Eleanor McMain High School - Echoes Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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Happ Birthda Cynthia Twigg, '41 But just wait until Lee sees this necktie. He won't notice Rex then, I bet. What shall I write on the card? L e t-m e-s e e ! How KNIT one, purl two, lblonde hair, blue eyesj Knit two, purl one, iHe's is so nice lookingj Knit twog purl three. Oh, dear! Why can't I concentrate? There! I've dropped a stitch! I must hurry. Today is his birthday, and I am almost finished. It's going' to be such a pretty tie. Blue trimmed in pink to go with his blonde hair! Blonde hair has al- ways been my weakness, even when I was a child. And now that I am fwell, I shall be thirteen am in love for the first the last time, for I could grown up, in Mayj I time-and, never love again after knowing' him. Didn't he offer me a bite of his apple? And doesn't he take me riding on the handle-bars of his bike? Knit oneg purl two! I must concentrate. I must hurry. There is so little time to finish this wonderful tie. Of course, it is not nearly wonderful enough for him. There! Dropped another stitch. Let me think. Oh! I can cover the gaps with little pink and blue bows. He is just perfect, except for Rex, that horrid dog of his. Rex. Huh! How anyone could want that beast is Cut By Mary Mac Gowan Knit oneg purl two. There! It's would this be? Roses are red, violets are blue, I knitted this tie specially for you. Pretty neat. Knit oneg purl two. There! It's finished. I'll wrap it up prettily in silver paper, and tie it with a single bow of sister's blue ribbon, so he can open it easily. Boys ale so clumsy, all fingers and thumbs. And now I shall run over and leave it at his house. Oh! Oh! There he comes up the walk now. And that dirty old Rex with him! That old dog had better not jump on Sis's silk stock- ings and make a run in them. She'd skin me alive if I ruined her best pair. Wish I hadn't put them on. Here he is. Hello, Lee. Why do I blush right up to ears? And why, oh why, can't I remember to act like Joan Crawford did in that picture I saw last week. She's such a smoothie . Lee, here's a present I made all by myself. Happy Birthday, Lee. Well, he's blushing just as red as I did, anyway. Now he's opening it. Oh! I know he loves it just by thc - - ,, ' h '.l k' .t't. N h '. beyond me. Why, only yesterday finished N 00 mg rl 1 OW e li Rex bumped me so hard that I fell b right into the mud puddle. And Oh! What was that he Saud? just when I was trying to walk like Gee! Gosh! Thanks! A real hand Marlene Dietrich! knitted collar for Rex. Talking Nell Walling, '41 My favorite pastime is to talk, When there's someone near to listen, But even if there isn't IV hy nothing great is missing,- For walls and tables and parlor chairs Are always willing palsy Then I'm sure the things I tell Won? get to other gals. Some of the silly things I do I wouldn't dare repeat, But then it's awfully easy To tell the footstool at my feet. E-C-H-O-E-S For people would think I'm foolish, The little things I do, I wouldfft tell them to anyone, No, not even you. Because I have disfoverezl That if a secret's yours You yourself must keep it Behind your mind's locked doors. If once you let it slip, Or confide it to a friend No more it is a secret, For there it meets its end. Thirty-one

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Memories fContinued from page 285 This same routine every day was Nancy's life for the next two years. She saw no -one but her own family, and remained at home most of the time. She became pale and nervous. Any little thing tired her. Her family worried constantly about her ap- pearance and general health. Her mother had been trying to convince her that she would enjoy a visit to her uncle in Charleston. After much persuasion she decided to go. Two weeks later we find Nancy in Charleston. She doesn't go to parties or teas as she used to, but prefers to drive down to the wharf every day with her uncle, where his busi- ness carries him. One morning, while she was wait- ing for her uncle to negotiate a deal, she notices a young man disembark- ing from the boat in front of her. Never in all her life had she seen such a livid scar-it crossed the man's cheek from his eye to his jaw. Something caught in her throat- this man looked so much like Robert. Oh, but how could this be? He was dead. Surely her eyes must be be- traying her. For, as if he had sensed that she was looking at him, he turned around completely and stared at her. Slowly he smiled and start- ed to walk toward her. Nancy sat in the carriage like a statue. This man walked like Rob- ert and smiled as he did.