Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

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10 OAK. LILY AND IVY. That night, when Robert rang the bell, he was met by a radiant girl who ushered him to her father. Unaware of what had happened that afternoon, he did not understand why Marian buried her winsome face so eagerly in the violets or why she cried joyfully to her father, “Violets! Violets! The dearest flowers in the world.” While Marian was enjoying her first dance with all the happy genuineness of youth and inexperience, a gray-haired man sat before a glowing fire and mus¬ ed over the past. The dancing lights of the flames flickered before his dreamy eyes and curled themselves into fancies of the past. A pair of tender, brown eyes gazed at him from the heart of the glowing embers, a pair of winsome lips smiled at him, two slender arms extended to him a bouquet of purple violets. As he thus sat and lived over again the days of his youth, he dreamed that a fairy, clad in gauzy white, floated into the room and glided up to him- She kissed him carressingly on the forehead, dropped a perfumed mass of purple vio¬ let 5 into his hands and vanished. He awoke and rubbed his eyes bewildered. It was only a dream after all. No, there had been a fairy, a real live fairy who had kissed him and left her parting gift of beautiful violets, whose exquisite perfume hung in the air around him. With a sigh of contentment he pressed the fragrant mass close to him, and drifted back again into the mystic land of memories. Then a fairy stepped out from behind the velvet curtains and stepped light¬ ly to his side. She gazed tenderly at his peaceful form over which the firelight flickered, and then, murmuring, “Father dear,” she stole up to her room to dream also of violets and future joy. Beatrice Battles ‘17. f

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OAK, LILY AND IVY. 9 “My dear daughter,” sternly began her father, who had just entered, “you know perfectly well my prejudice against your attending public entertainments at your age ’ “But” pleaded Marian,” Aunt Martha told me I might go, and I had plan¬ ned so much on this, my first dance. Please.” “Your Aunt Martha, no doubt, planned on my absence to-night. But I am glad that I completed my business sooner than I anticipated and am able to pre¬ vent your disobedience. I have given my decision. Say no more about it.” “But father,” stammered Marian, “I have already accepted Robert’s invita¬ tion and I hate-” But the only sound that answered her was that of the closing door. Now Marian loved to dance but she knew her father and his indomitable will, and with a heart-drawn sigh she resumed her contemplation of the dreary landscape. But sitting by a window and seeing nothiug but rain-swept streets soon became monotonous and she looked around her for something to divert her attention. Her piano faced her from the corner, she scorned that. The book¬ case stared at her, she made a grimace at it and rose and ran lightly upstairs. Ever since childhood when sad or depressed, she would gain a solace in exam¬ ining the belongings of her dear, dead mother. She seated herself on the floor of the room devoted to the memory of her long departed mother, with a huge cretonne-covered chest before her and reverently lifted from its depths now a silk shawl, then a lace handkerchief, again a coquettish, ivory fan, all speaking eloquently of their former owner. From the very bottom of the case, she lifted a faded bouquet of flowers. “Why,” she mused, “I wonder who gave these to Mother.” At the sound of a door opening, she turned and cried “Oh, Father were these mother’s, and who gave them to her.” Her father advanced towards her with a curious expression on his stern countenance. He took the withered blossoms in his hands and stood looking upon them with a tender light in his eyes such as she had never seen there be¬ fore. His thoughts strayed back to the long- forgotten past- Well he remem¬ bered the night he had presented these violets to his youthful sweetheart, well he remembered her sweet face as she thanked him. Even now he recalled the bitter disappointment for them both. With a sigh of regret he turned to his ex¬ pectant daughter and said dreamily, “They were your mother’s violets that I sent her for the academy dance long ago.” “Oh! and did she wear them and did she have a good time?” eagerly ques¬ tioned Marian. “No, her father was a stern man who disliked frivolity of any kind. He was unkind enough to forbid her going. Why” he stopped suddenly. Had not he been equally thoughtless and forgotten his own youth and desire for pleasure and jollity? “Dearlittle girl,” he continued tenderly, “I too forgot. See, it has stopped raining, the sun is already beginning to force its way through the clouds for the dance, little one, go and enjoy yourself while you can, that is what youth is for,” and he patted her carressingly on the head .

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OAK, LILY AND IVY. 11 We of the upper classes extend a most sincere welcome to you of the fresh¬ man class and all other newcomers. You are fully launched now upon a hither¬ to unknown sea,- upon a life which will at first appear strange and difficult to you; but conscientious application and sincere effort will solve the most trying problem confronting you. You will find this new life a broader, more respon¬ sible field of endeavor and the benefit you derive from the splendid opportunities available depends wholly upon yourselves. Your teachers and upper classmen will ever be ready to assist you in adapting yourselves to your new routine but you, also, must do your part. Your future success will depend greatly upon your attitude towards your work and the perseverance and energy with which you master your tasks. But there is a pleasant as well as a serious side to your work and we want you newcomers to derive all possible enjoyment from every department of your new life. In every phase of Milford High School activity, - scholastic, social, and athletic,-your support and assistance are earnestly solicit¬ ed. You are now a responsible part of the Milford High School organization and we are certain you will strive your utmost to meet our high standard of scholarship and deportment. Bear in mind you must work not alone for your¬ self, not for your class, but for your school. SCHOOL NOTES. The classes at the beginning of the year numbered : Freshmen 154, Sopho¬ mores 76, Juniors 87, Seniors 43. Total enrolled 360. Miss Marion Lantz, ex T8, has taken up studies in the Worcester Classical High School. Miss Helen Gilbert, ex T8, has moved to Westboro, and entered the High School of that town. John Hunter, ex T8, has entered Dean Academy. Alvin Moore, ex T9, is taking a business course at Woonsocket Commercial School. We extend to Rita Cleary, ’17, our deepest sympathy on the death of her mother. Miss Mary Larkin, teacher of English and History, has resigned, to accept a similar position in the Springfield Commercial School. Miss Anne Donlon, Smith College graduate, class of T3, has taken Miss Larkin’s place, Owing to the increased registration of students, Miss Sadie O’Connell, grad¬ uate of Milford High School, class of ’ll, and of Emerson College of Oratory, class of T5, has been added to the faculty. Miss O’Connel will have entire charge of the rhetoricals.