Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

Text from Pages 1 - 124 of the 1893 volume:

K The Golden Rod. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., SEPTEMBER, 1892. No. 1 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCKIPTJOX RATES. For the Year, . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents Foi sale at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. M GOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN, BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass..) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. EAGERLY did we look for- ward to the long summer days when there should be no lessons and, consequently, no recitations. Those days came and have passed, and once more the busy hum of school life “is heard in the land.” The High School building is filled to overflowing, and we notice that, in spite of the lon j vacation, many of the pupils glance longingly towards the bright world outside the crowded school room. We trust, however, that every pupil has re- solved to make an earnest endeavor to improve all his opportunities for acquiring knowledge during the coming year. The board of editors of the Golden Rod for 1892-3 ex- tends a cordial greeting to the cit- izens of Quincy and to all other friends of our High School paper, hoping that as generous and loyal support may be received this year as was extended to the former board. R. “You have graduated from the High School, haven’t you ?” “Not yet. I have to go another year, because the course is now one of four years instead of three.” “Humph ! Four years—that's too much time to spend in a High School. A High School education isn't of any use, any way.” The person who made the last remark was one whose school life had ended with her graduation from a grammar school nearly thirty-five years ago. We wondered whether, in spite of her disapprov- al of spending four years in a High School, she had not often felt the need of a higher, broader education than that which she had received. A short time ago, in speaking of an interview with a well educated gen- tleman, she had remarked : “I tried to look very much interested, but I couldn’t understand half of his big words.” This serves as an illustra- tion of the discomfort an ignorant person must endure in the society of those who are well informed ; for in all probability the person of whom we are speaking lacked not only the power to understand the words, but also information con- cerning the topic about which the gentleman was conversing. One cannot spend too much time in obtaining an education, provid- ing he makes proper use of every moment ; for however extensive may be one’s amount of knowledge, he may still continue to learn until life is ended. Then, after all, how short a time is four years as com- pared with a lifetime of study! When the pupils were informed last year that our High School course in fu- ture was to cover four years, many were dissatisfied, especially those who had expected to be graduated in June; and at length the commit- tee decided that the senior class should be given diplomas, as that class had entered when the course covered only three years. We are glad to say, however, that the class has awakened to a sense of the ad- vantages of completing the full course, and all, with three excep- tions, have returned. It is only fair to state that those pupils who have not returned were prevented from doing so, not by their own in- THE GOLDEN ROD. clination, but by other circumstan- ces. Not long ago a man whose whole life has been one of study, and j 9 across whose brow white locks now stray, said to a young girl: “A year is a short space of time to one of your age. There are no white hairs in your head yet. Think not of the time that is passing, but of the knowledge you are gaining. Strive to obtain the best education you possibly can. You will never regret it. It a person fits himself for a high grade of work in life he will probably get it,—if for a low grade, he certainly will not get a high one.” These words apply to all pupils, and to those who are now in our High School and to all who may enter it in future let us say: Take the full course, using every moment to the best advantage. Do not let your education end with your school life, but strive to ac- quire some knowledge every day, by observation, by reading the daily newspapers and the best magazines, and by carefully studying good books, of which an almost inexhaust- ible supply is furnished by our pub- lic library. r. We open school this year with but one change in our corps of teachers. Mr. F. A. Tupper is the new principal. He is a graduate of the Roxbury Latin School, and of Harvard (1880). For the last five years he has been principal of the Arms Academy, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, and for the five years previous to his principalship at Shelburne Falls he was vice- principal of the New Brunswick, New Jersey, High School. e. An Athletic association has been organized in school this year for the first time, with the following officers: President, Joseph Calla- han ; vice-president, George Ewell; secretary, H erbert T hompson ; treasurer, John Estabrooks; exec- utive committee, Harry Winslow, Michael Daly, Charles Fostello; manager of foot-ball eleven, John Cashman. Let us say that it is the duty of every member to lend his influence for the furtherance of the association’s good. By so doing the physical standard of the school will be raised from the second rate position which it has for some time occupied to the position of impor- tance where it belongs. The conditions this year are more favorable than they have been for some years past, and we hope the opportunity will not be lost. E. The Grammar schools of Ouincy are much superior for schools of their grade to the High School, and the reasons are simply these : First, the High School building is entire- ly unfit for the purpose; second, a scholar takes the High School course with no definite end in view. After he has completed the four years’ course another year will be consumed in study before he can enter any of the colleges, and if he does not intend to pursue his studies further, he has not used his time to the best advantage on the half preparatory course which the school affords. Would it not be better to have three distinct courses, Classical, General and Business? In that way the needs of most of the pupils would be met, and the students would be stimula- ted to better work in order to ob- tain the great good which they de- sire in the end. e. The English division of ’96 will be transferred to the Adams School sometime in October. This step is greatly to be regretted, but is necessary on account of the poor ventilation of the High School building. We hope that, being sep- arated from the rest of the school, they will not lose their interest in school matters and that they will soon be able to rejoin us. They will be instructed by Miss Clara Thompson of Quincy. e. If those subscribers who do not wish to continue to take the Gold- en Rod would please inform us of the fact at the earliest opportunity, it would prevent considerable trou- ble later on. We hope, however, that few will do this, as we need all our old subscribers. THE GOLDEN ROD, PERSONAL. LOCALS. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Annie C. P. Eady, Herberi A. Thompson. Thomas Greany, ’95, is working in Boston. Pauline Wilkins, ’94, is at Thayer Academy. John Faircloth, ’95, is at Drake’s shoe factory. Arthur Curtis, ’93, is at Chauncey Hall, Boston. Harry Wason, ’95, now attends the Adams Academy. Fred Coombs works at Gurney’s grocery store, Atlantic. John Pray, ’95, is at Kilpatrick’s fruit store, Quincy Point. Walter Sampson is employed at Lathrop’s book store, Boston. Margaret O’Hara, ’95, has en- tered French’s Business college. Lizzie Roberts, ’95, is at Bryant and Stratton’s Commercial college. Marion I. Bailey, ’94, and Mari- on J. Gurney, ’94, are at Framing- ham Normal. Miss Sibylla A. Pfaffmann, one of our former teachers, is still studying at Harvard Annex. Mary Harkins, ’95, and Florence Gray, ’94, have entered Bryant and Stratton’s Commercial college. Miss Mitchell, ’94, took a part as one ot the Peek Sisters in an en- tertainment lately given at the Congregational church. Dr. Sheahan, Rev. Mr. Cotton, Supt. Lull, and others have visited the High School the past month. Visitors are always welcome. Irving W. Horne, our late princi- pal, has accepted the position of superintendent of Braintree public schools, and has our best wishes for success. Leila H. Sprague, ’94, has gone to Bridgewater Normal. She has always been faithful and persever- ing in her work and leaves an ex- cellent record. The first and last thing which is required of genius is the love of truth. EDITED BY Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. An increase of over sixty pupils ! Vacation over and another school year begun! A new plank walk is extended from the original walk to the boys’ entrance. Astronomy ’93 gives us the strange information that every per- son’s zenith is in the same place. Latin ’96. Pupil—Durus, dura, durum. Teacher—Not quite so much rum if you please. Latin ’95—“Minerva is a city.” Surely the goddess of wisdom should be implored to visit and scatter her blessings upon that be- nighted soul. Now we are to be initiated into the mysteries of cooking. It may not be so much of an affliction to don an apron and assist in the usual Saturday’s baking at home. Physics ’95. Teacher—What term is applied to anything that you can touch, taste or feel? Pupil—Energy. Teacher----How does energy taste ? Will the pupil of Latin ’95, who made the astonishing statement that “Caesar’s hair was generally bald,” kindly rise and explain? Confessing our dullness, we pray to have our anxiety relieved. The decided increase of pupils this year caused us to experience a gasping sensation and an intense longing for air and elbow-room, until the classes of ’93 and ’94 were allowed to go home after recitation, leaving the remainder to breathe freely. The interior of our school build- ing was in shining order upon our return from, the rest which vaca- tion afforded us. Finding it swept and garnished, may we endeavor to keep it so neat that the last state of the rooms shall not be worse than the first. THE GOLDEN ROD. The school year is now fairly under way. The number of boys in Latin ’96 is much larger than the number in Latin ’95. The principal characteristic of Saturn seems to be vanity, he possesses so many rings. Any one who has never seen a ‘Teal live lord” may gratify his curiosity by paying a visit to the High School. Apples hanging from boughs within a stone’s throw of the schoolyard are tempting, but we must bear in mind the old, old story of the apple. Teacher, questioning pupil---- Master----, what are the---? Pupil—Dunno. Teacher—What was my ques- tion ? Pupil—Dunno. At roll call. Teacher—Master Paradise. Some pupil—He’s left. Teacher—It seems to be a case of “Paradise Lost.” As yet Paradise has not been Regaified. On returning to school this year, we found some improvements, the interior of the building having been freshened by new paint. The fresh effect was increased by the new class, which numbers about one hundred pupils. When we came back to school, we found our picture of Whittier draped in black. Another of our great poets gone. Last year it was Lowell. May it be many years before we mourn for Holmes, the only surviving one of the celebra- ted eight. The interest our new principal takes in athletic sports has en- deared him to the heart of every boy in the Quincy High School. The excitement during a game of foot-ball extends to the feminine portion of the school, and it is only when the ball leaps a fence into a neighbor’s choice flower bed, that we are devoutly thankful our sex prohibits our joining in the rush. BIOGRAPHY OF A BUSINESS MAN. William Ray, born March 12, 18—, died December 2, 18—. Born in a small village near New York City, when small he was like the average boy; that is, when with boys he did as the best boys always do, but he always obeyed his parents. He went to the grammar school, from which he was graduated at the age of thirteen. William was considered by his teachers a studious boy. After being gradu- ated he borrowed books from the library to read, and when he went to work he bought them. These books were always on mercantile subjects. In after years when in the city, he went to a night school, and since he had studied at home he was placed in an advanced class. When he was fourteen he se- cured the position of office boy in the office of a commission mer- chant in New York City. In ful- filling his duties he was very clever, always careful to make the least noise possible. He met ev- erybody with a pleasant smile and when he made appointments he kept them to the minute. He was particularly neat, both in his dress and in his work. It is said that he was a great thinker, remembering everything; one seldom had to re- peat for him. The merchant observed these characteristics. After eleven years of hard work the young man was taken into the firm. Indeed, all the clerks thought him worthy of a more responsible position than that which he was holding, al- though he did not murmur, as he believed that his employers knew what he was worth and paid him for it. The trade of this house in- creased, and they established sev- eral branch houses during his term of management. In fact, the capi- tal invested was nearly doubled in ten years. He continued to work every day in the office for thirty years after this. Then he retired from active labor. THE GOLDEN ROD. With his money he was charita- ble. He provided a hospital for his native village, which had become a small city. He was foremost in all educational projects. No society was complete without having him to hold some important office. Many young business men owe part of their success to him, as he was ever ready to help them. At his death he was mourned by all, regardless of class or creed, for he was kind and charitable to all, es- pecially to the working class. In his younger days he was in- dustrious. He observed every- thing and was quick to understand. In business matters he was keen, prompt and shrewd, yet trustwor- thy and honest, and we may say almost without doubt, that these qualities, aided by a tender, loving heart, helped him to secure the po- sition that he held for so long a time. —Mary E. Monahan, ’94. USES OF ELECTRICITY IN QUINCY. What would our great-great- grandfathers or President John Adams have said, had we told them that by stepping to the wall and speaking into what appeared to be a box, they could talk with friends in New York? They could not only do this, but could tell by the voice to whom they were talk- ing. This is done every hour of the day in Quincy, and we think it not at all strange. If it is very stormy we may not like to go out, but we may wish to talk to a friend, and if he has a telephone we can accomplish this without any difficulty. It is very useful in a store if one wants something from Boston and cannot leave the store to go to the city. All one has to do is to step to the tele- phone and order what is wanted. The arc light illuminates our city with a light whose brilliance is a little less than one-third that of the sun. The characteristic color of the light is a bluish white, but the effect is rather ghastly owing to the quantity of blue rays. There is no other light which has such a penetrating power. This light renders the ground around it as plainly visible as it is on a cloudy day. What may seem still more strange is that the lights all over the city can be lighted at the same time and almost instantaneously. This is very convenient and useful in a very heavy snow-storm, when perhaps the streets may be drifted so as to render it impossible to light the gas or oil lamps. It is also very useful in this city when the moon shines at the beginning of the evening, but suddenly disap- pears, leaving all the city envel- oped in darkness. Then all that is necessary to dispel this darkness is the starting of one machine at the electric light station. We have a very clear, bright light for lighting houses and the cars. These lights generate some heat. We may light all the house and even the piazza by pressing a button in the hall. What a saving of time this is compared with our great-grandmothers’ way, when they made the tallow and the wick, then put them in a candle mould, where they remained for a week or two to harden before they were ready for use! It seems very strange to see a car moving along the streets with- out any visible motive power. Cars are one of the greatest mod- ern conveniences of which electri- city forms a part. What would our great-mothers have said, if they could have enjoyed a ride in an electric car! The lights of the car, when needed, are also fur- nished by electricity. Even when electricity is not used for light, it is used to ignite other kinds of lights, notably gas. The gas is lighted in the house and on the piazza by pressing a button. One house in this city employs electricity in ' locking and unlock- ing its doors. A person goes to the door of this house and wishes to see Mrs. W., who lives in the third story. The person presses a button, which rings a bell in the THE GOLDEN ROD. third story and notifies Mrs. W. that someone is at the door. Mrs. W. goes to a speaking tube, which is also connected by electricity with the outer door of the house, and asks who is there. If she recog- nizes the voice she presses a but- ton and thus unlocks the door. Through the speaking tube she in- vites her visitor in and up to her rooms. —Alice Pope. A VIEW FROM “THE STONE HOUSEF A TLANTIC. The first time I mounted three flights of stairs in the “Old Stone House,” I was surprised at the ex- tensive view I had of the surround- ing country. Far to the north and northeast I could see the faint out- line of Boston. The dome of the capitol and the many church spires I could easily discern, but the sur- rounding buildings were obscured by a kind of haze due to the damp- ness of the atmosphere. In the foreground lay Neponset, with its houses huddled along the bank of the river like a flock of chickens on a cold day, and the big school- house overshadowing them not un- like a mother hen. Behind Neponset I saw the out- lines of Dorchester and Boston Highlands, with their hills and valleys clothed with the pale green of early spring. The river flowed calmly in the foreground despite the ncavy wind, and the small boats tossed gently up and down on the incoming tide. The lumber wharves were loaded with a recent supply of lumber which was wet by the rain of a few hours before. Altogether it was an attractive scene. But I was not impressed as deeply with its beauty as by the eastern view. Looking in this direction, I could see nearly all of Atlantic. I could not describe the settlement if I tried. The houses are set in every position possible. They look, in fact, as if they had been shaken from the clouds, and allowed to remain just where they had dropped. Fruit and shade trees are mingled with all. The former were then loaded with blossoms, which were snatched off by every gust of wind; and the latter were clothing their naked branches with fresh green' leaves. To the left lay New Squantum, which looked as low as the surface of the water, and as though any common sized wave might sweep over it. To the right, I saw the Quincy School, with its pennant fluttering in the wind and rain in a manner to grieve the heart of the principal. Behind all I saw the “mighty At- lantic” (or a part of it) breaking into white caps, which quickly melted away into the lead blue of the surrounding water. Looking towards the north I saw in the distance the gilded dome of the stone church, and some of the higher buildings of Quincy, and I caught a glimpse, through the boughs of the neighboring trees, of Wollaston and Norfolk Downs. The steam from an engine near the blackened remains of the old foundry was blown hither and thither by the increasing wind. Twilight was slowly coming on, and rain began to fall. This thick- ened the haze so much, that when I looked to the west Milton was but a green waste dotted with trees and church spires. Although it was a rainy day and the beauty of the scenery was nothing compared with that of a pleasant day, I thought how thankful we who live in the country should be that we have such a chance to enjoy the coming summer, when there are so many who never picked a wild flower, and never saw a plot of green grass except in the common or public garden. • £■. ’94- The Hermit of Amesbury, the Wood-thrush of Essex, the Martial Quaker, the Poet of Freedom, the Poet of the Moral Sentiment— such are some of the titles bestowed upon Whittier by his admirers. ON AN ECLIPSE OF THE MOON. Fair virgin of the evening skies, That erstwhile wore the veil of white. Across thy face a shadow lies; Thou tak'st the veil of black tonight. —Frederic Allison Tupper. THE GOLDEN ROD. AN OLD-TIME LETTER. To Miss Mehitable Bowen, London, England. Plymouth, Mass., April 4, 1621. My Dear Cousin:— I left you on your way back to London in the Speed- well, which our fathers concluded was too weak to make the voyage to the New World. Our voyage in the Mayflower was long and several storms occurred. In one of these storms our ship was in great danger of being dashed to pieces. The waves lashed the ship and one of the strongest timbers threatened to break, but a large iron screw was found and by God’s will the ship was saved. I was seasick for the first two weeks of the voyage, and I wished many a time that we had never left England. We came in sight of the New World after being tossed on the sea for sixty-five days, and in two days more, on November 11, we anchored in a pleasant har- bor. You remember that on our de- parture from Holland our good pastor, Mr. Robinson, gave us a letter of instruction and advice. This we opened and read on that evening, gathered in the small cabin of the Mayflower. Our fathers drew up a compact in which they agreed to have just and equal law's which all should obey. John Carver was chosen governor, and Miles Standish captain. The next morning a small part of our little band left our ship in a shallop to find a suitable place to land. We who were left behind were of course very anxious for their safety. Many were the ear- nest prayers that we sent up to God. bather was among the party. It was with thankfulness to our heavenly Father that we, toward evening, saw the fire which our explorers had promised to light to show that all were safe. On December 19th they returned to the ship, and we heard with grateful hearts that they had found a very good place to land, and that there was a very good harbor for our ship in that place. Our exploring party while absent had found a considerable amount of corn which the Indians had buried in the ground. Of this corn they brought all they could carry to the ship. This we saved for seed for spring. On the next day we went ashore and began to build our log huts in a snow storm. I was the first to leap upon a great rock close by the waves. The men of our party were obliged to cut all the logs of which our houses were to be built. At two o’clock all gathered for the dinner of partridges which our brothers had shot, and which we ate with biscuits and cold water. We girls were obliged to get the dinner and care for our little bro- thers and sisters, as our mothers were needed to help the men in their work. In three weeks our houses were all finished, but the weather was very cold and sickness began to make itself felt among us. Before February half of our little band had diecf, and many of the living were sick. Mother was among the latter. In March we had warm weather, and many of the sick began to get back their health. It was with great joy and thankfulness to God that I saw mother day by day gaining health and strength. We all felt the loss of our governor, John Carver, very much. He was among the first who died. Our fathers then ap- pointed Mr. Bradford governor. The Indians, through the influence of Samoset and his chief Massa- soit, made a treaty with us and so we have not been troubled by them. It is now April, and the weather is warm and pleasant. We have planted our corn and hope to re- ceive a good harvest in the fall. Several of my friends and I have been gathering mayflcwers today, and I will send you a box of pressed ones by the Mayflower. Our ship returns to England to- THE GOLDEN ROD. morrow, and as this letter must go by the ship, I will close. Hoping soon to see you in our little colony at Plymouth, I am ever your loving cousin, Mary Chilton. IVA YSIDE SPRA YS. “As lavish of its golden light As sunshine’s self, this blossom is; Its starry chandeliers burn bright All day; and have you noted this— A perfect sun in every flower? Ten thousand fairy suns Raying from new disks hour by hour. As up the stalk the life-flash runs?” “Varlet” is the same word as “valet” and each is an offshoot of the feudal “vassal.” “Madame” is “my lady,” and “sir” has been ex- tracted from the Latin “senior” through the French. “Dandelion” is “dent de lion” (the lion’s tooth), and “vinegar” was once “vin aigre” (sour wine). “Biscuit” keeps alive the Latin “bis coctus” (twice cooked) and a verdict is simply a “verum dictum” (a true saying). The word “girl” is found in the Bible only twice—Joel iii.: 3, and Zachariah viii.: 5. Ceremonies are different in every country; but true politeness is everywhere the same. HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE. Most sincere congratulations are tendered our noble foot-ball eleven. They have successfully escaped two defeats. Adams Academy had no eleven this year, and consequently could not play. Our eleven thus scored victory number one. De- feat number two was avoided by the subtle stratagem of not appear- ing at all. Of course Thayer Academy could not defeat our eleven it the eleven did not appear. Our invincible heroes are now rest- ing on their laurels. Why not challenge some other institution that has no eleven? It is proposed to present the eleven, or at any rate ten of them, with medals bear- ing this inscription :— “He who fights and runs away, May live to fight another day.” EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie T hayer, Josephine V. Gerrish. We are glad that The Tripod has “an eye to the main chance.” We like the idea of Current Events in some of our exchanges. We think the contributed arti- cles are the best part of some of our exchanges. The Oak, Lily and Ivy contains a good article on the life of John Greenleaf Whittier. Free Russia contains some very interesting and instructive articles on Russian government. We like the picture of Duffy and Beauty in the September num- ber of Our Dumb Animals. We notice that some of our ex- changes appeared in holiday attire in honor of commencement. The August number of The Bugle gives minute descriptions of commencement and battalion drill. We are glad to welcome back several of our old exchanges. We hope they will all continue to visit us this year. The teacher asked, “And what is space?” The trembling student said “I cannot think at present, But I have it in my head.” —Ex. The phrase “not in it” is not as modern as many might suppose. It was first used in its present meaning by Euripides over two thousand years ago.—[Ex. The June numbers of The Ora- cle and the Rutland High School Notes are very interesting, since they contain the principal essays read by the graduating pupils. Gentleman in Restaurant-“Bring me a bottle of hock—Hic, haec, hoc.” Waiter—“Yessir.” Gentleman—(after twenty min- utes)—“Waiter, where is that hock?” Waiter—“Well, you see sir, you ordered it sir, and then you declined it sir. Ha, ha.” Gen- tleman dies.—[Exchange. t The Golden Rod. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., OCTOBER, 1892. No. 2 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year, . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents Foi sale at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to 8 A RAH C. McGOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN, BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. 'HP'H E Columbian exercises formed a very pleasant break in the monotony of school life. The remarks made by Mayor Fairbanks were especially appropriate to the occasion, giving the scholars many new ideas upon the plans and work of Columbus. “O Tell us, Merry Birds,” rendered by Misses Baker, Eaton, Oxford, and Souther, was very pleasing, and was loudly ap- plauded. Dr. Sheahan was called upon to speak, but said that his ideas were already well known and that all he could do was to indorse the mayor’s remarks. The room was well decorated with flags and autumnal flora, which gave it a very pretty effect. There was to have been a flag- raising, but on account of an unfor- tunate delay it was necessary to postpone it. The flag, which was presented by the editorial board of ’92, was used for interior decora- tion. e. In the course of the month we hope to have our flag floating over- head. Even if we are rather late in obtaining our flag, it will have closer associations for us than if it had been given by some person outside the school. The Golden Rod was started under many diffi- culties, and at first it was a ques- tion as to whether it could be pub- lished or not. The delight in the triumph which it achieved can only be understood by those who have labored long in great doubt as to the result. Then the possibility of obtaining the flag-pole was another question, but the readiness with which the pupils offered their aid was very gratifying. e. The pupils of the High School were much pleased when they learned that His Honor, Mayor Fairbanks, was to be with them on Columbus Day, and that he would address them at the close of the exercises. They were disap- pointed in regard to the flag-rais- ing, but in connection with the mayor there was no disappoint- ment ; he was present and he de- livered his address,—an address that was indeed a fitting conclu- sion to our entertainment. The thoughts expressed by Mayor Fair- banks might well be used as max- ims by which to guide one’s ac- tions. One sentence in particular has haunted the writer ever since— '‘Make life worth living.” A life lived for one’s self alone is indeed a life wasted. Mr. Fairbanks viv- idly set forth the truth that every one has a mission to perform. He spoke of the admiration we feel on beholding a grand and beautiful structure, and called our attention to the fact that every separate part of the building must be well con- structed in order to form the per- fect whole, equal credit therefore belonging to the humble mechanic who conscientiously performed his part of the work, and the great ar- chitect who designed the structure. Thus we see that great honor is due, not only for performing re- markable deeds, but also for care- fully doing whatever duty is near- est us. THE GOLDEN ROD. 