Holbrook High School - Echo Yearbook (Holbrook, MA)

Page 27 text:

THE ECHO 25 iFtrahmatt (Hlaafi FRESHMAN CLASS OFFICERS President — Richard McKinnon Secretary — Virginia Berry Vice-president — Marjorie Kohl Treasurer — William Franklin A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE “Mother, please tell me a story,” begged the small child eagerly. “What kind of story do you like?” queried the kind, elderly woman. “Let me think. Oh ! I know ! Tell me about yourself when you were a little girl just like me,” she said expectantly. As her mother’s clear, blue eyes took on a distant look, and a thin smile twitched on her lips, little Carol curled up comfortably in the nice, soft lap and prepared herself for the exciting story of a terrify- ing experience. “When I was a child in the long ago, there was only one store for miles around,” began her mother. “The particular house that I lived in was on the edge of a wood which was about two miles long. One day immediately after lunch I walked through the woods to the store, where I bought a new pair of rubbers, some groceries, a new kerchief for mother, and some cough syrup, but, hazard of all hazards, I forgot the oil for the oil lamps ! By the time I had walked home through the cheery woods, white with snow, and deposited the articles on the kitchen table, it was fast growing dark. “When my step-mother discovered my forgetfulness, she ordered me to go straight back after the oil. I was nearly frightened out of my wits, for I was to walk back through the long woods in the dark. “Shiverin g with fear, I started on my journey. Suddenly every nerve in my body became taut, for I had heard a footstep! Hardly daring to move, I started forward again, remembering the old hunter’s shack where all hunters usually bunked for the night during the opening season. As I cautiously picked my way along, I could still hear the steady step . . . step . . . step ; now a crackling of a branch ; now a scratching of the shoe against the snow crust. Then for a few moments I was almost relieved as I did not hear them, but as I reached the creek and was just about ready to leap across, my heart jumped into my throat, for I heard a tiny ‘splash !’ as if a pebble had been knocked off the bank into the water I “Breaking into a run, I headed for the cabin, but I could still hear the patter, patter, patter, of the feet coming faster and faster. Creep- ing into the cabin, I closed the door as silently as possible — such a moment of anxiety I have never since felt — and climbed into one of the bunks. Nearly collapsing with fright, I heard a small ‘crr-r-r-e-eee-e-k !’ and the door slowly — very slowly — was being pushed open. Too frightened to move, I lay there gritting my teeth and trying to scream, but no voice would come. Then I saw a slouched

Page 26 text:

24 THE ECHO EXCUSES Excuses are told a million times a day by millions of people for hardly anybody escapes the exculpations. They are heard at home, at school, at the office, in factories, and in almost every walk of life. These extenuations are made for almost anything — from skipping school to the committing of murder. In school, excuses are made for absence, unprepared lessons, and other things pertaining to studies. Some are plausible whereas others are based on the well-known phrase, ‘T forgot.” At home excuses are made to stay away from school. Usually, it is a headache or some such ache of the imagination. Many mistakes of life are given the much-used excuse of youth. Murderers are often exonerated because of insanity or some other mental disorders. Business failures are condoned because of the six-letter word, “excuse.” If people thought more of the truth instead of excuses, this world would be a much bet- ter place to live in. Dorothy Tibbets, ’38. COLLEGE BOOKS For college books I sent away, My answers came back day by day. From Universities far and wide My answers came from every side. Red books, green books, white ones too, Folders and papers of many a hue. From every state, from East and West, From Institutes the very best. Day on day my piles did grow, Till papers fluttered high and low. Till all the corners and all the nooks Stood piled to the ceiling with stacks of books. And then to end my tale of woe, I went and got my garden hoe ; Into the Are I shoved the best, Into the rubbish I dragged the rest. George Gagnon, ’38. There are meters, iambic, dactyllic. There are meters of form and tone. But the meter that’s nearest idyllic Is to meet her, by moonlight alone. Elinor Thomas, ’38. THE CIRCUS The children now are full of cheer Because the circus time is here. It comes, you know, just once a year. Hurrah! the circus has come to town. With elephants and tigers too. And birds of almost every hue. And clowns painted up to look like new. Hurrah ! the circus has come to town. The kangaroo and tall giraffe. The lady getting cut in half. Most certainly will make you laugh. Hurrah! the circus has come to town. C. Jervey, ’38. MY DISAPPOINTMENT The day before the game drew nigh. My heart was way up in the sky. For years I had longed to see that game. And finally my big chance came. That night I didn’t sleep a wink Because I couldn’t help but think Of that next day when I would go To see the thing I longed for so. At dawn I jumped from bed and dressed And rushed around to wake the rest. I rushed down stairs. To my surprise I saw a sight that damped my eyes. Rain was falling on the ground! C. Caspersen, ’38.

Page 28 text:

26 THE ECHO figure slyly enter and make his way across the floor towards my bunk ; still treading step . . . step . . . step until I felt two sinewy, icy fingers slowly placed on my wind pipe. Then, like bands of cold steel they began to tighten — tighten . . . tigh ten . . . tighten . . . and then — and then I woke up!” Marjorie Kohl, ’39. EDUCATION Education is the formal word for schooling. Training means practice to gain ability, endurance, or natural performance. Discipline suggests strict and systematic training with an aim toward right be- havior and ready and efficient action; breeding implies preparations in the civilities and courtesies of life. Education really is a develop- ment of character acquired by a course of study and discipline. It is not a product of this or any recent century. Rather it has come down through the ages. Classical education was foremost in the early Greek ideal magnificence. The Greeks loved beauty in all its forms, art, architecture, and literature. They applied their intelligence to every problem, and it was they who first strove to live by reason. Socrates and Plato are outstanding examples of classical courage. The youth of Greece, after completing his education and developing his mind and his body, took the Athenian Oath of Allegiance. In the year 64 Joshua B. Gamlo, high priest of the Hebrews, established the law that all Jewish boys must go to school. It was from this race that the modern world acquired the essentials of free personality, that is, an acknowledgment of each person’s own moral duty based on religious beliefs. During the Middle Ages the monastic education came to the front. This was a time of coarse discipline, lawlessness, and warfare. Might was the rule, and the monasteries alone offered an opportunity for rest and study. The only scholars of that period were produced by these monasteries. Nestor, a monk of Russia, turned his attention to teaching during the eleventh century. He specialized in history and wrote a chronicle in his own tongue; this has been the foundation of Slavonic history. The first town to raise money for the conduction of a school by public tax alone was Dedham in 1648. Upon this early example the whole public school education is based. Later Horace Mann, born at Franklin, Massachusetts, became in- terested in the public school system. The revival of this system be- came his life work. His report of the ignorance of the people and the incompetence of the teachers stirred the people strongly to the need of reform. Through his influence many important changes were made in the school system during his eleven years’ term as secretary of the State Board of Education. His labors have been acknowledged by giving him a place in the New York Hall of Fame. Without education the world would be a dangerous place to live in. With free education the world has become a safer place in which to dwell. Ann McGaughey, ’39.