Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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you: curiosity Concerning the new member Of our BCIIDOI. I may tell you that her name is Victory Jones and she came from the city. Now. let us return to our work. One boy, Ted Jackson. could not center his thoughts on the voyages of Columbus, although they would ordinarily have interested him. He was just a tanned. ordinary looking fourteen-year-old boy, with dark hair and twininng eyes. He was looking at Victory and thinking, She's a mighty nice Iooking girl. Red hair is awful pretty on some people. I wish I knew her. She s diEercnt from Susie and Miranda. I wish I could walk home with her; I wonder if she'd let me? Over in another corner of the room. another boy, Bill Summers, was thinking similarly. He was a large over- grown boy with a big head and a matted crown of dusty colored hair above an unintelligent fact. When school was dismissed. both boys thought of waIk- ing home with Victory and both were too bashful to ask her. The young lady in queation soon unconsciously settled the- matter by departing. swinging her hat on her arm. During the day, she had learned the names of all her schoolmates and become slightly acquainted with them. I don't like Miranda. She's too inquisitive and conceited, she thought as she waIkecI along the road. Susie seems to be a nice little thing. Bill's too big for his age and I don't think he knows much. However. Ted is interesting and not bad looking. He looked at me 30 queerIy when I was about to come home. I hope he likes me. The next day Ted became a little boldert He often looked at Victory admiringly and in the middle of the after noon had the impudence to wink at her. She turned up her nose at him, then hi6 her face in her book and laughed to herselfl Soon the teacher called the eighth grade to recite gram- mar. Billy, Miranda. Susie, Victory and Ted filed up and took their seats on the long bench in front of the master's desk. In the middle of Miranda's recitation. Ted reached over the back of the bench and pulled VictoryIs hair, caus- ing her to giggle. Ted. give the principal parts of the verb drink, or dared Mr. Turner. Ted's hand took a firmer grasp on Victory's hair. HPresent. drink: tyank want his hancU past. drank: tyanlq past participle. drunk. he said glibly, while a giggling ouch escaped from Victory. The principal parts of think, Victory, said the teacher. Present. think; past. thank; past participle, thunk, said Victory demurely. followed by the laughter of the class. g'rwuutyrwuun

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Beside: a woodland road was a little red school house. First came the school master. Daniel Turner. to unlock the door and put everything in order. He was a tall, we built man with dark hair, forbidding eyebrows, and a stern mouth. Soon afterwards, the children came merrily with their books and rattling dinner pails. They were soon busily playing. The last of all to come was a good looking girl with red hair. swinging her hat in her hand. She paid no attention to anyune, but entered the school house and began to talk to the teacher. As soon as she had disappeared, a general hum of conversation arose. Whoever is that girl. Susie? asked Miranda, a stout plain locking girl, of her tall, thin, no less plain looking chum. Don't ask me. I don't know. answered Susie. i thought your ma knew everything that went on. Well. that's one thing she ain t heard about, Miranda added. MY. 1 do hope she's from a city. I'm so tired of Iivin' here in the woods, an' not seein' anybody but ordinary unv interesting folks. A'Why, Susie Dusenherry. how can you say such a thing when I'm with you most of the time at schoonh asked Mi- randa in an injured tone uOh. we . I wasntt meanin' you, you know.n replied Susie. soothingly. Some of the small boys in the meantime were looking in the door at the stranger. Soon the teacher called the children and lessons began. Before long. Mr. Turner was aware that the attention of the school was wandering. Every- one was either furtively watching the stranger 0r whispering to one another about her. Children. since I see you cannot study on account of tTwL-nterhreet

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Victory. that kind of bshavior is inexcusable in a girl of your age. said Mr. Turner. Victory iooked ashamed and embarrassed. it wasn't her fault. i was bothering her. spoke up Ted. hYou may both see me after school, announced Mr. Turner. The school would have laughed if it had daredo but the teaCher's forbidding frown restrained it. Aftu dismiss- ing school. Turner called Ted and Victory to his desk, Ciearr ing his throat and frowning. he, said. Ted. you are too old to be pulling girls. hair. it disturbs our lessons and is en- tirEIY Ungentiemanly. Victory. any girl of your age should have ermugh dignity not to giggle. Don't do it. it is one of the worst habits of your sex and the one most hatcd by the men. 1 hope in future your behavior will he more womanly. You may 30. Victory Flushed and hung her head as she and Ted left the master's desk, uDon't let that grouchy old bachelor make you feel bad. Victory, whispered Ted comfortingly a! they neared the door. ui'm sorry i pulled your hair. Here. let me carry your book; and waik home with you. Hi-mdon't thinkA-youid better. she answered shyly. Well, all right, I won't if you say so. he said. The next morning; Ted seemed to have forgotten how Victory had received his attentions the night before. He looked at her more than ever. in various ways showing that he was much interested in her. At noon, Miranda and Susie did not ask Victory to eat lunch with them. but walked past her and sat down my der a tree by themselves. Oh, dear, thoughi Victory. nlt'a horrid to have Ted like me. It makes all the girls mad at me Well. if they're that kind, they can stay mad. i Well. Susie. what do you think of the way Ted's act- ing about Victory? i've been nice to him and smiled at him ever since I've been in this here school an he's never paid the least attention to me and then that silly iiitle red headed snip comes along an' he stands up for her in school and talks to hex all the time. I can't understand what he sees in heri said Miranda indignanliy. Don't won'y about that. Goin' with her shows what poor taste he has, rejoined Susie. On a log across the road. the boys were eating heartily and leasing Ted between bites. Pete Green, a bare legged urchin. said inquiringiy. Ted. i thought you didn't like girls. You used to say all you wanted was a good place to fish, an' a swimmin' hole. an' a pony. an' a shot gun. on iTwentyr 1 in