'Act we il yoiir part, there all the honor ! WHO (i The mayor spoke of the past four hundred years of our country’s his- tory, and of the brilliant possibili- ties of the future, exhorting every pupil to do his part in life for his country and for humanity, thereby contributing his share to the ad- vancement and welfare of man- kind. _______________________ k. A few days ago we heard the fol- lowing dialogue: “You wish Har- rison to be elected, do you not?” “Harrison ? Let’s see,—he’s the re- publican candidate, isn’t he ?” “Of course.” “Well then, he’s the man for me.” Is it not strange, and does it not show a lamentable lack of interest in the affairs of one’s country, that after General Harrison has occu- pied the presidential chair during four years, one of the citizens of the United States should be in doubt as to which party our president represents ? The person to whom the first question was addressed is evidently one who casts his vote, not for his country’s but for his party’s welfare. We do not say that in so doing he is not, in this instance at least, contributing to the welfare of the former as well, but if so, it is by no design on his part. He practically confesses that he has made no study of the char- acter and party principles of the man for whom he intends to vote. Is it then so light a matter, this election of a man to the highest official position of our government, that one is justified in blindly cast- ing his vote for a candidate simply because he is of “my party”? We have spoken only of the president's election, because the questions asked particularly men- tioned that official; but we wish to include the other principal officers of the government also. We have heard men say that they voted a “straight ticket,” and have heard them add that they did not approve of all the candidates, but they must support their party. Whenever we hear such a statement, this ques- tion presents itself to our mind: Which is of greater importance, “my party,” or the government of the United States and the prosper- ity of the people at large? You will at once give preference to the government and the general pros- perity, yet we fear many are great- ly influenced by party jealousy and will vote for a man of whom they may not entirely approve in order to prevent the election of an oppos- ing candidate. We do not intend this article to favor any particular party, and we have mentioned the republican par- ty only because the conversation which we first quoted happened to relate to it. We think the same result might be obtained by ques- tioning some of the members of the other political parties. Somewhere we have seen an article ridiculing woman’s suffrage, in which one woman is made to vote a certain ticket because the color of the ballot matched the color of her dress. We think that method of voting hardly less senseless than that of voting with a party, regardless of the merits or demerits of the can- didates. It has been said that all men are equal at the polls, and since this is so should not every man take suffi- cient interest in politics to know the worth of the candidates, and the principles advocated by them, and then vote, not for a special party, but for the men who will contrib- ute most to the advancement of our country? Shakespeare says:— ‘ Be just and fear not: Let all the ends thou ainvst at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.” K. Owing to the benevolence of Mr. Corthel of Wollaston, prizes have been offered for declamation and composition. The competition is to take place on an appointed date in February of each year, with the understanding that as soon as the money derived from the enter- tainment given at that time accu- mulates sufficiently, the prizes are to be given from that. This is the result of long deliberation, it hav- ing been agitated some years ago. THE GOLDEN ROD. It will be of the greatest benefit to the competitors, as they will acquire considerable experience. Then again it will produce a great com- petition, enlivening the scholars and giving them a fresh interest in literary matters. Another series of prizes has been offered by Dr. J. M. Sheahan for French and Latin translations. These will be eagerly contested for. The subjects have not yet been assigned. e. PERSONAL. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Annie C. P. Eady, Herbert A. Thompson. John Lyons, ’94, is employed at Drake’s shoe factory. Miss Christianson, ’95, has gone to live at Hartford, Ct. Mary Duran, ’94, is learning typesetting at Roxbury. Rosa Bill, ’94, is bookkeeping at I. F. Shepherd’s, Quincy. We received a short visit this month from Marion Bailey, once of ’94. Bessie L. Drew and Josie Ger- rish, ’94, attended the Mechanics’ Fair this month. Miss Tabb, '95, has left the school, having removed to East Milton. We are pleased to hear that Mary Trask, ’95, has recovered from a severe attack of typhoid fever. Elizabeth Walsh, Helen Delory, ’94, Annie Walsh and Bertha Trepanier, ’96, sing in the choir of St. John’s church, Quincy. Among the few visitors we have had this month have been Marion Gurney, formerly of ’94, Arthur Curtis, ’93, and Mollie YVebb, ’93. Among the visitors we were glad to see on Columbus Day were Mayor- Fairbanks, Dr. Sheahan, our special committee man, and his wife ; Miss Pauline Wilkins, for- merly of ’94, Mr. Thomas, ’91, and others who were once students in this school. LOCALS. EDITED by Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. The sand-pile is fast disappear- ing. We notice that several of the boys use the blacking quite lavish- iy- The one satisfactory answer to many interesting scientific ques- tions : “That topic wasn’t in my book.” The English division of ’96 has been removed to a room in the Adams school, which is now styled the “Annex.” Pupil—When the sun cuts the ecliptic--- Teacher—Are not the sun and the ecliptic on good terms? Pupil—I could n’t find the nomi- native of lacte. Teacher—It must have been from lack (lac) of knowledge. The foot-ball has met with a mishap. It came down on the sharp spike of an iron fence, and the result was it“busted.” Surely, a frightful fate. English ’93 is keeping a daily re- cord of the class work. Visitors examining this journal may form an idea of what the class is doing in Literature. Latin ’93, is certain that the word ovation does not come from the Latin ovum meaning an egg, because occasions on which these articles are brought into use are seldom triumphal. It may not be generally known that the superintendent of schools and the principal ot the High School always “happen ’round” when the products of the cooking teacher’s skill are to be tasted. “THERE WERE GIANTS IN THOSE DAYS.” We did not realize the exact size of Joe’s foot until its plaster cast was left so indelibly for future gen- erations. We have heard before of autographs being written with the feet. Is this a “footprint in the sands ot time” ? s. THE GOLDEN ROD. “Little lulus” is the pet of Latin ’93, with “pious Aeneas” as a close second. “Answer to the anxious” : No, the Pleiades are not the Little Dipper. “ Vive la science!” LOST! The balance of a mem- ber of ’93. The finder will kindly return it to the High School attic. Teacher—For what word is tris used ? Pupil—For triste (sad). Teacher—That is a sad mistake. An interesting and profitable part of our day’s program is the reading of news items. A summa- ry of the news of the day previous is read by our principal directly after devotional exercises. The school is greatly indebted to Miss Elizabeth C. Adams and Rev. Mr. Cotton for sending to us the portraits of Columbus and Ameri- cus Vespucius. They were paint- ed in Italy many years ago from the original portraits. The classes of ’93, ’94, and ’95 have formed a debating society, and have chosen officers for two weeks. The society is to meet every Thursday. The first sub- ject for debate is, “Resolved: That the lower animals do not reason.” In Astronomy. Teacher—It is said that the titles rise so quickly and so high in the Bay of Fundy that pigs are frequently swept away by them. Pupil (aside) Then I shall never venture up there. Our hearts are made glad by the increased popularity of the Golden Rod. The list of subscribers is slowly but surely lengthening, and we hear hearty praise of its col- umns coming to us from all direc- tions. We hope pride, in this case, will not have a fall. Surprises are, in some instances, very pleasant. The surprise which some of us received a short time ago was of a different kind. We are sure we remember hearing of “showers of blessing,” but show- ers of plastering are another affair, especially if followed by the rapid descent of—what ? Did he call it a foot ? THE GOLDEN ROD, WHICH BLOOMS FROM EARLY SUM- MER UNTIL LATE AUTUMN—SOME OF ITS MANY VARIETIES. Before the earliest aster shows itself in robes of lavender-blue -the exquisite tint of Aster linifolius— the early golden rod, solida go ar- guta, has had its blooming season. In its place we find the low-grow- ing species, 5 . nemoralis, readily distinguished by its dense, re- curved and one-sided panicles of bloom, its roughish gray stems and scanty foliage. It grows from six inches to two and one-half feet in height, and makes all the sterile fields and wkste places blaze with its brightness. From early in July until the close of “Saint Martin’s summer” the golden rods are, with us, blooming royally in spite of the fiercest drought, and they stand out against the invasion of frost until all the asters have gone down before it, and only a few hardy late flowers are left to keep them com- pany. I have seen Solidago arguta in bloom on the fifth day of July, and have found 5. coesia, the latest of the species, flowering well into November. This last is the typical “rod of gold”—a slender, swaying wand, with bright yellow flowers, set thickly in little clusters along the stem to its tapering tip, a cluster in the axil of each leaf, and the leaves alone atti acting notice by their beauty. They are lanceolate in outline, with toothed edges, thin and beautifully veined, and their color is a rich, deep green, unlike the dull or dusty looking foli- age often associated with showier flowers of the genus. There is nothing weedy about this plant, whatever may be said of the coarser species. It is delicate and graceful, and does not flaunt its beauty boldly in the face of the passer-by. Look for it along the moist, shaded banks of some ravine where water runs, or in the borders of rich woods, and if you find the fringed gentian or its rarer sister, the mystical closed THE GOLDEN ROD. gentian, growing near, put the two in juxtaposition, and you will have a ravishing study in blue and gold. But the flower which I have most frequently observed blooming late in the season beside this dainty golden rod, is the white, sweet- scented orchid, Spirant Jies cernua. Perhaps every one may not know that there is a white solidago, which can hardly be called a gold- en rod. Its ray-flowers are usually cream colored, but often really white. This also is a wood plant, but likes a dry wood soil best, and may be found in copses and shaded places in company with the yellow (false) foxglove, wild indigo and the uncanny looking rattlesnake weed, Hieracium venosum—all plants of weird repute and curious properties. Our white solidago is not behind the rest in having the reputation of a healing virtue. It bears the name of being a balm for wounds ; the type of the genus, in fact, was dedicated to this benefi- cent use, and derives its name from solido—to make whole. How can any one, then, decry the gold- en rod as a worthless weed ? The white-flowered solidago, though not without attractions in the eyes of a true flower-lover, has nothing very showy or striking in its aspect. It is not a tall species, eighteen inches being, perhaps, its average height. The stem occa- sionally branches, but the usual form is a solitary stalk standing stiffly upright, bearing a few scat- tered grayish-green leaves, and terminated by a thick spike of bloom, suggesting a club rather than a rod. To the uninitiated eye it bears little likeness to the gold- en rods, but it is a true member of the enus, being in full Solid- ago bicolor. A handsome species, not so common as some others, is Solid- ago speciosa, which flowers in Sep- tember. This plant grows tall and stout, with a dark, polished stalk, and dark green, thick and glossy leaves. Its ample panicle of bloom is borne erect, much resem- bling a “pampas plume” in outline. It is thus distinguished at a glance from S. argutay S. Canadensis, and other species that bear their flowers in curved racemes or droop- ing panicles. On closer examina- tion it will be seen that each of the heads has five yellow rays (some- times one or two more), which are large and conspicuous for the genus—considerably larger than the more numerous rays of other species. These rays lend to S. speciosa that peculiarly brilliant golden hue which, combined with its dark, shining foliage, gives the plant a striking individuality, and makes it perhaps the most attrac- tive member of the genus. It is not rampant or weedy in its habit of growth, and would not be likely to make itself a nuisance if intro- duced in cultivated grounds, for which purpose it appears more suitable than some native plants that have been recently dissemina- ted. This and 5. cassia are the only golden rods that can be re- commended for cultivation. 5. odoraf the sweet golden rod, might find some favor for the fra- grance of its leaves, which have the odor of anise; but the flowers are not especially pretty, and the plant is of weak habit, often falling over on the ground. It grows along the borders of thickets, in dry soil, and seems to be rather rare. Other species more or less wide- ly distributed, and some of them too well known as troublesome weeds, are S. Canadensis, a coarse- growing plant with masses of deep yellow flowers, borne in graceful, one-sided racemes; 5. lanceolata, its tall stem thickly set with nar- row leaves and small heads of greenish yellow flowers, in dense, flat-topped corymbs; 5. tenuifolia, which resembles the last, but has leaves more crowded and more narrowly linear, and heads of flowers in smaller clusters. 5. sempervirensy a stout species grow- ing in salt marshes and among the rocks along the seashore, known by its thick, fleshy leaves and showy flowers ; 5. serotifia and its so-called gigantic variety, which have no particular marks of differ- THE GOLDEN ROD. ence to an unpractised observer ; and others that cannot be conven- iently described without the use of technical terms, and could hard- ly be identified without some knowledge of botany to guide. The genus presents a difficult study to the inexperienced bota- nist, the species being numerous and often variable; but it is a study that will well reward patient people.—[Frances Wilson,in Amer- can Garden. THE DISCOVERY OE AMERICA. Columbus thought the earth was round None else had that idea; But it has afterwards been found It really is a sphere. He therefore thought a shorter way Led to that wealthy land, And so he thought he’d go some day But ships were not at hand. It took a time to et a fleet For all men die! him hate, With many troubles he did meet: Traditions so relate. He first went to the king of Spain To tell him of his needs. He begged and begged but begged in vain, For him the king not heeds. He then made up his mind to go To England or to France. Since Ferninand had answered, “No,’’ He’d try two other lands. His friends told him to ask the queen, (Her name was Isabel:) And so he did: she was not mean. But helped him very well. The day did come, so he set sail To cross the sea so great, But many people thought he’d fail And left him to his fate. The fleet came farther from the shore, Still farther day and night; The crew were frightened more and more, Till they were full of fright. Now this was after they came to The “blue Canary Isles ” The crew knew not what they should do— To shore was many miles; But after sailing day by day The crew saw land once more; They anchored in a little bay Which none had seen before. They landed on an isle so green, And all went to the shore. Not one white man this isle had seen: ’T was named San Salvador. Columbus thought those were the lands That he had always meant. The people he called Indians, Whose homes were like a tent. He took possession of the land In his great rulers’ names, Queen Isabel and Ferdinand, The country Spain now claims. The men now thought it would be best To take a look around; So now the crew sailed towards the west, And two more isles were found. The continent they did not find At this time stated here, So they went home, left it behind. Until some later year. The crew sailed home through storm and sleet, But they came home all well: The men were welcomed with their fleet, For there was much to tell. He found the continent at last. But no more fame he gains, For jealousy increased so fast, He once came home in chains. They scorned the fame Columbus had. All tricks they knew they tried. So he had reason to be sad. And after all he died. —C. J. A., ’96. [This poem is a commendable produc- tion for a boy of thirteen years. Let us hear from ’93. '94. andj'95.—F. A. Tup- per.] WHITTIER. JOHN GREENLEAF WHIT- TIER, the poet, was born Dec. 17, 1807, in a lonely farmhouse three miles north of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Both his parents were Quakers, and his ancestors on both sides had belonged to the Society of Friends for many gen- erations. When a boy he wrote verses in- stead of sums on his slate at school. The only reading mate- rials of those days were the alma- nac, the weekly village newspaper, and perhaps a score of books and pamphlets. Young Whittier first got acquainted with the songs of Burns through a wandering Scotch- man, who after eating a lunch at the Quaker farmhouse, sung “Bon- ny Doon” and others of Burns songs. Not long afterward Whit- tier was gathering in hay on the farm, when a peddler stopped and took from his pack a copy of Burns, which was eagerly purchased by the poet. The first poem published by Whittier was in blank verse, and entitled “The Deity,” which was THE GOLDEN ROD. printed in a newspaper called the Free Press. Encouraged by his success he sent other poems, all anonymous, to the editor. They attracted the attention of the edi- tor so strongly that he inquired of the postman who sent them, and decided to go and see Whittier. They became friends, and for a quarter of a century Whittier was associated with the editor in anti- slavery labors. When a boy Whittier worked at the trade of shoemaking, for it was the custom of those days to do a little cobbling, and during that time and afterward he attended several academies. In 1830 he was invited by the publishers of the New England Weekly Review to take the place of the editor, while the latter had gone to Ken- tucky to write a campaign life of Henry Clay. Some of his pleasing poems are “Barbara Frietchie,” “Snowbound,” “At Sundown,” “Maud Muller,” and “Mabel Martin.” In 1884 his 77th anniversary was celebrated, and later his 78th and 79th. When he became an octogenarian in 1887 he was still active, firm, erect, and full of cheerfulness. On his birth- day he received many beautiful presents. He died at Newbury- port, Sept. 5, 1892, at the age of 85. —Ada B. Thompson, ’94. SOME ANCIENT STEAM EN- GINES. Morland, in 1683, built steam engines for mines. Smeaton, in 1764, built a 72-inch cylinder engine. Watt’s patent for road engine was issued in 1784. Savery, 1698, built an engine to drive a mine pump. In 1759 Robinson suggested to Watt the road engine. In 1769 Cugnot, French, made an excellent road engine. Watt, 1781, built the first com- plete double-action engine. Comte d’Auxiron built steamboat on Loire in 1774. Watt, 1765, invented condenser separate from cylinder. Comte de Jouffroy built steam- boat on Saone in 1783. Potter, a boy, in 1783 made the valve gear automatic. A working steam engine was in- vented by Papin in 1681. Beighton, in 1718, substituted plug rods for cords to valves Giambattista, 1601, made a steam pump for mining use. Blasco de Geray built a steam- ship at Barcelona in 1543. Falck, 1769, proposed scheme for double-action engines. Watt’s expansion engine brought to perfection in 1778. Hornblower, 1781, solved the problem of double action. Watt, in 1778, solved the prob- lem of rotary motion engines. The Eolopile, a steam engine, invented B. C. 241 by Hero. Watt’s patents renewed by spe- cial act of Parliament in 1775. Marquis of Worcester, 1663, built an engine to run by steam. Jonathan Hulls, 1736, issued pro- posals for boats driven by steam. Smeaton, 1765, attached a sepa- rate condenser to his engines. Papin, 1699, built an engine to run a boat. Destroyed by boat- men. Newcomb, Dartmouth,built, 1712, the first self-acting steam engine. Watt’s first patents taken out, 1769; engines set up in factories. De Caus, 1616, published an ac- count of a machine to run by steam. Watt, 1768, first used oil and tal- low to keep piston from leaking. Thomas Payne, 1778, proposed scheme for steamboat in America. Tubular boilers first used in America in 1875. Inventor un- known. Marquis of Worcester construct- ed a spherical copper boiler in 1663. Pliny, A. D. 60, described a boat run by a “pot of hot water and wheels.” Roger Bacon invented a steam engine, 1282. Imprisoned for sor- cery. Hiero of Alexander, B. C. 260, described machines for utilizing steam power. THE GOLDEN ROD. AMERICA. Bright daughter of the western world, Thy brow begemmed with glowing stars, Thy banner to the breeze unfurled. Thy children freed from slavery’s bars,— Thou standest freest of the free, And fairest thou of all most fair; From sounding sea to sounding sea There is no air but freedom’s air. Majestic beauty of the west! I love thy mountains, proud and steep: I love thee, dearest land and best Of all lands under heaven’s blue deep. Thou standest like an an el bright, And welcomest unto thy breast The refugees from tyrant’s might To thy safe haven of the west. —Frederic Allison Tupper. COLLEGE CRIES. As well as printed characters can convey sounds, we produce be- low the distinctive slogans of the principal colleges, though cold type can but faintly convey the effect of the union of a hundred student voices articulating their own peculiar cry:— Harvard—Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah! Harvard! Yale—Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah! Ya-a-le! Columbia—Rah, rah, rah! C-o- 1-u m-b-i-a! Dartmouth—Wah, hoo, wah; wah, hoo, rah; Dar-d-d-Dartmouth! Tiger. Princeton—Rah, rah, rah; S-s-s-t, boom, ah-h-h! Rutgers—Rah, rah, rah; Bow- wow-wow! Union—Rah, rah, rah; U-n'-i-o-n, hikah, hikah, hikah! Williams—Will-iams, Will-iams, Will-yums, yams, yums! Williams! University of Vermont—Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah; U. V. M.! Rah, rah! Bowdoin---B-o-w-d-o-i-n ! Rah, rah, rah! Cornell—Cor-nell! I yell, yell, yell! Cornell! Hamilton—Rah, rah, rah, Ham- ilton! Zip, rah, boom! Amherst—Rah, rah, rah! Am- herst-i-a! Wesleyan—Rah, rah, rah, rah, Wes-1 ey-an-a! Rah, rah, rah! University of Tennessee—Rah, rah, rah-rah-rah; Bim, bim, boom- boom-bah! Rah, rah, rah-rah-rah! EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer, Josephine V. Gekrish. We had a dream the other night When everything was still, We dreamt that each subscriber came Right up and paid his bill. But ’twas only a dream ! —[Ex. Good sketches of the life of Whittier are found in the Premier and the Echo. The High School Times, Dayton, Ohio, is an excellent paper. It ranks among our best exchanges. It has a very neat and pretty cover. An excellent poem on “Colum- bus” and a fine picture represent- ing Columbus before Queen Isa- bella and her councillors are fea- tures of the Seaside Torch for Oc- tober. Difficult Things.—A great philo- sopher says there are three things which are difficult: To keep a se- cret, to forget an injury, and to make good use of leisure.—[Sea- side Torch. We see by the High School Gleaner that at Pawtucket, R. I., they are 7'eally to have a new High School building, and that at no distant day. YVe in Quincy have good grounds for similar hopes. We suggest that the material contained in the High School World be arranged better. The advertisements are mixed up with the reading matter so that it is an- noying to try to read it. Above all things a composition should not be separated into parts by columns of advertisements. We take the liberty of reprodu- cing the following from an article in the High School World con- cerning the Debating society: “Debating helps to form a per- son’s character. It acts as a school of elocution by reason of competi- tion. It trains a person to digest all subjects thoroughly, and to form his own opinion regarding them, instead of taking another’s opinion.” .. The Golden Rod Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., NOVEMBER, 1892. No. 3 THE - GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year. . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents F01 sale at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. McGOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN, BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. IN the early days of our coun- try’s history the settlers of New England thought much more of training their souls for the world to come than of enjoying anything in this world, and the proper train- ing, according to their ideas, con- sisted in abandoning all earthly frivolities and pleasures, and in maintaining a grave, stern expres- sion of countenance, and spending much time in prayer. It naturally follows that the old New England Thanksgiving was somewhat dif- ferent from the Thanksgiving of this nineteenth century. And just here let me beg you to say, not Thanksgiving, as we so often hear it pronounced, but Thanksgiving; not that the former pronunciation is absolutely incorrect, but the weight of authority, is with the lat- ter, and furthermore the latter pro- nunciation reminds us more forci- bly of the special purpose for which this day was originally set apart, that is, the offering of thanks to the great and merciful Giver for the blessings by him bestowed. To most children and perhaps to some older persons as well, the word Thanksgiving is now hardly more than a synonym for a general good time, the most delightful part of which may in many cases be ex- pressed by the single word dinner. Very little of the deep seriousness of early days now remains. Of course, most people attend church in the morning, but they do not on that account become grave and thoughtful for the remainder of the day, nor is this last named condi- tion to be desired, for it is not ne- cessary that in order to show our gratitude to the Father, we clothe our countenances in a garb of pious solemnity. Gratitude is not an ex- pression of the countenance, but an emotion of the heart. How pleasant are the family re- unions which take place on Thanks- giving Day, and how much we all enjoy the merry games and inno- cent fun by the evening fireside. Few persons, we think, would care to have our pleasant holiday return to its early New England form; but in the midst of our pleasures we should not forget the true sig- nificance of the day. If one wishes to secure for himself a purer, sweeter enjoyment on this holiday, let him help one poorer than he to have a real Thanksgiving; and would it not be a good plan to do some act of kindness each day, and to forget our troubles in counting our blessings, thus making life, not only to ourselves but to those around us, a continual Thanksgiv- ing Day ? R. The debating society is proving a great success, and the object of the society as written in the con- stitution seems to be in a large de- gree realized. The entertainment which precedes the debate offers a very pleasant preface to the wran- gle which is” to follow. Visitors would do well to “drop in” the last hour on Thursdays. e. Our cabinet collection continues to grow larger. Each week new ar- ticles are added to it. Some of our THE GOLDEN ROD. latent acquisitions are an Apache otSjlai bdttle of southern beetles and centipedes given by Rev. Mr. Cotton ; a piece of a flag which Far rag ut carried, and some paper pressed until it is as hard as iron, presented by Miss Dorety, ’95; some paper which survived the Boston fire, from Miss Cudworth, ’95, and some shells from Miss Mary Sampson, ’95. Perhaps there are others who have relics that they care- little for. If so, here is a good chance to dispose of them. E. The zeal with which the ’96 boys exercise with the weights is amus- ing. They scorn to take the small weights, even the thirty-pound one being too light, but the fifty-six is just the thing. They drag it around and manage to get it over some six feet of ground, and ima- gine their muscle has increased fifty per cent. The trouble comes, however, in bringing it in. Their strength seems to fail entirely all of a sudden, and for this reason it has been thought best to restrict their ardor to thirty pounds. E. A few girls were gathered to- gether in a room of the ----------- school building, on the last day of October, and they were discussing various charms which were said to yield very satisfactory results if tried Hallowe’en. It was of course very foolish, but the writer, wish- ing to see what results would real- ly follow some of the experiments, was one of those who promised to try a few of the charms and report on their success or failure, as the case might be. In accordance with this promise we valiantly sallied forth that evening and marched along the sidewalk looking neither to the right nor to the left, trembling lest any chance should make it neces- sary to speak, thereby causing us to lose the precious mouthful of water which we were carefully guarding, for the following instruc- tions had been received : “Fill your mouth with water, then go out on the street, and the first name you hear is sure to be the name of your future husband. If you fail to hear any name, you will be an old maid.” What a terrible fate ! For a few seconds all went well, and then the utter absurdity of the whole proceeding excited an uncon- trollable desire to laugh. A mo- mentary struggle with the fatal de- sire, a gasp, a choking sensation, and our cherished mouthful of water was gone, and sadly we re- turned home, feebng as if a placard labeled “Old Maid” were some- where attached to us. Our spirits soon rose, however, and we began to roast some chest- nuts, each one of which was called by a different name. Very anxious were we to see which chestnut would be the first to burst open and roll away from its fellows, and as the chestnuts did not roast fast enough to suit us we attempted to push them nearer the coals, there- by burning our fingers, whereupon