Machias High School - Margaretta Yearbook (Machias, ME)

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THE MARGARETTA 15 be nice to her no matter what she does. She's the baby. I prefer to call her the pet of the family. Let's take, for example, one evening when I was expecting Bob to call on me. Ruthie was in one of her bad moods. I knew what to expect, there- fore, I asked mother to try to keep Ruthie quiet. She said she'd try, but, somehow, I still expected anything to happen, and tried to prepare myself for it. Ruthie was running around the room where Bob and I were doing card tricks. Ruthie decided she wanted to play cards too, so I said, All right, go get some other cards. Oh no, she had to have the cards we were playing with. She had one of her spells and got the cards. She gets anything she Wants when she has one of her tantrums 3 except what I'd like to give her-but she's the baby. She played cards for a very short time, then she came into the living room again. She walked over Where Bob and I were sitting. Then the storm broke. I held my breath. Oh, Bob, she cried, guess who Wanted Anne to go to the movie with him ? Ruthie 1 I said in a stern tone. She said she'd love to go, Ruthie continued, but she had a date. Then he talked quite a while and then Anne said, Yes, isn't he stupid ? Of course she might not have been talking about you, but -. Ruth, you go right up to bed, Mother said, as she had overheard the conversation. I was only telling Bob about Jim- my calling Anne up, Mother, Ruthie said, going upstairs. Bob really thought I was talking about him when I said, Yes, isn't he stupid , but I was really talking about Robert Benchley. Thanks to Ruthie I had to explain that to Bob and that wasn't easy. If you have any little sisters, make sure they're in bed and sound asleep before asking anyone to your house. if ' if rr WISHBONE vs. BACKBONE It seems that human beings have de- veloped wishbone in place of backbone, which their pioneer ancestors possess- ed. Nowadays, in this age of luxury, we of the younger generation have been accused of having this Wishbone. That is, we only wish for things while those before us have used their brains and brawn to obtain the goal they wanted. Take this case, for instance: Pauline Sands is a girl all alone in the world. Her mother is dead and her father has married again. Pauline's brothers and sisters are grown up and married, with families of their own. Should she live with them? She could, but she doesn't. Even though she was forced to leave school and work for a living, she is studying high school subjects at night when normal young boys and girls are asleep, studying when she is tired enough to sleep all night, studying un- til the early hours of morning have come. This is a case of having back- bone, getting out and earning a living by doing any kind of job that comes along until the day comes when one will have enough education and money to become whatever his or her ambition may be. While, on the other hand, here is Ed- ith Lincoln. She is the type of girl who has been coddled and babied all her life. Her parents aren't wealthy and they can't afford to give her the

