North Quincy High School - Manet Yearbook (North Quincy, MA)

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X14 MANET CONTRAST There are things far off Things We cannot see, cannot Touch. There are things near, The things we see and cannot Reach. There are things that we Could have If we would but stretch our hands and Take. Tliere are things that wc let slip by Things that are just beyond our Grasp. There are things that are gone forever The things we had and did not NVant. Priscilla Xvallace, 10-2. so WYNN, THE PERFECT Fool. On Tuesday night it has become, with most of us, a habit to tune in on that Crown Prince of comedians, 'fEd VVynn. For a half hour We listen to him and laugh at his witticisms, but when he has signed oif, his name perhaps, lingers in our minds for a few moments, but we soon go on about what- ever we are doing, just as if Ed XVynn did not iffXlSll. What follows is but an humble attempt .on my part to picture for you a general outline of his life. In the first place his name is not Ed NVynn. lt is Edward Leopold. He was born in Phila- delphia, on the morning of November 9, 1886. His early life was, for the lllosi part, happy, as the lives of most children are. As soon as the lad reached the grammar .-:chool age he began to show an interest in the atage, frequently playing truant from school in order to attend the performances of vaudeville in the theatres of his native city. Upon his graduation from the Central Phila- delphia High School, it was his father's plan -to send him to the University of Pennsylvania, but the young lad's ideas differed from his fathers in this respect, for he ran away from home at the age of fifteen, to enter a vaude- rille troupe. For thirteen years he wandered about the north Atlantic seeboard with this company, drawing twelve dollars a week until the show hit the reef in Bangor, Maine, in 1914. . It was in the last year of his association with the vaudeville troupe that he met the girl destined to become his wife. That girl was Hilda Keenan, daughter of Frank Keenan, so well remembered by the vaudeville fans of the late nineties - A The couple were married on the Hfth of Sep- tember, 1914, and from then on, life for the young comedian was a rhapsody, his young wife always ready to praise or criticise his work. In 1915, all that was needed to complete the young actor 's dream of happiness occurred, the birth of a young son. The boy was named Frank Keenan, in honor of his father-in-law. Later in the year, Wynn, the had changed his name for theatrical purposesl, joined the cast of Ziegfeld's Follies of Nineteen Fif- teen. This was the Erst actual contact with the River of Woe, Broadway, that the actor had so far experienced. It was at this time that the comedian intro- duced his famous comic hats that are almost a pai-t,of him. This stunt was inspired by a talk with his father who was, and still is, one of national powers of the millinery trade. ln 1916 the comedian made his debut at the Winter Garden, remaining there until he reached that cynosure of all actors, the starring role, in 1918. The World War did not find Wynn shirking. During the two hectic years of America's bap- tism of death in the trenches, the comedian is ei-edited with selling over three-million dollars worth of Liberty Bonds, for which service President. Wilson sent him a letter of congratu- latory thanks, and with it a signed photograph, which has ever since graced his dressing table. .ln addition to his selling of Liberty Bonds he gave more benefit performances than any other actor. For this, and various other serv- ices. he was presented with a bronze and silver medal by the United States Tank Corps. ln 1919, after the war, he was honored by The Actor 's Scroll for work in the behalf of his fellow theatricians, during the Actors' Strike of that year. Among his literary merits is the cup pre- sented to him by the Authors' and Composers' League, upon the writing of the Laugh Parade. He also wrote the Ed Wynn Carnival, The Perfect Fool, The Grab Bag, and Ed XVynn's Crazy Cross-Word Puzzle Book. Among his numerous gifts to charity and the church was the presentation of the entire pro- ceeds of a performance of The Perfect Fool, towards the construction of the Cathedral of Saint J olm the Divine, in New York City, at which occasion Bishop Manning accepted the relationship between the theatre and the church. At present he is afdliated with a large oil company, advertising that company's products for the trivial sum of SI55,000. a week. His home, Wynngate, in Great Neck, Long Island, is truly the home of one of our finest citizens. It was, probably, his fighting spirit that once caused one of his fellow actors to say, Jewish by religion, witty by nature, but successful by effort. ' , RICHARD RICE, 10-4. MY EXPERIENCE IN BERMUDA While visiting in Bermuda with my father we had the rather terrifying experience of seeing a hurricane.