we left the “hateful things” to their fate, and walked off in high dudgeon to nurse the aching mem- bers. All was quiet in the room, when suddenly there came a noise which sounded to our startled ears like the discharge of a pistol, and some- thing uncomfortably warm struck our face. “Oh! What’s that ?” What indeed but one of the chestnuts, which, not content with burning our fingers, had jumped up and struck us a warm blow. In order to soothe our outraged feel- ings, we promptly ate that chest- n ut. One more experiment remained to be tried, and trustfully hoping that this last charm would be more successful than its predecessors, we placed on a chair by the side of the bed a glass of water in which was a small stick, and then went to sleep, firmly believing that we should dream we were falling over a precipice, and that the one who might after all rescue us from be- ing an old maid would appear and save us from the fall. When we awoke it was broad daylight, and no dream had visited our pillow. We are afraid we looked wofully foolish, and indeed we deserved to THE GOLDEN ROD. look so, when we were asked the result of our Hallowe’en charms. It is said that misery likes compa- ny. However that may be, we were certainly delighted to hear that three or four of our friends had met with results similar to our own, and we cheerfully agreed with one who said, “111 never waste my time with Hallowe’en charms again; there’s no truth in them, any way.” R. PERSONAL EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Miss Fanny Eady, ’96, has re- moved from town. Miss Prince, teacher of drawing, teaches in the schools at Lexing- ton, Mass. Miss Annie Eady, ’96,an editor on this staff, has resigned on account of her removal from town. She was a very able scholar, and will be missed both as a scholar and editor. Miss Eaton, ’96, has been elected to fill the vacancy. Among our visitors of the past month were Mr. S. J. Nowell of the Rockport, Maine, High School, Dr. Sheahan, and Supt. Lull. Vis- itors are always welcome, and a cordial invitation is extended to all who are interested in the school. We were sorry this month to lose Miss Gerrish, ’94. She was one of our Exchange editors on the Golden Rod, and as a scholar she has a most excellent record. By a vote of the editors the position made vacant by her removal has been filled by Miss Pope, ’95. MR. AND MRS. CORTHELL’S RECEP- TION TO SUPT. AND MRS. LULL. The reception tendered by Mr. and Mrs. Corthell to Supt. and Mrs. Lull deserves more than a passing notice. The school com- mittee was well represented, and the Quincy teachers were present almost without exception. Though the evening was stormy, the cer- tainty that there would be a Lull in the storm was sufficient to bring together about one hundred guests. When one has mentioned the host and the hostess, together with the guests, and has added the fact that Weber of Boston was caterer, there is surely no need of making the perfectly obvious remark that the occasion was an especially brilliant social success Mr. and Mrs. Corthell’s graceful hospitality will be long remembered by the Quincy teachers. LOCALS. EDITED BY Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. Holidays occur quite frequently of late. Who has died ? Masculine mem- bers of ’94 please explain. How on earth can one find the north, south, east, and west at the north pole? Some one speaks of the proces- sion of the equinoxes. Did it take place in the late presidential cam- paign ? The fourth class are to write a novel of twelve hundred words. We shall now be able to ascertain the future authors of America. The miscreants who wrote vul- gar and indecent language on the school building ought to be pun- ished to the fullest extent of the law. Some of the boys of ’94 curl their hair, bringing a curler to school for that purpose. It was n’t a success one morning, because there was no fire. One morning lately one ot the absentees was inquired for, and it was found that no classmate ever visited her. We think all the pu- pils should be interested in one another. The vacation of Thursday and Friday, which we much enjoyed, is, we find, to benefit us. The teachers who visited schools on Friday have returned to us with renewed enthusiasm after exchan- ging thoughts with other workers in the same profession. THE GOLDEN ROD. Has any one seen burns, scalds or stained hands as a recommenda- tion for the pupils of the cooking class ? The Astronomy class say that the moon is full every month. Really that is not a very compli- mentary way to speak of beautiful Diana. First pupil—President Harrison is not re-elected. Preoccupied Latin student—No? —What part did he take in the Trojan war ? We are delighted to perceive that the young men of '94 are mu- sically inclined, but we beg of them not to practise on their in- struments in study hours. An Astronomy pupil made the statement that the Greeks found the length of the years by the mis- nomer. We were under the im- pression that they used the gno- mon. Some of the young men of the debating society promise to be Cal- houns and Websters. Some day we may be proud to point them out and say, “They were school- mates of ours.” The class of '93 lately had the good fortune to be invited by Mr. Curtis to look at the stars through his telescope. They saw the sat- ellites of Jupiter and other inter- esting phenomena. Visions of slain turkeys, plum puddings and dainties of all de- scriptions troubled our active brains last week, and caused us to be truly thankful for the mental rest we enjoyed afterwards. The third subject for debate was : “Resolved,That the franchise ought to be given to women.” The nega- tive side of the question won the debate. Arguments on both sides were spirited, interesting and amusing. Bellamy is outdone at last! The announcement of oneofour bright- est pupils that within two hundred years Niagara Falls will be no more fills us with dismay. It is more disastrous looking forward than “looking backward.” Latin ’96.—Ubi est equus rustici ? Pupil—The countryman is a horse. The vote cast Nov. 8 in the Quincy High School gave a decid- edly republican plurality. ode to j. c., ’93. Lives of great men all remind us We can awe all future time, And departing leave behind us Footprints in the ceiling lime. Geometry'95. Pupil—The three lines from the vertices to the mid- dle points of the opposite sides are called the meridians (medians) of a triangle. The janitor has done his best for our school yard, and it has a very tidy appearance; but we miss those crisp, rustling leaves which we enjoyed walking through. Physics—The pupil who was in- quiring about a frying pan (grid- iron) pendulum can receive added information, perhaps, at our cook- ing lecture Friday afternoon. The new clock in Room III. is a success. “By day its voice is low and light.” Strange it is, when one is in feverish anxiety over a somewhat neglected lesson and in a state of doubt as to ever being able to see into its mysteries, that clock will quote Longfellow ex- actly :— “Forever—Never! Never—Forever!” As our flag was not obtained in season for Columbus Day, we saw its colors unfurled to the breeze for the first time upon the day of our national election. The rousing strains of the “Star Spangled Ban- ner” greeted the first flutter of its silken folds. The hearty cheers for the flag we love showed the pride and patriotism of every heart. PRIZES FOR DECLAMATIONS, ESSAYS AND TRANSLATIONS. The prizes offered by Mr. Cor- thell are as follows: For declama- tion—First prize, the choice of any one of the three following sets:— American Statesmen, 20 volumes, $25.00 Complete works of Sir Walter Scott, 25 volumes, $25.00 THE GOLDEN ROD. Complete works of Nathaniel Haw- thorne, 13 volumes, 525.00 Second prize:— Complete works of Oliver Wendell Holmes, 13 volumes. $i9-5° Complete works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 11 volumes, 51925 Any 20 volumes of James Fenimore Cooper’s works, 520.00 Third prize:— Complete works of James Russell Lowell, 11 volumes, $16.25 Complete works of Henry Thoreau, 10 volumes, $15 °° Any ten of Charles Dickens’ works, $15.00 Fourth prize:— Complete works of John G. Whit- tier, 7 volumes, $10.50 Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, $10.00 Complete works of Maturin M. Bal- lou, 6 volumes, $9 00 Complete works of Henry W. Long- . fellow, 6 volumes, $9 00 For the five next best orations will be given the choice of any book listed at $150 in the cata- logue of Houghton, Mifflin, Co. The prizes for French and Latin translations given by Dr. J. M. Sheahan are these: First, any books in Houghton, Mifflin Co’s catalogue not exceeding ten dollars. Second, the same conditions, not to exceed seven dollars. Third, the same, not to exceed four dol- lars. The following are the subjects for prize essays:— 1. The Interdependence of All the Nations of the Earth. 2. The Function of the United States Is World Wide. 3. The World Is My Home. 4. Tobacco, Cotton, Slavery. 5. Motives and Incentives. 6. Native Flora of Quincy. 7 Our Debt to Carbon. 8. Our Debt to Astronomers. 9. Man’s Moral Obligation of Developing Himself Physically. 10. Massachusetts’ Proud Posi- tion in Literature. 11. Massachusetts’ Preeminence in the Sisterhood of States. 12. Educated Man Must Study History. 13. Benefits of a High School Education. 14. The Ideal American Citi- zen. 15. The Last Decade of the Fifteenth Century. 16. “America is Another Word for Opportunity.”—Emerson. 17. The Future of Electricity. 18. Housekeeping in 1950. 19. Massachusetts’ Field: Its Geological and Historical Associa- tions. 20. The Brains, Time, and Mon- ey Expended on the World’s Fair Are Well Spent. 21. Three Days in the Life of a Quincy Boy (or Girl). (Time, 1775-1785. 22. Columbus Monument. 23. Qualities of Columbus That Make a Successful Man. 24. Columbus; A Monologue. 25. A President’s Term of Of- fice Should Be Six Years and No Reelection. The prizes for essays are the same as for the French and Latin translations. N. B.—Must be written in the first person. Date of monologue, Oct. 2, 1892. TENNYSON. A LFRED TENNYSON, the last, if not the greatest of England’s poets, was born in Som- erby, a village of Lincolnshire, En- gland, in 1809. His father was a clergyman with a line of ancestry reaching back to the Plantagenets. He had seven sons and five daugh- ters ; three of his sons were poets, but one was much more talented than the other two. Dr. Tennyson, the father of these poets, had great physical strength, and also great mental gifts. He was a poet, painter, architect, musician, and mathematician. The poet’s mother was a very religious woman and verv sensitive. The poet acquired his education in small part from school, but the pranks and games of his brothers and his every-day surroundings all helped to develop the great nature born in him. His beautiful home and his father would make the wildest love books and find beauty in the sea, the wind, and the ocean. The children wrote continued stor- ries, which were read at the dinner table, one of which was entitled THE GOLDEN ROD. “The Old Horse.” Alfred wrote his first verses on a slate. At the age of five years we read of his playing in the rectory garden, toss- ing his arms in the breeze and shouting, “I hear a voice speaking in the wind ’ He was also in the habit of running down to the sea-coast to obtain inspiration from the sea. The boys gained their early edu- cation at South grammar school, and while in their teens published “Poems by Two Brothers.” From South to Cambridge the way was made easy by their elder brother, Frederic. Alfred took a prize for a poem at the university, but left it without the distinction of an academic degree. It was said that Tennyson would never support himself by his pen, but when Emerson asked Carlyle for a description of the poet, he gave it thus: “He is one of the finest looking men in the world. Has an abundance of rough dusky- dark hair; bright, hazel eyes; deli- cate, but aquiline face, o? a brown complexion like that of an Indian. He wears very loose clothes, smokes tobacco, and has a musical and metallic voice fit for loud laughter or wailing.” The relations between Tenny- son and America were very cor- dial, and were strengthened by his friendship for Longfellow. In 1883 he went to Denmark, and on his return home he was prevailed upon to accept a peerage and took the title of Baron Tenny- son. He was the first commoner raised to the House of Lords for literary eminence alone. He was very retiring, shrinking from pub- lic gaze, and enjoying contempla- tion in seclusion. Among his family and friends he was greatly beloved, and was never known to do an unjust or ungenerous act. He bore poverty and neglect with patience, and his wealth and title without vanity. He died at Akhvorth, London, October 6, 1892; was buried at Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey, England, and was greatly mourned by all. —J. P. McGovern, 94 OUR COOKING LESSONS AMONG the many pleasant pastimes of our school life there is one which is especially in- teresting to the young ladies and to a few of the young gentlemen also. This is our cooking class. Every Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock, about one hundred schol- ars arrange themselves in the large room of the Quincy High School building, which has been appropriated for our use, to listen to lectures, and also to watch the proceedings of our cooking teacher, by which we hope to become quite skilled in the art of cooking. These lessons are certainly very useful as well as pleasant, as I know many of us, and I hope all, desire to become good housekeep- ers sometime in the future ; and one of the greatest requisites to be- coming a good housekeeper is to be a good cook. The first two lessons were large- ly attended, but I am sorry to say, many of those who were at the first two lessons did not put in an appearance at the third, but we are still a goodly number. I must also say a word in regard to our teacher. We are certainly blessed with a very amiable one, as I know that the constant buzz of conversation which is audible all over the room, must bother her a great deal when she is trying to talk ; nevertheless she still wears the same smiling countenance, and never censures us except when it becomes absolutely necessary. She is also very kind in answering all our questions, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. The first lesson I did not attend, so I am not able to state what occurred, but at our second we learned to make what is called a “Brown Betty Pudding.” Of course we girls, wishing to show all we had learned, donned large aprons the next morning (which was Sat- urday) and marched into the kitch- en to make an attempt at pudding making. After I got through, my mother, glancing around at tne many THE GOLDEN ROD dishes to be washed and at the very untidy appearance of the kitchen, inquired with a certain touch of despair in her voice if this would occur every Saturday. Of course I assured her that it would, and that in a short time I would take th.e whole responsibility of the cooking. Happening at this moment to glance at my brother, who had overheard our conversa- tion, the expression on his face did not encourage me very much. After things had been put in their proper places, I stood with one eye on the clock and the other on the oven door, for fear that pudding would remain in the oven one min- ute longer than it should. At dinner when the pudding was placed upon the table, 1 looked despairingly at the small quantity, thinking there would not be enough, but I soon found that there was more than enough. Of course they all complimented my cooking very highly, (any girl who has brothers will know how,) and my father encouraged me very much by telling me it reminded him of something that he was obliged to eat when in the army. I must confess that I myself did not think it tasted much like Mrs. Wade’s pudding, but I said noth- ing and bravely ate a great deal of it,because I cooked it. This was the result of my first lesson, but still I was not discouraged, and am really able to cook quite a little now. At all events I can read a cook-book, for I now understand what the dif- ferent signs mean. The most delightful part of the lesson is at the close, when the teacher invites us to taste the good things which she has cooked, and armed with spoons we make good use ot the invitation, and when we leave the building I think there is no need of the gar- bage wagon stopping there. These lessons are very useful to us, as we learn something of great value at each one. I would urge those who are able and do not, to come, as all will be welcomed at the cooking class at the Quincy High School. COLLEGE CRIES. Madison—Zip, rah, Mad; Zip, rah, Mad; Zip, rah, Madison. New York University—Rah, rah, rah; N. Y. U.; Siss, boom, ah ! Lafayette—Hoo-rah, hoo-rah,hoo- rah; Tigar! Lafayette!! Syracuse—Hip, hoo, rah; hip, hoo, rah; Syracuse! Syracuse! Ran, rah, rah! Brown—Rah, rah! Rah, rah! Rah, rah! Brown!! College City of New York—Rah, rah, rah; C. C. N. Y.! Wooster—W-oo-ster! Bang! Allegheny—Alleghe, Alleghe; rah, boom! Allegheny!! Adelbert—Rah-rah-rah; Ski-yi- yi; A-d-e-l-b-e-rt! Pennsylvania College—Rah, rah, rah, rah; Penn-syl-van-yah! Tufts—R-r-rah; Rah-rah, rah, Tufts! University of California—Hah, ha; Californiah! U. C., Berk-e-lee! Zip, boom, ah! Boston University—Boston, Bos- ton, Bub-a-bub-a-bub; Boston, Var- sity; Varsity; Rah, rah, rah! Colby—C-o-l-b-y, Rah, C-o-l-b-y, Rah, rah, rah, rah! Rensselaer Polytechnic—R-e-n-s- s-e-l-a-e-r, Rah! Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah, rah, Rensselaer! Swarthmore-----Rah, rah, rah; Rah, rah,rah; Swarth-more,Swarth- more; Hoo, rah! Trinity—Trin-i-ty! Trin-i-ty! (ad libitum.) Racine—Ra, Ra, Ra-cine! SA TURN'S RINGS. Every ten hours which make up Saturn's clay, A game of tag its rings do play. But every fifteen years a better game still, Hide and seek they play with a right good will. —Member of A strono?ny, ’93. THE RAINY DA Y. The morning dawned with fog and rain, Sol strove to shine, but all in vain. The children, looked with brightening eyes At dull and leaden-colored skies. Soon, almost too good to be true, The whistle blew, “One, two, one, two.” “No school! no school!” it seemed to say, And many blessed that rainy day. — 95- THE GOLDEN ROD. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer, Catherine C. Pope. The Academic is at hand. We find a very good exchange column in the Echo for October. For an exceedingly entertaining narrative read “Portland One Hun- dred Years Hence ’ in the Rac- quet. We gladly welcome two new ex- changes, The Magnet and The C. M. T. S. Register, and hope we shall receive them every month. Class in Analogy. Professor— Mr. B. you may pass on to the next life. Mr. B.—Not prepared, sir. —[H. S. Review. The Distaff comes to us from the Girls High School, Boston. It is a well arranged paper, and has a neat and appropriate cover. Two letters, one from Scotland, and one from Ireland, are of special inter- est. The Stranger is fortunate in hav- ing a friend who offers such en- couragement for the best original article that is published in each issue. “An Indian Legend,” pub- lished in the October number, is very interesting. In the High School Herald of Westfield, Mass., a list of books which have just been added to the library of that school, is published. It is a large and excellent collec- tion. We hope the pupils appre- ciate the privilege of their use. The C. M. T. S. Register has an interesting continued story enti- tled “A Lucky Trip,” but we do not consider it very “lucky” to sprain one’s ankle, especially when one is on a pleasure trip. We hope to receive the next issue. Some of the exchanges not only have advertisements on the covers and the pages appropriated for their use, but also have them scat- tered in among the reading mat- ter. It would improve the appear- ance of the papers if the advertise- ments were printed all together. The Giant is one of the neatest exchanges received this month. The Volcano, filled as usual with many bright and interesting arti- cles, again comes from the Pacific coast to visit its eastern sister. We shall be greatly interested in “The Minutes of the Phyloma- thean Society” which are pub- lished in The Academy Monthly. At the head of the Exchange column in the High School Herald is the following:— ‘•Trust not yourselves, your defects to know. Make use of even friend and every foe.” This is certainly a suitable motto for the Exchange department. “Enoch Arden and Evangeline” is the title of a well-written sketch on the immortal poems of Tenny- son and Longfellow. This article, to be found in the Academian,closes with the following: “The more we are filled with the spirit of Enoch Arden and Evangeline, the more we shall be fitted to fulfil our du- ties to God and to ourselves.” THE EARTHQUAKE AT LISBON Above the walls of Lisbon came The sun so bright and gay. Yet no man all events can name That happened there that day. The air was calm, the sky was blue. And all went on so well; The streets were full of people too,— But there is more to tell. There is a change: the sun grows dark. And all is still as night. But something breaks the silence. ‘‘Hark!” It has not reached its height. It's like a thousand cannons’ roar. Some danger nigh I fear: Such noise I never heard before, And death is surely near. O. see those large high churches fall. And all the people flee! The temples, palaces, and all In ruins soon will be. The noise now stops a little while, But soon begins again : Famed Lisbon is a formless pile. And frightened are its men. At last the earthquake has gone by; The sun is not yet bright. The sea has risen now so high. It covers all in sight. The consequences sure will be Both death and pestilence: Like fugitives they have to flee Each from his residence. -C . A.y ’96. r The Golden Rod. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., DECEMBER, 1892. No. 4 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year, . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents B’oi sale at K B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. MCGOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN, BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. “I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play. And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men.” LONG, long ago, the glad tid- ings of Christ’s birth first reached mortal ears, and today we cherish Christmas as the dearest and holiest of all days,—the day of the nativity of our Saviour. So far as is known, there is no record of the exact date of Christ’s birth. We do not intend to enter into an account of the way in which the twenty-fifth of December came finally to be universally adopted as the day on which we commemorate that birth; that subject was ex- hausted long ago. YVe wish, how- ever, to speak of the custom of ex- changing gifts at Christmas-tide— a beautiful custom, if employed in the right spirit. We have often heard words something like the following spok- en a few weeks before Christmas: “1 don’t really wish to give to Miss A------; but she gave me something last year and so I must make some return.” Surely this is not the true spirit of giving, and yet we fear it has gained a strong foothold among the motives which prompt the exchange of Christmas gifts. Some one has said: “Take gifts with a sigh: most men give to be paid.’’ We have also heard people petu- lantly complaining that they had not the means wherewith to buy for a friend as costly a token as they had received the year before. What is it that makes a gift dear to us? Is it the money value? Think a moment: are the gifts which you cherish most those which have cost the greatest sums of money, or are many of them simple enough in themselves, but precious to you because they were given by friends who love you and whom you love ? Is it not the lov- ing thought which prompted the sending of the simple token which makes it so valuable to you? We feel sure you will say this is true; and so, when we give, let our gifts be offerings from our hearts, not forced returns for what we have received. Let the spirit in which we give be pure and unselfish, the spirit of love and good-will, and our motive the desire to make glad the hearts of others. r. “A Christmas gambol oft could cheer The poor man’s heart through half the year.” In the midst of our Christmas festivities let us not forget that there are many who are less fortu- nate than we; people to whom the glad words “Merry Christmas” have little or no meaning, are but a mockery, since they have no means to make the day a merry one to them. A little thought on our part will show us that we can well spare of our abundance enough to give joy to at least one poor family.—often to more than one. Thus the birthday of our Sa- viour may be made a bright spot in a year which perhaps would otherwise be wholly dark and dreary to those whose lives have at the most but little sunshine, and THE GOLDEN ROD. those who give are only the richer for the gift, since “He who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.” ______________________________ R. While glancing over an account of early Christmas customs, our at- tention was attracted to what seemed to be a picture of a pig’s head fantastically ornamented with some sort of grain and with an ap- ple in its mouth. We paused to read the explanation beneath the picture, and soon found that it was customary in early times in En- gland to place upon the table a boar’s head smoking hot, and adorned with ribbons and sprigs of rosemary, and having either an ap- ple or an orange in its mouth. In those days this dish was consid- ered verv dainty, but we fancy the people of today would not consider it so. At that time the Lord of Misrule held sway in England at Christmas, and the people gave themselves up to merry-making, often ending in something very like a riot. Truly— “England was merrie England when Old Christmas brought his spons again.' Another feature of Christmas which we do not have was the waits, the musicians who played by night in the streets at Chnstmas- tide. What a cheerful custom was the burning of the great yule-log. “The mistletoe hung in the castle hall. The hollv branch shone on the old oak wall:” and according to the account we read, if a maiden happened to stand beneath a branch of mistle- toe, the youth who was nearest her had the privilege of kissing her, pulling off a berry for each kiss. We wonder whether the maiden always happened to stand beneath the spray of mistletoe. R. Our Alumni are most cordially invited to visit the High School. If they cannot spend the day with us, they can doubtless “drop in” socially for a short call. No mat- ter how large the number of pupils in the High School may be, there is always room for the Alumni and friends. When Alma Mater builds her new house, it is to be hoped that among the many other good things in that new structure will be a spacious hall where the Alumni may meet and talk over the “good old times,” and the good new times, too. But let the Alumni and friends rest assured that, even though no stately modem building as yet rises proudly towards the heavens, the welcome that awaits our visitors is warm and sincere. Even one is interested now in the situation of the new High School which is so soon to be built. The more desirable sites in the centre of the city may be expensive,but an ornamental build- ing such as our new schoolhouse is to be ousrht not to be hidden away in some remote part of the city, but should be given a conspicuous position where it can be admired by future generations. e. THE PRIZE CONTESTS. The Golden Rod neglected to state in the last issue that the prizes for essays are offered by Dr. J. M. Sheahan . An error is to be noted in the date of the Columbus Monologue : “Oct. 2” should read “Oct. 21.” Contestants will notice that there is a choice under all the prizes, the second, third and fourth as well as the first. All ambitious pupils should take pride in trying for the liberal prizes so generously offered by Mr. Corthell and Dr. Sneahan. Wheth- er a contestant receives a prize or not, the effort itself and the work connected with it are creditable and advantageous. Every class ought to be well represented in these contests. Who will win ? “Why do you show favor to your enemies instead of destroying them?” said a chieftain to the Em- peror Sigismundi. “Do I not de- stroy my enemies by making them my friends?” was the emperor’s noble reply. Kindness is the best weapon with which to beat an ad- versar)'. O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! It wad frae monie a blunder free us. And foolish notion. —[Burns. THE GOLDEN ROD. PERSONAL. LOCALS. