Northeast High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Manual Training School, the beauty and grandeur of whose architecture is exceeded only by that of the Parthenon itself. , And we were accompanied, yea, verily, even unto our hearts, content. Promptly, on the stroke of nine, the doors were thrown open, and timidly we advanced, even as calves to the abattoir, silent before their butch- ers. Once passed, there was no escape. Qur only course was to advance, which we accordingly did. At length we found ourselves coralled in a rectangular enclosure, vaguely resembling a room. This, we were informed, was the Front Chapel. It was so large and spacious that for us all to get in at once it became necessary to ar- range ourselves in layers. In this condition we patiently awaited our doom, and it was not. long in coming. A venerable gentleman, who had not yet attained his full growth, for his head was sprouting upwards through his hair, presented himself and commenced to speak. lt needed no town crier to tell us that this was the renowned Dr. Morrison. Wie knew it instinctively and promptly surnamed him Andy.', Awed into silence and submis- sion by the presence of so noted a personage, meekly we sat and absorbed the words of wisdom which were even now falling from his lips. Wfe were treated to a delectable little sermon upon honor, school spirit and other kin- dred topics, which same discourse has been repeated to us every day of the school year. lt was once suggested that we present him with a phonograph, so that the regulation speech could be delivered without any personal effort upon his part. But the scheme fell through, for we concluded that he liked the exercise. He has another little speech which we are forced to listen to quite as often as the one on school spirit. Every morning if his break- fast has agreed with him, he will say, Boys, I feel as though I had a new set of springs in my heels this morning. It throws me into such paroxysms of delight to behold you all looking so well and healthy. And so he runs on like an engine that has lost its balance wheel. But he has one redeeming virtue. If a boy's parents call at the school he will invariably tell them that their son is the best talented boy in the city, that he possesses the most ability, and that he CD11 Morrisonj stayed awake all last night thinking about him. lt makes no didierence who the boy is, it's the same old story. It is even rumored that he once said that Stanley K. Smith stood a fair chance of graduating in IQIO. About this school spirit of which Mr. Dr. Andy is so fond, there was, at first, a good deal of doubt. But gradually, bit by bit, from wondering in a vague sort of way whether the alcohol Mr. Gumphert uses in his shellac was the kind of spirit meant, we came to understand that what Dr. Morri- son calls the Northeast spirit is really a very potent power, even more so than the kind sold in bottles. An inde- finable something, none the less real for being indescribable. A something which causes heavier and vetcrzm athletic teams to regard the game with N. E. with doubt and misgiving, prompts the girls coming over Girard 11

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4 nts te l .--za' i W -L-- .. , ,,,..,...s:. :' : - 7 f a Q - J , G fi HE early history of every nation or people is more or less buried in the Qffk v A mists and shadows of obscurity. Wlhen the heavy veil of darkness W 4 is lifted by the hand of progress, it always discovers the nucleus of t the future state in a greater or less degree of development. True, the QC? inhabitants may as yet be but mere savages, without culture and re- finement, laws or established government, they may not have, as yet, accomplished any deeds, the knowledge of which will be of any value to posterity. But for all that, they have had a previous history, a history which is forever lost. lhfho they are, where they came from, what agencies and influ- ences moulded their destinies, shaping them into what we now find them, must for- ever remain insolvable mysteries. So the ancient history of the Class of 1904 is obscured from the vulgar gaze by a cloud as dense and impenetrable as any ever emitted by a locomotive burning soft coal. The doings of the members of this class, while still studying geography and arithmetic in the grammar schools, must ever be hidden behind a curtain as transpar- ent as a London fog. And may be it is better so. It might so fall out that some assembled here to-day would not care to have the North American advertise by what a narrow margin they managed to squeeze past the sentinel who guards the en- trance into the high schools of Philadelphia. Sufhce it to say, that by some chicanery or other a few lucky sinners did manage it, and, as they set foot across the border, a new epoch was begun in their lives, a new chapter commenced in the annals of Old Northeast. The history of the Class of 1904 was begun! And such a class! Gathered from all the four points of the compassg from Ger- mantown, Kensington, Foxchase, Frankford, as well as from the c'iz'i1i.GUd quarters of the city. Wfe were indeed a motley crowd. W'hen the light of our history dawned on September 9, 1901, it shed its welcome rays over two hundred hfty-three innocent, emerald-hued little kids, all, figuratively and literally, clamoring for admission to that classic pile known as the Northeast 10

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avenue to wear Red and Black ribbon, causes the University to accept our diploma and compels every one to re- spect our boys and hold them in high esteem. After Dr. Morrison had finished telling us how much he loved us, the rest of the faculty were presented. And weren't they a set of beauties, though. Cine by one they came up, bowed and spoke their little pieces. Each told us how highly honored he felt at being permitted to have the privilege of gazing upon such a body of hand- some, intelligent young men. After we had received a knockdown to every one, we were' turned loose for the day, with the understanding that we were to report for active duty on the following Monday. Ah! Little did they dream that they were up against ity, for fair when they tackled the Class of IQO4. A To tell all that happened in the weeks and months following would consume too much valuable time. Suf- fice it to say that the days liew by on golden wings, each following so closely upon its predecessor that they seemed to slip over each other's backs. They were busy days, for, being green, of course we had to get the hang of things. The upper class men assisted us materially in this process of being broken in. They did their 'work so well, in fact, that before long we knew to a nicety just what Prophs. we could 'Kcut with impunity, where to buy the most reliable ponies and, in short, had a pretty fair working knowledge of the shack. Of all the departments of the school to whose mysteries we were initiated none appealed to our minds as strongly as the Manual Departments. Now, we had heard much about this branch of the school work, and we expected to do anything from build- ing a three-story brick house or shoeing a horse to whittling wood for match sticks. As a matter of fact, all we seemed to be able to make was dirt and noise. First came the wood working department under the personal supervision of Mr. jacob Wfildemore, jakey, a short funny little chap, with a huge diamond stud, probably bought from Wfextar, and a tongue like a nutmeg grater. It is an acknowledged fact that the smallest dog always barks the loudest, and threatens to do the most. Jacob was no exception to the rule. lf such a giant as even Nelson Herst got too sassy, the little Dutchman would wax great in his wrath and threaten to put a head upon the offender, throw him over the roof or do some- thing else equally desperate. ln this department we were supposed to learn joinery, but our principal occupation consisted of making shavings and seeing how many coats of molasses Cshellacj we could smear over an exercise without being caught. ,lakey is, however, a very pleasant help in time of trouble. Many and many a boy who having lost trouser but- tons in the scramble for lunch in the basement, has gone to him for consolation and repairs. And Mr. Wfildemore 12