Pembroke High School - Mattakeesett Yearbook (Pembroke, MA)

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THE WAMPUM Mexico, thousands of feet of film were taken of every part, from the loading of supplies to the disembarking of the marines and the occupation of Vera Cruz. If you are fortunate enough to obtain official permission, you can see all this at the Navy department, where the films are kept. Of course the movie man is a dare- devil or he wouldn ' t face a rain of bullets with only a camera. Hardly one went to Vera Cruz who was not under fire, while those who were with Villa, Gonzales, Coy, and a dozen or so other Federal leaders, who tried to stop the advance of the Eebels, turned the crank for days at a time to the whine of bullets and the boom of burst- ing shells. They did it for the fun of getting the picture and fifty dollars a week or less. One man who was at Torreon was under fire for three days. He took pictures from a box car until a bullet broke the tripod of his camera, then he left that, fixed the tripod, and took some street fighting, being chased two blocks by the Rebels in his escape. He was without food for three days in his retreat to the capital and lost his camera, but he saved the film. Then he went to Vera Cruz and got another camera. When the Americans took the city, he fled with the Federals and so got both sides of the story. So much for Mexico. In our own country there is scarcely an undertak- ing of even local interest, which has not been flashed on the screen. A big fire, a steamboat disaster, a railroad wreck, an automobile race, are mag- nets which draw the movie man for miles. When Salem, Massachusetts, burned, several camera men obtained excellent pictures. One, however, left his camera for a moment to help an aged man, and lost all his film except a few hundred feet. Amateurs, of whom there are several thousand in the United States, flood the offices of the manufacturers with worthless pictures, just as amateur writers flood the editors of magazines with worthless stories. About ten per cent of the pictures are accepted. Most are either spoiled in the making or are of too local a character. Occasionally a big thing happens and the amateur gets it. For instance, when the Empress of Ireland went down in the St. Law- rence river, an amateur happened to be on hand when the fog lifted and got the pictures of all there was left. A few years ago, manufacturers used to pay large sums for the privilege of being the sole one to take pictures of some great event. In nineteen twelve a man paid four thousand dollars for the sole right to take pictures of the World Series baseball games. Another man rented the roof of a nearby build- ing and with a long distance lens got better pictures of the games than the other. The man minus four thousand dollars promptly went to law, but the judge decided he had not only lost his four thousand but must pay the costs. This put an end to concessions. The movie man has his limitations. When the aeroplane was first invented, it was thought that it would be an ex- cellent opportunity for pictures, but it was found nearly impossible to secure good ones, because of the constant rock- ing of the planes, and the vibration of the engine. From a balloon they are better, but not an entire success and probably never will be. W. E. C. ' 16. Ye Pembroke High. On the road as you come down Through the center of the town, You will find upon your right A pretty and most pleasing sight. For located here is Pembroke High Looming and towering into the sky. Behold ! The stately grove of trees One opposite the building sees, The lawn, the hedge, and other things Which give this school its beauty tinge, And then, far off the wondrous view, The hills and dales, the sky of blue. And many towns are hid within The acres of this leafy green; Of course, their schools are all worth while But Pembroke ' s got them skun a mile. W. F. S. ' 17.