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Henrietta Johnson has said good- bye to ’94. Florrie Hall, ’95, is at Thayer Academy. Annie Pucci, ’96, has left school, owing to her ill health. Katie Keenan, '95, is employed at Jordan, Marsh Co’s, Boston. Bertha Scharnagel, ’95, has gone to Bryant and Stratton’s Business College. Gertrude Tate, once of ’95, is taking music lessons at the Boston Conservatory. George Whittemore and Harry Wason, formerly of ’95, are at Ad- ams Academy. Bessie Drew, ’94, has left us to prepare for Bridgewater. She con- tinues her drawing with ’94. We were much pleased to receive this month a visit from a member of our school committee, W. G. Corthell, Esq. Lucy B. Tarbox, a member of the class of ’90, is teaching the Quincy method in a private school in New York. We received visits this month from Mary Souther of Bridgewater State Normal School, also Ger- trude L. Stone of the Maine Wes- leyan Seminary. At the recent entertainment given by the Ladies’ Aid Society of West Quincy, Cassie Thayer, ’93, and Bertha Turner, ’96, gave several recitations. On Friday, Nov. 18, 30 school- mates of Louise Reinhalter, ’96, surprised her at her home in West Quincy. She was presented with a gold ring and chain. We certainly are to be pitied, as we need a new building before we can join the High School Regis- ter of Hyde Park in saying, ‘‘Our building will receive its needs at last, if it does receive them but slowly.” edited by Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. Merry Christmas to all! “What gifts we'll give in the holiday times! (Save the pennies to build the dimes.) We’re making ready, as sure as slow. (Save the dimes and the dollars will grow.)” French ’94 persist in translating coltre (rage) color. Sometimes the words are synonymous. The limit set for handing in the names of the aspirants for the prize contest, is the first of next term. Latin pupil, pronouncing and translating—“We kiss him (vicis- sim) in turn.” Who was the for- tunate (or unfortunate) “him”? Latin ’96, translating wrong sen- tence—My boy, what are you look- ing at ? Teacher—My boy, what are you looking at ? An Astronomy pupil being asked how stars were designated which were too bright for one magnitude and too faint for another, said, “As- tronomers . . . buy (by) deci- mals.” Where do they purchase them? The other day we were requested to fill out slips saying how many standard books we had read since last January. One student had read thirty, and another twenty- five books. These students seem to have spent their time in a profit- able manner, and all should follow their example. The proposition has been made of selling to pupils the books which they have used at school. The prices will probably be reasonable, and pupils desiring to purchase should make out a list of the books they wish, in order that a price-list may be arranged and posted. The idea of selling them seems to be a good one, as pupils have an affec- tion for books they have used for some time; and besides, the owner- ship of a few books stimulates a desire for more, and so a library is soon collected. THE GOLDEN ROD. Pupil—A mushroom is an animal. The pupil never tasted that dainty prepared a la mode, we are positive. As was prophesied last year, the Physics class is considered above the average. How many Pascals are we to turn out ? Since bathing improves so many things, why not try it on the mir- ror in room No. 2) Have the girls of ’93 lost their vanity and thus need the glass no longer as a reflector ? How desperate is the condition of those pupils who neglect to come up to the required per cent for their term’s average. Those hav- ing 90 per cent are excused from examinations. We are to enjoy a mental rest this month and have an opportuni- ty to admire the contents of our Christmas stockings. May they be full to overflowing with goodly gifts ! Will the pupil who gave us the information that “barometers are sometimes made of gingerbread” please indulge us a little farther, and tell us where they can be pur- chased ? We are fond of barome- ters of that description. We learn that pupils of the school of Pythagoras were not al- lowed to speak for several years, but spent most of their time in meditation. How times change! Pupils nowadays have to talk, and if they do not, the consequences are—well, they know. We think a cordial invitation to those interested in our school work, to come and see us, may lengthen our visitors’ list. We hope so, for we ought not to be outdone by other schools in that respect, and such an interest encourages both teachers and pupils. The subject of the last debate was “Resolved, That foot-ball is a brutal and barbaric sport.” Per- haps the young ladies would have been more spirited in their sup- port of the negative side had they understood the game and been per- sonally interested. As it was, the affirmative gained the victory. FORTUNES MOODS. A Christmas Story. By Frederic Allison Tupper. [All Rights Reserved ] “It was my last hope, and now even that is gone !” These words were uttered in a wretched room, the squalid pover- ty of which was emphasized by the cheap and meagre furniture. Picture, if you will, the bare floor, the table staggering on its unequal legs, the dingy windows, through which the snow came sifting in ; the poor old hair cloth lounge with its protruding spring, and the broken-backed chairs that must have stumbled down from some ancestral lumber-room. A nig- gardly fire mutters in the giate, and flashes with a sullen glow of repressed rage. The wind howls dismally, and drives eddying gusts of snow against the rattling win dows. New York is not all splendor and wealth. In a rickety chair drawn close to the fire there sat a man of extraordinary and deeply interesting appearance- His face was very pale and greatly emacia- ted, but it still possessed a singu- lar beauty and fascination. Thick curling hair, already touched with gray; great lustrous black eyes full of the fire of genius ; clear-cut, Eatrician features; a high, broad row ; a mouth that meant firmness and sweetness,—what are these but hints ? No words can describe Reginald Bancroft—his lovable face, his fascinating manners, his wholly delightful self. His cloth- ing was not absolutely ragged, but his coat sleeves were frayed at the edge, and his trousers snone with that desperate glitter indicative of long service. Perhaps the Four Hundred will as soon forgive rags as shininess—and who will blame them ? By the sickly light of an unshad- ed kerosene lamp, whereof the wick was short and the oil low, Bancroft had read the following letter:— “My Dear Sir :— “We regret to say that your story ‘Life's Labyrinth' is not available. THE GOLDEN ROD. The return of an article does not imply that it is lacking in literary merit. “Thanking you for the privilege of reading your MS., “We remain, “Very truly yours, “Carper Bros.” When these worthy gentlemen had sent this interesting epistle to ReginaldBancrott, their editor pro- ceeded to “make up” the next number of their celebrated maga- zine. A pointless, badly written, alleged poem by Sir Jay Hawker, F. R. G. S., the great traveller ; a piquant divorce story by a notori- ous Chicagoese; a terrific Indian adventure by Kudyard Ripling; Part X. of a continued detective story by John Smith, otherwise known as “Old Hound Chapter XL. of Hider Raggard’s great romance,“They,’’—these give some idea of the contents of the maga- zine, whose editors could not use Bancroft’s admirable story. For it was an admirable story, full of interest, beauty, truth, and life. The plot was very skilfully managed. The characters were finely drawn. The style was capi- tal. The language was well chosen and very effective. But it was “unavailable ”! “I wonder,” mused Bancroft, “whether it is worse to starve to death, freeze to death, or to com- mit suicide.” Just then the wind dashed the clustering snow flakes against the pane with a fiercer, more relentless energy, as if to say: “If there’s going to be any freezing to death, you ’re welcome to my services.” The flame of the lamp sputtered ominously, struggled fitfully, and died out. Bancroft was alone with the storm, the dying fire, and his bitter, bitter thoughts. Was it for this that ten years ago he had been graduated at Har- vard ? He fell a-dreaming of those happy college days, of his class- mates, so many or whom were fa- mous and rich, of the struggle for the flowers on Class Day—how he got a beautiful bouquet and gave it proudly to Gwendolen Tudor; how she smiled and blushed, and how—ah, folly, folly! Surely it must be a dream—this thought that so much happiness seemed once all his own. Then his fancy saw again the resistless fury of angry Fortune dealing blow after blow. Wealth, health, opportuni- ties—must they all go ? Must a fatal blight strike every project? Gwendolen would not desert him. But had he any right to link her lot with his poverty and despair ? He had been earnest, industrious, persevering, but a malign destiny seemed always to be waiting to stamp failure on his every effort. Perhaps if he had been more humble, more communicative, his affairs might have taken a better turn. As it was, he had felt too proud to ask Gwendolen to wait for him, especially as his prospects grew constantly worse. And so two persons, by nature fitted to make each other happy, had drift- ed apart by stress of circum- stances. Bancroft’s misfortune had not embittered him, for his nature was genial and full of sunlight, but this Christmas Eve his earthly history seemed to be drawing to a close. Bancroft was suddenly aroused from his dreams by a faint knock- ing at the door. He opened it quickly. A man staggered into the room and sank into a chair. His heavy ulster was white with snow. Ice and snow covered his beard, his eye-brows, and his hair. As his visitor sat breathing heavily in his chair, Bancroft gave an in- voluntary exclamation of sur- prise :— “Bob Tudor ! Of all the persons in the world !” The stranger roused himself at these words, stared wildly about him, looked for a moment at his host, and said :— “Give us your hand, old man ! Are you alive or dead ; or am I dreaming ? Our last class report said that you were dead, but you know three or four of our men had the pleasure of reading very flattering obituary notices or them- selves.” “I’m alive, and not much more,” replied Bancroft, shaking the prof- THE GOLDEN ROD. fered hand vigorously, but how in the name of wonder did you hap- pen to come in here ?” “The storm was too much for me. Brought on one of my old heart attacks. I have ’em once in so often ever since I stroked the ’Varsity crew at New London. There’s nothing very dangerous about ’em, but they’re confounded- ly uncomfortable, while they last.” Bob Tudor, who had now recov- ered his equanimity, gazed furtive- ly about the room. His quick blue eyes took in at a glance the des- perate plight of his old friend and chum. While an evil genius had steadily pursued Bancroft, Dame Fortune had done nothing but smile on Tudor’s efforts. He was a splendid fellow, handsome as Apollo, frank, cordial, jovial, but Bancroft was really much the abler man. It was due to no extraordinary ability on Tudor’s part that a dis- tant relative, for whom he had been named, had left him $300,000; nor was it in any measure due to his own superior genius that his father had taken him into a well-estab- lished law business. His health, too, with the exception already noted, had not been impaired. His frisky heart was somewhat erratic at times, but it never seemed to in- terfere with his suceess. In short, Tudor had succeeded, and Ban- croft had failed. “Look here, old man,” said Tu- dor, “come and spend the holidays with me. We shall have a capital time. And, by the way, I’ve some good news for you!” Bancroft’s pale face flushed crim- son. “Thank you, Bob,” he said, “but I can’t accept your invitation; I haven’t anything to wear!” Tudor burst into a merry laugh. “A male Flora McFlimsy!” he cried; “you look a hundred times better than I do just as you are. But if you’re going to stand on ceremony, come round to the club, and I’ll make a trade with you some way. You’ve got to come with me, anyway. I tell you I’ve found just the position you want, a nd if you don’t come straight along with me, old man, you’ll be flying right in the face of Provi- dence. Come on, Rege!” The tears sprang quickly up in Bancroft’s eyes, and the old win- ning smile of the college days came back. Ignoring his mortification, he took Tudor’s arm, and the pair started for the club. “On second thought,” said Tu- dor, after they had reached the club and were busying themselves over a hot supper which Tudor said was absolutely essential to his hap- piness, “let’s go over to my tai- lor’s, rouse him up, and see what he can do for us. In the mean- time let me tell you the good news. You remember how Higginson and Hale started a magazine here, and how well they succeeded ? Well, you know Higginson was an idealist and Hale was a realist; they have agreed to disagree; and Hale is going to start another magazine. “In the meantime, Higginson, the idealist, who has the money, said to me yesterday: ‘If I could find Bancroft I would willingly pay him $3000 a year for the privilege of getting nis articles using up Tolstoi, Howells, and other unmit- igated realists.’ ” “Why Bob,” said Bancroft, “Hig- ginson and I utterly demolished those fellows years ago at the Har- vard Union, but they seem to go right on just the same.” Tudor laughed merrily. He was not altogether sure about idealism and realism, but he knew about rowing and money-making. After all, it is barely possible for a per- son to get on with a very moderate amount of metaphysics. When Tudor’s tailor had attend- ed to Bancroft’s needs, a very grat- ifying change for the better was apparent. The two friends board- ed the Elevated, and soon found themselves at Tudor’s elegant Fifth Avenue home. The house was all aglow with candles and lamps. There were the richest furniture, the rarest paintings, the most luxurious carpets, in the add- ed light and warmth of a gigantic Christmas tree on whose every THE GOLDEN ROD. branch flashed the Christmas can- dles, which glowed radiantly. But brighter than the flashing lights, warmer than the glow ot mellow- hued paintings, more Christmas- like than all the Christmas cere- monies, was the welcome that sweet Gwendolen Tudor gave to Reginald Bancroft. How Bancroft’s fortunes pros- pered from that Christmas Eve, how love and fame and wealth came at his call, how Gwendolen and he were married at Trinity,— why tell what everyone knows? When the glad bells rang their ‘‘Merry Christmas” on the radiant Christmas morn, Bancroft awoke with a start and caught himself in the act of saying, “Thank heaven for the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man!” WINTER. The autumn days have passed away, And winter now, so cola and gray, Has made itself a welcomed guest For all that love that season best; The long, cold winter. The frost has now begun to make, And thick ice covers pond and lake, Whole cities on the window-pane; While deep snow covers all the lane; For it is winter! How dreary all things seem to some Who wish that summer soon would come; The birds that in the trees did sing, Will not come back before the spring; Because it’s winter! The snow now covers this whole land, And winter has all in command; O, all things differ from those days When shady trees hung o’er the ways; For now it’s winter! The days are shortened more and more, And it is colder than before. The light begins to disappear. And soon the howling wind you’ll hear; In this gray winter! The darkness covers hill and vale, And in the skies, the moon so pale Looks down upon us all the night, To see if all goes on just right; These nights ot winter! The days are longer than before, And roaring winds are heaid no more; The cold and frost, the ice and snow, Have disappeared: these changes show The end of winter. —C.J. A.f ’96. “Tell me, sunny Golden Rod, growing everywhere, Did fairies come from Fairy-land to make the dress you wear?” MY EXPERIENCE IN HOUSE- KEEPING. The position of eldest daughter in the household is often very un- enviable, and to my cost I found it out. I never meet one of those uniformed specimens of humanity called messengers, without a feel- ing of irritation and fright creep- ing slowly over me, a helpless, de- spairing sort of sensation. I will confess that my antipathy to them can be traced back to a certain summer day when the thermome- ter ranged among the nineties. Let me give a brief outline of those few but never-to-be-forgotten days. On this particular morning I had just lazily adjusted myself in the hammock under the shade of a spreading apple-tree, and with a most interesting book to keep me company, was full of sweet con- tentment. A quick call and the vision of a slowly departing mes- senger-boy on the walk inter- rupted my pleasant thoughts, and sent me in haste to learn my mother’s wishes. Imagine my dis- comfiture on being informed I must consider myself housekeeper for the next two days, as sickness called my mother out of town for that length of time. Did I remember all her parting injunctions? No, not one. Some- thing about ice, and something about dinner, and she was whirled away towards the station. Now I had never attended a cooking school, but I did have a most flat- tering opinion of my ability in the culinary art. Looking about me at the perfect order and neatness, I im- mediately felt my spirits rise, and again resumed my former attitude with hammock and book. It is very easy to keep house, I meditated. Strange, mother looks so tired most of the time, it must be be- cause she does not quite under- stand how to be systematic. Now I am not in the least troubled over this effort. How much longer my fancy would have soared I do not know, but shrill cries from my sister com- THE GOLDEN ROD. pelled me to hasten towards those fearful sounds. Around the corner on the steps sat the girl in a pool of water, caused by the melting of our usual supply of ice. I then re- membered ! “Be sure you leave the door unfastened for the ice-man.” Well ! I did not do it, and several hours in the hot sun had finished our ice, and oh, that child ! How did she manage to tumble into such a mess! That affair was followed by the cat being shut into the pantry; consequences: an overturned pitch- er of cream, cat all over the house followed by girl with a broom, cream everywhere! A ring at the door, and I appear with frowzy head and broom, (exit cat spitting fury !) to meet the astonished gaze of one of mother’s friends from a neighboring city. My heart fluttered faintly—al- most stopped. Company to din- ner ! was my one thought while ex- plaining matters as sweetly as pos- sible. Yes, and dinner to get at 6 o'clock, and it was then nearing 5. The fire in the range had gone out, as I had forgotten to put on coal. Shall I go on and tell of further woe ? Of brimstone used for ba- king-powder in biscuits ; of fritters that would not turn, of burnt fin- gers and tearful eyes, and, to crown the whole, a range that instead of showing its usual shining face was streaked and dull ? Enough said, I think, of those two days of night- mare and horror. Did the mother, who drew me to her in a way that mothers have, realize what a wonderful, marvel- ous woman I thought her on her return? The cat returned only when mother came. Mother’s friend privately told her that my particular forte in life would cer- tainly not be cooking or house- keeping. I am glad to know that, for life would be unendurable for me in either capacity. —Daisy C. Bemis} ’95. “Secrets are poor property: if you circulate them you lose them; and if you keep them you lose the interest of the investment.” EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer, Catherine C. Pope. It would be well for all to read “Benefits of a High School Educa- tion to a Housekeeper” in The Distaff. The new covers of the High School Times, the Premier and the Oak, Lily and Ivy are very artis- tic, and their contents are very en- tertaining. We judge by the space devoted to the reports of athletic associa- tions in some of the papers that they form an important part of the school work. Many of the papers which we have received this month contain some very interesting articles on George W. Curtis, John G. Whit- tier and Alfred Tennyson. Teacher—Name some of the most important things existing to- day which were unknown one hun- dred years ago. Tommy—Us.—[Exchange. We greet the Helios, which is just starting out on its career and promises to meet with success. We like the cover very much. We wish to extend to the editors words of encouragement. The High School Student visits us for the first time, and finds a welcome. We were much amused while reading “Some Uses of the Ablative.” Why not devote a lit- tle space to your exchanges ? The Living-Stone and The Phil- osophian Review have just been added to our list. The former con- tains some good editorials. The appearance of the latter would be improved if the advertisements which are on the outside of the back cover were put on the inside. We extend a hand of welcome to our contemporary, The Pioneer. This is one 01 the neatest, if not the neatest, of our exchanges. The number in hand is largely devoted to articles on Whittier and Tenny- son—surely worthy subjects for our consideration. The Golden Rod. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., JANUARY, 1893. No. 5 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year. . SOcents | Single Copies, . 5 cents F01 sale at K B. Souther’s. Address all communications to sarah c. mcgovern or jos. j. callahan BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass..) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. JHE old year has passed away, and a new one is here; but we pass this turning point with reluctance. The old year had many charms for us ; time has dealt kindly with us, and although many of the smaller incidents are as plain as if they had happened yesterday, yet there is a confusion of dates and time which makes it like a happy dream. Strange to say, the events which happened farthest back seem nearer than those which happened at a later date. One would scarcely believe that it is a whole year since we mourned the departure of Mr. Lull, and yet the beginning ot school, or even Thanksgiving, seems now to be- long to prehistoric ages. But turning from the past, what does the future hold for us ? No one can tell, and how fortunate ! If it were possible to predict the future with any degree of accuracy, how dull and commonplace life would soon become! The greatest pleasure in life is derived from its little surprises. Suppose, for ex- ample, we should know for a cer- tainty that tomorrow would be a rainy, disagreeable day; should we not suffer a great deal more from thinking of this fact and the un- pleasantnesses connected with it, than we should, if we woke up in the morning, and for the first time knew the true state of the weather? And so it is through life ; and it seems a blessing direct from heaven that astrologers have not as much power in fact as they have in story books. Our good resolutions have been made and broken, as a matter of course, for who was ever known to keep a New Year’s resolution ? Surely not a high school boy or girl. We, however, have made one which others should imitate, and that is to pay our subscriptions at the earliest possible date. E. “Eheu! fugaces labuntur anni.’' “Alas! how swiftly the years glide by.” And especially our years of school life—how quickly do they pass from us. During our early years in school we noted not the rapid flight of time, nay, perhaps the majority of us looked forward with eager longing to the time when we should be free from tire- some lessons. We knew not that when our school days are over and we go forth to take our places in the great world, we must learn far more difficult lessons than those which, in school days, we may count so wearisome. Those whose school life is now drawing to a close look upon that life with emo- tions very different from those with which they regarded it a few years ago. A new year has dawned, and the members of our class of ’93 have but a few months longer to work together. It is probable that with our graduation in June the school days of many will be ended; let us all then strive to leave the best record possible. We have been together as a class nearly four years, and surely we all feel a loyal attachment for the school which THE GOLDEN ROD. we are to leave in June. Then let us make our last half year the best of all, by working with all our strength to promote the welfare of our school, so that when we have left it forever we need not feel that we have availed ourselves of all the priceless advantages given us during the past four years, and yet have made no re- turn ; have not helped in the smallest degree to give our High School its place among the first in Massachusetts. It is to be hoped that during our entire course we have ever striven to benefit our school; but however that may be, may our efforts be doubly earnest anci persevering in these last months, and may our resolution be made of other stuff than those which, formed on New Years Eve, were broken before a single day of the new year had expired. R. Music runs the universe, so the ancients thought. It surely is an important feature in the debating society, and the fact that there was none at debate No. 7 made the program rather tiresome. But if this omission is not allowed to oc- cur again the past will be forgot- ten and forgiven. We are espe- cially indebted to our pianists, and to our soloist, Miss Flood, of ’95, for their charming selections. E. How long a time do you spend in reading your daily paper? We hope no one who reads this is so selfish as to be obliged to say that he spends the entire evening in perusing the “Evening Edition ;” but are there not many persons who spend too much time in read- ing the newspapers? You will probably say that in order to keep up with the times one must read some daily paper. We have no desire to contradict such a state- ment ; on the contrary we will grant at once that if properly read, newspapers are of great value in an education. Many persons, how- ever, spend every evening twice as much time in reading a paper as is needful for gaining all the impor- tant information contained there- in. How do they use the extra half ot their time ? Evidently they employ it in reading a great num- ber of unimportant items from which they derive no real informa- tion, since they know nothing of the persons or localities of which they have been reading, and have no real interest concerning them. James Russell Lowell has said that “we diligently inform our- selves, and cover the continent with a cobweb of telegraphs to in- form us, of such inspiring facts as that a horse belonging to Mr. Smith ran away on Wednesday, seriously damaging a valuable car- ryall ; that a son of Mr. Brown swallowed a hickory nut on Thurs- day: and that a gravel bank caved in and buried Mr. Robinson alive on Friday.” It is undoubtedly true that a large amount of time is spent in reading items just as val- ueless as those mentioned by Mr. Lowell. Horace Scudder says, “Newspapers are not to be de- spised ; only we are to study econ- omy in the using of them.” We all know that the character of what we read has great influ- ence over our minds, and there- fore we ought certainly to give the greater part of our time and atten- tion to a class of literature which will lead our minds upward, give us broader views and a more thor- ough education, and make us men- tally stronger and nobler. These results can be obtained by the reading of good books, and no citi- zen of Quincy can claim as an ex- cuse for neglecting to cultivate his mind the fact that he owns but few books, since the use of the in- valuable and well-nigh boundless resources of the Thomas Crane Public Library is free to all. R. Sloth makes all things difficult, but Industry all easy; and he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his busi- ness at night,while Laziness travels so slowly that Poverty soon over- takes him. THE GOLDEN ROD. PERSONAL. LOCALS. EDITED BV Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Miss Hatch, ’96, is seriously ill with diphtheria. Supt. Lull and family spent Christmas in New Hampshire. Eleanor Roche, ’93, sings in the senior choir of St. John’s church. Mary Gilraine, ’95, is employed at Jordan, Marsh Co.’s, Boston. Miss Jones, ’95, is prevented from attending school on account of scarlet fever in her family. Miss Cora Newcomb, a graduate of '89, was recently married to Henry Westendarp of Wollaston. George Ewell, ’94, and Master Loud, 93, are employed at the Granite Clothing company, Quincy. Lizzie Walsh, ’94, Margaret Fox, ’95, and Annie Walsh, ’96, sang in the choruses of the Christmas fes- tival given by St. John’s church. We received a visit from Dr. Sheahan and Mr. J. Harlow this month. Molly Webb, ’93, and Bes- sie Drew, ’94, have also called upon us. The other day when Dr. Shea- han, Mr. Harlow, and Supt. Lull visited the High School, Harvard University was v ell represented, as the three visitors are all gradu- ates of that institution. When one considers that the principal of the High School is also a Harvard graduate, it might be surmised that a Harvard convention was in session that day. William A. Reed, principal of the Lincoln school, has visited us this month. We were much pleased to receive a call from Mr. Reed, and extend to the principals and teach- ers of all the grammar schools a cordial invitation to do likewise. In connection with this subject, it is interesting to note that Mr. Reed once attended the Ouincy High school. Life is short. It contains but four letters. Three-quarters of life is lie and one half is if. —[Ex. edited by Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. Reviews for the semi-annual ex- aminations have begun. The black shadow of approach- ing examinations has fallen upon our spirits! Debate No. 7—Resolved; That Canada ought to be annexed to the United States—was won by the af- firmative side. Teacher—What is an aviary? Pupil—A place for birds. Teacher—What is an apiary? Pupil—A place for apes. Would it not be a most suitable time to put into practice our new “Sleigh-Ride Song,” to the accom- paniment of merry sleigh-bells? A pupil of Latin ’96 eagerly in- forms us that “Caesar conquered in all the battles he fought except the one he fought with the Duke of Wellington.” The young ladies of the Quincy High School have received from a studious pupil of the class of ’95 a recipe for preserving hearts “Put the article in alcohol.” Astonishment and dismay cov- ered us like a garment when our genial librarian informed us : “No books left on ‘Capital Punishment’; the teachers have them all drawn out.” A great many of the good reso- lutions of New Year’s Day now lie forgotten in early graves. This is natural, perfectly natural. It has been said that “the good die young.” Why should this not ap- ply to resolutions as well as to any- one or anything else ? We began the new year with a few changes. Under the new regime pupils who come to school early are required to take their seats at once'and study. The ef- fect is very marked. Instead of the sound of much talking and a great noise generally, everything is quiet, and an opportunity is afford- ed of perfecting lessons before school time. THE GOLDEN ROD. The fall of snow Jan. io created scenes of beauty for our eyes to feast upon. Every little twig was covered with the feathery, white flakes. Latin ’93 has begun to read Cicero. Many of the members re- gretted, at first, that they must dis- continue the study of Vergil, say- ing they had to “leave off just at the best part,” meaning, of course, the fourth book, which reads like a modern novel. A member of Literature ’93, in reciting on the sounds Thoreau heard at Walden, said, “The hoot- ing of a cow in the distance sound- ed quite musical.” What remarka- ble cows they must have had in Concord! It is said that freezing is a warm- ing process. Alas! It must be a cruel mockery. If that statement were true, why was it so cold last week when even the pupils of this school were almost frozen ? Latin ’93 think that the ancients were rather conceited. Caesar was not addicted to pointing out his own defects. In the yEneid, . Eneas lost no opportunity of boasting of his piety and valor, while Cicero appears to have been fully con- scious of the strength of his tal- ents. As it is already after the first of January, it is necessary that, in or- der to ascertain what is to be the amount of our surplus funds, all subscriptions be paid within a short time. Last year the Golden Rod suffered some loss on account of the carelessness of persons who failed to pay their subscriptions. As we wish to use for the adorn- ment of our schoolroom whatever surplus we may have it is impor- tant that in order successfully to execute our design there should be as little loss as possible. Each