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14 THE MARGARETTA with them for ten years. I am now an American citizen and how proud I am of it! But, as I think back to Vienna, I say, How cruel fate can be ! Richard Kimball '45 3 41 Ill TO THE UNDERGRADUATES Trust your teachers, Learn your lessons, Keep on trying, And we'll keep flying The Red, White, and Blue. Class of '42 Pk Sk IF MY MANIA I am both the victim and benefactor of a distinct and unique form of men- tal abnormalty. It is such that I can bring it upon my mind almost at will, and I find great pleasure in doing so. In fact, it is my favorite pastime, al- though it is quite unlike that of most people. I generally refrain from pub- licly expounding this whim of mine, lest someone not entirely familiar with the complexity of my capricious mind rec- ommend me for immediate induction in- to a mental institution. I have even shocked my mother and close associates when they caught me in the act . 1 The fault, however, is not theirs. Wouldn't you be disturbed if, on enter- ing the semi-darkened room of your best friend, you found him in the fol- lowing position: He is lying on the iioor --Hat on his back. His head is sup- ported by a pillow wedged into the angle where chiffonier meets wall, and his feet are elevated-the heels resting on the edge of the bed. The only source of feeble illumination comes from the dial light of the radio opposite the bed. As your eyes grow accustomed to the darkness, you are able to distinguish this phenomenal example of a sane and healthy youth in more detail. Over his clothes he wears a tattered blue bath- robe, hiding the stomach upon which his clasped hands repose. His eyes stare blankly, and protruding from his faintly smiling lips is a stick of licor- ice candy, which undoubtedly is the ex- planation of the besmirched condition of his lips and chin. The only other factor by which you might analyze his case is the music being exhaled by the radio-consisting, at present, of the rasping of a hoarse tenor sax backed up by a heavy four beat rhythm. All this seems to indicate a strange and pathetic case of dementia. I make no attempt to explain this favorite pastime of mine. There are, however, several conditions. The radio must be playing one of the sentimental selections of Harry James, Glenn Mil- ler, or Vaughn Monroe, the licorice must be the sticky, chewey, kind, and above all, my mind must be free from all feminine or monetary worries. While situated in this manner, I am able to project myself into the temporary state of melancolia during which I am won- derfully happy. You may think it in- sanity, but to me it is bliss. John Whalen '42 ak if ik MY LITTLE SISTER Anyone who has a little sister has my sympathy. I have one and I sympathize even with myself. Little sisters are always causing embarrassing situations -or at least mine is. I am never able to have my own way when Ruthie, my little sister, is around. If I insist upon my rights and start a quarrel with Ruthie, mother always comes in and says, Remember, Anne, Ruthie is the baby and you must be nice to her. Oh, of course, I should

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16 THE MARGARETTA training she needs to become a concert singer. She thinks that she couldn't possibly do any type of physical work, even if it were the means to an end. This girl will probably never reach her goal just because she lacks backbone. What are you going to do, young peo- ple of America? Are you going to have Wishbone or backbone for the re- mainder of your life? With Wishbone you will never reach the heights you dream of 3 but with backbone, hard work, and perseverance you may achieve your grandest ambitions. Barbara Hanscom '42 14 if HK THE MYSTERY OF THE TOWER Why, Bob, where are you going in this storm ? asked Alice Stanley. Are you going to row over to the village? You can't possibly get across the har- bor. I am going over to the old tower, Alice, to see what is the meaning of that light in the upper window. Why, Alice, there hasn't been a light there since the new tower was built five years ago. I have noticed one there lately and it looks suspicious. Bob did not tell Alice what his sus- picions were. Only that day had he noticed a sign up for the capture of some German spies who had been re- ported in that part of the country. He knew that the old tower would be an excellent place for some fifth columnists to have their headquarters, and seeing that light in the tower window had aroused his suspicions. He started up the steep and narrow path and soon reached the tower, stand- ing, dark and forbidding, overlooking Blue Harbor. He walked cautiously up to the rear door and listened. At first he could hear fnothingg ithen-a low murmur came to his ears, it seemed to be coming from an upstairs room. The spies I he said to himself, hard- ly daring to believe the statement he had just made. Gee! if I can only find out for sure, I can get that reward, maybe. He pushed open the door slowly and tipftoed cautiously along the narrow hall. At the end he could see a pair of steep, narrow stairs leading upward. Panther-like, he walked up those stairs and at the top, a sight met his eyes that confirmed his suspicions and one that he never forgot as long as he lived. In the small room at the top of the stairs stood a short wave set! Before this set stood two men of huge stature. They apparently were quarreling. Bob stood at the stair-landing as if he were rooted to the spot. Master X has given orders for us to radio him, said one of the spies. Well, we ain't gonna do it, at least, not yet, said the other. I think some people of this town are getting suspicious, said the larger of the two. And if they are, it's just curtains for us. I think we oughta be moving some place else anyway. You won't be moving anywhere if I can help it, Bob muttered to himself, as he crouched behind a pile of rubbish. The men argued for some time. Fin- ally one of them swore savagely and stamped over the narrow stairs and out the door. Bob made up his mind that he must get one of the spies at least, so he rose slowly to his feet and said clearly, I think your little game is up. The man spun around, took one look at Bob and lunged for him. Bob had not prepared himself for an attack and when he thought of his boy's strength contend-