Lincoln High School - Ahdawagam Yearbook (Wisconsin Rapids, WI)

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THE AHDAHWAGAM 7 u ben the brawniest man draws the largest wages are past: it is the man with an educated mind that counts today. A Sleigh Ride Party. It was the afternoon of the twenty-second of January. The ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, and sleigh tolls tinkled merrily while happy sleigh ride parties drove up and down the streets. In the parlor of their luxurious home were seated Thomas Brown and his sister. Marjorie. Both seemed busy, and for a long while neither spoke. At length Thomas arose and putting aside the l»ook he had l een reading remarked. “I have finished one volume of the set of lxx)ks and I think it is tine. 1 hope the rest will prove as interesting. Marjorie, who had not paid much attention to this remark walked toward the window. There goes John Smith across the street, she exclaimed. Do you think that he will lx? one of our party to- night?” Thomas did not reply but rushed out and stopped his friend. Alter several minutes he returned with u jubilant face, Yes, Dick and his sister will enjoy the sleigh ride with us tonight: we are all to meet at Mr. Gray’s at seven o'clock and each of as is to bring lunch. We shall leave as soon as everything is ready. We shall certainly have a pleasant evening, replied Marjorie. It is half past five and we must l e getting ready. When Thomas and Marjorie arrived at the meet- ing place, all of the rest of the party excepting Anna Brooks, the daughter of the village parson, were al- ready there. The clock struck seven, still she did not come. The young people grew anxious and worried. Half an hour passed and yet she had not arrived. The driver l eing disgusted at having to wait, told him that he would wait no longer. The young jieople decided to go. and were very happy with the exception of two or three who were worried atout their friend, wondering why she had not come. At lenght they were off. The roads were in fine condition and the horses barely seemed to notice that they drew a load. The stars were shining brightly and a full moon was illuminating the earth far and wide. The driver who was well acquainted with the roadways made the horses run along swiftly. An exciting incident followed. At an abrupt turn in the rood, the sled tip] ed and the lunch which had l een placed in a secure corner of the sled, fell out. What was to to done? One of crowd suggested that they g » to a large house on the hill. All agreed and the whole party climbed bock into the sled and drove on. Here we are, ” shouted the driver. The young people did not hesitate but jumped from the sled and walked to the front of the large white house. The same lx y who had suggested that they stop at the house, knocked. The door opened. A cry of joy followed. Oh dear Anna, how does it happen that you are here, Why didn't you come with us? Marjorie exclaimed. The rest of the party were invited to enter and were soon enjoying themselves with puzzles, games, etc., which they spied on the table in the rear of the room. Anna indeed was surprised at their coming. I suppose you would all like to know how it happens that I am here. Well, I will tell you. This is the home of my grand-parents and it was their wish that I stay with them this evening, so I could not refuse. At that moment Anna's grandmother entered the room. She was greeted by merry voices. She ex- pressed her pleasure at their coming and ho|)ed they would enjoy the evening. Marjorie told Anna the reason for their coming there. The maid was ordered to prej are an elatorate meal for the jiarty, which was greatly appreciated. At eleven o’clock they departed for their homes and it was reported that this was one of the most joyous of sleigh ride parties that they had ever had. Olga Buerger T4. The Culture of Cranberries. Fern Searls '14. C ran lorries were first found .growing in North and South America just as we find blueberries grow ing today, except that crantorries grew in swamps. In those days the jieople picked the berries for their own use just as we pick bluetorries for our own use t xlay. There were two varieties: the crantorry bush and the cranl erry vine, the latter toing the kind that is cultivated today. After a time people l egan to cultivate the cran- berry vine by irrigating the marshes upon which the vines were found growing. By doing this the torries l ecame much larger and of a better flavor. In the irrigation of one of these marshes, it was found necessary to have a reservoir to hold the sup ply of water. From this reservoir several main canals were dug through which the water might flow. Then side ditches that branched off from these canals were dug. through which the water might be more evenly distributed. These side ditches cut the marsh into sections, so that each section was sur- rounded by these ditches. Then there were the bulkheads, that connected the reservoir and the main canals and the different sections. When these were dosed, water was kept on the sections, and