subscriber is therefore re- spectfully requested to aid the edi- tors by promptly paying his sub- scription. When anger rises, think of the consequences. JENNIE LIND. JENNIE LIND was born Oct. 2, 1821, in Stockholm, Sweden. The family were in moderate cir- cumstances ; her father was an in- structor in language and her moth- er had a little school of children. She was a delicate, sickly girl, and often consoled herself in her fre- quent illnesses by singing, for which she had shown a remarkable talent. An actor of the Stockholm court theatre, hearing her sing, became interested in her, and urged her parents to let her be educated for the stage. Her mother, being greatly prejudiced against the stage, was horrified at the idea, but as the appeals were so urgent she finally left the decision to Jen- nie, who at once declared that she was determined to devote herself to the studies required for such an education. Thus at the age of nine years she was admitted to the musical school connected with the theatre. Making rapid progress, at the end of a year she was con- sidered ready for the stage. Acting at first in juvenile plays, she attracted the attention of the public, and for two years was the delight of the Stockholm theatre, when suddenly in the midst of her success, her upper notes became harsh and cloudy. Four years she remained in obscurity, forbidden to exercise her voice, but finding her chief enjoyment in studying instrumental music. One night, as no one could be found to take a part in one of the plays, and as it had only one solo, Jennie was asked to take it. She did so, but it was with great fear and trem- bling that she began to study her part. To her great joy, as she be- gan to sing, she found her voice had come back to her with more than its former purity and power, and from her unimportant position she became the star of the even- ing- The next day she was eagerly sought by the manager of the stage, and for two years she .was the reigning prima-donna of the THE GOLDEN R01) Stockholm opera. Then, thinking her voice needed more training, she went to Paris to put herself under the instruction of Garcia. Here she made great progress, al- though he gave her no encourage- ment. From Paris she went on the stage, visiting the musical cities of Berlin, Paris, Vienna and others, everywhere welcomed in triumph by thousands. It was in her own native city that she was given her first serenade, which, from those cold people, was a great acknow- ledgement of her success. While fulfilling an engagement in London the following incident happened. She and Grisi, both ri- vals for the popular favor, were to sing the same night before the queen. Jennie, being the younger, sang first, but was so disturbed by the looks of scorn on the face of the other that she was on the point of failure, when an inspiration came to her, and, asking the ac- companist to rise, she took the va- cant seat and began to play a lov- ing prelude. Then she sang a lit- tle prayer which she had not sung for years, and, as she sang, she seemed to be singing to her own home friends. Softly at first the plaintive notes floated on the air, growing tender and richer every moment. The singer threw her whole soul into the song, which gradually ended in a sob. Then there was a silence—a silence of admiration. The audience sat spellbound. Then she lifted her eyes to see the scornful look that had so disturbed her, but now there was no such ex- pression,—instead a tear-drop glist- ened on Grisi’s eyelashes, and, moved by a sudden impulse, she crossed over to Jennie, and, pla- cing her arms around her, kissed her, regardless of the audience. Here she had every honor be- stowed upon her, and at her last evening, being twice led forward to acknowledge their esteem, she was not satisfied, but came forward alone, greatly agitated by their praise. In 1850 she came to America to fulfil an engagement made with Mr. Barnum for 150 concerts. When she landed at New York, the city was thronged with thou- sands of people who were anxious to get the first glimpse of the “Swedish Nightingale,” as she was called. She sang in all the large cities, and was eagerly sought by all. With the consent of Mr. Bar- num she shortened her engage- ment to ninety-five concerts, and spent the rest of the time in sing- ing for charitable purposes. Soon after this she married a young German, Mr. Otto Gold- schmidt, and in 1852 went to Eu- rope and settled in Germany, where she did many good works. She again revived her popularity by singing the finest sacred music, which seemed especially suited to her voice. Mr. and Mrs. Gold- schmidt finally moved to England, where she was sought with as much enthusiasm as ever. She had a rich, sweet quality of voice, of which, as one man said, “Every note was like a pearl.” She died in November, 1887, and was buried at Malvern Cemetery, near London. Thus one of the world’s most beautiful singers passed away, remembered and hon- ored by all. —Mary F Sampson, ’95. THE RESCUE OF A SIBERIAX EXILE. CHAP. I. THE CAPTURE. THE snow was falling fast and the wind, blowing in fitful gusts, was sweeping and piling the snow in huge drifts as it rattled the windows of a little station on the frontier of Russia. Within its dimly lighted interior could be seen two soldiers dressed in the Russian military costume; each carried a musket and wore a sword. Occasionally one of the two men would walk to the small window, and brushing the frost from the glass would peer out into the inky darkness. After having done this three or four times, he scowled, and walking back to his compan- ion, said something in a low. THE GOLDEN ROD. guarded undertone. They ap- peared uneasy, and seemed to be expecting the train, which was now fifteen minutes late. “You go in the rear of the train and I’ll go in the first car. I think we can catch him that way,” one of the soldiers said, and the other nodded assent. Then they went out and paced up and down the slippery platform, listening to the gentle falling of the snow and the mourn- ful howl of a wolf in some far-off wood, until the headlight of the expected train rounded the curve, and stopped at the depot. “Remember what I said !” the leader of the two exclaimed ; and feeling of his pistols, stepped aboard the train. After a few minutes they came down the car steps leading a well- dressed man, who seemed to be an American. They half dragged and half carried him to a drosky which was waiting in the station, into which they tumbled him, sav- ing as they did so,“Any attempt to escape will mean death;” and whipping the horse, they drove rapidly away. The banging of trunks now ceased, the bell rang, and the train started and disap- peared in the dark Russian woods. [To be continued.] —H. IV, ’96. SNOW-BOUND. THE chime of the clock on the mantel has at last arouses me from a deep dream, and shows that over an hour has passed since I closed Whittier’s “Snow-Bound.” But still the pictures of my dream are before me. I can see the old, rudely furnished room with its whitewashed walls, and the huge green oaken logs piled against the back of the chimney. The bright blaze of the open fire- place lights up the room with a rosy tint, and casts a mimic flame on the snow without. On the rug before the hearth lies the dog, and between the feet of the andirons are apples and simmering cider. At one side ot the hearth is seat- ed the father telling of his boy- hood delights and adventures. The mother, while she turns the spinning wheel or works at her knitting, tells of the cruelties of the Indians and of how her great uncle bore his scalp mark eighty years. The uncle, a simple, child- like man, relates his various ex- ploits, and after all, the dear old- maid aunt contributes memories ot her girlhood; the husking and ap- ple-bees, the sleighrides and sum- mer sails, while through them all she weaves a thread of romance. The elder sister occupies herself with the household tasks. She has an earnest, rich nature, truth- ful and trustworthy. On the mat before her mother sits the young- est and dearest of the family, a sweet, frail child with large, dark eyes,—truly a household pet. In his favored place by the fire is the district schoolmaster. Tonight he seems a careless boy, and the light of the party. While teasing the cat he tells of his college days at Dartmouth, of his droll experi- ence while boarding around, his sleigh-drives on frosty nights, and the many rustic parties with their “Blind-man’s-buff,” the “Whirling plate,” and “Paying forfeits.” In looking out of the window I seemed to see the deathly white- ness of the hill-range as it stood transfigured in the silver flood of the full moon. An old man with a loose coat and a high cocked hat sat where the bridle-post stood, and the well curb had a Chinese roof. In the long well sweep I saw the leaning tower of Pisa, while here and there arose many strange domes and towers. As the morn dawned clear, the merry voices of the teamsters were heard, as with the oxen they broke out the drifted highways. At the doorway merry girls looked out at the young men, and received the snow balls with such good cheer that for the time it seemed as if they were my own companions. Since then Whittier has died, leav- ing besides “Snow-Bound” many other beautiful poems, the reading of which causes us to feel more keenly the loss of such a poet. —Carrie B. Baker, '93. THE GOLDEN ROD. TROIS JOURS DE CHRISTOPHE CO LOME. •‘En Europe! en Europe!—Esp rez!—Plus cTespoir! —Trois jours, leur dit Colomb, et je vous donne un monde.” Et son doigt le montrait, et son ceil, pour le voir, Per$ait de l’horizon 1’immensit profonde. II marche, et des trois jours le premier jour a fui; II marche, et Phorizon recule devant lui: II marche, et le jour baisse. Avec Pazur de Ponde L’azur d'un ciel sans borne k ses yeux se confond. II marche, il marche encore, et toujours; et la sonde Plonge et replonge en vain dans une mer sans fond. Le pilote, en silence, appuyd tristement Sur la barre qui crie clu milieu des t£n- 6bres, Ecoute du roulis le sourd mugissement Et des mats fatigues les craquements fun bres. Les astres de PEurope ont disparu des cieux, L'ardente Croix du Sud dpouvante ses yeux. Enfin Paube attendue, et trop lente k paraitre, Blanchit le pavilion de sa douce clart£: “Colomb! void le jour! le jour vient de renaitre! Le jour! et que vois-tu?”—“Je vois Pim- mensit£.” Le second jour a fui.—Que fait Colomb ? il dort; “P rira-t-il? aux voix:—La mort!—la mort! la mort! Qu'il triomphe demain, ou parjure, il ex- pire.” Les ingrats! Quoi! demain il aura pour tombeau Les mers ou son audace ouvre un chemin nouveau! Et peut-etre demain leurs dots impitoya- bles, Le poussant vers ces bords que cherchait son regard, Les lui feront toucher, en roulant sur les sables, L’avcnturier Colomb, grand homme un jour plus tard! Soudain du haut des -mats decendit une voix. Terre! s criait-on, terre ! terre ! 11 s’eveille; Il court ; oui, la voilk, c’est elle, tu la vois. La terre, 6 doux spectacle ! 6 transports! 6 merveille! O g£n 5reux sanglots qu’il ne peut retenir! Que dira Ferdinande, PEurope, Pavenir? il la donne k son roi cette terre feconde; Son roi va le payer des maux qu’il a souf- ferts: Des tresors, des honneurs, en change d’un monde. Un trone. Ah! c’ tait peu! Que re ut-il? des fers. THREE DA YS OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. [From the French of Delavigne ] “To Europe! To Europe!—Hope with hope that endures! In three days.” said Columbus, “a world shall be yours.” With his finger he pointed, his eye strained to view The land, where the sea meets the in- finite blue. He sails: and of three days the first day hath fled; He sails; and another of three days is dead And the blue of the sea with the blue of the sky Commingle as one to his wearying eye. He sails, still he sails, and forever sails he. In vain sinks the lead in a bottomless sea. The pilot in silence and sadness leans o’er The rudder that creaks from the midst of the gloom: He hears round the laboring ship a dull roar The straining masts groan with a sound fraught with doom. The bright stars of Europe have gone from the skies: The cross of the South meets his awe- stricken eyes; At length dawns the day all too slow to ap- pear; With a beautiful blush lighting up heaven’s face: “Columbus! Tis day! Day again draweth near! ’Tis day! And what see’st thou?” “I see naught but space !” The second day’s fled. And Columbus ? He sleeps. “Shall he die?” While the cry, “Death! Death! Death!” stirs the deeps. “Let him triumph tomorrow, or perjured expire.” The ingrates! What! He the next day have for tomb The seas where his boldness found paths through the gloom! And perhaps on the morrow their pitiless wave, Still urging him on to the shore of his fate, Will cast on the sands to an honorless grave The adventurer Columbus—great man one day late! All at once from the masthead, exultant and free, “Land ahead!” was the cry; “land! land!” He awakes; He runs; yes,’t is there,there it is,only see! O transports ! O wonder! The sweet vis- ion breaks! O generous sobbing that must have its way! What will Ferdinand, Europe, the long future say ? He gives to his sovereign this broad fruit- ful land. His king will reward for his woes and his pains, For a world—any honor or wealth he’ll command. A throne were too little ! What got he ? Mere chains. —Frederic Allison Tupper. [In the Boston Transcript.] THE GOLDEN ROD. EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer. Catherine C. Pope. The Monthly Visitor has made us a call. Glad to see you. We greet the Saint Gabriel’s. The editorial and “The Yule Log” are both very good articles. Where is The Owl ? Will he not spread his wings and direct his flight to the Quincy High School ? We would advise the editors of those school papers which contain no exchange department to read the article in the exchange column of The Magnet. We announce with pleasure that our exchange list is rapidly increas- ing. Pupils washing to read our exchanges will find them on the ta ble in Room No. 2. In the Hamptonia we find two poems, “Mary” and “Discontent.” We have read poems by the same author in previous numbers of the paper, and all are excellent. The Christmas number of the Latin and High School Review is at hand, and contains some ex- cellent stories. The “Christmas Crinckles” are very funny. We should be pleased to receive the next number, that we mav finish reading “An Odd Hiding-Place.” The following appropiate motto is found at the head of the exchan- ges in The Echo, Manchester :— Never too late to mend our ways. So help each other by judicious praise: And criticise when such is needed That all may proht by warnings heeded. We will follow' this motto by call- ing the attention of the editors to the fact that the word criticise is misspelled. We extend a hearty welcome to the High School Echo, Rockland, Me. This paper has just begun life, and judging from the number in hand, we see no reason why it should not meet w'ith success. Let us, how'ever, make one suggestion to the editors: Free the front cover from advertisements and it will present a much neater appear- ance. Several papers are made very at- tractive by the engravings of their school building on the covers. The University Star from Belle- vue, Neb., and’The Index from Haverford, Pa., are among our new' arrivals. We wish our many exchanges a Happy New Year, and hope to be- gin with many new ones added to our list. There are several bright and amusing stories and a very good exchange column in the Recorder of Springfield. We miss the following exchanges from our list: The Bouquet, Acad- emy Scholium, and The Latin School Register. The Rutland H. S. Notes con- tains several very good composi- tions, and also a poem entitled “How a Paper is Made,” which is very appropriate. Tw'o very interesting and also in- structive articles entitled, “What Books Shall We Read?” and “Does it Pay to Take a High School Course?” may be found in the Sioux City High School Record. We acknowdedge the receipt of The Stylus, oui contemporary. This paper is now published by the senior class of the school, but we read that it hopes to become soon “a thoroughly school paper.” This will doubtless be a change for the better. The comparison of “Harvard College Seventy Years Ago,” in the Latin and English H. S. Re- view of Cambrige, with the “Har- vard College” which is described in the Beacon as offering “303 courses of instruction for the acad- emic year ’92-’93” shows w'hat im- provement and progress may be made in schools and colleges in a short time. . Witty sayings are as easily lost as the pearls slipping off a broken string ; but a word of kindness is seldom spoken in vain. It is a seed which even when dropped by chance, springs up into a flower. L The Golden R d. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year. . SOcents | Single Copies, . . cents Koi sale at K B. Souther’s. Address all communications to sarah c. McGovern or jos. j. callahan. BUSINESS MANAGKKS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass..) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. OF all the great men America has produced, George Wash- ington is the only man who has been honored by having the anni- versary of his birth made a public holiday. Let us carry ourselves back 160 years to the Washington manor house at Virginia. We should find there a child who has nothing very remarkable in his ap- pearance ; who would he expected when grown up to raise tobacco and cut timber, and always be an easy-going planter. But how dif- ferent were the plans which Fate had intended for him. This little child was to lead the rebellion aganst his king; was to he the “Father of his Country;” was to deny himself the power and pleas- ures of a king, in order that the people might have more rights. Washington was tested like the armor of a war vessel, and not a flaw was found. It was only this kind of metal which could stand the strain and ward off the blows of eight long years of war. Surely this was no ordinary man. He is the standard with which we com- pare all other great men, and there are but few who can come as high as this standard. Washington, Grant, Lincoln and Webster form the great bulwark of FEBRUARY, 1893. No. 6 our country. Their names are household words, and it seems as if their hands were stretched over us, protecting us from all unseen dan ger, and under their guardianship we shall continue to prosper and increase in area, until all America, from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, will he united under our flag. _____ E' Is there any danger to our coun- try from the steady tide of immi- gration which constantly flows towards her? Many people come to America with no intention of bene- fiting anyone but themselves, and many of them intend to return to their native land as soon as they have become fairly rich in the goods of this world. These people come to the United States, are re- ceived under its protection, share the advantages the country offers to all, and depart, having made no return. We know a person who admits that he is far better off here than he was in his own country; he acknowledges that he does not wish to return to his old home, and then adds, “at least not tor some years.” This person is well educated, and if he so desired could be of value to the city in which he resides; hut he owns that he has no intention of being naturalized, and wishes only to benefit himself and then return to his native land. Can you imagine a more selfish act? Such a person, while it is for his advantage to live in the United States, is of no use to the country which is sheltering and helping him. Those who are willing to re- ceive ought to be even more willing to give, and surely our country has a right to expect loyal aid and sup- port from those who make her broad domain their home. All can- not be like Washington, Franklin, and Lincoln; such men as these are rare, but everyone can strive to he THE GOLDEN ROD. an toonteiafele, lbjyal, and useful citi- zen thp country which offers freedom and protection to all who seek her shores. k. Has it ever occurred to you that in having a free country to love and honor you possess one of the great- est blessings given to man? And such a country as the United States is today! Perhaps you have never thought about the subject. Every day you enjoy the benefits derived from living in a country which is rapidly advancing in all the highest branches of civilization. You are admitted to a share in all its pro- gress; you are unconsciously sup- ported and strengthened by the knowledge that in whatever land you may be, you have, from your rights of citizenship, the protection of your country. We say you are unconsciously upheld by the support of your country, for so accustomed are you to this protection that you have probably never thought how it would seem to be a wanderer, for- bidden to claim any country as your own. Those who stood with Wash- ington and battled for freedom and right, for a country in which tyran- ny was never to obtain a foothold, knew well the value of that country when all was over and viccory had crowned the right. Doubly dear to the hearts of the battle-worn heroes was the land for which they had braved all dangers and privations. In the midst of the peace and se- curity which surround our noble country today, it is well to have public observance of such days as the twenty-second of February and the fourth of July, that, remember- ing the price of the liberty we now enjoy, we may be filled with still greater patriotism and gratitude. Anyone who has read “The Man Without a Country” must have realized in a measure the agony of Philip Nolan, who was cut off from all intercourse with home and friends, forbidden even to speak the name United States, since he who ought to have been a loyal citizen had cursed his country in the pres- ence of the very men who had fought to save it. His crime was great, but his repentance was great- er still, and he gives us all a lesson in patriotism when be says to the oung sailor who has befriended im during his last days: “For your country, boy, and for that flag, nev- er dream a dream but of serving her as she bids you, though the ser- vice carry you through a thousand hells. No matter what happens to you, no matter who flatters you or who abuses you, never look at an- other flag; never let a night pass but you pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, that behind all these men you have to do with, be- hind officers and government, the people even, there is the Country Herself, your Country; and that you belong to Her as you belong to your own mother. Stand by Her, Doy, as you would stand by your mother if those devils there had got hold of her today. O, if any- body had said so to me whet� I was of your age!”______ k. OUR EXCELLENT SCHOLARS. Class of '93—Misses Burns, Cashman, Evans, Kolb, McNealy, Moil, Nutting, Oxford, Reed, Roche, Talbot, and Thayer. Class of ’94—Misses Ball, De- lory, Forrest, Gavin, Gay, Griffin, Granahan, Hall, Lingley, McGov- ern, McLean, Mitchell, Monahan, Meaney, Pope, Souther, Sweeney M., and Walsh, and Master Thompson. Class of ’95—Misses Bassett, Be mis, Bryant, Cashman, Cud- worth, Dinnie, Flood, Keating, Leary, McGovern, Merrill, Pope, Sampson, A., and Sampson M., and Master Baxter. Class of ’96—Misses Coyle, Drew, Garrity, Hector, Howe, Pitts Mary, Rothwell, and Sten- zel, and Master Nelson A. •Those who were excused from examinations. Our kindlier human impulses are but shadows of emotions far nobler, purer, higher, which were from the beginning, and which shall endure when time shall be no more. What is moie natural for the leaves of the trees when kissed by the autumn breeze than to turn red?—[Ex. THE GOLDEN ROD, PERSONAL, EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson, Miss Jones, ’95, has returned to school. Supt. Lull is secretary of the school committee. Miss Hatch, ’96, is tast recover- ing from her illness. Miss Brier, ’95, is absent because of illness in her family. McDonald,’96, is at Bates’plumb- ing establishment, Ouincy. Miss Kingsley, once of ’96, is critically ill with pneumonia. Howard, ’95, is employed at C. F. Wilde’s periodical store at Wol- laston. Miss Elsie White, a graduate of the class of ’87, is employed as nurse at the new Malden City Hos- pital. We received visits this month from Dr. Sheahan, Supt. Lull, Mrs. Sampson, Mrs. Winslow, and many others. Miss Souther, ’94, and Miss Ox- ford, ’93, attended the graduating exercises at Bridgewater normal, January 25. At the Christmas festival given at the Sacred Heart church, Atlan- tic, Joseph Callahan, ’93, contrib- uted a fine recitation. At the recent entertainment given by the ladies of the West Quincy Methodist church, Mary Pierce, ’95, gave several recitations, and Ella Loud, ’96, gave piano solos. The city council’s committee on public buildings visited and in- spected the school building on Tuesday, January 24. Surely this visit is a hopeful sign of our new building. At the meeting of the debating society held Thursday, Jan. 26, the following officers were elected : President, Mr. Baxter, ’95 ; vice- president, Miss Lowe, ’95 ; secre- tary, Miss McGovern, ’95 ; trea- surer, Miss Thayer, ’93. LOCALS. EDITED by Annie E. Burns, Daisy C Bemis. Percy A. Hull. Query — How are diving-bells rung ? Pupil (aside) — Does he mean society diving belles at the seashore in summer ? Why is it that the boys of this school do not enjoy themselves in outdoor sports as the boys in other schools do ? All the agonies of suspense are forgotten in the transport of joy which one experiences at the magi- cal word, Excused! ‘‘Face Illumined.” Yes, quite a number, consisting of those whose high rank excused them from ex- aminations recently. Pupil — Twinkling of stars is caused by the difference of densi- ties of the stratas of atmosphere. Teacher—Of the stratas ? Pupil—Strata. Teacher—That is straighter. Members of Astronomy ’93 are wondering if the study of Astron- omy would influence the mind in any way. For instance, would it make one a visionary person ? If it would, it is clear why some pu- pils appear to have a visionary idea about some questions. Twenty pupils from the class of ’95 enjoyed a most delightful sleighride on the afternoon of Jan- uary 17. Chaperoned by one of the lady teachers it could not fail to be a pleasant affair, owing in a measure to her happy surprises, for which her charges feel espe- cially indebted to her. Physics. Teacher—Of what is pap-r now chiefly made ? Pupil—Of wood. Teacher—Is the world’s supply of wood inexhaustible ? Next pupil—It is not. Wood is consumed in the arts and manufac- tures much faster than it grows. Teacher—Then what will the world use for a substitute when wood is all gone ? Third pupil—Paper. THE GOLDEN ROD. “Labor with what zeal we will. Something still remains undone. Something uncompleted still Waits the rising of the sun.’7 Studies for the second half year began Monday, Jan. 30. What a relief to learn that one does not have to take an examina- tion ! Physics ’95. Pupil—Everybody offers resistance to the conductor. Teacher—Then why doesn’t the conductor put him off? French ’93 give us strange trans- lations once in a while. Here is an example: Le bandit tim la langue de cote—“The robber held to the language of the coast.’' (The rob- ber drew his tongue to one side.) The winter of ’93 will be remem- bered with gratitude by the pupils of Ouincy for its generosity in snow and ice. Such sleighing, skating and toboggan parties have been unheard of for many a year in this part of New England. Debate No. 9 was “ Resolved : That the American Indian is treat- ed worse than the negro.” This debate being open to the public, quite a number of visitors honored us by their presence. The board of decision, composed of the visitors, with Supt. Lull as chairman of the committee, gave a verdict in favor of the affirmative side of the ques- tion. The Fourth elass was consid- ered mature enough to make its debut on that occasion, and was on its best behavior during the argu- ment. HIS OTHER HALF. Smith—Permit me to introduce to you my half brother. Brown—What on earth became of his other half? ALL TOLD. Wendell Phillips used to say that there are, all told, only forty differ- ent jokes. That’s the great trouble; they’re all told. OLD BUT TRUE. Suttill—When can a man be in two places at the same time? Seenough—Give it up. Suttill—When he’s beside him- self. See? HOW I CAUGHT THE BURGLAR. NOT many vears ago we lived in a small settlement in the West. Our home was in a lonely spot, and it was about fifteen min- utes’ walk to the nearest house. I can especially remember one day of my life there. It was during the winter. That rooming mother was called away to a neighboring village on account of the sickness of my grandmother. My father was to accompany her, but promised to return before night, if possible. However, it was with great fore- boding that I, the eldest daughter, saw the sleigh containing my par- ents disappear around the corner. To be sure I was not alone. There was a hired man who worked around the house, Nancy, who as- sisted in the household duties, and also Silas Jones, the chore-boy. In addition to these there were my two younger sisters. I went in, closed the door, and did my work as cheerfully as possi- ble. Toward noon a regular bliz- zard set in, and by nightfall the roads were so blocked that father’s return would be impossible. With Nancy’s help I prepared the supper, and after the meal was finished we amused ourselves by telling stories and cracking nuts around the fire, in good old New England fashion. Silas told some thrilling stories of burglaries, until I felt my hair standing on end. About half past nine, assured that my father would not return that night, we retired. It was with dread that I ascended the stairs, expecting to be confronted by a burglar, or to see one disappear under my bed. Now under ordi- nary circumstances I would have laughed at the idea, but this night, —well, somehow I felt rather queer. I undressed as quickly as I could, and without looking under that bed I made one spring and landed in the middle of it- I couldn’t have made more disturbance if a mouse were in the room. Being tired, I soon fell into a troubled sleep, from which I was awakened THE GOLDEN ROD. about three o’clock by a loud noise somewhere in the region of the kitchen. Burglars! Burglars! was mv first thought, and then—O horror!