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' MANET 13 well off, But you didn 't know I was coming, so I thought it safer to bring my own lunch. Besides, then I can have what I like best. She smiled and went over to him to give him a handful of raisins, a small boy 's treat. Everything is ready, she said presently, moving a bowl of tiowers so that the sun would strike them. Suddenly she saw that the sun- light was darkened, and looking up, spied a tall figure in the doorway. Mr. Rogers saw it too. My boy. My boy, he cried. Oh, you 've come back. I knew you 'd come back. He slid out of his chair and went over to put his arms around his tall son. Over his father's head, the boy looked at Bette. Suddenly she seemed to hear the thunder of wave in her ears, to feel a choking suffoca- tion, to hear a masculine voice say, I guess she's all right now, and to look up and see that same face. She turned, however, and leaving the father and son, went out into the sunshine. II James Clarke 's house was comparatively modern, and seldom used. At present its owner was seated in a comfortable red leather chair gazing with a smile on his thin lips at a photograph of a girl with wide eyes and blond hair. The ring of his door bell interrupted his thought. A few minutes later Clarke 's monsieur ushered in a young lady, and discreetly with- drew. Clarke's eyes shot from the girl 's face to the photograph and back. Why, my dear, he said with a smile, How remarkable to ind you here. It 's a small world-. Do be seated. Bette sat down on the edge of a chair opposite him. Jim, she said earnestly, I want you to do me a favor. You stole that money from the bank, didn 't you? Yes, said Clarke, looking amused. But I paid it back and everything's patched up quietly. ' ' But that's not enough. Bette 's hand clenched and unclenched on the chair-arm. I want you to clear the name of the boy who was thought to have stolen the money. But why, my dear? Because I know the father of that boy, and I want them to be happy together the last few years of the old man 's life. Clarke crossed the room and half sat on the edge of the table. I will on one condition, he said smiling. And that condition is-that you marry me. The phrase rang in Bette's ears: then it mingled with the horrid sound of thunderous waves, and a boy's voice saying, If I ever do go back, I won't stay. And dad won 't leave the place because Mom died there. And then again the words, marry me, and the waves-. Only on that condition? Bette's voice broke the momentary silence. Only on that condition. And James Clarke always meant whathe said. Well, said Bette, getting up and trying tml make her voice sound light, You're neithei brutal nor a drunkard, and anyhow I haven '1 made such a success of things in my part of the world. Let 's call it a bargain. III It was evening. T he cool grass swept Bette 's ankles as she walked slowly along the ridge of the hill, surveying the landscape below. She turned, hearing footsteps in the dusk behind her. Oh Dick-I mean Jerry. Funny I keel calling you by the name I once knew you by.' Not a bit funny. Only natural, Jerrg grinned. 'WVel1, Ilm clear. And dad's as happy as a lark. He 's running around telling everyone that he knew I was a good boy. An. I, Bette? He sat down on a rock and gently pulled her down beside him. Of course, the best one I know. Jerry laughed. I've a dandy job offered tr me since my name was cleared. And right around here, too, he said. The sound of a car on the road below caused them both to look down. That,s James Olarke's car,,' said Jerry casually. Yes, said Bette, quietly. You know, said Jerry enthusiastically. when I pulled you out of that shipwreck, and then said good-bye after only a couple of weeks of knowing you, I was somehow sure weld meet again, and we have. Yes, said Bette sadly. We've met-tc part again. A grinding crash silenced Jerry's puzzled reply. Good heavens! he cried, jumping tt his feet, Clarke's car has smashed into an- other on the curve. lVait here, I'll go find out what happened. He ran off down the hill, leaving Bette tc- wait and wonder in the growing darkness. It was almost a half hour before he reap- peared, and Bette ran down to meet him stumbling in the dark. IVhat happened to Clarke? she demanded breathlessly. Clarke-Clarke's dead. But, we hardly. know him personally, Bette. It 's too bad but-. Bette's voice was low and hurried, I knov -we hardly know liimf' But Bette, you said just before the accideni that we'd met to part again. said Jerry, as the thought suddc nly reoceurred to him. What did you mean '? Bette smiled up at him through the darkness.. Never mind, she said. IV Back in his tiny house, little old Mr. Rogers was trying on a new pair of trousers, which oddly enough, sagged in the back. HAZEL BORNE, 11-1.