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fi 'I' H E A H I) A H VV AGAM sideratio» for its finer qualities. It is to 1m hoped, that, in the future, we may learn to use the maga- zines in a more careful, thoughtful way. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should write on the subject of reflections and resolutions because this is the time of the year when we look back over the past and cry over spilled milk. How- ever there is no value in reviewing the past, except as we may profit by our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Two of the most common causes of regret are our hasty actions and quick tempered replies to our friends. A thoughtless word or action on their part is often constructed by us into something which they did not mean. You can not be a true friend of .anyone’s if you allow your temper to get the letter of you and cause you to say or do things which you will regret later. The old time worn statement that announce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies to this case as though made for it. Little hasty hateful remarks are the ones that are most difficult to explain, and they are the ones that hurt the most. Let us resolve to con- trol our tenqjers during the ensuing year. It has been said that a wise man is the man who does not make the same mistake twice. How- ever there are many of us who will not accept this truth. We modify it to fit ourselves. We say that a wise man is the man who does not make the same mistake more than six or eight times. In a wellknown light opera there are some lines which run thus: •• Resolutions: yes, we make them: Not to keep them, but to break them. For we’re only poor weak mortals after all. These three lines have summed up the facts ex- ceedingly well. The average i rson decides be- • tween Christmas and New Years exactly what his faults are. Then pricisely at 12 o’clock on New Years Eve he tries to al olish all his bad habits and to form new angelic ones to take their places. Imagine carrying your arm in a sling for two months and then deciding that on the 42 day of June you will have great physical strength in it. In the meantime you still continue to carry your arm in a sling saying that there is no object in taking it out of a sling until the night of the 41 because you do not want it to be strong until the 42nd.” This is the way w e do with our Inal habits that have l een forming for years. We decide that on January 1st we will put them aside and will form new and good ones. It is absurd, ninety-nine out of a hundred people really attempt to accomplish just such things, as regularly as the first of January comes around. A ltaby can break two or three strands of silk which are wound around him; yet with many strands you can tie the strongest man ami after you get him tied, a baby can release bin. How? By taking always one little strand after another. So it is with habit; you cannot break it all at once, but if you go at it right and break it little by little you will soon 1m free. It has l een said that unless you rid yourself of habit entirely you do not get rid of it at all: for if you take away the h you still have a bit—and if you take away a— you still have a bit— left. If you take away that b you still have it—and if you take away i yon still have t which is in itself a very bad habit; so you see that you must do away with everything. Another thing and then my lecture is ended. Do not Iw too ambitious alsmt forming new habits. Stop, to think about them and if you form slowly and deliberately you will build a firm foundation for a character which will la lasting. When you play, play hard: when you work, don’t play at all.” This splendid motto, which was given to us by Dr. Evans of Ki|xm college, should 1m memorized and put into effect by every student in high school. Mr. Evans’ speech came at just the right time, at the lieginning of a new semester. The students were just lieginningon their new work, and were full of resolutions and thoughts of work- ing harder. When you study, study hard. Leave all play out of your thoughts, and do nothing but study. It is surprising in what time a ] erson can get a lesson, if he really studies. There is no use of studying in a half-hearted manner. It is the same with amuse- ments. When you are playing, play for all there is in you: enjoy yourself all you can. and do not let troubles, studies, or anything interfere with your playing. Do not do your studying and playing to- gether. or you miss them both. It is the person that knows the distinction between these two. and how to do each, that will succeed. As the |M ople become more educated, we hear a much less talk on how a i erxon gains more by work- ing than by going to school. The great number of examples around us to the contrary, show this state- ment to be untrue. What if a person makes a couple of hundred dollars by leaving school and going to work. The man with an education will earn twice as much in one half of the time. It is the man with the trained mind, ready thought, and scientific methods who counts t Mlav. The days

