Eastern High School - Echo Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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THE EASTERN ECHO 23 My First Vacation Rebecca Fish, l924. HE. first occasion on which I ever separated myself from the family circle occurred in my ninth year. A spinster aunt of mine lived in a Ai Uma distant country town with her brother, who came to the city once a month for provisions. On the very day that I was freed from all scholarly worries, he paid his usual call. As a reward for my victories along the thorny path of knowledge, my aunt sent me a very gracious invitation to spend a month with her. I feared that Mother would object, but, strange to say, she eagerly accepted the invitation for me, asserting that the country air would perform wonders for me. Some- how I had a feeling that Mother was more in- terested in getting rid of me than in the physi- cal advantages of the visit, but I wisely held my peace. After the final family adieus, and the don'ts that accompany them, had been said, I was safely deposited on the rear seat of a Uflivvern. As we slowly proceeded down the street, several last-minute counsels were hurled at me: Don't forget to hold on to those bundles, and Don't forget to behave like a lady, and Don't forget to say your pray- ers every night, and Don't forget - The rest was lost, as we were soon whizzed out of earshot. Thankfully, I nestled in a cor- ner, fully intending to enjoy my trip. I rea- soned without IVIiss Lizzie though, for she intended otherwise. She believed that a pleas- ant ride was a luxury, and, since luxuries were contrary to her religion, she proceeded to im- press that fact upon me. She coughed and spluttered, shook and rattled, bumped and jerked. At one minute I lunged forward, only to be sent sprawling immediately afterward on top of all the bundles. I was hurled into the air with terrific speed at the impact of the wheels against the rough stones, and then I was brought back to earth with a non-shock- absorbent thud. That car performed divers gymnastic feats for my benefit, until I felt that all my bones were broken and my ligaments torn. At last, overcome by her strenuous ex- ertions, the rattle-box quieted down, and I soon fell asleep. I awoke, feeling much better, since the dull, aching pains in my body had disappeared. I found myself alone in a tiny, cosy be-d-room, but my examination of my surroundings was stopped short by the appearance of a woman, whom I knew to be my aunt. She impressed me as being an elderly woman, whose child- hood days were so distant that they seemed part of ancient history. She welcomed me in a rather matter-of-fact tone, and bade me make myself quite at home. She had very good reason to regret this suggestion later. Interpreting her words literally, I soon be- gan to explore my surroundings. At first, I almost plunged into the well by leaning over too far to determine how deep it was. To- wards evening, as I was observing the process of milking the cows, suddenly, almost fright- ened out of my wits by a loud moo, I fell backwards into one pail of milk, upset another by kicking it with my feet, and emptied a bag of oats, which I had been holding, into a third. An account of my aunt's wrath I shall omit. The next day I entered the barn to discover what was in that queer house. Climbing to the loft, I spied a door, and upon opening it to see where it led, I fell head over heels into space. Luckily a hay Wagon was underneath, so that I sustained only minor injuries. Al- though I felt no pain the next morning, I was forbidden to leave my bedg so I amused myself by jumping up and down until both bed and I collapsed on the floor. That very afternoon my baggage and I were hastily bundled out of the house, and we were sent home with a neighbor, who fortunately ffor my aunt only, was going to town. Youth never grieves long, so, though my feelings had been injured, I was soon in a happy mood. The car was much better behaved than the other, and so I enjoyed the ride fully. Mother said nothing when she saw me: her intuition told her what had occurred. She made just one remark about my visit after I had painstakingly related the days' happen- ings. Well, she said, I fear you will not go visiting again soon. And, sad to state, I did not.

