Herkimer High School - Ye Green Quill Yearbook (Herkimer, NY)

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The Green Quill 25 , SPRING FEVER There is music in the alr. Young gentlemen are strutlng around the streets. People are planting' The shops are full, and countless automobiles are seen. Everyone knows these symptoms, for they denote the arrival of spring. As we travel along, we hear people talking of the dread disease, spring fever. You may look in all the doctor books of the world, but will never find described therein a, disease known by that fearful name. Spring fever in caused by that mystic germ, spring, and no pryslcian can tell you much about it, Vwhen the birds herald the appnoach of Persephone, fond parents cast fearful glances at their children, for children are very sus- ceptible to sprlnfg fever, and they, with lovers, make up the majority of- cases. Any out-of the-ordinary prank is immediately attributed to this disease. .Spring fever is looked upon as the cause for many a good man's going wrong, at the altar. - Although spring fever is an ordinary afflic- tion, and everyone knows its cause, no one can 'find a cure. And no one wants to, for this old world could hardly get along without spring fever. -Alfred Stern H. H. S. LAMENTATIONS A Senior may feel rather 'blue As graduation nears, When he recalls those golden days Spent in the last four years. A Junior too, has his woes, Thou'g,'h but a year to wait, He also laments the time When he'll have to graduate. A Sophmore doesn't worry much About this time as yet, He never looks two years ahead And that's a good safe bet. A Freshman shouldn't have a worry But he has, quite so, He doesnt like it, not a bit Because he has four years to go. -I. S. '29 THE HOUSE OF CONTENT Beyond the vague horizon, Away in distant lands, Far away from the icelands Yes, far from the burning sands, Lies the House of Content. The roof is built of pure goodness, The sides, of friendship true, Its windows, are made of fidelity, Yes, and the shutters too. This is the House of Content. When you've journeyed thru the land Where windows are made of deceit, Where friends you have lost, there too, I 'wish that you all may meet In the House of Content. -Irene Shraeder '29 MENTAL LAZINESS Jack sat by a bench whittling toys from soft wood. His wife 'Mollie was seeding a tiny plot of ground at the back -door. She was a frail little woman with large blue eyes which were shaded always by a trouble too heavy for her slender shoulders to bear. Every few minutes she would enter the kitchen to see that her cookies didn't scorch. The fifth time she entered the room she stopped beside Jack and, asked him if he could finish the seeding. Now, Mollie, you know I ain't very strong. Now with that rheumatism and this cough I don't see how I could do lt. To prove he had a cough, the man hacked at nothing in his throat. The 'wife who never argued forgot her usual shrug and restraint of tongue and 'burst out, Jack Mulligan, you know as well as I do that you hain't got no rheumatism and that cough of yours ain't nothing. And if there was a cold in your head 'tis because you were too lazy to shet the window. Now, Mollie, you know what old Doctor Gray said. Dr. Gray is too old and getting too blind and rheumatic himself to know much about medicine any more. Mollie went back to her garden leaving the robust man in doors. There was no appearance about him to tell that he was sick save the ill look he feigned. He laid down his 'whittling and picked up a volume of poetry. The 'book opened at Angelo Morgaus's A Song of Triumph. When his wife entered he said. Mollie, ain't she the gran-d poet though? Listen to this swing. VVork! Thank God for the might of it The ardor, the urge, the delight of it- Work! Thank God for the swing of it For the clamoring, hammering of it, Passion of labor daily hurled On the mighty anvils of the world. ' When he had finished reading Mollie quietly said, Why don't you work then, Jack? The next day Jack was again whlttling toys and reading peotry, E. Y. The Green Quill lStafT of 1928 desires to ex- press its appreciation to Miss Murphy and her typewriting classes for their 'help in preparing the material for publication.