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MANET 1-'3 The hurricane is preceded by a stillness, not even the trees move. The air becomes close and heavy, the sun gets red. A man who was a native there and who had witnessed one at night said that the stars appear very large. He also said that the mercury in the barometer falls rapidly, and the barometer usually indi- cates a rise in tl1e temperature. Darkness then usually extends over the earth with the excep- tion of a few flashes of lightning which light the heavens. The storm is first seen by those at sea. High waves rise suddenly from the motionless Sul'- face of the water. The blowing of the win'd is terriic and seems like the thunder in the distance. The rain descends in torrents, shrubs and trees are borne down by the mountain streams, the rivers overflow their banks and flood the surrounding land. Most of the people are terror stricken by these hurricanes. Birds are driven by the wind far out to sea. The animals usually herd to- gether, trembling with fear. Following the hurricane, the sun shines upon a scene of utter destruction. Fertile valleys are now dreary wastes. Uprooted trees, branches torn from their trunks, dead animals and the ruins of houses are scattered over the land. Sometimes the destructions are so com- plete that people are unable to distinguish the boundaries of their estates. ZITA KEEFE, 10-8. IN THE PULPIT lt seems that Davey Jones is always on the alert, for I cannot st.art on a sea trip but I have a narrow escape. We started out from Scituate on August 2, 1932, in a thirty-six foot sloop, the Quandry. The craft was rigged with jib, stays and main, she was a double-ender, so we had a tiller instead of a wheel, thus making man- neuvering simple. Our water tank had a capacity of two hun- dred gallons, and o11e of the finest hand pumps I have ever seen was used to get this water into the galley. We had a four cylinder Red Wing engine aft, and two gasoline tanks of sixty gallons each, on either side and above the engine. Our cooking was done on a small wood- burning stove about sixteen by twelve inches on top and about ten inches high. Our sink was, of course, small also, about twenty by ten inches, and eight inches deep. Below the sink was a spacious refrigerator which held enough food for about a week. Our crew was made up of Mr. Arnold, skip- per, his son, Herbertg Mr. Fitzpatrick, who a.cted as navigator, and me, who acted as gen- eral nuisance. The first day we went as far as Plymouth, where we rigged up our swordtishing pulpit. We also purchased there such paraphernalia as barrel-buoys, harpoons, and harpoon heads and, of course, rope. From Plymouth we proceeded through the Cape Cod canal. Just out of the canal we sighted our first swordtish. Fitz climbed out on the pulpit and let him have it The head went clean through the giant fish. but it went through near the side, where the skin was thin, and before we could throw out on a barrel he had succeeded in escaping. Wt sighted many more after this, but succeeded in. landing none. Just off Block Island I sighted a. large shark and proceeded to get all the tackle in readiness, It must be remembered that this was my first experience at the game. I clambered out on the pulpit with the harpoon in my hand. XVhen wt- had navigated to a position directly above him, I drove the harpoon with all my strength into the briny deep, under which my intended victim dozed. My aim was perfect, for when the foam had drifted away, I found that I had driver. clear through his stomach that glistening brass weapon. Fitz threw over the barrel and I proceeded in my efort to remove the harpoon Meanwhile the shark had become very mucl. awake and was thrashing about in a terrifying manner. I tugged and pulled on the harpoon, but to no avail, it stuck fast. I was determined to get that harpoon if it was the last thing I did, so with one final muscle-straining pull I tried my luck. The pulpit creaked and groaned under the strain, quickly gave way, and I did a ,somersault in the air, but my legs wound around the iron rail. Still the pulpit sank, until my head was under water, but I could not extricate myself now for my legs had become entangled with the bent and twisted braces. There I hung upside down with my head under water, unable to free myself, and on tor. of this, a ferocious shark was beating the water around my submerged head. Finally the men on deck by bending the braces freed me, and I was hauled up out of harm 's way. Mean- while the shark had wound the rope around himself a few times and then bitten it in half. swimming swiftly away with the harpoon. ROGER ENGLEY, 10-2. A FORTUNE WGN AND LOST tAs told by my great grandmotherl My great grandmother had a store of stories about interesting, exciting and adventurob happenings in the family, and she took as much pleasure in telling them to us as we in listening to them. One of her favorite tales was the following: My great-great-great grandfather was a sailor. Once his ship was captured by pirates who killed a great part of his crew and put the rest