—father away! What should I do? There was Nancy asleep away upstairs, and the hired man was snoring loudly. It would be useless to attempt to awaken him, as he was afflicted with deafness. My only hope was in Silas, and he slept in the barn. One thing I was certain of, I could not move. Was it fear, I wonder? It must have been. I trembled all over, and imagined I could hear the stairs creak. Then all was silence. “Well, he must be getting ready for work, but if he comes in here I’ll die bravely,” thought I—“that is, if I do die.” At last, overcoming all fear, I got out of bed and hurriedly dressed. Not a sound in the kitchen. “All quiet along the Po- tomac,” I murmured, as I crept down stairs, armed with an amount of courage sufficient to meet a lion (providing he were caged), and that feminine weapon, a broom. In my haste I neglected to re- move from my head a certain kind of head-dress worn during the nocturnal hours, and to add to my beauty, my hair, which protruded from it in front, was adorned with curl-papers. But it was not until afterwards that I realized how I looked. My intention was to creep out to the barn and call Silas. The kitch- en was empty,—no, a sound in the closet. Ah! My burglar was having a luncheon before beginning his depredations. As the closet door was partly closed, I could not see within, but heard him rattling the dishes. Yes! he was surely there. I crept over behind the door, and slammed and bolted it. Not satisfied with this, with trem- bling fingers I dragged the table and a chair up to it, in case he might attempt to push it open. “There,” said I, “you are safe now.” What a hero I would be! How brave everyone would think me. I must wake up the men and show them my prize. I was afraid to leave the kitchen, so I went to the window and screamed for Silas. Funny that window was open. Why, the burglar must have effect- ed an entrance that way! Finally I aroused Silas, who came running in to ascertain the trouble. Nancy and the hired man soon appeared. I told them my story, and we prepared to capture the burglar. I armed myself with the broom, and Nancy grabbed the poker; Si- las headed the procession with a club, and the hired man brought up the rear with a gun, which unfortu- nately was not loaded. However, it made a good showing. An able guard, to be sure; one would think we were about to attack a den of burglars. “Ready now,” cautioned Silas, “I’m going to open the door.” Faces all assumed a stern look, arms were placed in threatening positions, and we awaited the first act. The door flies open. Weapons are raised,—butwhat is it that meets our astonished gaze? Instead of the burly ruffian we expect to see, our old Maltese cat calmly con- fronts us. She had strayed in through the kitchen window, which I had carelessly left open, and seeing a pitcher of milk in the closet, had helped herself to the contents. I was too much astonished to give utterance to my thoughts, which were indeed painful. An expresion erf disgust escaped from Nancy, while an amused smile played around Silas’ mouth. As I have before mentioned, I had a broom poised artistically in the air. I gave a sudden turn to that broom, and brought it down somewhere near the region of the cat’s back. There was a wailing sound, a scattering of dishes, and a dark object sprang through the window. It is needless to say that the cat suffered with a lame leg for many days afterwards, and that I was never troubled by her again, for on my appearance she would start for the nearest door with all possible haste. Nor is it necessary to add that I THE GOLDEN ROD. was the laughing-stock of the fam- ily for several weeks, for on mother’s return next day the story was re peated with minutest details; and whenever the subject of burglars is brought up, I quietly leave the room. —Jennie P. McGovern, ‘94. THE RESCUE OF A SIBERIAN EXILE. II.—THE RESCUING PARTY. BOUT two weeks after the A events recorded in the last diapter, a young man employed by the United States government might have been seen leaving the capital for the steamer that was to sail for Russia at noon. Before many hours he was on board the great vessel and in his stateroom, where he stayed, completing his f)lans until the steamer started. At ast the deep-voiced whistle blew, the gang-plank was shoved in, and the pounding of the engines told him that they were off. Frank Warder, for that was the young man’s name, now came out of his stateroom; and amid the crowd on the wharf, all waving handkerchiefs, he recognized a familiar face, the owner of which called out, “Do your best, old fel- low!” and with a motion of fare- well, disappeared in the crowd. Frank went aft and watched the rapidly disappearing land as they sped on their way to another conti- nent, where he would have many an exciting adventure before his return. We will now leave him and explain the cause of the journey. Albert Winfield, the man who was taken prisoner on that stormy night, was on his way home to America, having been traveling in Siberia and Russia. He had with him a friend, Charles Richardson. Word had been telegraphed to St. Petersburg that Mr. Winford, the nihilist, who had been arousing and exciting the Siberian exiles to make a bold dash for freedom and then overthrow the government, was on the train bound for Germany. The two soldiers were sent to the little frontier-station already mentioned, to capture him and convey him to St. Petersburg, where he would be exiled to Siberia for life. The sol- diers, upon seeing Mr. Winfield, at once set upon him as the person they wanted, the name Winfield being similar to Winford, the nihi- list’s name, and Winfield’s appear- ance to some extent answering the description of Winford. Mr. Winfield was hurried out of the car upon its arrival, and driven away before anyone could realize what had happened. Meanwhile his friend Charles Richardson had informed the United States govern- ment of the outrage, and after due deliberation Frank Warder, being in the country’s service, was sent to Russia to rescue Mr. Winfield. Thus we see the reason why Frank was going to Russia, and we can also see what a perilous under- taking it was to rescue a prisoner from the mines of Siberia, where, if the object of the would-be rescuer were discovered, he would probablv be shot. —H. W.,'96. TO THE ATLANTIC. O thou great restless sea. Which hast existed since the birth Of this, our wonderful great earth. All men admire thee. When thy great waves do beat Against the cliffs of this still shore, I tar away can hear thy roar. Though not thy sound repeat. The gold is under ground, And otner metals not so rare ; But thou, deep sea. hast more in care Than all the land around. Thou causest men much fear, When thou art irritated by The storms and winds which do draw nigh: And they to land must steer. Yet wilt thou be as long As sun, moon, stars, and earth wilt be; And as thou workest. busy sea, Thou sing’st the same old song. _________ -C.J. A., 96. It is natural that the people of the United States should speak of Washington only in terms of rev- erence and love, but how great must have been the man of whom it has been said by an English writer, who owned that all his sym- pathies were with England:— “Washington, the chief of a na- v ✓ • v V V u £ ts G tion in arms, doing battle with dis- Jownen-oi the, quarniwas then a tracted parties; calm in the midst resident of West Quincy, of conspiracy; serene against the Since Bunker Hill monument open foes before him and the dark- was built Quincy granite has been er enemies at his back; Washing- widely used for building and mon- ton, inspiring order and spirit into umental purposes, among the build- troops hungry and in rags; stung ings made of it being King’s by ingratitude, but betraying no Chape and Hancock mansion in anger, and ever ready to forgive; in Boston, also the Boston Custom defeat invincible, magnanimous in House, with its thirty columns conquest, and never so sublime as weighing forty-two tons each, and on that day when he laid down his other large and handsome edifices.' victorious sword, and sought his In connection with the quarries noble retirement:—here indeed is a ahorse railroad, the first railroad character to admire and revere; a in America, was constructed. The life without a stain, a fame without Granite railroad, as it was called, a flaw.” ran from Bunker Hill quarry to a ------ ------ wharf at Neponset, and the first QUINCY AS AN HISTORICAL car passed over it October 7, 1826. CENTRE. l M 0- The educational system which rrixT r T • , , has been followed here since 1875, QUINCY may be considered known as the Quincy System, was as one of that class of citaes the means of drawing much atten- of the United States knqkn tion t0 our city. As its advan- as the historical class, from tages became known, the method to 1792 the town formed a part ot was adopted in many cities and the town of Braintree. The name towns all over the country. The Quincy was given to it in honor of system was loriginated and estab- Col. John JJumcy . IA band of lfshed by Col. Parker, who was at 'tfiTrfv pflgramir to that time superintendent of the the band at Plymouth; made the city’s schools, first settlement under command of f he buildings of interest in Capt. Wollaston, near the present Quincy are the presidents’ houses residence of Hon. John Quincy on Franklin street, in which the , , presidents lived; the Stone Temple, What other city in the country under which their tombs are can claim the honor of producing placed, the public library, Quincy two presidents of the United mansion, and Adams Academy. States? The presidents born in Scratched on a pane of glass in Qumcy were John Adams and his one 0f the upper windows of the son John Quincy Adams. I his Ouincy mansion is the record of was the only case where father and Gen. Gage sailing out of the har- son have held that office. In later bor. The record was made by Col. years Charles Francis Adams, a John Ouincy as he stood nea'r this member ot the same family, was window watching the ship depart, sent to England as prime minister. The Adams Academy is historical Quincy is known far and near on account of its being erected on for its extensive—gearrrlTe quarries, the sitc of the old Hancock house which have been worked since jn which Gov. Hancock was born, 1825, and the quarrying and cut- anci aiso fr0m the fact that it was ting of granite are still the leading founded by John Adams, industries of the city. Soon afte —May L. Gavin, ’94. its discovery here the gfanite was ____________ zTT-—Jrr- used in the construction of Bunker , .1 • Hill monument, and the quarry nfliik rSr'tfste l the pferian from which that shaft was taken, spring: known as Bunker Hill quarry, is There shallow draughts intoxicate the still in use. Solomon Willard, the Ann nAi-mcr 1 1« . c 4.u . 1 Ana drinking largely sobers us again, architect of the monument and —[Pope THE GOLDEN ROD. EXCHANGE. EDITED BY CassieThayer, Catherine C. Pope. A cover would greatlv improve the appearance of the Racquet of Portland, Maine. The Phi-Rhonian is one of our new exchanges, and one which con- tains many articles of merit. The High School Review con- tains a “Letter from Rome,” which is written in a very pleasing man- ner. From the frequent occurrence in the .-Eneid of the words “steterunt- que comae” Mr. H. thinks that .Eneas must have worn his hair pompadour.—[The Index. The December number of the High School Times, Dayton, Ohio, contains many good articles. There is also a beautiful and most appro- priate picture in the front. “Teaching School and Boarding Round, T is the title of a poem in the Academian. It recalls to our minds the stories our grandmoth- ers have told us of the old time customs. As we of the Latin class of ’93 have just begun our study of Cicero, we were much interested in the ar- ticles in The Field Glass entitled “Marcus Tullius Cicero” and “Ci- cero’s Style of Invective.” The High School Gazette gives an account of a debate upon the subject, “Resolved, that immigra- tion should be prohibited.” The substance of the speeches is given. They are very good and show con- siderable thought on the part of the speakers. On opening the Index we found a paper giving a “ Map of Jackson Park, Showing Proposed Improve- ments for the World’s Columbian Exposition,” also a “ Bird’s-Eye View of World’s Columbian Expo- sition.” Then when we perused the contents of the Index we found several articles describing the vari- ous World’s Fair buildings and also some views of them. These make this number of the paper especially interesting and instructive. We see by our exchanges that many of the schools are engaged in prize contests for the best declama- tions, compositions, etc. A Sunday school teacher once asked a small boy the meaning of love, joy, and peace, and received three original definitions. “Love is liking folks awfully, joy is hav- ing a ‘boss’ time, and peace is what my mother has when she has put me to bed.” —[Ex. A little girl was asked to buy a grammar to use in school. The next day the teacher received the following note from the girl’s mother: “I don’t want Mattie to ingage in grammar. I have bin through two myself and I don’t know as they ever did me no good. I can learn her to read and write proper myselt. I want her to in- gage in drawing, German and vocal musick on the piano.” -[Ex. PROVERBS OF YOUTH. Whittling is a recreation; but picking up the chips makes the head ache. Toothache is worst just before school time. It disappears about 9.30 a. m. Sweeping is bad for a girl’s back and arms; but dancing all the even- ing is good exercise. Never study at night. It is bad for the eyes. But one may read fairy tales until midnight with profit and pleasure.—[Phi-Rhonian. SAME MOTIVE. Query—What cause impels the diminutive schoolboy to hasten for- ward so rapidly, as if seeking some object before him? Answer—The bell of the school. Query—What cause impels the large high school boy to hasten for- ward so rapidly, as it seeking some object before him ? Answer—The belle of the school. —[Phi-Rhonian. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And departing leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. —Longfellow. o, u i n ( The Golden Rod. Vol. II. OUINCY, MASS., MARCH, 1893. No. 7 THE GOLDEN ROD Will he Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. S DESCRIPTION KATES. Kor the Year, . oOcents Single Copies, . f cents Koi sale at K B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. MCGOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN. BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. WE chanced to be one after- noon in the public library of a city not more than a hundred miles from here. It was a busy afternoon for the librarian and her assistants. Many people, includ- ing a large number of noisy school- children, had come and gone, and we thought the librarian must be very tired, for she had been del- uged by a never-ceasing stream of questions and requests, especially by the school children. Many of the questions were something like the following: ‘‘Will you tell me some- thing to read?” “Will you tell me the number of Uncle Tom’s Cab- in?” “I forgot my pencil, will you please lend me one?” You see that a person of ordinary intelli- gence might have answered the first two questions for himself, simply by referring to the cata- logue, and his time at that moment was probably less valuable than the busy librarian’s. Just as we were preparing to leave the library two men entered. One began to speak in a tone that could be dis- tinctly heard in every part of the library. The men had apparently been discussing some subject and had been unable to recollect a cer- tain date. They had forthwith re- paired to the library, and the spokesman was requesting the librarian to tell him the date. “Her patience will give way at last,” thought we. Far from it. Instead she searched through two or three large shelves, and finally found a volume which furnished the de- sired information. The men went away with satisfaction plainly de- picted on their countenances. We likewise departed, mentally con- gratulating the citizens of-------- on the possession of such a library and such a librarian. r. We have received for use in con- nection with our Geology class an excellent mineralogical collection. The value of such a collection can- not be overestimated. Geology without the practical knowledge derived from investigation would be much less valuable. But from these specimens we become ac- quainted with the precise structure of the different rocks, their posi- tion in the Scale of Hardness, their crystalization, and the local- ity in which they can be found. Often in our Geology class we feel the want of Chemistry. This science is so closely connected with Geology that it is almost im- possible to learn one without some knowledge of the other. Thus it can be seen that one science is linked very closely with every other. _______________________ e. The bashful members of our de- bating society no longer shield themselves with the words, “I have nothing to add to what has already been said,” but many still manifest great reluctance to contribute their share to the interesting facts accu- mulated by the debaters each Thursday. Some of these pupils apparently think that the society was organized either for the ex- press purpose of torturing them on Thursdays, or of furnishing amuse- ment to the teachers; they have THE GOLDEN ROD. not yet discovered that the organi- zation of such a society was for their benefit and not for the teach- ers’. How often has the beauty or the full meaning of a thought been lost for want of a proper expression. If we carefully study a subject, then as carefully prepare argu- ments, giving special attention to grammatical construction and the proper use of words, shall we not thereby increase our general in- formation, strengthen our reason- ing powers, and train ourselves to select the best words for correctly expressing whatever ideas we may wish to convey to the minds of others? When we are addressing a number of people it is certainly an advantage to be able to speak clearly and to the point, instead of becoming confused, stammering, and after all failing to leave in the minds of our hearers any distinct impression of what we have said. If, after preparing our argu- ments, we stiive to deliver them creditably before the society, we shall gain confidence with each succeeding debate, and doubtless we shall be surprised to find that in a short time we can speak with far gi eater ease and directness than was formerly the case. In order to gain self-reliance in speak- ing before others, it is well to de- pend largely upon ourselves, our memories and unwritten ideas; and as little as possible upon notes. Every one enjoys listening to a person who says what he has to say without hesitation or confu- sion. It is doubtless hard for members ot the society to over- come a feeling of timidity when rising to address the meeting, and many feel that while they have notes they cannot entirely fail; but surely it is worth the while of every member to struggle against timidity, or even to bear a general laugh against himself hecause of a few mistakes, that in the end he may feel that he has gained the power to express himself in such a manner as to give both satisfaction and pleasure to his audience. Young men, think of the in fluence that great orators have had over their hearers. Think of Cal- houn, of Daniel Webster. You say at once that you can never ac- quire such strength of speech, such wonderful force and clear- ness; but pause a moment and think of Demosthenes, the greatest of Grecian orators. You remem- ber that his first speech before the public assembly was greeted with hisses. Such a reception, however, only spurred him on to greater effort, until at last his patient struggle to overcome his awkward- ness and his defects of speech was rewarded, and he was acknowl- edged to be the “unrivaled orator of Greece, if not of the world.” How grand a result had his perse- verance achieved! If every member of our society conscientiously endeavors to make each debate better than any which have preceded it, who can say that we may not hear at some future time that the greatest orator ot the day received his first training in the debating society of the Quincy High School ? r. It seems unlimited ages since we have seen a wild flower. Now in the stormy month of the god of war it seems impossible that there ever will be another flower; there seem to be only three things in the universe, snow, water and mud; but how quickly all this changes. The snow disappears in misty wreaths before the soft south wind, and the water will soon retire to its proper place. Then nature will start into lift and all the earth will be beautiful. e. how polite! Le Grand Conde, ennuye d’en- tendre un fat parler sans cesse de monsieur son p re et de madame sa mere, appela un de ses gens et lui dit: “Monsieur mon laquais, dites a monsieur mon cocher de mettre messieurs mes chevaux a madame ma voiture.” How much do we remember from last year ? This applies to English ’95- ' THE GOLDEN ROD. PERSONAL. LOCALS. EDITED BY EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Herbert A. Thompson. Percy A. Hull. Robert Williams, ’96, is em- ployed in a printing office in Bos- ton. Leila H. Sprague and Marion Bailey, both of ’94, visited us last month. Mary Gavin, ’94, has returned to school after spending three weeks in New York. Marion Bailey, ’94, is number one in the Geometry class at Fra- mingham Normal. Bessie L. Drew, ’94, and Katie Evans, ’93, successfully passed the examinations and are now pursu- ing studies at Bridgewater Normal. Ellen Greaney, '95, is president, and Katie O’Brien, secretary of the St. John’s Catholic Historical society, which was recently organ- ized. At an entertainment given by the Atlantic Social club last month, piano duets were given by Ger- trude Hall, ’94, and Daisy C. Be- mis, ’95. Lillian Gay, ’94, sprained her wrist quite badly while coming to school one morning last month. We are pleased to say, however, that she has now returned to school. Bright Freshie, just dipping into mathematics—Say, what geometri- cal figure does an escaped parrot resemble? Senior—Give it up. Freshie—Why, a polly-gone of course. Death ot senior. —[Ex. ‘‘Was your son graduated at the head of his class ?” “No. He held a much more re- sponsible position. He was at the very foundation of it.” _____ —[Ex Latin teacher—Give the princi- pa parts of piget. Pupil—Pigo, pigere, squeali, grun- tum. —[Ex. “If a thermometer is a heat measurer, what is a barometer?” Bright Pupil—A cold measurer. Literature ’93 have completed their course in American literature and are now studying the English authors. The City Council are trying to select a site for our new High School building. “A good begin- ning is half way to the end.” The music hour now comes the first thing in the morning’s pro- gram, which we think is an im- provement, so far as our voices are concerned. Pupils are positively forbidden to go to the baker’s at recess with- out special permission. If that ba- ker goes into insolvency, who will be to blame ? The energy of our school being devoted to prize declamations and essays, George Washington was neglected this year, no extra exer- cises in his honor being attempted. The Literature class of ’95 have commenced a series of reviews on standard works, to be read by the pupils of the class. The Latin di- vision of the same class are reading “The Sketch Book” by Washing- ton Irving, and enjoy it very much. Wonders will never cease ! Some young ladies of ’93 have actually summoned energy enough to cleanse thoroughly the mirror in Room No. 2. Great thanks are due them for their remarkable be- nevolence, which could not be ex- ercised in a more necessary work. CONVERSATIONAL CLIPPINGS. “A lodestone is a stone that car- ries a load.” “The lighthouse was lit.” “The river Arar takes its source in the sentence before.” “A body is magnified when brought near a magnet.” “There is more ice at the north pole than at the south pole.” THE GOLDEN ROD. At the end of the half year, sev- eral of Latin ’96 went to the An- nex English '96. Pupil, translating into Latin— “The town was surrounded with walls ’ “Oppidum muribus cinc- tum est.” (The town was surround- ed with mice.) The debate of Feb. 17.“Resolved, That Franklin was a greater man than Washington” was very inter- esting. The board of decision de- cided in favor of the negative side. Xo entertainment in honor of Washington's birthday was given by the school this year, as it was thought that Debate Xo. 13 accom- plished all that an entertainment would. The Ouincv High School Deba- ting society has accepted a chal- lenge from the Hyde Park High School society. The time and sub- ject have not yet been decid- d upon. We are told that the trouble with a great many schools and col- leges is that one teacher occupies several chairs. Well, how could good results be obtained where such selfishness is permitted ? The class of ’93 have organized and elected the following officers : President, Miss Thayer: vice- president, Miss Talbot: treasurer. Miss Boyd; secretary. Miss Burns. They have chosen for their class colors, white and corn color. They have not vet chosen their motto. Like rapiers driven with vengeful thrust. On breast and brow the cold winds beat. And rushing hail or troubled dust Sweep the rough road and echoing street. The groaning woods are bleak and bare. The violet slumbers yet unseen. And those wild fields an 1 pas rures wear Xo welcome tint of early green.” “But God. with all a father’s love. When earth thus reft of beauty lies. Reveals, in blazing pomp above. The wonders of his radiant skies. Look thou on night’s refulgent arch. When that rude hour thy gladness mars. And thou shalt find in raging March The month at once of storms and stars.’’ JESSIE MALCOLM'SXEW YEAR. PICTURE if you will a large, well-furnisbed nursery, with warm looking draperies, book- shelves filled with books to satisfy any child, pretty pictures and com- fortable chairs, all dimly revealed by the light of a splendid fire which crackled and blazed in an immense fireplace. Throughout the room was dif- fused a delightful feeling of warmth and comfort, when, on a certain Xew Year’s Eve, there was seated before the fire in this par- ticular nursery, a young woman of comely, pleasant face. Her rich, dark hair stole from beneath a white muslin cap, and her bright brown eyes and glowing cheeks were lighted up by the blaze. In her busy hands bright knitting nee- dles flashed with a pleasant click, for she was knitting a warm red mitten for the pretty little girl, with fair hair and blue eyes, who was near, putting her doll to bed and humming softly the while. When dolly is tucked in her bed, little May sits down on a footstool at Xurse Jessie’s feet. Presently the door opens, and a beautiful lady comes in trailing her silken robes. She is all ready to go to the Xew Year’s party to be held at a neighboring house. “O mamma, how pretty you look !” exclaimed May, running to her. The lady smiled and said, “I am glad you like me, dear ; I came to kiss you good-night before going.” ‘ 1 wish 1 could go to parties,” said the child “So you shall, when you are grown up,” answered her mamma; “and now good-bye,” she added, stooping to kiss fier little daugh- ter. “Be sure to cover her up warmly when you put her to bea, Jessie ’ said Sirs. Stoneleigh, as she left the room. When the door had again closed. May went back to her stool, and leaning her head against Jessie’s knee, looked into the fire. “Does n’t mamma look lovely?” THE GOLDEN ROD. she said to Jessie after a while. “Yes, indeed !” answered Jessie. “It is so nice to wear long trains and go to parties,” said the child. “Did you ever go to a party, Jes- sie ?” she asked suddenly. Jessie did not speak for a mo- ment, then she said with a far-away look, “I never went to such grand parties as your mamma attends, but I have often danced the Old Year out and the New Year in.” “O, have you? Tell me about those times,” said May, eagerly. Then Jessie told her stories of New Year’s parties in “Bonnie Scotland,” of gaiety and feasting. When she had finished speaking May perceived that her hands were still and her eyes full of unshed tears. “What is the matter, dear Jes- sie ?” she asked, putting her arms around the girl’s neck. May was such a delightfully old- fashioned and sympathizing child, that Jessie then told her many things that she had never before mentioned to any one. She re- lated how tall, handsome Robert Craig, her lover, had left Scotland and gone to America to seek his fortune, for he would never ask Jessie to marry him until he could offer her a good home; how her family had lost their little fortune ; how her aged parents had died ; and she had come here to the United States to a distant cousin, who was not in very comfortable circumstances herself, and finally, how she had been engaged by Mrs. Stoneleigh, May’s mother, as a nursery girl. May listened to all with great interest, and when Jessie ceased speaking asked, “Did you never hear from Robert ?” “Yes,” answered Jessie, “we wrote very often to each other, but just before I left Scotland he sent me a different address. In the confusion of leaving home I lost it, and I have never been able to hear from him since. I have written to Scotland, but no one there knew anything definite about him, so I think, as he never in- quired about me, he must be dead or has ceased to care for me.” “Oh no !” exclaimed May, “I am sure any one like him, as you de- scribed him to me, would not for- get you, and I hope you will hear of him soon.” Jessie shook her head sadly, but brushing away her tears she said, “I must not burden you with my troubles.” “But I want you to,” said little May, “and I am sure you must hear from Robert soon.” “You are a dear child to say so,” said Jessie, “but dear me! it is long past your bed time.” At this moment a housemaid opened the door of the room, and said that there was a man down in the servants’ hall who wished to see Jessie. “To see me!” exclaimed Jessie, rising, “Impossible !” “But it is true,” said the maid; “and he says you know him well.” “Know him well? Wait, what does he look like?” “He is quite tall, and has brown hair and beard, and blue eyes, and seems very anxious to see you,” said the girl, with a smile. “Why, Jessie that is just as you described Robert,” cried May ex- citedly. Jessie had sunk into a chair. “Tell him I will be down in a short time,” she said. May ran to her, threw her arms around her neck, and exclaimed, “It must be Robert, and only think, we were just speaking of h. lm. “Dear little May,” said Jessie, kissing her,“but I must not neglect you; I will see you safe in bed be- fore I go down.” May, knowing how anxious Jes- sie was to see her lover, if it were really he, helped as much as possi- ble, and was soon tucked away among the blankets. When Jessie went down stairs, she at once re- cognized the well known figure of Robert Craig. Of course every- thing was explained, Jessie telling her story, and Robert telling how, as he had received no reply to his letter, he had written to her again and again, all the time very much puzzled at Jessie’s continued THE GOLDEN ROD. silence. After some time had elapsed, he met a countryman of his who told him that she had gone to a cousin’s in the United States, but that he did not know her address. Robert then wrote to a friend in Scotland, and from him had learned the ad- dress ot Jessie’s cousin. From her he had learned where Jessie now was, and, instead of writing, he came to her at once to see if she still cared for him, and if so, why she had not written to him. Robert was now well started in life, and was very anxious to take Jessie to the little home in the west, and when she parted from him that New Years eve, her heart was overflowing with happi- ness. Early the next day she acquaint- ed Mrs. Stoneleigh with her story, and received the hearty congratu- lations of the kind lady, who said that while she was very glad for Jessie’s sake, she was sorry for May’s and her own. When May awoke on New Year’s morning, she wondered at first what made Jessie look so unu- sually light-hearted and cheerful. Then, remembering the events of the preceding night, she exclaimed, “O Jessie, was it truly Robert?” “Yts,” said Jessie, and then she told May everything. When May heard that she must lose her kind Jessie, she felt quite downhearted, but when she remem- bered how happy Jessie had been made, she felt glad, and said they could write to each other, and that would be something. She also said she wanted to see Robert very much, and Jessie assured her that she should see him soon. A little while later, when they were taking a walk in the bright sunlight, M iv said, “Jessie, is this not a happy New Year’s Day for you ?” And Jessie answered, “The hap- piest ot all my life.” —Annie E. Burns, '93. Bookkeeping ’95 are learning the secrets ot single entry. A RIDE IN A STREETCAR. I WAS among the crowd on the corner patiently awaiting the coming of the car which would take me to my destination. After about five or ten minutes in the cold east wind, the faces of the grumbling crowd suddenly bright- ened as two or three cars of num- erous colors came in sight. Very few continued to wear the look, however, as only a limited number succeeded in stepping into the car they wanted. Some rushed out into the street only to be driven back by a frightened horse, while others, after frantically waving their bundles or shaking their finger, were obliged to return to their former position, because the car they wanted was full, or else be- cause their signal failed to be seen. At length a few of us succeeded in hailing and finding a seat in the car for which we had been waiting, which was bound in the direction of the Old Colony depot, where most of us seemed to be going. We all looked pretty comfortable, when one of the women remarked to her companion, “I never waited so long for a car in my life” while the other replied “I guess it was half an hour, anyway, and I am com- pletely chilled through.” “Well,” said the first, “we shall lose that train all on account of this delay, and I never shall take a car on this street again.” Then after much more grumbling silence reigned. As the car sped along, I observed that many such groups as we had just left stood upon the corners, with long faces, looking at our car with envious glances, probably dis- appointed that it was not the car that they wanted. Upon reaching the principal street where the large stores are situated, some dropped out and others came in, some of the latter making a scowl come upon a face which was the picture of contentment a few mom- ents before, by sitting upon a pre- cious bundle or stepping upon a dress worn that day for the first time. As the Old Colony depot came THE GOLDEN ROD. in sight, the occupants of the car be- gan to leave, and in front of the sta- tion, when the car stopped, nearly all departed. Just before I entered the depot, I thought I would glance back and see how many were left of those that entered the car with me, and I saw just two, who prob- ably had a long ride still before them. So we all separated, each one going his way, and I wondered if any one of them gave as much thought to that street car ride as I. —Eva Bassett, ’95. THE RESCUE OF A SIBERIAN EXILE. III.