Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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THE MISSILE. 23 detracts not a particle from its quality. Las Mariposas pre- sents a perfect marvel of natural description, and is so pervaded with the atmosphere of the Caribbean isles that one is deeply impressed with a sense of reality, which characteristic is also prominent in The Masquerade Ball. This issue should be especially commended for the reason that the old historic interests of the town are so well taken advantage of in Antiquities of Williams- burg. In spite of abundant praise, we have two un- favorable criticisms to make: the section Famous and In- famous seems to have no definite object, and the ex- change department is rather severe in its condemnation of that which fails to meet its approval. In looking through the Mary Baldwin Miscellany one finds a lengthy literary department, full of variety. The names and appearance of the poems, essays, and stories attract him to further investigation, which results in an hour of pleasant reading. His time is amply rewarded by a keen insight into the lives and work of the Mary Baldwin students, but, notwithstanding, a few jokes would add a touch of humor and would relieve the strain of the more dignified literature. We should like to have a word with the Nobleman con- cerning the essentials of a school paper. If your idea is that of a sporting magazine, in which the athletic pro- ceedings of the students are recounted in full, with a story or two in addition, we have little fault to find; but usually a school magazine is considered an expression of the school life and work of the pupils, a paper abounding in literature especially, with athletics subordinate. If you accept the latter conception, your magazine is entirely inadequate. We leave the selection to you. Further-

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22 THE MISSILE. column the magazine leaves little to be desired except a few exchange and alumni notes, which would render The Lowell additionally attractive to outsiders. With the splendid opportunities offered by your school, its spacious new building, its numerous organizations, and its broad field of athletics — we are surely justified in ex- pecting great things of you. After reading what the Criterion has to say on the subject of exchange criticism, we hardly dare to express our opinion about this paper. Do you not think you are somewhat mistaken in the stand that you take? Your magazine is not “picked to pieces” in order to fill up ex- change columns of other papers, but in order to benefit you by pointing out your mistakes. Exchange notes are written in a friendly way; do you think it is just to take them otherwise ? However, since you do resent a can- did opinion, we will endeavor to mention the good fea- tures; of the others we shall only call attention to the fact that all your jokes are “exchange.” The literary department of the Criterion is surpassed by few high school publications. The story, Loverness versus Eaves- dropper is indeed entertaining and delightful, to say noth- ing of the other two stories, which are close seconds to this one. The February number of The William and Mary Literary Magazine, as we might expect from a college of such standing, offers an almost perfect collection of stories and poems. In the latter respect this maga- zine is especially remarkable, for good, beautiful poems are usually few and far between in even the best collec- tions of literature; while The William and Mary Liter- ary Magazine contains much verse, the quantity of which

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24 THE MISSILE. more, we make a second appeal to the Nobleman con- cerning its principles. Does an Exchange Department devoid of criticism answer the purpose for which it is established ? In your next issue you may answer this question affirmatively or negatively by leaving your columns as they are or by adding suggestions and reviews to your list of exchanges. In spite of difference of opinion on some topics, we do not wish the Nobleman to think that in our eyes it has no good points. To the con- trary, there is much to please every reader of this paper, especially its Stamp Collector s Department and its story. The Empty House. We wish to acknowledge with due appreciation the following. The Oracle., The Virginian, The Focus, The Monthly Chronicle, The Record, The World, College Topics, The Virginia Guide, and The Flat Hat. Each of these has many good points and is thoroughly en- joyed by us. M. Francis Drewry.