Maynard High School - Screech Owl Yearbook (Maynard, MA)

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12 THE SCREECH OWL called the weaker sex!) Perhaps these men cast a spell. I really don’t know, but in my opinion girls are just aping their elders, who, recognizing the scarcity of an article, imme- diately try to hoard. (Signed) Disappointed in Love, ’44. Nonsensia I had a dream the other night, The queerest dream on earth. Some creatures from another world Had filled my upper berth. The monotonous clack of the wheels As they ran along the rails Soon brought visions of pink elephants With polka-dotted tails! But let us not stop here, For I have more to tell — I was a prisoner in my dreams Enclosed in a rainbow cell. My jailor was a hippopotamus, A big and burly brute. He was dressed in cap and gloves And a pretty sailor suit. The judge was a majestic lion With tail and mane of red. A stove-pipe hat was perkily perched Upon his massive head. He held the Book of Justice Between his giant paws, A most impressive figure With his complicated laws. The juror was a timid soul With arms and legs askew, But where on earth he got them all I’ll leave that up to you. He had an elephantus trunk And a giagraffus neck. Oh! On my soul the poor old juror Really was a wreck! I didn’t want to offend him, For on him rested my fate. Then the judge, the juror, and the jailor Went into a dark debate. I quivered and I shook As I sat awaiting my doom, For whatever they were planning Was bound to happen soon. Then at last it happened, The door was opened wide, And as the lion came charging toward me I searched for a place to hide. Then suddenly I awoke from my dream And heard the clack of the rails. Never again did I see those pink elephants With their polka-dotted tails! Nancy Whitney and Ethel Salonen, ’46. Friendship Links Two Peoples Our American troops always receive a warm welcome in the British Isles. British house- wives greet them with loud cheers, and even be- fore the troops land, they can see the people waving sheets, towels, and probably pillow cases from their windows. Perhaps the most difficult thing for the boys to get used to is the English manner of speaking. If they went into a tea shop and asked the waitress for crackers they would be given bis- cuits. If they asked her for cookies they would get crackers, and their damson tarts would turn out to be plum pie. They may ask a red-capped military policeman to carry their baggage, and when they book a hotel room on the second floor, the lift” boy explains that it is the first floor, in England. They may not be sure what a bobbie” means by the top of the road” when no hill is evident, or just how fast dead slow” is in reference to traffic, why balcony seats at the cinema” are the most expensive, why the word clerk” is pronounced as dark,” or why people occasionally say thank you” if you bump them in a crowd. However, all American soldiers gradually learn to refer to ankle-high shoes as boots,” to regard chocolate and candy as two different things, and to queue up” instead of line up” where the bus halts.” They have much to learn during their sojourn in that friendly country, where citizens are known as subjects,” bicycles have handbrakes, robins are the size of sparrows, and telephone operators say, You’re through,” before you begin speaking. But a good thing for them to keep in mind is the advice a Navago Indian Chief once gave a man: It’s never wise to regard people as curiosities in their own land.” Gladys Fraser, ’43.

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THE SCREECH OWL 11 Finally their voyage across the ocean nearly at its end, Cornelia developed a case of measles, but with the help of Paul White and Joseph Aub, now distinguished Boston doctors, she was smuggled past the health examiners into Eng- land. In London they roomed at a place where you had to put copper coins into the hot water tank before you could get water. Poor Cornelia almost froze to death waiting for her friend to secure more coins for it. Also, their rabbit skin coats, voluminous enough to fit three people, created quite a riot at the Trocadero.” After that they left for France. Their first night there was restful, but in the morning they were astonished by a window washer, who kept poking his head in their window from time to time. At the station, Emily dropped her pocket- book down under the rails. The porter, suppos- edly risking his life procuring the things, was tipped by Emily generously. The only thing he couldn’t get from the rails was a fifty-franc note. After the train left he climbed down and got it for himself. Many other interesting and funny things hap- pened, including tango and dramatic lessons, and bedbug bites before an important date. Finally, after visits to the Ritz Bar, Notre Dame, and other places, this entertaining voyage came to an end. Our Hearts Were Young and Gay” is the most hilarious book Fve ever read. It would be the ideal story ot recommend to a person in a solemn mood, for it would quickly bring smiles to his face. The peculiar happenings of the voy- age blended with the wit of the author make a book well worth reading. Reviewed by Alice Syranen, ’45. Behind the Counter (Whew ! One minute of four ! Boy, was that close ! Am I dumb ! I rush around trying to get to work at four and everyone else just takes his time — even if it means getting in late!) May I help you? A large tube of Ipana tooth paste is thirty-nine cents . . . Have you an old tube? . . . I’m sorry, but I can’t sell you any toothpaste without getting an empty tube in return ; government regulations, you know. (I’ll bet she’s got two of three in her purse. Some people must think that we salesgirls are stupid — maybe we are — who knows? I won- der if that lady down at the end wants any- thing.) May I help you? ... A yellow rose bush? There isn’t one up here, but I’ll go down stairs and look. (Why doesn’t she take a red one? It’s just as pretty. Would I like to sit down on these stairs for a while! I don’t know why I wore high heels. My feet are always ready to fall off by nine o’clock.) Yes, I found a yellow one for you . . . The y’re only thirty-nine cents . . . Do you want me to wrap it up for you? . . . You’re just waiting for your husband? Oh, I’m sorry I bothered you. I thought you wanted to buy one. (Well of all the ( $ )’ people! What a nerve! As if I had time to waste on her! Next time she comes won’t wait on her. No sireeee ! ) May I help you ? . . . That’s twenty-eight cents all together . . . There’s a 10% government tax on all cosmetics . . . No, ten percent of twenty- five is two and one-half cents, which becomes three cents ... Yes, I know. With taxes, points, and all that we’ll all be crazy. (Mh-h-h-h. Quarter past eight. Just think. In an hour, maybe, I’ll be dancing with . Oh, I can hardly wait. I think this is go ing to be a nice social. Well, it should be; my class is running it. Oh dear, another customer ! ) Patricia Louka, ’44. Do You Know? What is so attractive about that creature that girls for months have been hunting? You know, that gruesome, slightly human animal called the male. Is it that German haircut” he has broken out with recently ? Or perhaps the voice which can soar from a twittering soprano to a deep bass in the same sentence? Then there’s an- other possibility — the uniform? Whatever the reason, the quiver that goes through a female at the sight of a handsome man in uniform is indescribable. The best example is Gracie Allen’s Beverly Hills Uplift Society Cheer,” which consists of a deep sigh when a man comes in view. Dis- illusionment is no obstacle. The girl seems to feel it is her heritage to carry on. The fact that defeat has been received at the hands of one is no reason to stop the attempts. (And we are

