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

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ra- . .5 ,:.-I. A Qs.- Ii-1 41 :Gi F: 32,7-C i- :yi , .qw , 'Q fi , 'si his . .L , ' xiii , LL5 2? - up.. 'iff' ,S ., 'I- f.-' ,fp J' ng- 1. . 'H 5 .Q se There exists a number system. 'enterihg one's favorite butch- er- shop Cor any other shop where one knows meat is on salej one ob- serves a curiously placed table, box, or stand near the entrance. Upon close inspection the box discloses many square cut pieces of card board, each with a number on it. These numbers are placed one on top of the other, increasing as the stack decreases. Each would-be-customer entering lifts a card from its com- -fortable resting place and commences to examine the interior of the shop while waiting for her number to be called, at which time she will be served. In the meantime, a passer- by can hear the loud calling of num- bers. . Number 152-53-543' .... .... .,.. .... ' Right here To an outsider this may seem like an exciting game of lotto, but we meat buyeis know what lt is I shall continue After securing my number I retired to a rather un- crowded location of the overcrowded shop to observe the many anxious customers One often becomes ac- quainted with others who are also waiting Such was the case when Mrs. Abcad QI learned laterj approached me asking 'How long have you been waiting? After receiving my answer she exclaimed Ten minutes' Is that all? Then followed a conversation which is far too hazy to record how- ever, it was evident that Mrs. A. wanted the remaining six lamb chops on display I was obliged to interrupt my compan1on's idle chatter when I noted an elderly lady slowly making her way to the door number in hand Just as I thought Cand hoped incldentallyl as she brushed the box of numbels she dropped hers on the top of the stack I quick as a bunny retrieved the discarded number and was very pleased to fmd it was num- ber 181 because my origlnal num- ber had been 227 This change of numbers meant at least an hours difference in waiting time Numbei 172 was then being called by one of the busy butchers. In another moment I was again at the side of Mis Abcad As before, she began to Jabber 'Jabber Jab- ber, mumble Jumble It wasn't too long after when I was awakened from my stupor by the calling of number 180 Much to my amazement I was being pulled through the crowd by Twenty engbt 3 -4. '15, - 4 ' sr ' . ,. -' . . . gg . 13:9 fl-'le - ' ' . . W. .1 , 1 . l Mr.. X-. nd- ' fi'-. Q , ' QQ. ' . .4 5 f' UQ . ..1- --1, 2 - . ' . , .r:2,f ' e' . -,,,.- -1 . . , Lig, ,Y . ' L -9' ' ' , X ' -fl J 'fats I ' 4 lil' ., ' ' , ' HX . . - . . . - 7 ali f ..,s, - ff - ' wif' f ' ' ' . . AY I .-lg - J .-:T ' ' .L1 ,, . ggi., i . . . 14 ' ' si 9 .4 ' ' fi, 1 f E? 'i 35-l - -- ' T14 '- i' . .' ' fe: ix Q.. F Q 4.5.7-' ' gil - ' Q 'flfl , ' 9 1 jp - - . j i- .Q I . . . :iii-if 1 . . es.. , ire. .11 - ' ' +A:-.' A - 1, . AL: . ' - tl-'L 1 ' - .fr - . tx, - - , - Q Ig, ' I. 'Z ' -if - 752 'f- ' , 5:7- 1 AEK . . i -4.3-Y -. , ,. . ' , 4 - H.-,Q - ' ' 1 541 2 - tf '.g' fy. nf , , . .EF5.'3F3 ' ?171f ' , , . I -. ,U ve '.. ' . 1 iff: - 111 ' ' - Q ' 1 gh 'ff 'f . .- . - , ..2ss,.. , N ' . -:fort J , ., '- . pi? 'aff' V - ' I egifsffifw , . ' M111-,-gf, ,E A , . . , , ' . . - e .ffff1?.,'j'1' f ' i A ' -Lg. ff'-,J J ' Q - . N - . 7Tw.'?-if-, 1-.TJ 3 .ish-t ' wi e ' .111 L. - .'rf2:rf ' -we '-?'.-'- :.1:1':ff-.A--mf.. . ss' ' 4.,.- diff:-' W -.mPf.'i3 '. wif'-'::i,ji' 1 g,.. . ' ' . 'ff'f'9 '. H217 M' 111-.23 s:...r11f??'iT'e 'H'-' '1 f -. f 1,-6, Q ' ' 5151 ,.r:,y'-1,5-W -,.-.. 4 ' -- : A -' -.- - --- - ts :1uf ' I- . - -- . P f -- I-. - rl --' sr--T. .-ang .way , . -np. . E -r 2 -..--95 -wi . Mrs. Abcad or No. 180. Look they're still there, she said to me pointing 'tom the chops in the refrigerator. When asked what she wanted she said, waving and pointing toward the lovely, looking lamb chops. I'll take those. . q 0K! Ninety cents and twenty-nine points , the beaming butcher re- plied. Bu't I don't have that many points, she 1'etorted, and I must have them all. I'll bring you the rest of the points next- Sorry lady,-next, 181. ' UYes.U X I'1l take the lamb chops, I said as I -pulled from my purse both points and money. 