Norwell High School - Shipbuilder Yearbook (Norwell, MA)

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page 'ren The Shipbuildor quite so bad if you didn't get some criti- cism from every person you meet. You must have been driving too fast. ffWhy don't you keep your mind on the road?'l You were probably driving with one arm. Why didn't you check the gas last night? What were you doing on that road anyway? This is but a sample of what our critics say. A great many of these people talk before they think. In the first place most cars of the caliber within our budgets don't go very fast, say sixty at maximum, and since thev don't ride even tolerable well at this speed, it requires some great occasion to push the car to this limit. It sometimes might be considered that it is a little hard to keep one's mind on the road when the young lady next to you is a much more interesting subject. To drive with one arm is foolish: one should devote both arms to one situation or the other - as the case may be! If the gas gauge said half-full how were you to know the tank was empty? After all the gas gauge has only been broken for a week! Girls live in the darndest places some- times, and nine chances out of ten the back road was the only way of getting there! There always is some answer to these unwarranted questions. The obvious conclusion is that if people didn't find so many faults with the youth- ful driver there probably would be less mistakes made! The truth of it is that they put ideas into our heads that we never even thought of. So how about cut- ting down on the complaints about the things we do with the carg the darn thing causes us enough trouble as it is! James King, P. G. THE PERFECT CRIME The clock was striking three clear notes as Roger Marlowe committed his horrible deed. This was the first time he had ever done so daring and so ghastly a thing and although it was the time he had his plan of action distinctly outlined in his mind. As he reached the first landing a stair creaked and he stopped breathless, waiting, listen- ing to see if anyone had heard. After a moment of silence, he continued on his way. As he knew the house very well he made for the south end of the kitchen to the cellar door, opened the door and cau- tiously but firmly descended to the cellar. Ah, his tools of crime were neatly piled in the corner! He picked them up. They were, in brief, a large burlap bag and a hatchet. Seeing that everything was intact, he ascended the stairs, and went back through the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the room where his wife was sleeping soundly under the influence of a sleeping powder which Roger had slipped into her pre-bedtime milk. As he crossed the room toward the victim a dog howled far away. Shivers ran down Roger Marlowe's spine. Now was the time to act-or never! Would he not regret this ruthless deed all the rest of his life? Perhaps, but if he did not carry out his resolution he would regret the lost oppor- tunity even more. With one sweep of the hatchet the hated creature's head rolled onto the rug with a dismal thump. Again and again he hacked at the hated body until it was entirely unrecognizable. Roger then pushed the head and other parts into the burlap bag, tied the top and again descended the stairs, this time to go out to the back yard, down through the cedar grove to the hole he had dug that after- noon. Dropping the bag in quickly he covered it with dirt and as a final touch sprinkled some grass seed over the mound. He wiped his hands on his bathrobe and breathed a sigh of relief. At last he had summoned up courage enough to destroy that grotesque statue that his wife had bought at the antique auction. F. Lawrence '42. THE GATE OF THE ARABELLAH Four days out of port and one more day to go. It was the last trip of the Arabella to parts unknown. The Arabella in all her fifteen years of service had never met with an accilent, no matter how bad the storm or how thick the fog. This trip seemed to her skipper to be the smoothest, most pleasant of any during her long and hard career. Of course, one had to consider that the ship and its crew had one more day before she would tie up at a dock for the last time. The skipper, a middle-sized, dark thick- set man in his late sixties, was Captain john liowen of Boston. He had commanded the Arabella since she first set sail from Boston. ln every way she was his ship. The Arabella , old and weather-beaten, found it harder to brave the high seas with each new storm. Her skipper was still proud of her and was hoping that this voyage would be just as successful as or more so than any of her many others. Suddenly Captain Bowen gazed out of the porthole and was extremely amazed to see a dense fog. He wondered if the mate, who was taking charge while he rested, had given orders to slow up the ship. He also wondered if the ship had yet passed the dangerous shores of a group of islands that were on his course. He stood up and started to dress in his heaviest raincoat and rubber boots. He had just started to put his right boot on when he was thrown across his small cabin by a sudden pitch of the ship. He was dazed by the blow, but

