Mechanic Arts High School - M Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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HMS! A HOSPITAL ROMANCE 'N . By DEETTE HANDFORD, '30 1 j Virgina paused uncertainly in front of the closed door of Room 1.2, her heart pounding furiously. She had to compose herself before she entered that room! For in there lay Rod-her Rod, whose gay, unaffected nature had made him the most popular boy at Haden College, where he had been captain of the football and the basketball teams before the accident. The accident! How she shuddered at the thought of it, for it had made strong, athletic Rod the physical wreck that now lay in the next room, held together by braces and straps. This was the first time that Virginia had been to visit Rod since that horrible day that he had been mown down by a huge truck while try-ing to save a, pathetic looking little mongrel from suffering that very fate. The dog had been saved, for as Rod went down he threw the dog from under the wheels. But the boy had been put to bed and the doctors feared that he would never walk again. His spine had been injured. Virginia pushed the door resolutely open and crept into the room. It was dark except for tiny rays of light that stole in through cracks in the window shades. On the bed near the window a dark shape lay stretched out. Virginia moved quietly over to the bed and gazed down upon the boy she loved. Yes, loved-she was sure of it now. But oh, how different he was! She had been prepared to see some changes in that dear face, but now she realized with a shock just how much his suf- fering was leaving its mark. There were dark rings under the closed eyes and lines of pain around the mouth and on the forehead. One lock of dark curly hair lay over his forehead and one arm was stretched above his head. As Virginia stood there, hesitating whether to waken him or to steal out again, the hazel eyes opened slowly and looked up into her blue ones. For one moment he stared at her and then a joyous light replaced the look of suffering in his eyes. Ginny,7' he breathed. Yes, she answered. 'fl camef, Oh, Ginny! Why didn't you come before? l've waited so long. 'GI couldn't, Rod. I was over in Maple Grove visiting at Aunt Maeas. I would have come home but they told me you had plenty of friends and company, so I thought you wouldnat want mef' 'fWant you? I always want you! Virginia did not remind him of the time last year when he had been surrounded by girls to whom he gave all his attention, while she was left to worship from afar. Nor did she remind him of the time that he had told Marjorie Black that Virginia was a nice little girl to go with when you wanted a quiet time, but a perfect flop when you want some fun. For Virginia realized that Rod had been sufficiently flattered at the time by his evident popularity to forget his better self. For an hour Virginia stayed with Rod and then rose to go. HYou have plenty of company, don't you, Rod? she asked. I did when I was first hurt, but as soon as they discovered that I was going to be a cripple, they began dropping off. Nobody wants to go with a cripple. Rod spoke with great bitterness, for, always an active boy, the thought of his never being able to walk again was almost unbearable. Virginia gazed down at him a moment at a loss for something to say. Abruptly she stooped and kissed him. When Rod looked up again, she was gone. It was two months later. Again Virginia paused outside the door of Room 12, this time in great excitement. Could it be true? Was it possible that Rod would walk again-not only walk but run, and jump, and play basketball and football? Oh! It all seemed too good to be true. Yet had not Dr. Nelson just told her? Yes, it must be so. Page Fivr'