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24 The Green Quill THE LAND OF FLOWERS In our great South-West there lies a ruin of prehistoric origin. No one knows how long it has been there. Some .say it was built by the Pueblo peopleg others say by the ancestors of the modern Pima Indians, who lived in that country at the present time. In the middle of the sixteenth century the country around this place was filled with In- dians. The only civilized people who dared to come into this country were the Spanish priests and adventurers. Some had come with Coronado, the great Spanish explorer: others had found their way up through Mexico. One of these early priests established the San Xavier Mission, to christianize the Indians. This gleaming white -church, with, its great oaken door brought on the backs of donkeys from Mexico, with the only green grass around in its patio, was a resting place of delight to all the desert travellers. In far away Spain two small boys 'played to-gether and dreamed of being explorers, but as they grew older it was Philip that loved to read the tales of the glorious past of S-pain while Fernando throught of the future. Philip was a typical Spaniard with black hair and eyes, while Ferando was his direct contrast, having light hair and 'blue eyes. Fernando wished to go to the Land of Flowers but that was forbidden since he was heir to the noble kingdom of DelVal1e. Oh, Philip would be a much better duke than I, Fernando said to his father telling him of his desire. Aroused by'this throught and having heard that Narvaez was sailinlg from 'Spain to Florida, he slipped away from his home and stowed- away on the 'west bound ship. His father, the Duke, disowned Fernando when he found he had gone with Narvaez and adopted Philip, his nephew, to take Fernando's place. Meanwhile on the good ship Isabelle, the 'Captain had found Fernando and was very angry because he said there were too many men and too little food. But .Fernando was very useful and Narvaez became very fond of him and allowed the boy to be his page and companion. The ship at last reached Florida, on a beauti- ful Spring day. It was so warm and the place so pretty with the bright colored flowers, that they expressed no wonder that Ponce de Le-on had named it The Land of Flowers a few years before, 'This was their only happy time for 'bad luck seemed to follow them thereafter. Then began the terrible destruction of these brave three hundred men. Lack of food, shipwrecks, and the Savage Indians in less than a year decreased this band to four men. One of these remaining was Fernando, who survived because of the hardihood of his youth. These men found themselves slaves to the Indians who treated them so cruelly that it was only a miracle that they were able to live. four men continent. Finally they -came to what in now called Ari- zona. There they were taken in by a.-De:-lceful place was For the next eight years these struggled on their way across the tribe of Indians. The ceremonial the ruins of 'Casa Grande, meaning' Great House. There they were treated kindly and they stayed there for nearly a year. Fernand-o's three companions became restless and decided to try to reach Mexico. But Fer- nando had become very fond of the Indians and wished to remain with them and teach them Christianity. And so one fine morning the three Spaniardswbade the Indians farewell and started on their long journey across the desert to Mexico. Fernando ran to the highest ledge on the main building of the Casa Grande, ruins and waved good-bye to them long' after they had passed out of sight of everyoneelse. Years passed, and still Fernando lived with the Indian tribe that he had christianized near the Casa Grande ruins. Far, far away in 'Spain Philip, Fernando's cousin, had grown up, and had been well edu- cated. He had taken his cousin's place though he never forgot him.. The old duke died and Philip became Duke DelValle. Often he thought of Fernando and finally resolved to' go in search of him. Philip gathered to-gether a band of men to go with him. After a st-ormy journey on the ocean they reached Mexico. Philip .asked everyone if he had heard of Fernando Del- Valle. No one had heard of him and at first he learned nothing. Then came a point rumor that he was living far to the north with a tribe of Indians near a 'place called Casa Grande. At once Philip and his men led by a Spanish priest named Tray Padilla started northwar-ds. Finally after many weary months this small band of brave men .saw the San Xavier Mission in view. How peaceful it looked! There Philip learned from the priest that Fernando Del- Valle still lived with his adopted tribe of Indians at Casa Grande. After resting a few days they took leave of the good priest and pushed on northward. By following the priest's direction and climb- ing the beautiful Catilina mountains, they came to Casa Grande. That day Fernando had climbed to the high- est point of the ruins and had seen the tra- vellers in the distance. He made preparations for their arrival and then went to meet them. When the Captain of the band of men saw the, golden haired man come toward him, he ran to embrace him exclaiming, Fernando! Fernando! Do you not recognize your cousin Philip? How happy they were to meet again after many years of separation. Philip and his men stayed at Casa Grande and explored the region around there for a few months. Then after much persuading Fernando agreed to go fwitii Philip back to Spain, vM. Moore '29