—ARRIVAL IN RUSSIA. Little of importance happened on the voyage, though Frank made the acquaintance of several people on board. Coming in sight of land, a little tug-boat was seen coming directly towards them, and soon it was alongside. A Russian officer stepped on board and salu- ted the captain. He then proceed- ed to examine the passengers’ bag- gage and passports. Coming up to Frank he said, “Where’s your passport?” Frank handed him the paper, and the officer, after looking it over carefully, handed it back, saying, “Take the St. Petersburg and Yodosk Railway,” and passed on. Upon reaching the wharf Frank immediately hailed a drosky. “Take me to the St. Petersburg and Yo- dosk Railway station as soon as possible.” The driver motioned to Frank to step into the carriage, and taking his baggage on the front seat gave the horses the whip, and they went rattling down the street towards the great depot. Arriving there, the driver reined in his horses with such a jerk as to throw Frank violently against the front of the wagon. Gaining his feet again, he scrambled out, paid the driver, and ran for his train, which was to leave in two minutes. Failing to find the ticket-office he ran up to a man who was read- ing a paper and exclaimed, “Where’s the ticket-office?” “The what?” said the Russian in a pro- vokingly slow manner. “The tick- et-office,” fairly yelled Frank, as the bell began ringing. T T • OO Happening to catch a glimpse of what looked like the required place Frank rushed over to it. “Ticket for Yodosk;” and throwing down the money, he snatched the ticket. Frank now ran for the train with all his might, and gaining the last car, said, as he flung himself on the platform, “Nearer to the mines, and probably to Albert Winfield’s freedom.” —H. IV, ’96. (To be continued.) PICTURES IN THE FIREPLACE. SUCH a bitter storm without! The snow was being hurled through the air with all the rapidity and vigor of one of our old-fashioned gales in midwinter. I was bare- ly able to keep my footing as I plodded wearily through the drift- ing snow, up the long driveway towards the gray buildings in the distance, where I well knew were welcome, warmth and rest. Nearer and nearer I drew, until across my way was cast a flickering, ruddy glow. Gone was my weariness! Through the long, low windows of the “corner” room streamed that beacon light. The drawn draper- ies gave me one glimpse of blazing logs and shining andirons before the heavy oak door closed on the outside fury of driving sleet. Do you know what “being at grandpa’s” means in every sense of the words ? Can you imagine the room I entered, with its low ceil- ing, its unusual length and breadth, the heavy mahogany furniture, and polished oaken floor ? But can you see with me the wide, black- ened fireplace with its roaring flames of burning logs that lighted the entire room at times, then glowed and glimmered, throwing fantastic shadows to every corner Close by is grandpa’s easy chair. How roomy and delightful it is, a sleepy hollow indeed! From its depths I watched the great log crackle and burn, until, sputtering THE GOLD EX ROD. and snapping, it crumbled into one great mass of bright, living coals. Dreamily gazing into the depths, there formed before me the towers and battlements of a noble castle standing proudly forth, as a front- ispiece, whiie in the rear the lofty mountains looked frowningly down. There an immense forest and hunters with their hounds; here a face appears full of agony and pain ; slowly it crumbles away, re- minding one of the king who said. “This too shall pass away.” What is that ? Why ! Old Har- vard ! There are its honored walls sure as fate ! Crossing the campus is a female form, now two, now quite a company. But this first one—surely she looks familiar— Alas ! All is collapsed, and ashes gray cover my ambitious vision as completely as the lava from Vesu- vius covered ruined Pompeii. I close my tired eyes. When I open them again it is to see grand- pa dragging a screen between me and the fire, and to hear him say, “Supper, child. You have been sleeping long.” —Daisy C. Be mis, ’95. • The Academy Graduate joins our circle of friends, and it is a very jolly friend indeed. May it frequently favor us with its pres- ence. We are pleased to number The Standard among our new-comers. We were much amused while read- ing the play, “Midwinternight’s Delirium Tremens, or Whether You Like It or Not.” A noticeable feature of The Pio- neer is a Temperance Column, which we find in no other school paper. It contains much that is instructive as well as good advice. We hope all, especially our young men, will read it. Old Friend—And so both of your children are studying profes- sions? Hostess - Yes, my daughter is in a polytechnic college, studying me- chanical engineering, and my son is in Paris studying dressmaking.” .—[Ex. EDIT CD BY Cassie Thayer, Catherine C. Pope. We endorse the article in The Magnet concerning the Exchange departments of school papers. “The Twelve Sisters” is the sub- ject of an essay in The Beacon, in which the months of the year are treated in a very novel and pleas- ing manner. We see many papers mentioned in our exchanges we receive, which are strangers to us, but we hope to be soon friends with many more than at present. “Ex vita scholae in scholam vitae ’ is the motto chosen bv the senior class of the Rutland High School. We like their choice very much. We learn from the R. H. S. Notes that the motto has been painted in green and gold on a wall of the schoolroom—a very pretty idea. We have borrowed the following from our friendly Giant:— don’t Write ten-page compositions. Plan to rise early and get a les- son before breakfast. Cut the singing hour. Hope you won’t be called on. Try to study during devotionals. Make yourself more of a nuisance to the teachers than is necessary for existence. Talk back. Make Latin jokes. The Grove City Collegian has suggested to some of its exchanges that “they can greatly improve their columns during the coming year by printing more articles of merit, instead of filling up with lo- cals and jokes, of interest only to those immediately concerned.” Ev- idently they have followed their advice, as their paper contains only a page and a half of locals out of twenty pages of reading matter. We think that even the gravest and most thoughtful person can en- joy a joke. Think how dreary the world would seem if everyone were always grave! The Golden Rod. Vol. II. OUINCY, MASS., APRIL, 1893. No. 8 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year, . 50cents j Single Copies, . Scents Koi sale at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to 8ARAII C. MCGOVERN or JOS. J. C ALLAH A N. BUSINESS MANAGKUS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass..) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John VV. Estabrooks. “Sweet April! many a thought Is wedded unto thee as hearts are wed. Nor shall they fail, till to its autumn brought. Life’s golden fruit is shed.” AGAIN have the pupils of the High school been obliged to mourn the loss of a valuable teacher. Nearly two years ago with sorrow- ful hearts we bade farewell to Miss Pfaffmann, who resigned her posi- tion at the High school to enter the Harvard Annex. Miss Wini- fred P. Stone was chosen to fill the vacancy, and results have shown that the choice was a fortunate one. But when we returned to school at the close of the April va- cation, it was to find that Miss Stone had left us to accept a posi- tion in the High school in Water- town. It is to be feared that the feelings of the pupils towards the superintendent who offered Miss Stone an increase of one hundred dollars over the salary which she was receiving in Quincy, thereby tempting her away, were not of a very kindly nature. Both teachers and pupils, however, unite in wish- ing Miss Stone success in her new position. All are now anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new teacher, Miss Abbe, who comes to us from Milford. r. A certain person whom we will call Mrs. X. had in her yard a tree which was unlike all the other trees in its vicinity. Many people admired the tree because of its symmetrical shape, and also on ac- count of its silvery appearance when the wind caused its branches to sway to and fro. The owner of the tree had a neighbor whom she regarded with dislike, and her dis- like was greatly increased when she discovered in her neighbor’s yard a young tree of the same spe- cies as her own. Day after day Mrs. X. was observed jealously re- garding the little tree, which was growing rapidly, and one morning the tender branches and glossy green leaves were found lying in the dust. The slender trunk had been snapped in two close to the ground. Suspicion at once pointed to Mrs. X., and considering certain known facts it is probable that she was the guilty person. Setting aside the fact that the tree was upon her neighbor’s land, and that Mrs. X. had therefore no right to destroy it, the act was nevertheless a wrong one. Mrs. X. had deliberately injured a flour- ishing tree. Perhaps that seems to you a trifling act, but if so, you can never have realized the full importance of trees. Let us enu- merate some of the benefits derived from them. Trees are beautiful in them- selves ; they afford us shade on a warm summer day; rainfalls are more plentiful and soils are more fertile in countries where there are many trees than in those in which there are but few; the coal which is so valuable to us today is in part the result of the decay of trees which flourished in remote ages; and finally, the trees play a very important part in purifying the air we breathe, and without which we could not live. Therefore anyone THE GOLDEN ROD. who unnecessarily destroys a liv- ing tree robs the world at large of a part of the benefit it would other- wise receive, and for such an act there is no excuse. Instead of de- stroying a tree, every person who is able to do so should plant one. Would it not be a good plan for each one of us to set out a vine, shrub or tree on Arbor Day of this year, and then continue the prac- tice in yeais to come, thereby ben- efiting ail mankind ? r. One of the most important events of the year was the organi- zation of the Massachusetts School Press Association at the Quincy House, Boston, March 25. About fifty members were present. A constitution was drawn up, officers were elected, and a definite time of assembling was appointed. The benefits of such a union can- not be overestimated. The papers which we receive from other schools are no longer so much pa- per, but i-hey now bring before us friendly faces and pleasant conver- sations. We know that we are talking with friends, and that what we say will not be tossed aside, but will be read and carefully con- sidered. Now that a state associa- tion has been organized, the next thing is to have an interstate league, and some time in the far future an international convention. E. The prize speaking, which has been delayed, may now be an- nounced as coming on the evening of the twenty-fifth of April, at Hancock Hall, Quincy. An ad- mission fee of twenty-five cents will be charged. The large num- ber and the considerable value of the prizes make the contest a sub- ject of universal interest. The greatest attention has been given to the individual contestants, and all claims of favoritism would be ridiculous. The most straightfor- ward methods have been used in assigning positions and selecting judges. The successful contest- ants for the French, Latin and En- glish composition work will be an- nounced during the evening, e. PERSONAL. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Superintendent Lull has been engaged to deliver several ad- dresses on Memorial Day. At an entertainment given at the Congregational church, Alice Crane, Quincy, once of '93, gave several piano solos. Anna M. Starbuck of the class of ’78, and teacher of the Bourne High school, spent the spring va- cation at her home in Quincy. Florence Gray, ’94, has com- pleted her studies at Bryant Stratton’s Commercial college and is employed as a stenographer in Boston. John Northcott of the Milton High school has entered the class of ’96, and Barbara Vogler of Portsmouth High school has en- tered the class of '95. At an entertainment given by the Sacred Heart church at Atlan- tic last month, Kittie Hastings, ’96, contributed a solo, and Joseph Callahan, ’93, a recitation. We are told that Sunday school has been carried on by telephone. As the scholars could then stay at home, how popular this method might be with some of us! GROUPS OF BIRDS AND BEASTS. Birds and animals, when collect- ed in numbers, have curious tech- nical names applied to them. It is right to say a covey of partridges, a hide of pheasants; a wisp of snipe; a bevy of quail ; a flight of swallows or doves; a muster of peacocks; a siege of heron ; a building of rooks; a brood of grouse ; a plump of wild fowl; a stand of plover; a watch of night- ingales; a chattering of choughs; a flock of geese; a cast of hawks ; a trip of dettrell; a herd of swine ; a skulk of foxes ; a pack of wolves; a drove of oxen ; a sounder of hogs ; a troop of monkeys; a pride ot lions ; a sleuth of bears; a shoal of herrings ; a swarm of bees. THE GOLDEN ROD. LOCALS. EDITED BY Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. Did ever two weeks slip by more quickly! “Who was Addison ?” “A great inventor!’’ Mary Butler of the class of ’91 is visiting in Cambridgeport. “Why do you not read more standard books?” Pupil—Because they are so very dry. The members of ’93 will soon be- gin preparations for their gradua- tion, which they intend shall sur- pass all others. One of our pupils eagerly in- formed us that on Feb. 27 the cele- brated poet, George Washington, would celebrate his birthday. “Rafters are people who float rafts.” The pupil who made this statement must have been deprived of rainy day sport under the attic rafters. A young lady announced that her private pair of rubbers were missing. If she also had a pair for the use of the public she must be very obliging. Yes, sir, your idea of music is very unique! But the drawing of the fingers over the teeth of a comb may not prove quite as agreeable to all musical ears. In illustrating persistence of vis- ion, does it make any difference whose eyes follow you in passing a portrait on the wall ? We refer you to a young lady of ’95 for ex- planation. Teacher, reading in French to class—Tarra— [Amusement and breathless interest shown by class.] Teacher, continuing—Ta ra re ondin. Petit puisson. [Interest collapses.] It really seems as if Greek should be made one of the studies of this school. When the pupils of one of the classes were asked if they had a desire to study it, a large number answered that they would like to do so. We are told by a pupil in Phy- sics that deaf people sometimes hear with their feet. Anyone who had not been in this school house for two years would hardly recognize Room 1, which is now adorned with pic- tures, busts, etc. The latest addi- tion, a gift from Mr. Corthell, is a fine view of the ruins of the Ro- man forum. The school is very grateful to Mr. Corthell for this new proof of his interest in it. We received a visit this month from Mr. Putnam of Boston, who was principal here thirty years ago, and taught the parents ot some of the present pupils. He related some amusing anecdotes, and when asked if he ever had reason to rep- rimand a pupil, to our amazement (?) he said he had occasionally shaken a few. This shows that the present generation is no worse than others, although some parents think it is. THE HEART. (From the German.) Two chambers hath the heart, And there Dwell Joy and Care. Wake, Joy, in thine, Thus Care in his Will peacefully recline. O Joy, beware! Speak gently, Lest thou waken Care. —Frederic Allison Tapper. A D.inbury little darkey refused to go to church “’kase he didn’t want to look like a huckleberry in a pan of milk.”—[Ex. Greenland has no cats. How thankful the Greenlanders must be! Imagine cats in a country where the nights are six months long?—[Ex. Small boy—Mamma, if I should swallow the thermometer would I die by degrees ?—[Ex. The letter e is like many men; it begins everything and ends in sm6ke.—[Ex. THE GOLDEN ROD. M Y RIDE TO SCHOOL. ONE morning recently as I was on my way to school, I board- ed a pissing street car, which, to be sure, was a very commonplace occurrence. It was a rainy morn- ing, and the streets were almost deserted. A few lazy shop-keepers were just pulling up their curtains, and one or two milk-wagons were rattling along over the muddy streets, returning from their early route. As usual the car was crowded, and I considered myself quite for- tunate in securing a seat. This, however, was of rather small di- mensions, as one man seemed en- grossed in a very earnest conversa- tion with his neighbor, and thor- oughly ignored my presence ; while the person on the other side of the unoccupied space was a corpulent individual. Out of justice to him, should he ever hear this tale, I will add that he tried to push down, and that I appreciated his efforts. I squeezed in between the two, and made myself as comfortable as pos- sible under the circumstances. I had scarcely seated myself when visions of unlearned lessons were conjured up by my imagina- tion, so taking from my schooi-bag a dog-eared Caesar, I endeavored to translate what was to my mind a very difficult chapter. But alas! my praiseworthy efforts were in vain, for directly in front of me was a small child with very strong lungs, as was shown by his cries. He made the car seem very much like a nursery, as he kicked and screamed for some cherished play- thing. To say that I was provoked would be putting it in the mildest of terms. I wished that all the babies were anywhere, at that mo- ment, except in that car. Not- withstanding the noise, I made an- other assault on the Caesar, but subjunctives with cums causal and ablatives absolute were mixed up with the baby’s cries in such wild confusion that I gave up in des- pair. Having nothing else to do, I de- voted my attention to the passen- gers in the car, - a very impolite proceeding, no doubt. I perceived the child, who, but a few moments before, had so disturbed my studies. He was a “darling little cherub” to be sure. He was accompanied by a grave looking lady whom he called “mamma ” As I looked at him he stopped crying and com- menced forming an acquaintance with a pleasant looking man who sat beside him, by making sticky overtures of friendship with his hands, which, by way of adorn- ment, were daubed with molasses candy. I left him progressing rap- idly with his new acquaintance, and turned my attention towards the other occupants of the car. Directly in front of me was an old gentleman who, by the appear- ance of his face, must have been disappointed in the recent election, as he perused the morning paper. Beside him was a clerical looking young man, who, I concluded, was a divinity student. In the corner sat a poor old blind man, and by his side a little boy who led him around the city. A little way from these was a maiden who was one of Fortune’s more fa- vored ones, as was indicated by her sealskin sack, yellow curls, and the sparkling rings on her fingers. Here my revery was interrupted by the conductor’s entering the car and collecting the fares. We soon heard from him again, as, thrusting his head through the door, he cried out the name of some street in a minor key. My would-be divinity student left the car in company with the disap- pointed politician. A lady with numerous bundles also departed. The car again started, but was soon stopped by a bevy of fair school-girls, who crowded in re- gardless of ruffles and flounces. Once more on our way, my .at- tention was directed to a queer looking old lady who carried a small green bag, from which she drew forth some tracts, and busied herself with them. Beside her sat a young man, richly deserving the prefix “dude” to his name. He THE GOLDEN ROD. passed away the time chewing the end of his by-no-means small cane, and gazed in open eyed astonish- ment at a jolly old man who had stepped on his toe when passing. He might have remonstrated with him, but the exertion would have been too great. His appearance was so ludicrous, that I had to turn my head aside to refrain from smiling at him. Here my attention was diverted by the laughter of those silly school-girls, and I was obliged to laugh myself at the efforts of an irate market-man to start his balky horse. The vegetables in the wag- on had a great chance of reposing in the muddy gutter, as the horse gently raised his heels heavenward, much to the amusement of a crowd of. small urchins gathered around. As we turned the street corner, the interesting scene passed from view; but a still more comical one presented itself in this quiet re- gion. It was that of a wild-eyed looking man chasing his umbrella through the mud. After losing his rubber once and his temper several times, he finally regained it —the umbrella, not the temper—in an inside-out condition, resting on a fence, fatigued from its recent efforts. He seemed indifferent about its appearance, but then it probably belonged to a neighbor, of whom he had borrowed it for an indefinite period, and therein lies the « x plan at ion of his indifference. On the corner two sons of sunny Italy were engaged in an angry dispute over the value of their fruit. Here a gallant policeman assist- ed a lady to the car. I collected my scattered senses, and saw that if I did not leave the car at this corner I should have the pleasure of walking back a street, and per- haps of being late. I could feel my- self trembling with terror at this last possibility, so gathering up my belongings, I made a dash for the door, and succeeded in gaining the street. My last impressions were that of the little child sitting on the gentleman’s knee, listening to some thrilling story, and the old lady, with the tracts, which, alas! hacl lost their charm for her, dozing in one corner, her green bag clutched tightly in one hand, and her fourteenth-century bonnet sha- ding her eyes. —Sadie McGovern, ’95. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HIS- TORY. DEAR reader, my story is a sad one, and of your kindness I crave attention and sympathy. I began my career in a book- binding factory in New York. At that time I was what was called a fine book, for on my pages the story of our country and its for- tunes was told in good large print, with a goodly number of illustra- tions. Besides this, I was arrayed in a brown cover, on the sides and back of which “Bancroft’s History of the United States” was printed in large gilt letters. From the above-mentioned fac- tory I was removed to a book-sel- ler’s store in Boston. Here I was placed with a number of my com- panions of the same name, similar- ly adorned, on a long shelf. Looking around, I saw hundreds of books which looked very differ- ent from, and not so pretty as my companions and myself. Notwith- standing the satisfaction which this fact gave me, I could not help feeling rather insignificant stand- ing upon a shelf with so many who looked exactly like me, and I feared that I would not attract much attention. o, that this had been true! Unfortunately for me, (although at the time I thought I was very for- tunate,) after a few weeks a gentle- man came into the store and said he would like to buy a History of the United States for his little grandson, for it was Christmas time and he wished to give him a sensible present. The book-seller nodded, and said that he had some- thing which he knew would suit him. Then he came over to the shelf upon which I stood, and my heart beac fast when I saw his hand approach me. I was afraid THE GOLDEN ROD. that he would pass me and take the next book to me, but he did n’t, and I very soon found myself in the hands of the old gentleman, and heard him say, after looking through my pages a few moments, that I was just the book he wanted and forthwith I was wrapped up in thick paper and taken to the gen- tleman’s residence in one of the towns on the outskirts of Boston, where I was received with a unani- mous welcome. On Christmas eve, after the grandson whom I have already mentioned had retired, all the pre- sents intended for him were placed on his dressing table. In the morning, when he awoke, he bounded out of bed and rushed to his dressing table with unwonted eagerness. His presents on being examined proved to be a tool-chest, a large jacknite, a silver paper-cut- ter, a gold pen-holder, a pair of gold cuff-buttons, and last of all, but by no means least, myself. Which of all these presents do you think the boy liked best of all ? Most boys, I think, would have liked the jacknife. Not so with this boy, for he was so charmed with my illustrations, and the style in which I was written proved to be so interesting, that erelong he was comfortably ensconced in a deep easy-chair, with no other wish than to read me all through. He thanked the donor of the gift very gratefully, and said that he would read me all through and take good care of me. Passing over the remainder of the Christmas holidays, we will ac- company the boy to school upon the first day. On that day, of course, all the boys told each other about the presents which they had received. Our hero, you may well imagine, was proud to relate the number and kind of his presents, and was much envied by many of his boy friends. When he went home that night he took one of his schoolmates home with him, that he might show him his presents. The boy was so charmed with my style that he asked if he might borrow me, and the result of his visit was that when he went home he took me along under his arm, promising again and again that he would be very careful of me. O, reader, words cannot express the treatment which I received during the two ensuing weeks ! It would take too long to relate that part ot my story, so to shorten it, let me say that I was thrown from table to chair, from chair to the floor, and pretty generally tossed around, until, when I was returned to my owner, my cover was stained and my leaves soiled with marks of dirty fingers; some were dog- earred, and some—I shiver now when I think of the pain which I suffered when it happened—were torn out. You may be sure my owner was well-nigh heart-broken when he saw the condition in which I was returned to him. After that time hedost all interest in me, and I re- ceived no care whatever. I have lain on a shelf in a store-room now for about three years, and I know not when I shall be removed from here. I will burden you no longer with my sad story, dear reader. I beg to remain, Your humble servant, Bancroft’s H istorv of the U. S , Hancock street, Quincv, Mass. P. S. If it please you, I shall expect an answer. —Nellie E. Murphy, ’93. THE RESCUE OF A SIBERIAN EXILE. IV.