Gloucester High School - Flicker Yearbook (Gloucester, MA)

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of the little Freshies over the sea of “ No Dusto.” And what an awak- ening of school spirit there was ! Two classes organized, and a school paper, the Crimson and White, was started, being edited by members of the Junior and Senior classes. Early in the year the Junior class organized, and we, “ led on by fate,” dared to set an example, and elected our class officers, chose class colors, and selected class pins. But here our energy gave out, and as far as we remember, not another class meeting was held during the remainder of the year. Soon drill began again, and most of the male portion of the class blossomed out with corporal’s chevrons and a big volume of tactics, the contents of which we were required to assimilate, and then transmit to green and awkward freshies. Nepos claimed a good deal of our atten- tion, that is, of every one except Swift. He got along on sight trans- lation for a while, but feeling that that method was a bit slow, he cap- tured a pony. Then he got along so fast that he had to be excused for the rest of the year to give the class a chance to catch up with him. The boys took up chemistry this year — it wasn’t in the regular course, but you see, they had geometry in the chemical laboratory, and not wishing to waste a whole period on geometry, they did a little amateur chemis- try, chiefly in the chapter on acids. Toward the latter part of the year, the Seniors published the first attempt at a year book in the G. H. S., and succeeded in getting up quite an interesting little book, the “1900.” JUNIOR YEAR. Juniors ! At last we had reached a place of some importance in the school, so important a place, in fact, as Miss Slade’s room. Here, for one whole term we ruled affairs, and we were ruled — out, for the very first day of the second term found every Junior boy back in the

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time and practice will do wonders. Certain members of the class, too, began to display marked abilities in other directions. One showed quite a leaning toward poetry, indeed, his parody on Marmion, beginning, “ Young Lochinvar came out of the west, With a dirty coat and a ragged vest,” quite enraptured the class. His “ choice and flow of words ” was something remarkable, and we feel that if he had only remained with us, and received our help and encouragement, “ Bernie ” might have risen very high in the profession. Brooks seemed to think that the school texts books weren’t fully illustrated, and strove to remedy the defect, while Hannon and Barry formed a mutual scrapping society and held a “ regular business meeting ” every recess. Many, too, were the good times we had in recitations— in Physics with Mr. Burnham, where most of us, at one time or another, received a severe thrashing — with a catskin — which, of course, shocked us greatly ; in English with Miss Woodbury, where we took up astron- omy, geography, and kindred subjects ; in Latin with Miss Sibley, and later, with Miss Wonson, where our two dignified captains fought for the corner seat, while Brooks made “googoo e3 ' es” at the Freshman girls as they passed to gymnastics, and Harrison “ spouted ” his latest poem. But gradually the year wore on, with its vacations and exams., until Field Day was upon us, and then how we Freshmen drilled ! In fact, the Freshmen in the prize squad drilled so well that one of their number won a medal, which was quite remarkable, considering. Regi- mental Field Day and “ the last day of school ” followed in quick suc- cession and we parted for the long summer vacation. SECOND YEAR. All too soon September came round again, and we found ourselves back at school, watching with cruel enjoyment the aimless wanderings

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study room. Soon after this unfortunate occurrence, the boys sudden- ly found out that they were very much interested in Roman History, and of course, two or three books were necessary ; you remember Mr. Merchant always said, “ Never get your history lesson all from one book.” The girls seemed fond of history, too, and the poor little library saw some warm times. That didn’t “ jar it ” much, though, as it had been acclimated the year before. Class spirit suffered a great awakening this year. Regular class meetings were held, and the social committee entertained the class at several enjoyable assemblies. At the beginning of the year, the man- agement of the school paper was offered to the class ; we accepted, and elected a board of editors, who, though not very well supported by the school, still succeeded in making a great improvement on the first volume. We also entered heartily into the idea of a Battalion Fair, and contribu ted largely to the sum realized. This year, for the first time in our school life, we had Mr. B. as instructor, and you may be sure, we knew our Cicero and Virgil like “Youth’s Companion.” Chemistry claimed a large porportion of the class and they suc- ceeded in turning out the usual quantity of high explo- sives, pigments, soap, etc., for Exhibition Day. During the winter, the Senior boys grew a little cool toward ’02, and in the basement one recess, just for some excite- ment, 1 suppose, they so far forgot “ their respected and honored dignity,” as to form in line of battle and try to win from us the possession of our sacred corner, where, for three long years, we had been wont to congregate. You may be sure we rallied nobly in its defence, and for two days protected it from from Senior invasion, when the “ powers that be ” sent forth the mandate that no more “corner rushes ” should be held, and the “ Bloody Angle,” became a thing of the past.