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THE WAMPUM until I get to the ground, I know, cried Jake. Don ' t you do it — you will break your neck, warned Jerry. It seemed different now when the time had come to actually test the air- ship, but his friend was already on the roof, so he followed quickly. Here! cried Jake, Help me lift this railing aside, then give me an easy push. Hurry! He did as he was bid- den, and Jake climbed into the car. Push when I say ready, he whis- pered. No wonder his teeth chattered; it takes a good deal of confidence in one ' s machine to go off of a three-story roof in the daylight; but at night time it seemed four times as bad. But he thought of his uncle ' s faith in him, and gritting his teeth cried, Ready! At first the glider fell like a shaft, then as the outspread planes caught the breeze, she slowed up a trifle and rode steadily down. Jake did not try to steer ; there was not time for that. He trusted to luck to land safely, and to tell the truth, that was about all he could do. But luck did land him right side up, and he jumped out long be- fore the car had stopped flitting across the yard. Hurry, Mike, get up! he cried softly at the hired man ' s window in the stable. There is somebody in the house. Telephone for the police, quick ! Mike, the man of all work about the place, responded quickly, and the po- lice were notified in a very few seconds. Then the man and boy ran around to the library window. All seemed as usual. The panes were not broken in, and everything appeared to be quiet. Mike was inclined to be skeptical. I don ' t see any thief, he said. Where is he? But Jake was not convinced. We ' ll go in and see, he said. He went around to the rear door, the key to which Jake usually kept in his pocket, as it led directly to the attic, and entered quietly. All seemed well in the kitchen, but as they turned on the lights in the dining room, they saw their thief in the midst of his spoils. There, directly in front of the sideboard, lay the frag- ments of a huge punch bowl; several glasses also added to the litter, several quarts of punch were flowing about the wreckage, and in the midst of it all the family cat stood innocently blinking at the lights. The boys had forgotten to feed her, and I suppose she thought she would see what she could do for herself. By this time the police had arrived, and were somewhat provoked when they learned it was only a fake alarm. The boys were still explaining to them how it happened when Uncle Jack rushed in; some one had told him his house was afire. He listened carefully to the whole story and grunted his approval of their conduct. He was a man of few words and seldom spoke unless absolutely necessary, but his gratitude was plainly felt when a few days later, Jake was notified that a six- cylinder engine had arrived, addressed to him, at the freight house. He guessed who had ordered it and hur- ried quickly to his uncle ' s house, but the good man would listen to no thanks, and concluded his outburst of gratitude by locking him out of the room. It is needless to say that the boys were much pleased with their motor and the flying ability of their airship. E. J. ' 16. The Latest Historian. Wherever there is a big fire, a fight, a war, or anything of importance, the man with the moving picture camera is much in evidence. He is usually a young fellow and a gentleman until you step between his camera and pic- ture, then his language is not all that could be desired. A future president of the United States, if he wishes to, can see the actual events which caused the holiday he is celebrating, for all important events are being taken on moving picture films and stored in moisture-proof, fire-proof, and dust- proof vaults. In the recent war with

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THE WAMPUM Six Years Hence. There is among the students of Pem- broke High School a certain individual who, outclassed by none in his capacity, is making marked progress in the line of civil engineering. Already he has been engaged in small undertakings with promising results, and for odd jobs to take up his spare time he fills the place of surveyor. In six years he will have finished his high school and a four years ' college course, immedi- ately after which a successful business opening will be established in his home town, Bryantville. A little later, branch offices are put up in Plymouth, Han- over, and Rockland, and in the course of three years he will have more work than he can rightfully attend to, but he works incessantly until he receives, a warning in the form of sickness. Re- gretfully he gives up his work for a while, but beginning again too soon, he quickly finds himself in the same position as before, only a great deal worse. Constantly under doctors ' care, he gradually becomes better, but they tell him not to work for a year or more. Completely discouraged by this great setback, he falls into the clutches of nervous prostration, which immediately leads to his being sent to Europe with doctors and nurses. Here he seems to remain in a normal condition, but does not regain his health as he did before, and he is constantly longing for this country and its beloved charms. The doctors, after several consultations, de- cide to bring him home where he seems to get better by jumps and leaps. At the end of six weeks he is working and accomplishing as much as before. The doctors say nothing, though greatly mystified concerning his recovery, and suppose that it is due to their devoted care. He is visited a little later, and is re- quested to take the position of chief government surveyor and territorial draftsman. Overjoyed at the prospects, he accepts and works in Washington for five years filled with happiness, return- ing occasionally to visit his family and friends in Bryantville. At the end of his stay at the capital, he is sent to hold the same position out West, but with doubled salary. His headquarters are located at a place named Caseville, a town which springs up under his super- vision and influence. One day, while reading the paper, the man who is the chief doctor of the recovered patient notices this testimon- ial in an advertisement: — Dear Mr. Case: — After six weeks ' treatment I realize of what value your medicine might be to the public if they knew of it, so I write these few words for their benefit as well as yours. I was wholly cured of a sickness, based on nervousness, which the doctors could not cure. I took eighteen months ' treat- ment with them which availed nothing, while, as I have said, six weeks ' treat- ment of Case ' s Regal Rheumatic Pills, brought immediate relief and a lasting recovery. W. F. S. ' 17. The Mill. As I approach the mill, the first pic- turesque object seen is the mill pond. When standing on the opposite side from the mill, I have a fine view. The edge fringed with alders, and all kinds of other bushes can be seen, which turn into the most beautiful colors in au- tumn time, and also here and there a majestic maple lifts up its head to view, rivaling its beauty with the dark color of its pine tree background. As I walk nearer to the mill, the roar of the water rushing through the waste- gate can be heard. The mill itself is a large cumbrous affair, almost falling to pieces, with trees and vines growing all about it. Most of the shingles have fallen off of the roof, making the mill have a very antique appearance. Every once in a while a swallow, whose nest is in on the rafters, flits through the paneless window near the roof, then comes out again to join its compan- ions, who are flitting and circling around, sometimes within an inch of the water. A. C. S. ' 17.