1 I'm quite sure I lost a newly made friend, for with that I. left the wretched woman standing with her mouth hanging open and her eyes popping. As I pushed through the crowd I could hear her last words- UWELL OF ALL THE NERVEP' Fright Anne Gulledge, 45 U l FRIGHT, according to the diction- ary, is sudden fear. The great ma- jority of people at some time or other have been frightened half out of their wits, but to explain fear or fright to someone who has never ex- perienced it would be rather diffi- cult. To try to give this person the meaning of fright by telling him that it is sudden fear would simply be giving the person a couple of mean- ingless words. You would, therefore, have to give an example or illustra- tion before he could fully comphe- hend the matter. As I sat here pon- dering over this terrible dilemma. I recalled a frightening experience which occurred to me in my youth. Maybe you- will say that it is only an awful nightmare, which I should forget, but the hollow coldness of this fear haunts me day and night. In the beginning Lallie and I were afraid something would happen. It might have been ,intuition or it could have been the night-that night, I shall never be able to fully erase it from my memory. Vivid pictures flash in my mind, as I recall it. It was a cold, dark, dreary night. The wind was alternately howling loudly and moaning sadly around the eaves, and the windows were rattling. All of -- V - '- .Ax -L ,L -. 1, X... . 1-5.7-ni. 1 ..' .1 ' ,,- the doors were tightly lockedg-but they continuously creaked on their hinges. Outside, the shuttersbangekl and jarred. The surrounding houses were shrouded in. darkness, because the neighbors had long gone to bed. Lallie and I were alone in this dark gloomy house, which had been rumored to be haunted. We were sitting upstairs, telling ghost stories, which seemed very realistic and which made us shudder and shriek, as we took- turns relating strange, mysterious blood-curdling tales. Sud- denly, we- jumped with fright when we heard the front door squeak, as someone almost silently swung it open. Who could have opened a lock- ed door? Perhaps it was a ghost and the fantastic stories we had heard concerning the wierd 'things which had occurred under that same roof were true. ' The wind sent forth a loud moan, which shook the house and sent chills down our spines. Steps followed the moang therefore, it could not be a spook, because only a human could walk like that, taking a few muffled steps and then pausing, as if to see who was at home. Now the steps were coming closer and were distinguished as being in the dining room. Next they would come up the stairs and then what should we two frightened girls do? We were too scared to squeal or to run to the phone. Hor- rible thoughts flashed in our minds as we pictured vividly Lallie's parents coming home and finding us dead. Our breath was coming in short, hard, quick gaspsg our faces were whiter than snowg and our hands were damp with cold fear. All We dared do was to clutch each other and to pray silently that if we were to be murdered, to let it be quickly, or for Lallie's parents to return be- fore we were killed, but we knew the latter was hopeless, since it would be hours before her parents returned. Yes, the footsteps were heard onthe staircase. The steps creaked and groaned as each step was taken. Now they had reached the landing. They were coming nearer and nearer by the moment. Each second brought the footsteps and our death closer. They had reached the door and we two stunned girls with fear in our eyes watched the door knob tremble. Suddenly, the door knob turned and the door was flung open. There stood Lal1ie's mother. E-c-H-0-His Q , L l g .FQ . 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ip- - ,-- ...Z----Z--tw. . --ww.1iffW'E'- '.'6ZFi?'5r,d'45f '- ,n'-.:' , iii. 