Mabel Dean Bacon Vocational High School - Torch Yearbook (New York, NY)

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TAKE OUT YOUR ASSIGNMENT BOOKS! matter what language that sentence all of us. Before it is spoken, there there is a feeling of curiosity about is given, there is a worried feeling throughout the classroom. I know that this is true because I have experienced all of these emotions since the day before yesterday, when my English teacher spoke those hated words, and this essay is proof of what homework really is. Take out your assignment books! No is spoken in, it has the same effect on is a feeling of anxiety. After it is spoken, what is to come. When the assignment in X22 9 8 A K Y 1 U N' -T UW 41 .1 QT . . ff aim T 3 l E x QJHTTET ,y l 6 . ,Z - C-'WT IQ' if-' ff' ' lyk - F- xyigil, VFQAT X QTQ, 'W The minute the teacher speaks that sentence, a feeling of dread hangs over me like a sword. That feeling of anxiety is caused by homework. My hopes that we will not get an assignment are not usually realized. The feeling of curiosity is almost as great as the feeling of anxiety. The reason for this is that both usually have the same ending, a bad one. When you are Worried about whether or not you are going to get an assignment you usually get it, and when your curiosity is aroused by that hated sentence, it is usually satisfied in an unsatisfactory way, like getting an essay to write. The feelings of anxiety and curiosity are nothing compared to the feeling of actually settling down to the homework. All students will understand exactly what I mean, because they usually go about doing it in the same way. You keep putting off doing your homework until a better moment-a moment which is usually the last moment. When you sit down to do your homework,

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7 .vt.,2ff.w '- --H ' ' ' ' WF Of course, Micky had his serious moments, and one of his most serious thoughts was about joining Uncle Sam's Navy. One day Micky's dreams were realities. He was in the navy. Yes, he strutted his uniform down every street in Astoria. Conceited? No! just oh, so proud! Then Micky left for the most important part of his life. He saw the world and thrilled to every minute in the navy. Then one day he was sent to Pearl Harbor on the U.S.S. Utah. We, back home, joked about his having a good time and getting paid for it. Yes, he was paid for it but he paid back at a very high cost. Then one terrible day a newsflash was heard on the radio-Iapan was at war with the United States and had bombed Pearl Harbor unmercifully. The U.S.S. Utah was at Pearl Harbor and somewhere on that boat was a young boy with a dimple and dancing eyes and a teasing little laugh that made you smile just to hear it. Yes, he was reported dead, but if you knew Micky you would say, No, Micky's not dead. Micky loved life too much to give it up so quickly. One sunny day Micky will walk down our block and laugh at us for crying over him. Yes, he will stand there tall and erect in the uniform he loved, his green eyes dancing, and his funny little dimple showing clearly. DOROTHY MURDOCK SYMBOL OF DEMOCRACY Here I stand alone, on the threshold of my free home, watching and caring for my people. Did I say alone? No, I am never alone. Even if my children are not with me at present, they will soon come into my waiting arms. You see, I am the mother of a hundred million children. Children who were weary and tired and desperate. They came to me and I gave them my strength and my love. They are strong now, and united. They know that the freedom I have given them is just, and now when there is danger of this freedom being destroyed, they are fighting to preserve it, and the symbol I represent. My boys are gallant and my girls are strong. I have done a good job as a mother of these children, and I have complete confidence in their ultimate victory. When this tragic era is over, I will still stand erect at the threshold of my home and wait for my children and for other poor frightened creatures to come into my arms. I will make them strong again and we will live in my home-the home of Liberty. PATRICIA ALEXIADES -'li '-tt:

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' :Jr-,ll anew-,z-'nur' - 1-y-fe that seems to be the signal tor everyone in the family to give you competition. Father goes to sleep, but father snores. Mother begins to sing while your older sister tunes in on her favorite band, which by the Way, is a noisy one. Your youngest sister decides to chastise her baby doll by spanking it and giving it a good loud scolding. This isn't all, though. Inspiration about what to Write will not come until you finally decide to write an essay on Some thoughts about homework. I have given this topic a great deal of consideration and I have come to the conclusion that there is only one thing to do when the teacher utters the words, Take out your assignment books! -lust think how good the finished piece of Work makes you feel. NANCY SIGNORINI I CAN'T KEEP MY MIND ON THE WORDS A Nickel to My Name -After paying senior dues Blues in the Night -The night before Regents Call it a Dream -Passing Regents u Day Dreaming -During Trade Ethics Everything I Love -Music With Mrs, Peabody I'm Thrilled -The thought ot the prom This ls No Laughing Matter -A comment on your program card Why Don't We Do This More Often -Senior dance All That Meat and No Potatoes -Not in our lunchroom u I'll Never Forget --Our director, Mr. Spector All Through the Night --Studying Do I Worry -About passing a test Saml You Made the Pants Too Long -In case of an air raid drill This Love of Mine -Good old Manhattan High Somebody Nobody Loves -Hitler You Made Me Love You -Mrs. Peskin The Devil Sat Down and Cried -Teacher took her program card Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry -You can tell Busy Little Busy Bodies -Whol Why the seniors ot course ANNA GUASTELLA A