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22 THE EASTERN ECHO qualifications for entering upon this career may be, I do not hesitate to say that the better train- ing you have, the more assured will be your success in it. You can all realize and you may have ob- served that the woman who has learned how to read intelligently, how to think things through, how to spend money wisely, how to plan her duties systematically, how to enjoy simple, inexpensive pleasures, how to work ef- ficiently and willingly, whether she feels like it or not, is able not only to preside over a well- ordered home, but also to take an important place in her community, in her church, and in the lives of her children. Whether or not you have consciously formu- lated your reasons for being here, it is probable that you belong to one of these three classesg and you expect to make very real preparation here for the life that lies before you. It is for this purpose that the school exists, with its studies, its clubs, its athletics, its arts, and its musicg and it is for one of these purposes that you are here. I thank you for your courteous attention.. l realize that what l have said is not new. You have probably heard or thought of it before, and yet I think it is not amiss for us to pause once in a while and restate our aims and remind ourselves of what we expect school to do for us. If we do this, it will help us to value our opportunities as we should and to make the most of them. l have enjoyed meeting you this morning, and I am looking forward to next year when we shall become really acquainted, and shall be friends and partners in the great enterprise in which we are engaged. A Brave Choir Dorothy Russell, 1924 QNDAY night, and all was emphat- lcally nit Zlvelll 'dfi 'grouph ofhten glrs wa e- t1m1 y 1nto t e c o1r loft and quickly seated themselves, 'QE ' hiding their flushed faces behind the kindly velvet curtain. It was not the first time they had done the same thing-oh, no! The choir had performed weekly during the previous spring and, according to the gener- ous congregation, had done very well. But never before had they attempted so difficult a piece, and never before had they been quite so dubious as to the rendition of the evening's selection. The leader had said at the last re- hearsal that they must not be nervous. She sat now in the back of the church, her eyes flashing, now and then, a look of comfort and assurance to her charges. Sweet strains from the organ filled the small auditorium, and the good folks settled back to enjoy the rare treat they felt sure was in store for them. The girls arose with one accord, faced the rear of the church, and-with eyes glued to the printed score, sang-in the wrong key! The organist fumbled, nobly tried to play the anthem in the key which the choir had se- lected, and finally gave up in despair. Be it forever to their credit, the girls did not laugh. With sober faces and unseeing eyes, they plunged ahead without the aid of the organ, ended on a note several tones higher and in- finitely more out of reach of their meagre so- pranos than the note of the original compo- sition had been, and calmly disappeared from View behind the aforesaid curtain. Before long, a succession of coughs, snorts, and violent blowing of noses was heard is- suing from that corner of the church sacred to its vocal aspirers. The smiling, highly-amused congregation may have guessed the rest, but they were deprived of the privilege of seeing the expressions on the faces of those ten girls when they were out of sight. Some antique devotees undoubtedly thought that the mem- bers of the choir had awful coldsg but those who had not forgotten their own youth knew that the coughs, snorts, and violent blowing of noses were tell-tale evidences of a convulsed choir. . .E 2-2 -m:.-- :-i Y 1 w l 4 1 I I l l l l

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24 may --,Q - 3 1 QW -L. if THE JPRHNCHPALSS PAGE E .QE wmv 'N - s -Q HE two and a half years of my prin- cipalship of the Eastern High School have been one of the hap- piest and most satisfying periods ' WAS' of my teaching career. There has been offered a fine opportunity for social service. East Baltimore has gone in strongly for higher education, and the greatly increased enrollment at Eastern High means that this school is now, more than ever before, training young women to become leaders in the civic life of the community. For, whatever other aims are realized in the moral, vocation- al, and cultural education of the pupils, the practice of good citizenship by the students must be the proof that the school is satisfac- torily discharging its solemn obligations to so- ciety. With greater and greater emphasis be- ing placed on the social sciences, with a much broader curriculum, with more adequate voca- tional guidance, with increased emphasis on the development of ethical character, it is in- evitable that the influence of the school must extend ever farther and deeper into the life of the community. Apart from the processes of formal instruc- tion, there is wonderful opportunity in such a school as this for the personal, human touch of teacher and pupil. It is possible for a high school to be so large that the personal touch is lost, but this undesirable feature of some high schools is not noticeable at the East- ern. Of course, the principal and teachers do not know the pupils so Well as when they had only a few hundred students, but the four class advisers, the school nurse, the home-room teachers, the club advisers, the vice-principal, and the principal, together, know personally hundreds of the students, know them well enough to greet them by both names. It is not too much to say that every pupil is known inti- mately by one or more teachers and thus comes under the personal, helpful influence of very valuable friends and well-wishers. As prin- cipal, I have endeavored to become acquaint- ed with as many pupils as possible and to be friendly towards all, with the result that l have never been associated with a more cordial, re- spectful, responsive student body. I shall al- ways cherish this recollection. The experience of working with a faculty like E RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT that of this school has been a great satisfac- tion. There is a singularly homelike atmos- phere in the school, credit for which must be given in large measure to the teaching staff. The teachers do not merely instruct in their respective subjects. Through the many activi- ties conducted jointly by pupils and teachers there is developed a fine feeling of sympathy, courtesy, co-operation, and gentleness that ennobles and refines. Of course, differences of opinion arise in the faculty, are debated, and settled, whereupon all work together for the success of the common enterprise. l think that no new teacher can be a month in the school without being aware of the famous Eastern High School spirit. The qualities of the stu- dent body mentioned above are no small part of this school spirit and are constantly re- marked upon by substitute teachers and visitors to the school. Social service, helpful human contacts, and co-operation in a great enter- prise with those of like aims are, then, some of the things that have made my stay at the East- ern pleasurable and satisfying. So much for retrospect. The future of the school holds possibilities difficult to exaggerate. The present building can accommodate but few more than last fall's maximum enrollment of l860. I do not be- lieve that the contemplated opening of several new high schools will decrease the size of East- ern's student body. On the contrary, when Eastern becomes a straight three-year school, I believe the enrollment in those three years will be as great as it now is. This will mean constantly larger graduating classes with con- stantly greater opportunities for the school to give a complete education. In other words, to express it mathematically, all of the present achievements of teachers and pupils will simply be raised to a higher power. I congratulate the new principal, Miss Cairnes, on such an allur- ing. inspiring prospect. l am confident that under her leadership it will ever be the funda- mental belief of the school that it is serving the state best when it allows every individual pupil to develop along the lines of her own greatest power. The Eastern High School will always have a warm place in my heart. WM. R. FLOWERS.