Madison High School - Bulldog Yearbook (Madison, ME)

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8 THE BOUNCER did, and before we knew it we were standing in front of the President. I re- cognized him at once from his picture and when I shook his hand he seemed like an old acquaintance, nevertheless after exchanging only a few words with him I was obliged to pass on and let someone else take my place. Before I reached the next bend in the hall I overheard the following conversa- tion, Aren't we ever going to meet the President. Oh I'm so tired, and have come such a long way. I should think they would have different arrangements, I can't stand it much longer. Why how do you do is this President Taft? I'm Mrs. Smith from Augusta. I'm awful glad to see yon, and I guess you would be glad to see me too if you knew how far I had to come, and what a hard time Ihad getting here. I did not have a chance to catch the President's reply, but I wondered if he were as pleased as he looked, and before I realized it we were once more out of doors. We then passed around to the east side through a colonnade filled with numer- ous kinds of 'palms and ferns. From thence we crossed to the basement corri- dor on the walls of which are hung por- traits of the mistresses of the White House. Here also are exhibited the different specimens of historic White House china. These are enclosed in glass cases to prevent them from being carried away or injured. From the long corridor we passed up the stairs to the famous East Room. The decorations of the walls and ceiling are in white and gold, with moldings and tablet ornamentation in, reliefg the window draperies are of old gold. Four handsomely carved mantels, one on each wall are surmounted by mirrors which reilecft the light from all sides. Most noticeable of all are the three massive crystal chandeliers which depend from the ceiling. While here we were told that if we wished to see the remainder of the rooms we must wait until twelve o'clock. Only a few of the party stayed, however, but those who did felt fully paid for their trouble. We waited about three quarters of an hour. The room was so filled with peo- ple that some were obliged to stand, while others sat on the floor. At last the doors were opened and we fell into line and passed out through the hall at the head of the stairs to the dining room. The State dining room is paneled in dark English oak and decorated with the heads of American big game. The white marble mantel is surmounted by an old Flemish tapestry depidting a country scene, and having in a panel a verse from Virgil in praise of hunting. In the center of the room, on a large art square, stands a massive mahogany table that will seat nearly one hundred guests. We were allowed to have just a peep in- to this room, for if we looked more than a minute the guard near by would say:-- Pass on! pass on, and let someone else have a look. From the dining room we passed to the Green Room. The Green Room has green velvet hangings and while enamel wainscoting. In front of the white marble mantel is a

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THE BOUNCER 7 reporters. The hall is surrounded by large galleries. Connected with the chamber are: the President's room, Vice President's room, Senator's Reception room, Public Reception room and the room of the Committee on the Distridt of Columbia. The Presidents room is set apart for his use on visits to the Capitol. It is beautifully decorated with paintings of the presidents. The building is altogether beautiful and impressive in its design and cannot fail to arouse patriotic interest. AMOS STEELE When We Met the President at the White House. cc ELL US something about your trip to Washington. These were about the first words that greeted me, on my arrival home from that great and glorious city. What should I tell them about first? This question came to me many times. There was so much to tell and everything was so interesting I hardly knew where to begin, but finally after due meditation I decided on what seemed to me to be the grandest thing of all, When we meet the Presi- dent at the White House. Thursday, the last day of March, and also the last day of our stay in Washing- ton, was the one upon which we were to meet the President. The White House is open to visitors from 10 A. M. until 2 P. M. and, as we wished to be among the first to have the honor of meeting President Taft, our party started out shortly before nine. After a short walk we arrived at the stately mansion known as the White House. As not all of our party were with us we agreed to wait for them on the steps of the State War and Navy Building just east of the executive man- sion. From here we could see every- thing that was taking place in front of the White House. Crowds of people were already slowly gathering and after waiting about half an hour we decided that if we were going to meet the President we would have to be moving. As we passed through the crowd an otiicer informed us that if we wished to see the President we would have to line up in double file. This we crowd followed our line extended down did. Soon all the example, and the the street as far as the eye could see. After another half hour of tiresome waiting had passed, the doors of the White House opened, and it was an- nounced that the President was ready to meet the people, but he would first re- ceive those from the State of Maine. So those people who had crowded up front were made to step back while the Maine people came to the front. The line moved very slowly, but after a minute or two we entered the long hall of the W'hite House. Here we were obliged to go in single file. Guards were stationed at every turn, and as we came to the third bend of the hall we were told to announce our name as we passed by the President's Secretary. This we

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THE BOUNCER V 9 screen of old Gobelin tapestry in a frame of gold, surmounted by a spread eagle. The portraits of Presidents, John Adams, john Quincy Adams, Jackson, Tyler, Harrison, Van Buren, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln and Hayes decorate the walls. We passed by this magnificent room to the Red Room. The walls and window draperies of the Red Room are of red velvet and the room contains the portraits of George and Martha Washington, presidents jefferson, Polk and Benjamin Harrison. Conspicuous among the furnishings of this room is a cabinet of mahogany and gold, this contains seven exquisitely dressed japanese dolls which were pre- sented to Mrs. Roosevelt by the japanese Minister. We stopped here only a min- ute and then passed on to the Blue Rcom. .The Blue Room, oval in shape, is the President's reception room. The walls are covered with rich blue corded silk, and the window hangings are blue with golden stars in the Lipper folds. On the mantel is a clock of gold pre- sented by Napoleon to Lafayette and by him to Washington. On each side stand the bronze vases presented to Washington at the same time, and here also are the two triple gold plated can- delabra which were given to President jackson by General Patterson of Phil- adelphia. . From here we passed out by the same wav that we had entered. We then hastened to our hotel and arrived just in time for lunch. -Lucy A. Pease '10 A Class History 1910. HE first week of our stay in Mad- ison High was one which will al- ways be remembered by our class. We all dreaded the awful and painful tortures which were to be inflicted upon us, the first Friday night. Alas! Our vivid and horrible anticipations were all for naught because the torture was put oft another week in order that we might have the use of the electric lights then being in- stalled in the building. So we passed into the next long week before we should be delivered to our fates. Shakespeare says, that-- Cowards die many times before their deaths. If this statement be true, then we were certainly cqrpses, but since we will have you understand that the class of 1910 is far from dead, we will lay the mistake to Shakespeare and will trust that he offers no objection. When the psychological moment had arrived, nothing so very dreadful hap- pened. We were put through a few childish antics which afforded great amusement to the spectators assembled in the building, and we were then allow- ed to go upon our ways nnmolested. The rest of the first year was spent in mutual admiration and awe of the upper- classmen and in reading roasts against us in the Bouncer where we were called green, fresh, gawky etc. etc., much to our pleasure. Our initation of the Freshmen in our second year, was a very tame affair-so tame, in fact that the practice was en- tirely done away with and it was decided