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The Shipbuildor pm Nm., The following essay won the first prize of five dollars in an American Legion essay contest. What United States Citizenship Means to Me The low moan of the siren rises to a shrill crescendo as the bright beams of searchlights pierce the sky like so many huge fingers probing up into the inky blackness. People are yelling, brakes are screeching, and all about is a scene ofqutter confusion. Far off the drone of airplanes can be heard- as if a giant swarm of bees were returning to their nest. Then there is a loud crash near-by. The cries of the people increase twofold, and the whine of an ambulance echoes up and down the narrow streets. This, as so many of you have already guessed, is a brief description of an air raid such as is taking place in England and Germany at this very mo- ment. Now let us look in ongthe same city the next day after the raiders have with- drawn. As we walk through the streets, we notice many groups of people standing around discussing the attack and inquiring for the safety of their friends. Around one building, though, we notice a crowd larger than any of those seen before. What is the meaning of this crowd? The answer is simple. We find it in four words above the door - THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY. We are still puzzled. We go inside and, upon inquiring, find that the large mob wants to go to America, to the land of peace and freedom. These people and thousands like them are begging to come to America where they will have an equal opportunity to work toward success and to express their abilities to the full extent, a place where they will no longer be under the jurisdic- tion of a dictator who controls not only their public lives but their private lives as well. United States Citizenship! - the dream and ambition of every one of these downcast and miserable people, poor people and rich people alike. Now let us look at the people who have already achieved this dream, some of them unconsciously perhaps, but nevertheless, with pride in their achievement. The people of whom I speak are Americans in the true sense of the word - citizens of the United States of America. Most of them, people like myself, acquired their citizenship through heritage. I was born an American! Ever since I can remember I have been able to talk with my companions on any subject that comes into my mind, whether it he politi- cal, religious, economic, or of a personal nature. I have enjoyed the opportunities of this great nation: free education, equal- ity in opportunity, and protection from willful aggression. Q All about me I see evidence of the richness and beauty of my country. I see trains and trucks laden down with rich minerals, foodstuffs, and American-made articles designed to make living easier. In the shipyards and armories, I see evidence of unlimited protection of my ideals of life. Nature has lent a helping hand in our matter of defense by placing huge water barriers on two of our main boundaries. Even though I am too young to actually participate in the governing of our country, I feel that I am remotely involved through youth organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and the American Youth Federation. And so I say with the poet, Sidney Laneer: Long as thine Art shall love true love, Long as thy Science truth shall know, Long as thine Eagle harms no Dove, Long as thy Law by law shall grow, Long as thy God is God above, Thy brother every man below, So long, dear land of all my love, Thy name shall shine, thy fame shall grow! So long shall I, too be proud of the mean- ing of American Citizenship. William Turner, '42 us YOUTH IN AN AUTOMOBILE To have your own car is great! But unless youlre a millionaires son and have a shiny new convertible coupe to drive, with all expenses paid, you may have your troubles! To most people it seems wonderful to be able to drive to school in your own car. It is when the contraption goes! But it doesn't always go! just picture yourself on a cold winters morning waving at the gang going by in the bus, then getting in the jallopy only to find you're out of gas. There you are tive miles from nowhere, after the bus has departed at 8:45 A.M. trying to think of a good excuse to tell the principal that morning. Then again it always seems nice to have a car anytime you want it for dates. But since cars don't run on water, it takes most of your allowance each week to pay for gas. Even when you do have the where- withal for two gallons of gas, something embarrassing usually happens. You get a tlat tire miles from the nearest gas sta- tion, your car won't start when you get out of the movies, or you hit a bump in the road too hard and break a spring. Any one or more of these things can. and more often than no, does happen. Yes, having a car makes a swell life, but its a hard life, too! It wouldnt he

