Lawrence High School - Lawrencian Yearbook (Falmouth, MA)

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Lawrence High School side of the picture, and the second verse is on the left hand side. On the other side of the alcove, the painting illustrates the “alabaster cities gleam” and the third and fourth verses are on the right and left sides of the picture, respective- ly. I was very much impressed by these illustrations, because they seemed to give me a better under- standing and a keener appreciation of the poem. Even now, I can’t help recalling these pictures when I think of the verses. Katharine Lee Bates, the daugh- ter of Rev. William Bates and Cornelia Frances Lee Bates, was born August 15, 1859, in Falmouth in the house now occupied by Dr. Wagner. Her father, who was the pastor of the Congregational church, died about a month after the birth of his little daughter. She attend- ed the village school here and later moved witjh her family to Wellesley Hills. As a child, she was especially fond of reading and cared nothing about sewing and dressing the dolls which her mother gave her. She much preferred to make up stories about how they lived on a deserted island and made clothes for themselves from grass and leaves. Upon graduating from Wellesley High School, she attended the more advanced high school of Newton, from which she graduated two years later. She then entered Wellesley College and received the Bachelor cf Arts degree in 1880. She wrote her first poem, “Sleep”, in her sophomore year at college, and it was published in “The At- lantic Monthly” with very few changes made. At college, she was called Kitty Lee” and became an inspiring leader for her classmates, by whom she was chosen president. She did not confine herself to all work and serious study but took part in the college activities. Her first juvenile story, “Rose and Thorn”, which she wrote when she was quarantined on account of ex- posure to small pox in a Boston attic, won for her a prize of seven hundred dollars. She used this money for her first trip to Europe. She taught Latin, English, and algebra in the Natick High School for one year, and geometry, Greek, and Latin in Dana Hall for four years. She then became instructor of English literature in Wellesley College, later associate professor, and finally professor, after she had studied at Oxford, England, and re- ceived her Master of Arts degree from Wellesley College. Oberlin and Middlebury College each con- ferred upon her the honorary de- gree of Doctor of Letters. Although heavily laden with the work of he r English department, she always found time to answer her numerous correspondents, who sent her poetry for her to judge. She faithfully and conscientiously spent hours trying to find what was good in their verses and tried to encourage amateur poets as much as possible. She has even left a poetry fund at Wellesley College. However, with all her work, she found time to write some most ex- cellent and charming pieces of poetry and prose. “Spanish High- ways and Byways” and “Sigurd, Our Golden Collie” are two fine examples of her prose work. The former gives a brilliant record of her travel in Spain; the latter shows her delight in animals and birds. “America the Dream” is an excel- lent verse book. Her writings are travel, history, plays, poems, and young people ' s stories and plays.

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SES rneamimm The Lawrencian She was also editor of a number of English classics, such as Coleridge’s “Ancient Mariner”, Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and Ruskin’s “King of the Golden River”, and contributed to “The Atlantic Monthly”, “The Christian Century , “Harper’s”, “Scribner’s”, and many other peri- odicals. She belonged to a number of literary clubs, and, since she was a most eminent speaker, she was often called upon to deliver public addresses. She travelled and spent much time in literary research work in France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Norway, and Den- mark. While living in Wellesley, she resided in a small English style house. This house had a most pic- turesque setting, being surrounded with trees and shrubs. Her long life of useful service, of which forty years were devoted to Wellesley College, closed on March 28, 1929. Her ashes now rest in Oak Grove Cemetery in Fal- mouth and on her tombstone is en- graved the epitaph: “I will sing a new song unto the Lord.” Truly, Miss Bates exemplified Christianity and brotherhood in her daily life. GLADYS ROBBINS. PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS Now, on our graduation evening, is a very good time for reviewing some of ithe high lights of our high school careers. We’ve had our ups and downs but mostly ups. Cer- tainly we’ve enjoyed many good times together. To begin with, let us review our most worthy class officers for these three happy years. In the fall of 1930, when we were sophomores, we had Ted Jonas for president, Jeanne Spooner for vice-president, and Sophie Clark for secretary and treasurer. The next year Alec Papp became president, Bob McKenzie vice president, Dick DeMaptin treasurer, and Sophie Clark secre- tary. In our senior year Alec was again made president (and I might add that he’s been a faithful one), Bob McKenzie vice president, Gif- ford Griffin treasurer, and Sophie Clark secretary. Those who were elected to the Student Council at one time or another are: girls, Con- stance Abbott, Caroline Barrows, Emma Erskine, Anna May Fuller, and Isabel Jenkins; boys, Ainslee Cameron, Gifford Griffin, Obie In- gram, Ted Jonas, Bob McKenzie, Alec Papp, and Louis Santos. Our class has certainly had plen- ty of dazzling gridiron heroes to shed their radiance around. These husky brutes have won letters: Jimmy Boyatt, Ainslee Cameron, Eddie Gifford, Gifford Griffin, Obie Ingram, Bob McKenzie, Louis San- tcs, George Swain, Tony Perry, Captain of the 1932 team, and Manager Ernest Cardoze of the same team. Last autumn the juniors gave us a party at the Coonamessett Inn. Our class was well represented and the party was one of the most suc- cessful in years. What would the Christmas plays under Mr. Albertin’s direction have been without Sophie Clark, the class songbird? Sophie has had a solo part in these plays for years past. In the last performance of “The Nativity”, Gifford Griffin, Alec Papp, and Constance Abbott also had singing parts. In basketball the senior girls have taken a prominent part. Although most of the players from our class have been quite small, they have been mighty fast. Letters were won