'fro' W1 1- 7 'W M V I 'S '?'f'l'Tig'-1'-7ffj3'f,:i3ii L1f-- E -f 1- 5 '- iii E'A and golden-tinted croakers. Such are the night, time and place where my floundering trip occurred. - Of course when I go floundering, I always wear clothes and shoes 'fwhich have seen better days , be- cause I sometimes do not see those empty flounder-beds, some of which are pretty deep and mucky, and I actually come up from them, wet to my knees. Some people, I know, love the idea of going floundering bare- footed, but I do not recommend that to beginners in the delightful sport, since my friends, the flounder-beds, sometimes contain tiny sand-crabs and homeless fish. X 'To distingush the flounder from the stingray beds, indeed requires skill beyond just knowledge of flovun- dering. Although I do have my spear to defend myself, I never forget that the stingray has two ends with which to attack, while the only protective power of the poor little flounder is his ability to speed away from his enemies. ' After years of walking, I finally come upon something that resembles the picture of a flounder that I have once seen. Cautiously, groping my way through the black night, I creep up to the flounder, scarcely breath- ing with fear that I might frighten him away. It seems at this moment of the game, I hear all theunocturnal noises that might cause me to miss my first flounder of the night. It is not, of course, the fish of the fish- erman's story ,.but just the idea of seeing the ounder buried in the sand runs a tingle of excitement up and down my back. My thoughts race back to the particulars a friend had told me about catching a flounder: Feel your way to about one foot from his tailg then with all your strength, spear him, right between the eyes. With every care and cau- tion, I take the final step, the step that means the difference betwen life and death, lof the flounder, I meanl and plunge my spear in the designated spot! After the ruffled sand calms down and the water changes its color from white foam to a velvety smooth greenish-blue, I can clearly see the resultof my night of preparation. There covered by Mother Nature's means of protection lies a flat fish of grayish-black hue, with two pierc- ing eyes in his back. After much squirming and flipping, the flounder E-C-H-O-E-S ,,'-LJ . .' finds his new home to be .the bot- tom of a porous sack which I have with me. With a grin of satisfaction of a deed well done, I hurry to the beach and, literally, run home to our cottage. To a person in this state of mind, everything seems to be just beautiful and supremely perfect. It seems to me this night, the lady of the moon is smiling at me brighter than ever, and the stars, endlessly winking and twinkling, also know of my great success. Our little white cottage is set far back among mas- sive, stately pines of deep green and dignified brown. What a beautiful picture that makes is something for a professional artist to describe. But, back to my flounder! Now to catch the flounder does in- deed take skill, but to know just the right way tocook it takes not just knowledge, but experience. This seems like an anti-climax to a good, spine- tingling mystery story! The best place to cook such a deli- cacy is on an open barbecue pit when all the outdoor is clean and full of refreshing odors, plus, of course, the less desirable ones that always seem to tone down the smell of the spicy pines, the feel of the cool, salty gulf breeze, and the looks of the rich jet- black mud. With all the care of hand- ling a new-born baby, lay the floun- der on the shining- grate over the .red-hot coals. Then daub it well with a sauce of melted butter and season- ings. One of the most delightful things about eating this king of all fish, is that a flounder has only back-bones. The rest of his priceless meat is left free of the -piercing milk-white spears . After. it has been turned to a golden brown hue, garnish it with sprays of parsley, lemon slices and olives, and you have a dish fit for the gods. Spring Is H ere! X ' Edna Leer, '45 What could be fresher than the rain, Splushing on my window pane? It has a message to convey, To all the lovely flowers of May. To little flowers growing about, It 3-gems to whisper and to shoutf lVahe now, little flowers, have no fear, Wake now, little flowers, Spring is here! , . - . .1-,xx - ' ,V - f ... ea , -.-1. . -:x v . -'J 1 1. V -. - '4'. ..-,. 1 3- '..'