Gloucester High School - Flicker Yearbook (Gloucester, MA)

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Ode. “Not only around our infancy Doth Heaven with all its splendors lie; Daily, with souls that cringe and plot, We Sinais climb and know it not.” — Lowell. No rest is there more sweet beneath the sun, When fiercely on our heads the noonday heat Beats down, no sweeter respite to the child Of Nature, when distressed with strife and care Than to the shady thicket to withdraw, And there ’mid rustling trees and murm’ring brooks, Unite sweet sleep and sweetest blissful dreams. To such, with glad and peaceful sense of rest, I fled, and soon, e’er many soft refrains Of gently sighing liquid music swelled, I was in slumber wrapt. Do, then a vision — As in my dreams my thoughts to boundless heights Of loftiness and pure ambition rose— Seemed bidding me to look and give good heed. A youth from childhood’s home was going forth. Before his eyes the path of life in turns And tortuous windings lay outspread afar, And at the journey’s end the land of dreams. Toward this, and to the gleaming shrine of Fame, Ambition called to him through toil and pain, “Press on !” So he with bounding heart and light, Goes forth. Behind him all that in the past Has held for him the joy of love and peace Without a sigh is left, and he beholds All else with scorn, except the shrine of Fame. And so he journeys on, scarce taking time To rest at night in some secluded nook, Or quiet peasant’s cot amid the trees ; And still again by day he rushes on, Upon his brow the firm, determined look Of one on single purpose bent, while in His heart the hope of grandeur and renown. At last as he was hastening on his way Beneath ' the midday sun’s most fervid heat, ’Mong withering, thirsty grasses by the road, A little child he chanced upon, who faint 22

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desire for revenge. Be it sufficient to say that we have tried to follow their advice and would thank them for it. We would hand it down to the class below, having extracted from it our full portion of benefit. SENIOR year. In September, 1900, when the Cffiss reassembled for the last year together, we had changed in many ways. We had matured into grave and dignified Seniors, and we found our environment as greatly altered as if we had awakened from a long sleep. From a subordinate position we had risen to the respected and honored dignity of Seniors. Imagine the transformation in our minds, the newly gained importance of seniority ! No longer was it compatible with our exalted ideas of our character to gather in the corridors as did the more unsophisticated classes, and, though some alienated them- selves from us so far as to mingle in these groups, most of us preferred the studious seclusion of Miss Wilder’s room. There we formed the noblest and grandest resolutions to acquire a reputation for scholarship like the one which we knew we enjoyed for energy and business ability. This lofty ideal we kept for over a week and then, well it seemed to elude our grasp, and if we couldn’t reach it, why, there was no more use trying for it than trying to reach the moon. However, we lost not one particle of our dignity, but some of us appeared in uniforms which added still more to our importance. During the past few years the social spirit which was once so high seems to have waned, but this year it has returned to some proportion of its for- mer size and from the unusual number of socials in the upper classes seems to give promise of maintaining itself. As athletes we have never been re- markable, but the Class of 1901 has always done its share in the support of athletics and has had some few representatives on school teams. An attempt was made to play basket-ball but fortune favored neither the boys nor girls. Whatever may be said about our strength in athletics no one can accuse us of lack of energy in school affairs. Two fairs have been held, both under the management of members of our class and these have helped the school spirit a little. But a hundred times as much interest is needed to put Gloucester on a level with other schools in all interscholastic events, except drill. In the latter, we can surely claim a high position.

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And weary with the heat was now at rest. Upon the young man’s face, his pleading eyes With soft entreaty gazed. ‘‘Kind sir,” he said, ‘‘Please bring to me a drink from yonder brook, For weariness my strength o’erpowers, I fain Would rest.” ‘‘Nay, nay, dear child,” the vouth replies, ‘‘I would that I might help thee in thy need, But nobler purpose bids me hasten on; I seek the brilliant temple known as Fame. Detain me not, for mine a glorious life Must be.” So still as day by day passed by, Fresh chance had he for aiding needy ones, But scarce a glance to each one vouchsafed he, As ever on he made his way to reach Fame’s temple fair. At last he gained the lofty glitt’ring gate, Where goddess Duty, sitting, held the key To Glory’s inner shrine. As he drew near he cried, ‘‘Oh, noble queen! Give now thy key to one, who struggling on Has run life’s course.” But goddess Duty Only sighed: “Alas, vain one,” she said, “ ’Twas I, who in the guise of lovely child Desired a cup of water at thy hand, ’Twas I you met, yea, all along your path In forms of sore distress and need. Each time You passed me by with mere regretful words, Therefore depart — for Fame cannot be thine.” And so the vision left me, all amazed, As round me sank the waning day. Full soon, O friends, our school days will be o’er. We all to various needs of life must turn ; So let us, then, with true and hearty zeal, Be faithful in each little task to come, For only thus can lasting Fame be won. And may, in future years, in life’s great book, ’Midst names of those in grace and honor high Be read the names of Nineteen Hundred One. — Joseph K. Dustin.