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26 The Green Quill REDWOODS NEAR SANTA CRUZ Near Santa Cruz is a magnificent grove of redwoods. The trees are immense. The tallest tree in this grove is called the Giant. It is three hundred and six feet high, and it is said that one hundred feet has been blown from the top. The tree is sixty-six feet in circumference and twenty-two feet in diameter. It is claimed by scientists that this tree is four thousand five hundred years old and has enough lumber in it to build thirty houses with five rooms each, or to cut over one million two hundred and fifty thousand shingles. There is another tree named t'he Freemont because General Freemont camped in it in 1846. The floor space inside is thirteen feet by twenty feet. The tree is two hundred and eighty-five feet higjh, sixty feet in circum- ference, and twenty feet in diameter. Seventy- five sailors once stood in the hollow. The tree named Grant is called after the famous General Grant. It is three hundred feet high, fifty-five feet in circumference, and eighteen feet, four inches in diameter. The Roosevelt tree is named after Presi- dent Roosevelt and is two hundred and seventy- Iive feet high, forty eight in circumference, and sixteen feet in diameter. The Sherman is two hundred and eighty five feet high, sivty-two feet in circumference and twentylfeet, eight inches in diameter. It is t'he oldest tree in the grove, five thousand years old. The Cathedral Group is three hundred feet high. one hundred and ten feet in circum- ference and thirty-seven feet in diameter. This group consists of eighteen trees, nine large and nine small. It is four thousand years old. The Harrison is two hundred and eighty- five feet high, seventy-two feet in circumference, and twenty-four feet in diameter, The McKinley is two hundred and sixty- five feet high, forty feet in circumference, and thirteen feet, four inches in diameter. The Neck Breaker is two hundred feet to the first branch, and three hundred feet high. To view t'he top of this tree one must stand with his back to the trunk and look up. There are several trees that are called freaks of nature, such as the Hen and Chicks There are six Chicks around the Hen, There is a huge hollow redwood that is called the Bear Den. One stands in awe at the sight of these beautiful old trees. -Elizabeth Hildreth BOOK SHELF A Connecticut Yankee in Kin Arthur's Court Mark Twain In this humorous tale Clemens tells the story of a. Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. His description of the city, Camelot, and his description of King Arthur's hall are the impressions that a person of the modern day would gain. The story is told in a mix- ture of old English speech and present-day slang. The story is very humorous and pro- mises entertainment to whoever reads it. WHY THE WEATHER C. F. Brooks The book is a collection of scientific facts a-bout atmospheric conditions and their effects on weather. The book is based upon the lect- ures and explanations of Dr, Brooks of Clark University. It is very easily understood and well worth the time spent in reading it. The explanations do not begin with the more ad- vanced phases but they deal with the funda- mentals of the subject. --H. K. THE MAN NOBODY KNOWS Bruce Barton The Man Nobody Knows is a revelation of the character of Jesus, much different from any other biography of Him. So many people have thought of Jesus, as meek and lowly and the Lamb of God. Barton paints him in a different light. Instead of being a soft spoken, weak man, he is com- manding, physically strong, mentally alert, but not arrogant. Jesus never wasted words. In choosing his diciples he 'did not stop and plead with them. In the case of the fisherman, he said, Come 'with me and I will make you fisherman. Had 'he said, I have a new religion and will make you the expanders of it, they would have said. wait until to-morrow. Instead he said in commanding voice his personality calling them, Come-fishers of men. They were ignorant men but they could understand fishers, Why, they had been fishers all their lives! This was nothing new- Fishers People thought He never laughed. Jesus loved a crowd. He liked the noise and gayety. ln a crowd, one can't remain unsmiling. Be- cause Jesus loved a crowd, He must have laughed. Of course He laughed! The book is interesting and well worth your time spent on it. It reveals Jesus, t'he Christ, in another light, but takes nothing from His divinity. -E. Y. '28