athlete she can Mary. She is expects her to Immediately never be compared with you, interesting, but no one really equal you. the senior regained her usual manner, for she guessed the reason for Lucy's last remark. She did not intend that even her closest friend should know her thoughts. With a laugh she answered, I hope that she can be compared with me, old dearg then there will be more real competition. I might have known that you would feel that way, said Lucy admiringly. Well, I must go, Mary, I'll see you at dinner. When alone, Mary muttered bitterly, her blue eyes darkening, I will never be a friend of any girl who even aspires to my rung of the Kingley ladder. But l will not ruin three years of work by acting rashly. Instead I will act my part well and still retain my place. In another dormitory the subject of this con- versation and the cause of Mary's bitter words, was resting after a strenuous afternoon on the field. Indeed, she fully verified l..ucy's de- scription. ldly gazing over the magnificent campus, she was making plans for the improve- ment of her team. Besides, she was thinking about the senior of whom everyone was talk- ing. She hoped that they would be good friends and that the match games would be ex- citing. During the six weeks that followed, both Mary's and E.rna's teams prepared for the big hockey contest. As the weeks passed, the senior watched angrily the junior's rapid rise to popularity among her own classmates. The junior was really a marvel in gymnastic work. Mary had no just cause for being angry, be- cause Erna was neither snobbish nor proud. Mary hid her displeasure quite successfully in public, and to all outward appearances she was quite friendly with her opponent. But,