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THE SCREECH OWL 13 Food or Fight? Hello neighbor, what’s that you say? You couldn’t buy any butter today? Your tea can is empty and that isn’t enough, Jam’s gone for the duration? Well, that cer- tainly is tough. You wanted pot roast and you had to take lamb ? You’re short of sugar, you can’t get ham? Well, dear neighbor, you are in a jam. You say there is plenty only a mile away And you ran out of gas stamps just today? Your sixteen points have all been used, And you think that you are being abused? I say there, neighbor, you’d better relax And go home and figure your income tax. But listen here, neighbor, how would it be If all law and order should suddenly cease And a tyrant’s demands be the price of your peace ? There’s more to consider than food you can’t buy — - In this land of plenty you won’t starve, nor I. When we’re in a war, you should readily see Our job on the home front is to work unself- ishly. Mary Moynihan, ’45. Thoughts of a Fortress Gunner In a few minutes we’ll be over the Nether- lands. There is the Zuider Zee below. Wonder how Ma and all the folks are. Wish I was back home in that easy chair in the parlor. The stars and moon are shining tonight. It ought to be easy to drop our load on the target. Almost in Germany now — there are the lights. The Nazis are sending up plenty of ack ack — they’ve hit one of our motors — the ship is vibrating. Here comes a flight of Messerschmidt 109’s. They’ve shot off the tail controls! The ship is hard to manage. Here’s another — right in my sights! There he goes — down in flames! He won’t be back very soon. The tail gunner just got one — it’s trailing fire like a comet. Now for the load of eggs — the target’s gone up in a cloud of smoke. Time to start on our way home now, out over the channel. The cliffs of Dover are right ahead. We’ll be over the field in two or three minutes. We’re coming down now — he wheels just touched — we come to a stop. Well, Ma, back from another raid and raring to go again! Albert Hodgess, ’46. We of Today We are the men and women of today, To us has fallen the task to free the slaved, And new ways and constitutions of peace to lay, To defeat all the falsehood evil tyranny spread, To build new worlds and freedom for those it led. We are the men and women of today, Who not so long ago with pretty toys did play, Thrilled when shining planes passed in flight; We, who dreamt of glorious fame and dresses of lace, Why must we, the untried, be chosen to-morrow to face? We are the men and women of today, Who behind must leave what youth bestowed, And prepare ourselves for to-morrow’s load. We must the pleasant yesterdays gently fold, March and strike a blow for all that we hold. We are the men and women of today. Who dare say we are unprepared, breed cow- ardice ? We are strong! And shining youth our virtue! These our youthful untried hands we shall lend To help our shores and beloved country defend. We are the men and women of today, And we, the present, for ourselves do not care, But to those to come, must we always be fair. We, in full strength, will the world with free- dom seed, And with confidence in truth, forever in justice lead. A. Chodnicky,. ’44. To Whom It May Concern Yes, I am a very well known person. Every man, woman, and child knows my name and those of my colleagues. I am the man who has laid thousands of miles in ruins. I have destroyed homes, factories, schools, and churches. I was the man who in- vaded Poland and Czechoslovakia and killed innocent women and children. I was the man who terrorized some of these people into sub- mission, but I was also the man who roused the fighting spirit of others of these people and who caused to be born the underground socie- ties. I am the man who invaded Norway after giving my word that I would not — Norway, who sheltered the evacuated children from Germany after the war, and I invaded her and slaughtered