-Maybe after all he was the man she loved and thought dead. This stranger who stood before her, looking into her eyes and slow- ly saying, Nancy, I've come back, made her realize that he was not a stranger at all, but the man who had left two years ago, to study in Europe, and had never come back- the man she loved. Little by little her voice came back but all she could say was, Robert A few seconds later she was out of the carriage and into his arms, sobbing because she was so happy. She felt his face, his hair, his hands, asking over and over again-- Is it you, Robert? Is it really you? After regaining their equilibrium, they stepped into the carriage. Nancy asked, Where have you been all this time? You look so thin and tired, darling. And that scar- .oh, it's awful-how did that come about? Robert laughed, Nancy, Nancy, how can I answer all those questions at the same time? Are you com- fortable? I will tell you very short- ly what I have been doing these two long, worried years. Robert told of the terrible storm and how he and another passenger holding on to some timber, finally reached an out-of-the-way island. They were so exhausted they could not move for days. The few white people on the island took them in and cared for them until they be- came Well. After he regained his health, he inquired how he could get back to the United States in the quickest possible way. They told him that a ship came to the island only once every year and a half, but, to his bitter disappoinment, he dis- covered that the boat had called and left a few weeks previous. He roamed over the island in despair. He knew he could not leave in an open boat, for the distance was too great. With his impatience growing every day, he waited for the ship to return. The time passed slowly, but, at last, they were awaiting its arrival. On the morning it was sighted, some were eagerly looking forward to its arrival-others were not. For some, there would be letters from homey for some there would be nothing, but for him-he knew now he was going home to Nancy. H When she ship docked, Robert went straight to the captain and asked if he could secure passage .to America. The captain looked him over, and asked how much money he had. After hearing that he had none, he promptly said, No, and told him to get off the boat. How-, ever, Robert would not give up that easily, for he 'just had to get home. He explained his situation to the captain, who agreed to let him settle for his ticket when he reached the United States. ' Robert ended his story with, And now, I'll tell you about this scar. It is the result of an encounter with a drunken native, but let us forget it all now. Here I am back in a civi- lized world. It seems too good to be true. F Nancy had been listening very in- tently, and after Robert -finished telling his story, she sighed and said, While you were living on that awful island, I was here having everything I wanted but youf As long as we live, I shall try to make the world a little better for you, anyd you must promise to -'try to forget that awful experience. Robert looked into her soft, loving eyes and thought to himself how lucky he was to have won the- love of such a wonderful girl. Many years have passed since then, but the old house still remembered what a beautiful life Robert and Nancy had lived together. Those happy days were gone, and the old house had settled herself comfortably to start a new life, sheltering a new family and to form new loves for the occupants. E :I Thirty Wishing Mathilda Ducas, '42 I wish I were an artist, 1'd paint the trees and birds, l'd write my thoughts in paintings, Instead of writing words. Fd sit and paint a picture Of while giants in a heaven blue With daisies on a hillside, And cattle grazing too. E-C-H-0-E-S

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Frlendship Mary E. Knight, '41 There are a thousand nameless ties, Which only surh as feel them know, Of kindred thoughts, deep symgathies, And untold fancy spells, w ich throw 0'er ardent minds and faithful hearts A rhain whose rharmed links so blend That the bright eirelet but imparts Its forre lnlthese fond words- 'My Friend' -Anon. FRIENDSHIP is the finest experi- ence that one can have. Its lan- guage is as varied as the wants and weaknesses of humanity. To the timid and cautions it speaks words of encouragement, to those who lack strength it extends a helping hand, to the overbold it whispers words of caution. It improves happiness and abates misery-it doubles our joys and divides our griefs. These four high school years are a proving ground for the more youth- ful friendships we have enjoyed dur- ing grammar school days. Through grammar school our friends were often limited to the immediate neighborhood in which we lived-a small community bounded by a few blocks in each direction, but the population of a high school is made up of ten or twenty such communi- ties. and developing a friendship be- comes a much wider and more fasci- nating experience. In the fertile