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THE WM I 1 Klein. Martha Kreidherg, Marvin Torbet, Robert Lundquist, Aileen McMichael, Florence Rossbach, lrene Gepner, Charney Cikanek, Annabel Carbone, LaFay Odessky, Lillian McMenemy. Hugh Brandt, Olaf Marofsky, Nathan Alexander, Eleanor Bowman. John Boeck, William Kruse, Gladys Sternberg, Dorothy Shave, Dorothy Johnson. Robert Smith. Marjorie Bucholz, Mable Kolar. Emma Tarkler, Genevieve Rishrudt, Truman Stuewe, Lucille Boeck. Charles Silver. Louis Kroger. Florence Sorlien, Carl Pittelkow, Lucille llflgl' Four Honor Roll Cohen, Morris Burth. Lucille Russell. Marjorie Aldra, Lois Dunn, Virginia 0,Shaughn'essy, Annette Hoag, Robert Abramovich, Bertha Johnson, lvah Handford. DeEtte Kissin, .loseph Tong, George Nelson. Christina Nehy, Edwin McClocklin, Sam Zenker, Ottilie Blumstein, Dorothy Junghauer. Herbert Pirarn, Alice Janes, Catherine Summers. Marlin Hansen, Elaine Kaplan, Fannie Schleiter. Howard Radford. George Rich. Paul Reising. Dorothy Wrahek, Lorraine Cray, Lyle Margolis. Ann Cameron, Mary Harris, Zelda Luger. Raymond Liesch, Randall Condek. John Reichow, Howard Frommer, Frances Nelson. Violet McKusick, Marguerite Smith, Harriet Crodin. Maurice Cro-ft. Dorothy Bullock. Eva NlcGinnity, Florence Mazourek, Mabel Wilkinson, Lila Cortez, Fabian Pagel, Robert Ripke, Margaret Scholz, John Hackett, Lorraine Fisher. Dorothy Fussell, Vera Tuma. Mary Flmberland. Margaret Janitschke, Lyman Nerhaugen. Leigh Kieldsen. Gladys DiRe. Camille Nlintz, Marion Beulke. Viola Vandersluis, Cornelia

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GEMM Throwing open the door, she stepped into the room to be greeted by a chorus of shouts. Hello, Ginnylz' Well, look who's here! If it isn't Ginny!,' Virginia, merely stopping to bid a cheery Hhelloi' to everyone, rushed across to the bed. g'Oh, Rod, I just heard! Iam so happy. Gee! You're slow, girl. We heard ages ago. That's why we're herew, a former feminine admirer of Rod's spoke up. I just got home from another visit to Aunt Maeis. I didnit know they were going to operate before next weekf' Virginia answered. But how did you hear?,' Oh, President Gilman announced it at schoolf, Virginia threw off her coat and hat and knelt by Rodis bed, a beautiful light shining in her eyes. Why did they decide to operate so soon? Why didn't you have them phone me? Why didn't my mother tell this morning?', she burst out in a jumble of words. One at a time, one at a timeli' laughed Rod, who, weak but happy, had been lying with bright eyes watching the whole proceedings. They decided to operate so soon, because that doctor from Philadelphia was in town and 'he assisted. I didn't telegraph you and your mother didnat tell you, because we wanted to surprise you. Now, are you happy?', Perfectly. Oh, Rod, just-3, she broke off shortly as she noticed the queer look in Rod's eyes. Will you?', he asked so softly that only her ears heard. She nodded, far too happy to speak. Shall I tell them, Ginny? he laughingly said a minute later. Tell us what? ' Now what are you two planning?,' Is it something nice?7' Anything to eat? ' Various other questions were fired at them. Ginny and I are engaged to be married, Rod said simply. HALFBACK JIMMY DYKES By FRANK SCHMIDT, '31 James Endicott Dyke was from Boston. For hundreds of years the Dyke fortune had been so firmly established that it was not necessary for a member of the house to soil his hands by so vulgar a thing as work. Yet in spite of this, never was a huskier specimen of manhood turned out than was James Dyke. All the Dykes dating back to the Mayflower had been gentlemen and scholars, and the youngest descendent was no exception. The year nineteen hundred and twenty-eight saw James Dyke enter his twenty- second year of life, and his third year at Randon College. James was popular among the students, for like his brothers before him, he had a way of making friends. Popularity usually demands a nickname, so James became 6'Jimmy.,' Only one group of students did not approve of Jimmy. In the opinion of the athletes he was very nearly a total loss. Such a thing as a man who stands six feet two inches in his bare feet, weighs one hundred and eighty-five pounds, has broad muscular shoulders and a well-proportioned body, refusing to participate in athletics and Page Six