Greenfield High School - Evergreen / Exponent Yearbook (Greenfield, MA)

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THE EXPONENT 9 FRESHMAN YEAR After fighting successfully nine long years of school life, we left behind us the land of “Tillsonia” to embark on our black bowed ships for new and strange lands. We soon tasted all the adventure that we could wish for in one year. We started on our conquest with Francis Carson as captain, Louise Hunter, first mate, Reta Bostley, keeper of the log and Willard Letourneau, keeper of the treas¬ ure. Now as the days went by we encountered no real danger. Indeed during the first month of our voyage we came to the land of the Phoenicians or Sophomores. Here we were treated in a royal man¬ ner. We were their guests and many good times they gave us. Especially at one agreeable dance, called the Freshman reception. We were intro¬ duced to the higher nobles, the teaching force. All these good times and events impressed us very much. It was while we were here that many athletic games were held. Our! crew was invited to take part in them. Among those who accepted were Ed. Vickery, Jack Cavanaugh, Jimmy Woodlock, Art Merz, Mino Partenheimer, Joe Conway and Francis Carson. This being our first tryout few made the teams. Leaving the land of the Phoenicians we began our voyage in earnest. We now woke with the rosy- fingered dawn and worked. Many storms threatened us. Some of our ships were sunk and a few of the crew lost. When things seemed to be going along smoothly we came to the land of Circe. All of our crew fell under her dreadful charm. Studies lagged, interest fell off, we did not care to begin our work again. But Mr. Smith, our leading god, came to our rescue. After this we were more care¬ ful to avoid the Sophomores. However, that danger was soon forgotten and we drifted to a more horri¬ ble one. We had been drifting along with the tide in a leisurely way when we came to Charybdis and Scylla, otherwise known as mid-year exams. Some of us tried to dodge the danger. But it was of no use. Some were seized by Scylla to be no more; others succumbed to Charybdis. As it was, most of us escaped. Ah! but we breathed more freely when those potent evils were left far in the rear. Still we were not out of the danger zone. We encountered the Sirens who called to us to aban¬ don our hard studies and live a carefree life with them. A few believed their lies and succumbed to their songs, but most of us sailed by the danger. Some just about got by as the luring thought of no more studies was hard to resist. Good and happy days followed. Were we not nearing the end of our voyage? Were we not go¬ ing to be rewarded after the long voyage? Indeed, all these happy thoughts filled our hearts with joy. We thought of the good times that were to follow. But many of our thoughts were shattered. Out of the clear sky: the thunderbolt struck. Our ship was beached on the island of the Giant Cyclops, or final exam. We were a sorry looking crew that escaped the island. How we fixed the ship to sail is hard to answer. Two days later we sighted land. Oh, what re¬ joicing there was. Most of our crew pulled through safely. A two months’ rest was assured us and we passed safely into the land of Ithaca or the sum¬ mer vacation. SOPHOMORE YEAR There were some Ancient Mariners Of the Class of ’23, Who started on their Sophomore year, With many a laugh of glee. The ship was cheered, the harbor cleared; Merrily did we start, With Cavanaugh and Rita, dear, To steer us in our bark. Miss Toomey held the log so dear, As a duty great and noble. And Letourneau kept the bags of gold, With all its treasure’s trouble. “The sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Went down into the sea.” The mariners did hold a dance For the class of twenty-four, And they did trip upon the deck, With never a care or more. The crew did call for many a sport, And the mariners romped and cheered, While mist and snow on us blew down, And of the cold we were afear’d. Then we did ’cross an albatross That flew darkly ’cross the sky And we did seek for one long week, Our marks to raise them high. “The sun now rose upon the right, Out of the sea came he, Still hid in mist, and on the left Went down into the sea.” And then our ship did stay quite still, While we did sport in glee. “Good English Week,” a play did bring From all worries were we free. The good south wind now blew behind And brought baseball along, Many did come to its clear call To cheer in mighty throng.

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8 THE EXPONENT But, to return to the history of the World Peace idea. In 1899, the Czar of Russia extended an invitation to the nations of the world to send dele¬ gates to the Hague in Holland for a discussion of rules of warfare. Arrangements were made where¬ by any two nations might call upon other nations for arbiters to settle their differences amicably. In 1902, this court sat for the first time. Since then it has settled many questions which might otherwise have become serious. At present the dif¬ ferent governments have regular judges to act as arbiters and the Hague Court is permanently estab¬ lished. In 1907, another Hague conference was held which among other acts condemned the use of dum-dum bullets. In 1914, our Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, suggested that a third conference be held in 1915. But before the plans were completed the European war broke out and Peace took a vacation. We all remember the efforts that were made during the winter of 1918-19 to secure a League of Nations which should prevent more wars. When the United States did not enter the League because of the failure of the Senate to ratify the treaty, the senators received a great deal of criticism. But now many who then favored ratification have decid¬ ed that it was as well to keep out. No scheme for a League could have been successfully put in opera¬ tion when all the nations of the world were facing a readjustment which ranged in consequences from slack business and unemployment to national bankruptcy. Yet a well organized League is bound to come —all farseeing people agree to this although one writer says that it will not arrive until 3000 A. D. However, most authorities are more optimistic than this and some expect to see a working Leagui within their own lifetime. j Ihe chief fault in the plans thus far tried in the interest of peace is that they lack provisions for a police force. Theodore Roosevelt once said that it was of no more use to try to run a League of Nations without a pplice force than to try to run a city or state without one. Some have sug¬ gested that a certain percentage of the navy and army of each country be turned over to the World government so that it could enforce its orders. To command arbitration of differences and to order the nations to obey decrees of the court with¬ out some means of compulsion would be the same as to forbid small boys the green apple privilege and then leave them alone under an apple tree. Some good authorities are of the opinion that to form such a police force would be an impos¬ sibility. The nations would not consent to it for fear that some one nation might gain control of it. With all due respect to these authorities, we may say that ideas are the strongest things on earth. In 1688 when a few thousand Quakers in Pennsylvania passed the resolution that slavery was a moral evil, no one supposed that slavery would be abolished in the cotton states. But ideas grow —and Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclama¬ tion. Thus we may hope that the dreams and work of such peace champions as Andrew Carnegie and John Nobel will not perish; and while we are hop¬ ing, we will do well to remember the words of Roosevelt: “There can be no nobler cause for which to work than righteous peace; and high honor is due those serene and lofty souls, wh-o with wis¬ dom and courage, with high idealism tempered by sane facing of the actual facts of life have striven to bring nearer the day when armed strife between nation and nation shall end throughout the world.” RALPH HASKINS, ’23 CLASS HISTORY Introduction Now at the close of our long, hard year We trace our history year by year. In four great works we try to show, How we have journeyed this path of woe. Our Freshman year was full of strife It was chucked full of childish life. Like the Odyssey it had its fights, And as a thrilling book it ended right. As a thip we began our onward flight, Steering the depths with all our might, As an ancient mariner we journeyed on But therein lies a tale to be found. A little older and not so bold We, like Lancelot and Elaine of old Grew like him, a knight right bold Or became like her, a maid of gold. Seniors, dignified we begin again Trying such truth as comes to win, A record of loyalty, honor and truth W ith a diploma to show as our proof.

