Philadelphia Manual Training School - US Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Board of Education had at last found out what We were made of They disbanded Our Sister Institution, and spent some of their efforts in the right direction. Ifound a few of the old professors about, notably among whom were Thomas, The Character, and Doc. Doctor seemed, with his age, to have gained more wind than ever, and I noticed a drowsy, tired look on the faces of the fellows as they came from recitations with him. As I wandered about I found that the Board Qbless their venerable fossilsj had fitted up a new laboratory for I-Iering, and in it the boys underwent the usual experiments of trying to find the resistance of plum-pudding tothe induction of currants. And then, too, the Board had found means to supply Aldrich with a more respectable stand than that old music-rack, upon which to demonstrate the principles in Perspective illustrated by the Screen. In the auditorium I found a meeting of the Natural History Society. The members had deposited themselves on the backs, arms, and even inverted chairs, 'rather than the proper place, and were in the heat of a discussion: I-Iow shall We raise ten dollars to pay off the debt still remaining due to the caterer for the feed at the book reception held in 1888? The Treasurer reported live cents in the treasury, from the collection of fines, and advised that Mr. -1 be expelled if he did not pay up arrears within two weeks. I therefore decided that the Society was as bad ofi financially, as it ever was. I noticed in the President a likeness to one of my old classmates, and found out that he was, as I expected, a descendant of Curtis. This fact accounts, somewhat, for the condition of the Society. I noticed a small room onfone of the upper floors, and, upon inquiring, found it to be' the ofhce of the P. D. Club. Here Anderson and Ayres gave lessons in Poker, Napoleon and Matching Pennies at the earnest request of the Faculty Qpar- ticularly Whitalqer and Rondy, who wished to learn from a scientific pointj. Andy lectured on the dihferent games, while Ayres was denionstrator, so I found out from inquiry, for I would not have entered the place for fear of corrupting my morals.

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toward me, and I had the pleasure of beholding the fine aquiline features of Henry L. Curtis. But I might have been deceived, for his upper lip was now 67Zfi7'6'Zj! hid by a fine, chrome yellow No: I mustache. The little sprouts which first put forth we fellows can remember, and also the great care and training which they received. I heard a sentence or two ofwhat Henry was trying to say. It ran something like this : And, gentlemen, I hold that there should not be declared a dividend of 20 per cent. on Argus Stock, ah !-I mean, a-zz-Railroad Stock, but the Publishing -ah I-I mean-the-theah I-Railroad Companies, should declare not one whit over IO per cent. dividends, but that the editors-ah I-the oflicers-for their hard labor in maintaining the paper-oh! the-afczzlffaarl-wlieii times were hard-I say they should be the recipients of the' other IO per cent., which would naturally fall to the whole company. Through the medium of the flame I returned to this city and entered the Academy of Music. Its galleries and balconies were crowded to overflowing, its doors were jammed with people who seemed to be straining every nerve to hear. On the stage there stood a T looking fellow who bore a smile somewhat re- sembling Armstrong's Tuesday smile. But the fellow himself was Dick Scott. Dick looked somewhat older, but he had that same fine figure which always captured the eyes of the Normal School girls. I-Ie was trying to interest some of Philadelphia's people by his humorous lectures. The subject upon which he was now speaking was: Freaks, as illustrated by the Classes of '90 and '91. It seemed quite strange that Dick should have selected this business, for we all expected that he would turn out to be a renowned contemporary of Theodore Thomas, and be giving away such strains of marshal music that his name would never die. VVe were justified in expecting this when we remember what talent he exhibited when at schoolft Now the flame presented a new scene to me. It was the Manual Training School building, or rather buildings, for the it One day, in Professor Alclriclfs class-room, Dick was singng Sweet violets, sweeter than-Bing! Bang! Boom! another man killed. Aldrich heard it, turned around, inquired who was singing, and poor Dickie had to go clown to the front room.

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I was next ushered into the Argus Denf' In this sanctum were found the Editorial Staff all busily engaged in writing per- sonals and sweet, touching answers to the Normal School Corre- spondents. The editor who, succeeded best, who composed the most ridiculous personals and effective epistles to the Normal School, received, as a reward, next month's Aqgzrs free. In the light of the fire I now saw a busy western town. It reminded me of what I used to hear of the rapidity with which Oklahoma grew-everything and everybody was bustling about. I seemed at once to be ushered into the ofhce of what appeared to be a busy physician. For it was necessary to wait in a line in orcler to gain admittance. Ilearned, hom the plate on the door, that within I would find Wesley Bartine. So, when I at last got inside, I saw seated behind a desk, which was piled high with books, a sober-looking fellow. I-Ie didn't look much like the fellow we remember, for the twenty years of separation had increased his august looks. But there was one feature' about him that I 'recognized-his corpulency. Why, to tell the truth, Wesley had actually grown stouter, if such a thing were possible. I-Ie had a bell-boy standing beside him, and all manner of con- trivances were about the room designed to facilitate his work. I readily discovered that this was all sham, that all this 'ner- vous huriy was unnecessary. I-Ie had hired several men to drive all around' the neighborhood in buggies, at break-neck pace, and thus deceive the populace, and make them fancy that his business was immense. One of the men whom he employed to drive around in this manner was Mandel. Davy had always manifested a particular interest in horses, and we all re- member his position as an unquestionable authority on the turf I-le was familiar with the characteristics of all the famous horses. The first criticism we remember him to have made was that day when he said Maud S. was bowl legged. Bartine also employed a number of men to keep pouring into his office at all hours, and to appear perfectly restored to health after visiting him. The reason lfVesley had moved out to this place from Philadelphia was because he was compelled to. VVhy his practice, as a physician, had been so detrimental to the U3