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8 T HE AHDAHWAGA M when opened, it was allowed to pass off into the other ditches and from there into the main canals. There were also dams between these sections. The large dams were on each side of the main canals, and the small dams were between the small or side ditches. In times of frost, the marsh was flooded by allowing the supply of water in the reservoir to flow down the main canals, and from there into the side ditches. By doing this the .surface of the marsh was covered with water. Fires were often built along the dams on frosty nights in dry seasons when there was not much rain fall. The lorries were rij e enough to l e picked alnmt the first week of Septemlier. The picking was done by hand, generally by Indians. The length of the picking season deluded upon the size of the crop. The lx rries were picktsl over on tables which was very tiresome. The owner of the marsh disposed of his crop by peddling the l»erries around the country in alsjut the same way that some farmers ) eddle their potatoes and other products today. Today the eranl rry is extensively cultivated in several northern states, esjjocially in the Cape Cod region, which includes Massachusetts and New Jer- sey. and in Central Wisconsin. A cranljerry marsh of today somewhat resembles one of the earlier cultivated marshes, except that many improvemente have l een made. For instance there are pumping plants, cranberry rakes, fanning mills, and picking over machines. If one desires to start an up-to-date marsh today, it is necessary to have, as a foundation, a soil of muck or peat that can Ire drained for al out twelve or eighteen inches below the surface. A large sup- ply of water Is needed so that the marsh may l»e flooded at will. The marsh is fiist laid out in sec- tions, each section containing al out one or two acres and sometimes only half an acre. Between these sections, the main canals and side ditches are dug. Then there are bulkheads that connect the different sections, which when closed will allow the water to pass off into the other ditches and from there into the main canals. There are also da ms between these sections. The large dams are on each side of the main canals, and the small dams are between the side ditches. There are two reservoirs: one to hold the supply of water that has l een drawn off from the marsh by a pump, and the other to hold the water that is to lie used to flood the marsh. A cranberry marsh is not planted from seeds, but by transplanting the vines. These newly planted vines yield a few lierries in a I x ut two years, but do not liear a full crop for five or six years. The best vines can Ik distinguished by the wiry texture of the wood, and the greenish brown color of the leaves. The j oorer plants are greener, bright er, more vigorous, and have a bushier foliage. Many jieople think that there is not much work in keeping up a cranberry marsh, but they are mis taken. The canals and ditches have to lie cleaned twice a year. One would Is surprised to see the large water lily plants that have to Is» taken out. The roots are very long and are often us large as a man's fist. The grass on the dams has to lie mowed, and new sod put upon them, and one has to keep a continual lookout for the holes dug through the dams by muskrats. Great damage would l e done if these leaks were not discovered in time. Con siderable weeding has to In? done, for wild sage brush, cut grass, feather flue, pitcher plants ami other grasses tend to outgrow the cranl erry vine if not taken away. The owner of the marsh has also to contend with the danger of frosts, which occur in spring, occasion- ally in the summer and in the fall. When there is danger of a frost, the bulkheads are all opened. The water then flows down the main canals into the ditches. In this way the surface of the marsh is covered with water, and the vines are protected froyi the frost. On up-to-date marshes there are pnm] s to force more water onto the marshes if it is needed. It is very interesting to watch one of these pumps in motion. The vines l egin to blossom alxmt the last of June and are in full blossom about the eighth of July. The flowers are of a delicate pink color, and look something like the flower of the blueberry. About the first week of September the 1 jerries are ready to be gathered. They are not fully ripe then but they ripen later. Berries gathered early keep better. The crop is gathered by men. women and children, who make a practice of gathering the lierries every fall. It is very interesting to watch a crowd of these people when they arrive. On the marsh that I have reference to. some of these people (young people) come from the neighltoring towns where they are employed as domestics or clerks. When they come, they bring and wear their very best clothes. They make a dash for the buildings, which have lieen pro- vided for them, toselect their rooms. Their baggage is brought on a 1k x -ar. which is switched off on a side track. These pickers work together in sections, and are watched by an overseer. A good picker can pick from two and a half to four bushels a day. Oc- casionally one can pick five bushels a day. These ]HM ] le are paid fifty cents a bushel. The men are engaged as rakers to rake the lorries in those sections of the marsh wheie there is much cut grass. It is almost impossible for hand pickers to work in such sections.