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10 THE EXPONENT Then the seniors a call did send For talent of the best. In trials for “Nathan Hale,” They sent sincere requests. “Then passed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye. A weary time! A weary time! How glazed each weary eye! When looking westward, we beheld A something in the sky.” “A speck, a mist, a shape I wist And still it neared and neared.” In utter terror we stood in fear; From finals we tried to veer.” “With sloping masts and dripping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow Still treads the shadow of his foe, And forward bends his head, The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, And southward aye we fled.” “But soon we heard the dash of oars, We heard the pilots cheer, Our head was turned perforce away, And we saw a boat appear.” We anchored “like one that hath been stunned And is of sense forlorn. A sadder and wiser crew We rose the morrow morn.” JUNIOR YEAR And so it came to pass that at the beginning •of our Junior year, our worthy King Edgar gather¬ ed his loyal knights about the Round Table. The knights of twenty-three held the seats of honor on his right, according to their standing. A famous enchanter, Merlin, had exerted all his skill in fa¬ bricating the Round Table. A magic power wrote upon each seat the name of the knight who was entitled to sit in it. No one could succeed to a vacant seat unless he surpass in valor and glorious deeds, the knight who had occupied it before him. Now, in a special seat, sat Sir John, first in prowess and leader of the other knights, and beside him Lady Louise. After spending some time at the Table Round, there was great rejoicing; for the clerk, Lady Mil¬ dred, charged with the duty of preserving the annals of the Round Table, issued a proclamation by King Edgar, announcing a field day to be held at Franklin Park. With that, many knights from the courts of Arms, Brattleboro and Turners, gathered themselves together, each with a fervent desire to bring back the honors to his King. And Sir Robert went forth to prove his worth for King Edgar, and returned with flying colors. And many tournaments and jousts were held on the battle field on the shores of the Green River The strongest and mightiest in battle, Sir John, Sir Kenneth, Sir Arthur, Sir Joseph, Sir Francis and Sir Arthur of the Westside won many victories for the court. A small festival had previously been held in honor of the lesser knights; but now, these worthy knights, the flower of chivalry, proud of their strength and valor, wished to earn new fa¬ vors for the damsel of their choice. And so, a bigger festival was given, to which each knight escorted his fair lady. But then ' King Edgar called his knights to¬ gether and said, “Now must ye defend you like a knight, or else be shamed forever, for you have slept over-long.” So, the covenant was made that no knight should remain at the Round Table unless he proved his mental worth. Forthwith the siege endured and the knights lay helpless near a week; and when they were near recovery came tidings unto King Edgar that each had upheld the coven¬ ant. Immediately afterwards King Edgar found himself opposed by kings from the surrounding country, who, with their armies, were already mak¬ ing their way toward the court. By Merlin’s ad¬ vice, King Edgar called a council to solicit the aid of Sir Merrill, Sir Arthur and Sir Edward, three of the best knights of the Round Table. They ac¬ cepted the call, and with two other knights, formed an opposing army to combat against the enemy. Some of the rebel kings were superior, but Merlin, by a powerful enchantment, caused confusion among them and Sir Merrill and his men won many victories. After defeating these rebels, King Edgar sent a larger army against his enemies in the Valley. For six weeks his knights, Sir Edward, Sir Donald, Sir Earle, Sir Arthur, Sir Edmund, Sir Arthur of the Westside and Sir Merrill lay siege to the Val¬ ley and were quite victorious. During this time, at the court, the most illus¬ trious Lady Helen called together contestants for the best public speaker of the court. Eight of the most famous orators of the knights of twenty- three competed, and Lady Alice and Sir Wadsworth were victorious. It happened one day that Sir Eustace, the keeper of the King’s purse, found it overflowing with gold and precious jewels. Soon after this dis¬ covery Sir John invited all the court to a great fes¬ tival, which had been held annually at Washington Hall. This was attended with much pleasure and merriment by all. As the knights had obtained their sovereign’s permission to bring their ladies along, the fair Lady Doris appeared upon this occasion, in all her charms, with Sir Vincent. Sir Edward saw them and could not behold them without emotion, and made no effort to conceal his love. Sir Vin¬ cent perceived it and the pain he felt from jealousy taught him how dear Lady Doris was to him. Not-