Girard College - Corinthian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 9 text:

January, 1933 7 Orpheus Speaks P ICTURE to yourself an immense stretch of beach gliding down to the ocean’s ed e from the dark jungle. The—long ago. An insignificant savage lolls on the yellow sand drawn to the sea much as thousands are today. He toys with an inverted turtle shell fitted with crude strings and cocks an attentive ear to the ancient forerunner of “A”. Even as the “twang” mingles with the ocean’s roar, the weird piping of a reed issues from the jungle and the beat of a tom-tom rises on the salty air. As the rhythm grows in volume, voices of swaying men join in a mighty chant. Orpheus is at his work. Behind our worthy ancestors marches a long chain of years. The Girard Band swings up the road, the same spirit alive in the lilt of the march. The ghost of that early piper hovers over a select group of those who havd inherited his own particular aptitude. If we must descend to the material, David Burkhart, Captain and Solo Cornetist and his followers, John Daniels, First Lieutenant and, Clarinetist, Edward Holmes carrying the Euphonium and Charles Gable, Solo Cornetist and Second Lieutenants march in the van of the long-dead musician. He takes note of Robert Leh, Solo Clarinetist and Supply Sergeant, and acknowl¬ edges the homage of John McCullough, Robert Morrison and Joseph Bove, who resigned from the Band in Senior-One to pursue other activities. Despite his age the old savage’s step is firm and quicker than ever as he keeps time and ' marches along amid the smiles and praises of young and old. But enough—the Band has passed away in the distance and the spirit of the Harp presides. He recalls to us our acquaintance who played with the turtle, shell on that lonely beach. Is it the tom-tom alive again? No! the throb of the drum is much as before, carrying the rhythm as ever, but under the hands of our genial President, Emmeth Land, student conductor and player of the drum and| traps. The eye of the Spirit rests on Harry Hippie, assistant leader and first vi¬ olinist. As the chord of music rises, William Davis, Frederick Seaborne, and Bradford Swonetz weave the background with clarinet, horn, and bass sections. Our Spirits are many, but perhaps they are not alone in their guidance. The large ro om is in darkness except for the path of moonlight that glides through the open glass doors letting in the scented garden air. The beams light up the features of a blind pianist whose fingers wander lightly over the ivory keys of his instrument. Strange and wonderful is his music; but alas! he is deaf to it. His compositions have been preserved for posterity, and Charles Kistler is the one rep¬ resentative of the class. But the stay of our visitors is for a short time only. They must hasten away. They pause to call the role of those who have followed the chant. The oldest spirit steps forward and reads the list unfalteringly: David Burkhart, President, John Thomas, Vice-President, Robert Thomas, Secretary, Wallis Allen, Librarian. He reaches the tenor section: Detweiler, Gabel, Kistler, Poole, Spat- z.er, Spinelli, Wambach, Blakeman, and Hippie. Then down through the bass:

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6 Looking Backward To have lost the good reputation already made for the Magazine by previous classes would have been embarrassing, and it is only natural for us to feel that our most important accomplishment was the maintenance of the model writ¬ ing with which all are familiar. We sought to do two additional things: to im¬ prove the composition in color and to introduce something new that would make the Magazine a greater example of student participation. We cannot judge our success in the first attempt, but hope we have fulfilled the second by eliminating the old stock cut from the cover. Charles J. Godfrey drew the first original cover design and opened a new means for artistic expres¬ sion. Not wishing to stop at this point, the Staff established an index and changed the set-up of poetry contributions to small type. Dr. Stewart gave the Staff his helpful cooperation and constructive criticism in every development; he merits the thanks of the whole school as well as that of the class. Edson J. Shannon, Editor-in-Chief, Peter Wambach, President of the Liter¬ ary Club, and John F. Specht, have labored chiefly in issuing the Magazine. They hope it goes to the next class an improved work. Problems are bound to arise in all school activities, but in spite of these, members of the Girard News Staff were continually on the alert and always ready to give their best to overcoming the difficulties they encountered. Rexford E. Tompkins deserves an unstinted share of commendation for his devotion to the betterment of the paper. For the first time in Girard College a straw vote was taken on the Presidential election. The returns from the games were always correct and unprejudiced during David K. Burkhart’s term as Sports Editor. As third member of the trio, Noman K. Betz, News Editor, created a new interest lin his columns and gave his readers as good an account of the happenings at the! Col¬ lege as is possible in a fortnight edition. With Professor Foust’s fine help and cooperation their work as a whole created much interest on the day of its issue. Our journalists were not confined entirely to the high school editions. As the alumni still have the concerns of their Alma Mater at heart, John A. Guarini and Charles J. Godfrey took over the positions as correspondents for Steel and Garnet and greatly enhanced its attractiveness both to the old grads and the students. Finally, the Commencement Record has been compiled to show in more de¬ tail what we as a class have tried to do at Girard. May the Key of Responsibility which we pass to others turn even more easily in a well-oiled lock. We extend to them our sincerest wishes for success. Charles J. Godfrey, Editor-in-Chief, and his associates, Edson J. Shannon, Rexford E. Tompkins, David K. Burkhart, John F. Specht, and Norman Betz, have, however, tried to leave behind a class magazine which will survive as a record of our attainments at Girard College long after our departure. Success may come to those who wait but to those who endeavor will cornel every joy that has been ours as Seniors and leaders of the school’s publications.

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Looking Backward Bullock, McCullough, Schiavo, Server, Bove, Bryan, Davis, Kingsmore, Land, Melson, Shiner, Solomon, Wedekemper, and Wood. It is done. The beach is calling the ghosts back. Ere they go, however, they pay their respects to Messrs. Frey, Carey, Banks, Cullen, and Pfouts whilte the class look on with approval and appreciation. The land of the beach and jungle is now dark, and pan-like music steals silently out over the starlit waters as Orpheus woos the waves. Soldier, Miner and Politician T HE tourist trade would not be so profitable if travel were not enticing. We Girardians have known this enticement. In June of 1931 we were faithfully guided to the various points of interest at Valley Forge: the Chapel, the carillons, and the museum. But it was when we were left alone that we got so much out of our stay there by just wandering through the nearby woods or clambering over grass-clad trenches. Despite the softening effect of the time, the surroundings still reveal pictures of American struggles for liberty. We realize then why this place has become enshrined in the hearts of our countrymen. Can any boy look at those front line trenches and not picture the scene of America’s early struggle ? Shenandoah—means ascending rickety flights of black wooden stairs and gazing down on the work-a-day life of a breaker. Here breaks the noise of shifting screens and sliding coal which left us with a confused notion of the min¬ ing industry, but the cool quiet of the underground was different. No explorer could ask for more than to be drawn from the depths by a steel thread, like one resurrected and transported to the green valleys of Shenandoah. As the last act to a glorious pageant our trips culminated in the Capitol City. With apologies to Henry Van Dyke one might say, “Oh, Washington is a man’s town; there’s power in the air.” But such a feeling does not spring wholly frohi an impression of vast riches and resources. It rises from the knowledge that here is the symbol of what the shabby men of Valley Forge died to create. It is the symbol of what courageous miners, laborers, builders, craftsmen, teachers, and artists have sought to maintain. It is the duty of every citizen to know how his government is run. We departed from Washington feeling that our stay there had not been unprofitable. For some of us these brief visits have been the opening wedge to a life of travel. On the other hand many of our number will lead a sedentary existence.. But when the years have passed and we meet once more, not one of us will have forgotten our three trips together.