. ' if:-SW ' ' .'s:'21:. ' 11' ff, , ,i-- . --'it W ell, Of All The Nerve' ,Peggy Robert, '45 Q1 ON THIS particular Saturday morn- .3 ing I had started for Biaham's , Butcher Shop early. At nine olclock I boarded the bus -that would carry V pig me to that establishment. Sitting there I noticed' all the various types E' of people entering this mode of ji transportation-people as different E as the ingredients of fruitcake. The ' 1 stout old gentleman on my right l- greatly resembled a dried prune, but 'EL the woman beside him reminded me ,. of the weakest stringbean in our victory garden. I was unable to in- QQ. spect the rest of the passengers be- 'ggi cause we were ,nearing my corner. Aggfff Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer and off I got, off the cozy, dry bus f into damp, sultry streets filled with war workers rushing to their re- spec-tive plants, business men dash- ing to 'their offices, school girls, j-F bee-lining it to the lakefront and . parks, and--ah, yes, housewives rush- ing to Biaham's Butcher Shop. . -A I noticed for the first' time since my departure from the Public Serv- ice's conveyance, the seemingly end- less swarm of women, hurrying .to- ward the door of one little shop down the block. So I, knowing it had to be done, followed the hurry- ing, gossiping, chattering crowd of women. Well, -I never did like Mabel's hat, but I couldn't tell her. John? Why he's been promotedg he's a colonel. Oh, I?se sorry to heah 'bout Amos' death Mirandy, but I just got a letter fum da wah depart- ment telling me dat -1- -- -- --- and I can get a nice beef sir- loin with my remaining twenty points. Yes, walking among Women, one can hear many.bits of conversa- tion. 'X But, see, I've arrived at Biaham's safe, sound, and unruffled, well, safe and partly sound, anyway. Gosh, this place is crowded. Pardon me. May I get through. Excuse me. Would you mind using your own feet to stand on? , I shall at this point digress to re- late one proceeding at Biaham's Land other meat markets of our day, Pm K Tiuentyfseveri Uv. ielfilfif'f f 5i.3z1.'-.1 ' .- ,f-fp-JJWJ51 1 . A-E-. -, clx,-6-'fgsPitl-.fi-fi.Af-Si-t'5f'iili!.7ii1q-.i-'-f.:'i-if ::fl-Q2 Q: . T -5.25--l'lfiQQifl'l5!r ':': ea.::.wei'I-Ri Ze?Qt.r-mer: e e :.aQ4.::5.sm,.-1. ,.,:niszHa'h:: .-...nf as-f'i's.i3fc.'sl1-4.4-if -f... n-M-:4-L'f.t.dLsa1:.e.1ivi-12-.w.:-:.wa's.w, .ful ' f If 2: 9' . 51, ,w :V ...g . fi A if-3 -11353 4 slag , -it 1 5 ffufh 'f e J' ,-nj. A ' . 'ff 'Vai' 1335 'alle-Ei , .qv . . - , -.lu . . I-,',l - ' 'fi' li . b i if pai -w . 'Y l T. Lv' . . ' gg, :-if-, ' --?'Tfi'- .fi V J-. xiii. . i . QC'JE'.'1l fi I 'r i L. . , . - :wg . -- i, 1

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1...lg-.pi..-lp.....-grins-lp-..qin1n-n- pr f gg H I 'fb Er 'l ef L 4' ff .. P 5 Q gigs .fe--'L-.,'-1:g.2i, Q-,area - i . .- ,f-fv1,,s ,-1. ,-,.. . - - ' -.5 -, - fi,---N55--3.1.-,', 'fiction Medal For Valor Rosemary Stockton, 46 9 N ARE you sure he had enough lunch? questioned Mary as she ran down the steps to the freight yard. Aw, sure I'm sure, Sis, Johnny replied, very mannishly. Ole Eric Red's gonna be the best soldier in all the army. Didn't the directions say he'd get fed on the train? .0h, why did we answer that ad for dogs that said, 'Uncle Sam needs your dog'? It meant someone else's. Jeepers! I wonder if I could go along and take care of him? Sadly Johnny held back the tears, but tried to assume a nonchalant air as he answered his sister. Now, wouldn't you look fine running along behind a good soldier like Eric's gonna be, asking him if he was hun- gryozu . p Eric had been christened Eric Red I when, as a pup, he had dis- played a large red blob on each ear. It was so hard to reach a decision as to what he should be called that the Johnson family had decided to combine his two' nicknames into a distinctive moniker , No longer a gangly pup, Eric had acquired still more blobs of red on his entire bcdy, which glistened in the sun and dis- played his graceful curves, and soft, silky hair to the best advantage. Fondly Mary and Johnny petted and talked to their dog until the sad moment when the -conductor yelled, Get that crate aboard, ladg this ain't no picnic we're going to. Then, glancing into the crate as the train slowly gathered speed, he called back, Don't you be frettin', childreng we'll take good care of him. A strange feeling swept over Eric as he felt the train carry him away from the, home 'he had known since he was a clumsy, sprawling puppy. EfG'H'OfEfs' ' - n-ll1lp1ll-.ll-u1n:vll1l1ln-.u-u:np1Il-wllo