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-I-ho Page Eleven in spite of the haziness of his mind he heard a crunching noise which he realized must be that of the ship striking rocks. After he regained control of himself, he ran from his cabin, not bothering to finish dressing. His mind was still hazy but he seemed to know that he must endeavor to reach the men upon the upper deck. When he reached there, he found the men plac- ing as much food and water into the one remaining dory as it would hold. The mate, seeing that Captain Bowen was injured, rushed to him and helped him into the dory. Bowen remembered being helped into the boat, but no more as he lapsed into unconsciousness. The men, though weak, rowed the dory all night until they noticed that the water was getting more shallow. They prayed with heavy hearts that they were nearing an island. The boat struck the shore, and the men, after lifting out their beloved Captain and placing him on the sandy beach, laid themselves down and slept contentedly. Captain Bowen awoke and was amazed to find himself in a hospital room. He learned from his mate that an American naval ship had seen the wreck of the t'Arabel1a and the captain of the rescue ship had realized that there must have been men aboard her. He had lowered a life-boat and had sent a group of sailors to the nearest island where they had found the exhausted men. The ship had taken them to the nearest naval base where they had been placed in the infirmary and treated for exposure and the Captain for concussion of the brain. When the captain heard of the fate of his ship, the 'fArabellal', he was overcome with grief and could not speak. Finally regaining control of himself he smiled and said to his faithful mate, She was a good ship. I was always proud of her. With a deep sigh, he passed away. N. Cole '44 CHEMISTRY This year the Chemistry class has the privilege of being the untried students of a new teacher, Mr. Wilson. Last year Mr. Sipple left us for another job, and Mr. Wilson was chosen to fill his position. The first few days were spent in getting acquainted, but as time went by Mr. Wilson became surprised at the mental abilities of his Chemistry class. We were able to ask more questions, learn less and make more noise in less time than any class he had ever seen. This didn't last long though, the stern and commanding char- acter of Mr. Wilson has through these many months made us mental geniuses, including that new student james King who came in November. Wednesday afternoon, as all tenth graders know, is lab period, when we do our best to make the worst smelling gases. Apparently we weren't very successful for instead of smoking Mr. Wilson out we attracted Miss Laurel Cahoon, a junior. About the middle of the course we had the fortune of having many new and ex- pensive chemicals and solutions given to the class by Professor Tenny Davis. We appreciated this very much for it was get- ting so we couldn't do half the experiments for the lack of equipment and chemicals. Under the expert and guiding hand of Mr. Wilson we are fast becoming real chemists. We have been able to produce many gases, compounds, and solutions of which we knew nothing before this course. The electron and ionization theories have become interesting subjects of discussion and not boring ta.ks of which we have no understanding. Mr. Wilson is doing a great job and we the Seniors and Juniors are proud of his work. Unfortunately, we fear Mr. Wilson will be lost without the talents of the Seniors next year. He is going to have a job on his hands with those Juniors, but we have faith in him. Willard Osberg '4 1. Home Economics Department Home Economics is a subject that covers two fields, Sewing and Cooking. It is an important subject especially for young girls. The course in sewing is started with the sixth grade girls and carried on through High School, starting with small articles and gradually working toward larger gar- ments. The 6th grades accomplishments this year are: stuffed toys, yarn belts, Christ- mas gifts, boleros and hats, blouses. The 7th grade made wrist pin cushions, boleros, hats, blouses and shorts. The Senior High School schedule was worked out a little differently. The classes used the 4-H club basis which included housecoats, play suits, sport dresses, blouses, skirts, and complete suits. The climax of the sewing program was presented March IO to the Parents and Teachers. It was a style show modelling the work they had accomplished during the year. The Food courses of Grade ll-12 con- sisted of work on nutrition and special diets, administrative work, and unit work. Notebooks are kept for each unit. Grade 8 prepares the food to be served in the Cafeteria at noon, and Grade 0 serves it to the pupils. C. .,0.Yt'f711 '4 l.