ground of high school associations many friendships take rootg the sturdier of these crowd out the les- ser ones and grow to steadfast bonds that often last a lifetime. Friendship is not confined to any particular class of society or any particular geographic locality, nor is it necessarily limited to those of one's own age or mental develop- ment. Wherever it is watered with the dews of kindness and affection, there you may 'be sure to find it. It is not uncommon that a strong and lasting friendship may develop be- tween a faculty member and a stu- dent-a friendship that brings coun- sel and understanding to the pupil and joy to the teacher. Perhaps the foundation rock of friendship lies in the fact that we humans are made happier and better by notice and appreciation. If we had no friends, who would come for- ward to praise us in our hour of triumph, cheer us in time of depres- sion, urge us on in time of struggle? However, the river of friendship flows much deeper than this. In- deed, it can wisely be said that our friends love us not because of our Thirty-two Schools of Yesterday And Today WHETHER we realize it or not, the public school system has altered greatly since the time of our grandmothers and grandfathers. At one time children went to school for the sole purpose of gaining knowl- edge through hard and intensive work. The discipline was strictg and the schools were conducted on pin- drop order. Pupils who did not do the required work were not tolerated. The teachers were exacting and nev- er tried to present the lesson in a way to make it interesting or enter- taining. Lessons were obtained di- rectly from text books or lectures given by the teachers. The majority of subjects were required, and no subjects such as sewing or drawing were offered. Long passages and numerous dates had to be memorized. Handwriting was directed toward per- fection. More emphasis was laid on memorizing and retaining facts than upon encouraging pupils to think for themselves through project work. There were no clubs or forms of rec- reation to make school a pleasurable activity. Education was much more formal than it is today. How different our schools of today are! Teachers are striving to pres- ent lessons in forms to attract the attention of the student and to best impress the important points upon the student. Among the things which are helping most considerably in this field are the moving picture and radio. Films relating to the particu- lar subject of the class are becoming increasingly popular. The radio is used extensively to listen to current news. Subjects are constantly being added to the curriculum in order to give a broader and richer prepara- tion for life. Getting pupils into col- lege is only a part of a modern high school's work. It is seeking to be a comprehensive school, fitting pupils not only for higher education, but also for their duties as citizens, as home-makers, as bread-winners, and as socially well-disposed, physically sound, and morally well-behaving members of the community. Educa- tion has made ,great strides in recent years and is steadily improving. June Chandler, '42. virtues but rather in spite of our faults. 3 :Edits ia The Months Ahead Sylvia Chin-Bing, '41 THE seemingly long tiring school session is near an end. Soon you will cease for awhile to do the same daily routine of arising at the sound of the alarm clock, of scurrying about the house for misplaced books, and of traversing the well acquainted route to school. No longer will you hear the clanging of bells, the rattle of homework papers, the familiar voices of teachers, or the incessant roar of noisy chatter in the halls and in the cafeteria at lunch time. Month- ly tests and daily recitations which caused your head to whirl will soon be forgotten. Gym uniforms, worn- down pencils, and ever-handled note- books crammed with continuous writ- ing will be cast aside into some ob- scure drawer or a nook in the attic. Yes, in short, you will be atleast free from mental worries with a long stretch of recreation and rest before you. Undoubtedly you are planning how you will spend your vacation. Per- haps a summer camp in the peaceful woods where one can bask lazily in the sun and dip occasionally into a cool inviting swimming hole will hold your interest. Or perhaps you are looking eagerly forward to going on some long trip, maybe to View the skyscrapers and the brilliant lights of New York, or maybe the Golden Gate and other multiple attractions in California and the West. Or finally, perhaps, you will spend the summer months at home with your afternoons devoted to reading and air-condi- tioned picture shows. Ni ght Barbara Bartlett, '42 With the velvet touch of night All our earthly fears take flight,- Wrapped in veils of midnight blue, Lightly dipped in early dew All of life unfolds anew. E-C-H-O-E-S