Maybe they didn't like the way I buried Mary's dolls, he thought mournfully, or maybe I ate too much. People are so queer when you don't please them, but I never thought Johnny would send me away. As the hours passed drearily by, the little streamliner drew closer and closer to its destination. All this time Eric meditated on the sit- uation in which he found himself. Why, oh why was he being sent away? How long must he stay penned up in this box? Where was heigoing? He didn't understand all the talk he had heard about his be- ing a soldier. Who was this Uncle Sam who needed him? He knew that Tom Johnson had gone to war, but war was only a word to Eric. When the train finally gave a great lunge and came to a stop, he was worn out with discomfort, worry, and bewilderment. ' Eric strained every nerve to see or hear what would happen now. Suddenly the cage door shot up to bring into the range of his anxious eyes a man dressed in the queer garb that Tom had worn the last time he was at home. Slowly the tall figure stooped over to examine him, and a big, rough hand moved gently over his soft coat. All at once Eric's troubles seemed over. I-Ie still didn't know the answers to the ques- tions which bothered him, but that didn't matter any more.. He did know that he had found a friend, and he looked up trustingly as the soldier said, Steady, boy, steady. We'l1 be seeing a lot of each other from now on. How true his statement was! For in the weeks that followed Eric Red found himself led through a strange wonderland of adventure with the soldier, whom he now recognized by the name of Svendsen, at his side. Each day he was taken through a meadow filled with holes, fires, steep, man-made cliffs, and muddy ditches. Above all this a strange, booming noise, much louder than his master's gun, roared overhead. After tirelessly struggling through the ob- stacles for days on end, he became .used to his accustomed routine, ,but never to the, rat-ta-tat and boom- bang noises. Eric never forgot the day his mas- ter gave, him a new harness! and brushed- him with undue ceremony, repeating through the process, This is it. This is our day to shine, fella. How strange to tell him that! Nevertheless, the faithful dog obeyed to the letter. Because he wanted to please his master and show his dog friends his ability, he took particu- lar pains tor show himself bold and ,unafraid as he went through the mea- dow. When he was paraded past a group of very tall, dignified men, he patiently allowed them to examine him from his alert ears to the tip of his tail without flinching. How silly of usto stand here let- ting strange' men in fancy uniforms examine us, he said to another dog. Pm hungry and I'd like to get back to my quarters. H Just then a throaty voice boomed out, 'Private James Svendsen, you have successfully put your dog, Eric Red I, through the stiff training school for army dogs. It is now my pleasure to congratulate you and de- clare your dog a full-fledged mem- ber of the K-9 corps. Many months passed before the day of actual combat arrived. In a small landing craft, steering toward a calm Pacific isle, Eric Red sat pa- tiently at his master's feet thinking, Surely I'm not the dog that con- sidered it nothing special to have a steak bone with every meal! Truly he was a different dog, for he had been 'trained iifuthe army and was now a soldier, complete with K- rations. His train of thought was broken when Svendsen silently stroked his throat, then said softly, This is the real thing, fella. Show them you're the best K-9 in the army. ' Then the sky exploded and turmoil was on every side as Svendsen and Eric Red plunged into the icy waters towards shore, alongside, countless other soldiers. A strange sense came over Eric and he seemed to hear a voice crying, Faster! Faster! Don't look back! Stay next to Svendsen! and at the same time questioning him, Will you make it? Hurry! Hurry! 4Continued on page 40 . Tweniy-nine i 1 I f . 11 '- 'f--' 5' L x-- ..f ,,f,, . M., . 4.01, ,-'5 :f 1 fig 'yfj-5. -3- 1 .' f .' H ji, 1, Tw,-,ff ',f33-'.f','-,'J ,, , , if .. ,i - ,,, l,,, .M .4L:4aki,r11 L-riilf' ' .n-H. En- I . .'-s.-uifm.C3.lhlSaf.z I :L sir.-fu Qwxfuhrwtih-w.l.'frmlv.-:-12 wf 4 - 2? P4-x GJ . X:-0 'nw ,-F 1 fi, -Fl