—EXILED. THE two soldiers lashed -the horses to a furious gallop, and they sped away for St. Peters- burg, wnere they halted in front of the court. Mr. Winfield was now carried into a cell in the base- ment to await his trial on the mor- row. This proved to be short, and the innocent victim awaited his doom. At length the judge said in a slow, solemn voice, “Albert Winfield has been found guilty, and is sentenced to the mines for life. Nothing could be done. He THE GOLDEN ROD. must go to the mines, where he would never again see his friends, where he would be made to work like a slave, work till he was ex- hausted, and then go supperless to his little bed only to awake on the morrow to toil again as before. But a rescuer was hurrying on, un- known to the broken-hearted Win- field. The next day the journey to that horrible place began. The prison- ers were placed in box-cars like sheep, where little food or water was given them. At length, after what seemed ages, Albert Win- field crawled out of the car in an exhausted condition, to find him- self in Yodosk, and the next day his life of misery began. Down in the mines he was sent, where he was made to work like a slave, or the terrible knout would come down on his shoulders from the ever watchful slave-driver. Days passed, until one night, as Winfield was sitting by the small glimmering fire after an unusually hard day’s work, a gentle knock at the door told him some one was there. Opening it, a young man dressed in furs and high-top boots, and carrying a bundle of pelts on his shoulders, stood before him. ‘‘Are you Mr. Winfield?” asked the stranger in a regular American style. Albert, wondering who this young fellow was and what he wanted, replied, “I am : will you step in ?” The stranger stepped inside. Albert beckoned him to take a seat. When the door was shut and barred and the curtains down, the young man began to tell in a low voice why he was in Yodosk. “My name,” he began, “is Frank Warder, and I am employed by the United States government. I was sent to Siberia to rescue you. Will you escape ?” Winfield pondered a moment and then exclaimed, “I will !” jumping up and grasping his new friend’s hand in wild excitement. “With your help I will escape, I will at the risk of my life, I will see home again if possible.” “Tomorrow night at the hooting of an owl in yonder woods, open your back door, crawl quietly through the brush to the spring, where you will see me, and you will in time see America.” YVith these words the rescuer disap- peared in the darkness. Tumbling into bed, Albert’s last thought was freedom; and he was soon asleep, dreaming that he was running for his life from guards who were chasing him, with glori- ous liberty only a little way ahead. —H. IV, ’96. (To be continued) THE ANCIENTS' ASTRONOMY. The science of Astronomy is so old, Of its origin no trustworthy record is told; Nearly every ancient nation of the earth. Claims the honor of giving it birth. Nothing of books men in early times knew, And turning their eyes the heavens to view, They studied the objects that there they found, Noting the changes which they brought a ound. The day lighted up by the wonderful sun, That sank from sight when its work was done; The stars and the moon with her bor- rowed light. Would take their place in the heavens at night. The Empress sailing the firmament bright, Would go through her phases night by night, Appearing the heavens to journey around, Till on some occasions she could not be found. These changes you may well see were few, Yet from them divisions of time men drew; While the stars they would take to be their guide When traveling this earth so vast and wide. For the Bethlehem star with streamers of light, That shone on the first bright Christmas night. Led to the birthplace of Christ, the Lord, The shepherds and kings who came from abroad. Without instruments, books, or schools they knew Much more indeed than we generally do Of the appearance and changes in' the blue canopy, Arranged by the Creator so wonderfully- —Catherine T. O'Brien, ’93. THE GOLDEN ROD. EXCHANGE. EDITED BY CassieThayer, Catherine C. Pope. The Lowell Review is at hand, with its usual amount of bright and interesting reading. The School Tidings comes to us for the first time from Sturgeon Bay, Wis., with many instructive “tidings We thank the Stranger, Helios, Stylus, Old Hughes, Beacon and High School Echo for their pleas- ant mention of our paper. We are glad to number the T. C. A. Chronicle among our ex- changes. We wish the editors every success in the career upon which they have just entered The Cony Student ranks among the first in the amount and quality of its reading matter. The debate which is published in it this month does justice to the subject and school. We readily agree with the writer of “The Advantages of an English Course” and also find much truth in “School and Life Promotion,” both in the Brattleboro High School Clippings. “The World’s Greatest Ruler” is the title of an article in the High School Student that portrays the Czar of Russia in a very different light from that in which many of us are accustomed to think of him. We gladly welcome the Search Light, in whose pages we find in- formation, entertainment, and hu- mor. We notice that, like the Gol- den Rod, it is without advertise- ments—a state of things rarely to be found among school papers. “A Dream of Reading as it will Appear in 2000,” which is published in the Pioneer of Reading, Mass., shows that the writer has an ex- tensive imagination, and it is very amusing and appropriate for a school paper. We hope we shall be benefited by their “electrical ap- pliances for the prevention of whis- pering and another which detects anyone in the act of passing a note. The Voice contains many in- structive articles. We enjoyed reading “The Dix- vi lie Romance” in The Rambler. Wit and humor are plentiful in the High School Echo, Rockland, Me. Come right in, Old Hughes! Glad to welcome both old and young. The Field Glass, th rough which we obtain an excellent view, is one of our latest arrivals. The reading material of The Dis- taff is remarkably good, especially the “Letters from Europe” and the editorial. The Index is full of interesting articles; one which we especially notice is entitled “World’s Colum- bian Exposition.” Many of our exchanges inform us that the schools are in the same condition as our school; that of preparing for a prize contest. We wish all success. We are glad to receive the Bar- nard Aion, a very neat paper in which we find several fine engrav- ings. The only criticism we offer is that it contains too much about foot-ball. The Lowell High School has had a prize contest for the best compo- sitions. The first prize was given for the essay entitled “Harnessing the Lightning” which is printed in the February number of The Re- view, and which we found very in- teresting. In the Aquilo we find a good ar- ticle on “The Benefit and Injuries of Reading,” from which we ex- tract the following: “In reading newspapers, read only the impor- tant events of the day. Read only the best magazines. First rate books only should be read, and then with the aid of a dictionary, encyclopedia and a pencil.” [I wonder how many of us follow the latter rule.] “Commit to memory some especially good passages from every book that you read. If you find none worth committing, vou may be sure that the book has but little literary merit.” The Golden Rod. Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., MAY, 1893. No. 9 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION RATES. For the Year, . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents Foi sale at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. MCGOVERN or JOS. J. CALLAHAN. BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at tho Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estahrooks. THE cultivation of the broad- est patriotism is the truest celebration of Memorial Day. The life of mankind gains in signifi- cance only as it gains in useful- ness. The only aristocracy of any consequence is the aristocracy of service. And so, as each May brings Memorial Day to us again, let us resolve to be of use to our country in our day and generation. “Diilce et decorum est pro patria mori” says Horace: “Sweet and beautiful is it to die for one’s country,” and we do well to honor the memory of those heroes who gave their lives for us. But “Sweet and beautiful it is to live for one’s country” is a statement equally true. As one has said, “Give me the tender word today, instead of tears tomorrow.” Are you fitting yourself for any- thing ? Competition grows sharper and sharper. Are you planning to enter the world well equipped to battle for the best prizes of life ? Have you ever thought of going to college ? Are you aware of the fact that New England offers magnifi- cent advantages to those who have the energy and ambition to take higher courses? Young man,would you not like to go to Harvard,the old- est and best equipped university in the United States ? Did you ever stop to think that 58 per cent of the highest offices in the gift of the nation have been held by col- lege-educated men? And that, too, when only a very small number, comparatively, go to college ? How about a thorough scientific educa- tion ? See what institutions are ready to welcome all who can pass their examinations. Young ladies, you can be much more useful in life if you continue your studies be- yond the High School grade. Smith College, and Wellesley, and Vassar, and Boston University, and many other institutions have been established for you. Decide for the higher education. No obsta- cles can withstand a fixed purpose and a resolute will._____ The graduating exercises of ’93 are awaited with great interest. The class fully appreciates the in- creased responsibilities involved in the addition of a year to the course. It is hoped that the exercises will be of more than ordinary excel- lence, and that they will be an ad- ditional proof of the wisdom shown in lengthening the course. The seniors are hard at work and will undoubtedly give a fine exhibition. All subscribers who have not yet paid their bills will kindly remem- ber that the expense of running The Golden Rod amounts to about $170 per year, and that the pay- ment of every subscription is, con- sequently, absolutely essential to the success of our paper. The Golden Rod has no advertisements, and in that respect is regarded as a curiosity by other school jour- nals. It depends solely upon its subscribers. As the representa- tive and advocate of the Quincy High School,The Golden Rod is in- valuable. Consequently, every friend of the school should sustain the paper generously. THE GOLDEN ROD. LOCALS. EDITED BY Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. School closes Friday, June 23, much to the sorrow of the pupils. The class motto of ’93 is “Ex vita scholae in scholam vitae” (Out of school life into life’s school). Measles has interfered with our usual routine somewhat, but pupils are slowly returning, and all agree in voting the disease “just horrid.” Pupil in Physics—Lampblack re- flects nearly all. Teacher—If you had reflected more about your lesson, you would have seen tnat lampblack reflects but very little heat. Literature ’93 were reading “The Merchant of Venice” and sympa- thizing with the unsuccessful suitors who were never to speak of marriage to maid again, when a bright member of the class sug- gested that this did not apply to widows. Debate No. 21, “Resolved : That trees are more useful to man than metals,” was won by the affirma- tive side. The pupils of ’95 were so impressed by the powerful argu- ments advanced in favor of trees that on the very next day they planted one for the benefit of fu- ture generations. The pupils of this school cannot thank Mr. Corthell and Dr. Shea- han too much for the generosity and interest they have shown in offering so many valuable prizes for declamations, essays and trans- lations. Prize contests are .pro- ductive of much good. They stimulate worthy ambitions in pu- pils, and by the award of prizes en- couragement is given to those vho work hard. For this reason they who offer prizes are great benefac- tors. The pupils also appreciate the generous assistance given them by the teachers of the school both at this and all other times. To them belongs much praise for the credit- able results 01 the prize contests. For a definition of a “double character” we refer you to French ’94. The prize speaking was an event to be remembered by all who at- tended those exercises. The ear- nest work of the pupils was appar- ent, and much credit is due them. A pupil in Physics, on being asked to tell all she knew about rock salt, began thus: “Take a rock salt,” when she was abruptly asked if she took it externally or internally. The Quincy High School has reason to be proud of its rank. We have received direct informa- tion that our exhibition at the World’s Fair is the best from Massachusetts. Sketching is something very popular just now, and one can see fairy-like maidens perching on rocks, stumps, and in any favora- ble situation for an artistic survey of ruins, noted buildings, and en- ticing scenes. Chelsea turns scornful eyes towards our much-abused High School building, but hold still, Chelsea—“He laughs best who laughs last.” When Quincy is “as dead as Chelsea,” it will be time to make comparisons. The teachers and pupils of this school were much encouraged when the Boston Transcript said that the work sent from the Quin- cy High School to the World’s Fair was the best exhibit sent from any school in Massachusetts. The members of the debating society are wondering why they do not hear from the members of the Hyde Park Debating society, who challenged them some time ago. Probably the latter have been dis- couraged by the fame of Quincy debaters. The time has come when dreams of vacation and trips to country and sea-shore are greatly mixed up with graduating dresses, essays, music and a determination to study against all the rebelling of the flesh. Truly, “The spirit is will- ing, but the flesh is weak.” THE GOLDEN ROD. PRIZE SPEAKING. ON the evening of April 25th, between five and six hundred people assembled in Hancock Hall, the occasion being the first prize- speaking contest of the Quincy High School. The prizes, all of which consisted of books, were generously offered by Mr. Wendell G. Cortheli last year. Dr. J. M. Sheahan also offered prizes for the best essays and translations, and it was understood that the award of these prizes would be an- nounced on the evening of the contest. We extend a vote of thanks to Mr. Cortheli and Dr. Sheahan for their benevolence and for thus en- couraging good work in elocution and in English composition, two most important branches of educa- tion. Not only are we very grate- ful to them tor these donations, but also for the great interest they have always had in our Hign School, and which they have mani- fested in various ways. We thank the judges tor so kind- ly consenting to examine the many written articles passed in for in- spection and decision. We also wish to express our gratitude to our teachers for their kind and willing assistance in the prepara- tion of the declamations, and to those who arranged the stage so tastefully for the occasion. It was certainly to the earnest efforts of our teachers that the success of the evening was in a great meas- ure due. All the pupils were admitted free and the front seats of the hall were reserved for them. The large audience encouraged us, and we were glad to see that so many people of Quincy took such an interest in their High School. The declaimers rendered their parts very well, and won merited applause It was evident that the time used in preparation was not spent in vain. We regretted very much that one who was to declaim was prevented by illness from do- ing so. The music by the school was very satisfactory, and this, together with the piano duet and the violin obligato, both of which were highly appreciated, relieved the monotony of the declamations. At the close of the contest our principal, Mr. Tupper, after thank- ing the donors of the prizes, the judges, the superintendent, the audience, and the pupils, introduced Mr. Merton S. Keith, who anounced the award of prizes for the essays and translations, as follows Translations—First prize, $10, EVa G. Reed; second prize, $7, Annie E. Burns ; third prize, $4, Mabel Oxford. Essays—First prize, $10, Ger- trude A. Boyd; second prize, $7, Annie E. Burns ; third prize, $4, Marv Pitts. Honorable mention was made of the translations of Nellie C. Mur- phy and John W. Estabrook, and of the essays of Nellie C. Murphy and Charles Anderson. Mr. Sylvester Brown of Boston then announced the judges’ decis- ion upon declamations,as follows: — First prize, $25, Mabel Oxford; second prize, $20, Gertrude A. Boyd ; third prize, $16, Cassendana Thayer; fourth prize, $10.50, Ermi- nia Kolb. Five other prizes, each $1.50, were given to the following pupils : Mary L. Pierce, Helen A. Turner, Carrie B. Baker, Beatrice Briggs, Daisy Lowe. Mr. George W. Morton, who was present, then offered to each of the speakers, who did not receive a prize, a book valued at $2. We wish to thank the above-named gentleman for his kind thoughtfulness. The affair was a grand success financially and otherwise. The expenses amounted to about $25, and the school realized about $45. We feel that a desire has been awakened in the pupils to become more proficient in elocution, that pleasant and refining study, the knowledge of which is necessary to become a public speaker ; and in English composition, by which one learns to express his ideas clearly and grammatically, and through which his vocabulary is greatly increased. THE GOLDEN ROD. We hope that next year more of our young men will embrace the fine opportunity held out to them, and enter the contest. Those present enjoyed the ex- ercises of the evening very much, and will always have pleasant recollections of the prize speaking contest in the year 1893. The fol- lowing is the program :— Music—“Gloria.” G. A. Veazie Jr. The School. The Battle of Beal an Duine,” Scott Erminia Kolb, 93. The Light on Deadman’s Bar,” Rexford Helen A. Turner, ’96. “The Ride of Jennie M’Neal,” Carleton Cassendana Thayer, ’93. The Boy Convict’s Story,” Carleton Carrie B. Baker, ’93. Selection from “Marmion,” Scott Alice Sampson, ’95. Music—“Hope” (L’Esp rance), Hutet Members of the French classes, with violin obligato by Walter E. Loud. Little Orphant Annie,” Riley Daisy Lowe, ’95. Toussaint L’Ouverture,” Phillips Joseph J. Callahan, ’93. Little Rocket’s Christmas,” Brown Mabel L. Drew,’o6. Death MakesAll Men Brothers,”Upham Gertrude A. Boyd, ’93. Music—By the School. Liberty and Union,” Webster Charles Baxter, ’95. “Wounded,” Watson Maoel Oxford, ’93. “St George and the Dragon,” Latimer Beatrice Briggs, ’96. “The Bishop and the Caterpillar,” Anon. Mary L. Pierce, 95. Music-Piano duet, Daisy Bemis and Eloise Flood. March Song—“Our Public School” Arr. by L. F. Smith. Words by Frederic Allison Tupper. Tne School. A T THE DA WN OF DA Y. The moon and stars go out of sight, No more we need their sad, pale light; The morning breeze now seems to say, There is to come a pleasant day.” For every bird comes from its nest, The world has also had its rest; But now again begins a day For old to work and young to play. How pleasant all things are this morn, As if the earth has just been born! The little rain that fell last night Has made the plants all green and bright! But this day, too, will soon pass by, And then again the night draws nigh. —C.J. Anderson, ’96. The Physics class should study humor; it is theonly thing that over- comes the force of gravity.—[Ex. PERSONAL. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Agnes Heaphy '96, is bookkeep- ing in West Quincy. Katie Evans ’93, and Bessie Drew ’94, visited us this month. Margaret O’Hara, once of ’95, has completed her studies at French’s Business College, and is type-writing in Boston. Amy Slade, a former pupil of this school, has entered the Quin- cy Training class, and will com- mence her duties at the Washing- ton school. At the reception given to the pastor of the YVest Quincy Metho- dist church Wednesday, May 3, an address of welcome was given by Bertha Turner ’96, and a reading by Cassie Thayer ’93. On Monday evening, May 8, a surprise party was given to May Beckwith ’96, at her home in At- lantic. Many friends and school- mates were present, and Miss Beckwith received many presents. “YVhat’s oie sauvageV' asked Quiz- zer bold, Quizzee, with terror struck, Replied, “It means, my worthy friend, It means a savage duck.” “YVrhat is a jeu d' esprit ? she asked, And he, though man of merit, Replied in accents faltering: “It means a Jew of sperit.” “Je f adore” the young man said, Ah me ! and woe’s the morrow ! “Shut it yourself !” the maid re- plied, And left him to his sorrow. A small boy surprised his teach- er at one of the grammar schools recently by asking how far a pro- cession 01 the presidents of the United States would reach if they were placed in a row. On her ex- pressing her ignorance, he calmly announced, “From Washington to Cleveland.”—[Exchange. THE GOLDEN ROD. A NEGLECTED GRA VE. The grass grows rank and the grass grows high, And the weeds grow too apace, apace,- Till a name on a stone is hid from the sky, And a cold neglect seems to rule the place. Why, even the stone bends lowly down, Like one in grief to earth, to earth; And closely the mosses green and brown Cling to the dates of death and birth. The hedge untrimmed and the grass un- cut, The violets choked, once blue, so blue! The path is gone, and the gate that shut With an iron clank has vanished too. But a red wild rose that no neglect Or winter’s storm could blight or kill,— More kind than thou to recollect, Thou son or daughter,—blooms there still. I tear the moss from the sacred name, And hold the grass from the crumbling stone.— What name is this? The very same I love more fondly than my own ! Only a word was hidden there, Mid weeds and grass and clinging moss; •‘Mother” it was, of names most fair, The loss of whom is the greatest loss. I smoothed the grass on the sunken mound, I pulled the weeds from the violets weak, And as I passed from the burial ground, I felt the tear-drops on my cheek. —Frederic Allison Tapper. THREE DA YS IN THE LIFE OF A QUINCY GIRL.-i77s-i78s. “PO you beg for a story, my chil- dren ? Well, dears, what shall it be ? About the time when grand- ma was a little girl ? Well, now let me see,” and grandma removed her spectacles, and wiped them with the corner of her kerchief, an ac- tion which was habitual with her whenever she prepared to tell a story. “Well, children, in the year 1775, when your grandma was only about your age, Alice, I, with my parents and brother, was living in a little town a few miles outside of Boston, then the North Precinct of Brain- tree, but it is now a flourishing city called Quincy. “It was during the Revolutionary War, as your history has probably taught you, Ralph. My father was This essay took the first prize in the recent contest. in the army fighting for his coun- try, together with many other brave men of our little town, conse- quently my mother was alone in the house, with only us three chil- dren ; my eldest brother being but fourteen years of age. “I remember the schools were closed that year, and business was at a standstill. The whole atten- tion of the entire people was occu- pied with one thing, that of pre- serving their town and property from the ravages of the enemy. How thankful you children ought to be, when you consider the great advantages you have in gaining an education; and then look back- ward and think of the many diffi- culties we children of those times labored under, and then consider, too, that often our education went no further than writing and arith- metic.—But to our story. “On the 23d of May many ominous reports reached us, also reports concerning the distress of the in- habitants of Boston, and we were constantly expecting an attack by the enemy. Though only nine years of age at the time, I can still recall Mrs. Wheeler (the greatest gossip in the town) hurrying from one house to another, spreading the news. Even in those troublous times she had not forgotten her forte. So great was the anxiety which prevailed among the people, that, although it was Saturday, many of the household duties were forgotten. I remember how my mother made bread but forgot to put in any salt. I seem to see her now, as she performed her daily work, muttering a prayer both for our safety, and that of our absent father. We children had remained in the house all day, being afraid to go out alone to play. “Early the next morning, May 24, the crisis came. The firing of the alarm guns woke me before six o’clock. To jump out of bed and to scramble into my clothes was the work of a moment. When I got down stairs, I learned that the whole town was in confusion. Bells were ringing and drums beating. Three British sloops of war and THE GOLDEN ROD. one cutter, anchoring below Great Hill, had caused this alarm. It was at first supposed that they were going to attack Germantown or Weymouth, and the inhabitants of those parts fled to Braintree and Bridgewater for safety. One old lady forgot husband and home, flung her bed into a cart, and leap- ing in after it, ordered a boy to drive her to Bridgewater, which he did with all haste. It was reported that three hundred men had land- ed, and had already begun their march up to the town. “The news spread rapidly, and quickly two thousand armed men from various towns surrounding us arrived. The enemy soon made known the purpose of their expedi- tion, which was to plunder hay from Grape Island in the Harboi. At first it was impossible to reach them on account of the scarcity of boats, but by firing at them our men prevented them from taking more than three tons of hay. Finally a lighter and a sloop were procured from Hingham, and our men immediately put off for the island. “As soon as the enemy became aware of the approach of the Americans, they beat a hasty re- treat. On reacHing the island, the Americans immediately set fire to the barn, and to the remaining hay. These were soon a heap of ashes. “I recall how our boys, not being allowed to accompany the men on their expedition, climbed to the top of the tallest trees, and from there witnessed the battle, telegraphing the proceedings to a group of frightened women below. I, at first, tried to climb with them, [I was always a sort of tomboy,] but finding my skirts an obstacle, 1 was obliged to descend, and after trudg- ing home, contented myself with sitting on Penn’s Hill, and listen- ing to the firing of the guns and watching the rings of smoke float- ing above the tree-tops. “The next day a companv of sol- diers was stationed at German- town for the protection of the coast. Glancing out of the window from time to time, I perceived Mrs. Wheeler’s sun-bonnet emer- ging from one doorway only to be lost from sight, in a few minutes, in another. She had heard that three other ships had come into Boston. Well do I remember what a state of confusion our house was in. A soldier coming in for his breakfast, a neighbor bobbing in after him tor the latest news, only to be followed, mayhap, by a refugee from Boston. We children, half frightened, crept up behind everybody to listen. That day, however, we felt somewhat calmer ; had not our men driven the hateful, plundering English away from our little Grape Island? How we did pray that night that the good Lord would remove them still farther from us, as we thought that if the news reached our absent parent, additional worry for us would an- noy him. “Thus were spent the greater part of the early days of your grandma, in a constant state of anxiety and dread. Truly, children, you know not how thankful you should be that, in the poet’s language— ■Peace o'er the world her olive branch extends.’ for war is indeed a frightful thing.” —Antiquarian (Gertrude Boyd),'93. THE RESCUE 6f A SIBERIAN EXILE. V.—FREEDOM. Frank Warder at last found himself in Yodosk. Stepping out of the train he called a drosky. “Take me to some house where I can find accommodations.” “All right,” said the driver, and started off, soon stopping at a small log-cabin on the outside of a great wood, where Frank was cor- dially received. At 10 o’clock he was shown his room and was soon asleep. The next morning he was aroused by a knock at the door, and some one called him to break- fast. Before long he was eating a hearty meal. Frank kept out of sight that day until night came, then he dressed himself in the suit he had obtained, and went into the exile settlement disguised as a trapper, in search of Albert Win- THE GOLDEX ROD. field. Inquiring at a little cabin, he was shown in which cabin he lived. What followed has been described in the preceding chap- ter. “Tu whoo, tu whoo, tu whit,” came from the neighboring wood the next night. Albert Winfield quietly opened the door; soon Frank crept stealthily in, and mo- tioning Albert to keep silent, gave him a suit of fur to put on. Every- thing was at last ready, and they quietly left the cabin, their hearts beating with excitement. Crawl- ing along on their hands and knees they had gone about two hundred yards when a voice was heard cry- ing out, “Two prisoners escaping,” and soon voices were heard talking excitedly, and the deep bark of the bloodhounds told them their es- cape was discovered. “Run for your life!” said Frank, “Run as you never ran before! Run for your freedom.” They straight- ened and ran with all their might. They now entered a narrow ravine lined on both sides with fir trees and thick underbrush forming a sort of natural path between. All of a sudden came a cracking of the bushes, and a Russian guard leaped out. “Surrender or you shall die !” he said in a loud, gruff voice, and at the same time cover- ing the two fugitives with his mus- ket. The deep bark of the blood- hounds speeding along the trail told Frank that no time was to be lost, and even now he could see the foremost dog bounding over the deep snow drifts. Ducking his head, Frank leaped at the throat of his would-be cap- turer while the musket ball fired by the guard grazed his head. The guard was thrown deep into a snow-drift. Frank snatched the musket and they sped on again. “That front dog is going to give us trouble,” panted Winfield, who was showing signs of fatigue. “I’m afraid so,” replied Frank, looking back at the huge dog that had seen them and was redoubling his exertions to bring them down by his cruel teeth. Faster and faster went the dog; he was now so near they could hear his heavy panting and could see his cruel eves gleaming wickedlv. How o o j Frank wished the gun was loaded, that he might shoot the dog then and there! Albert was getting tired, and his foot striking an up- turned root sent him sprawling in the snow. The dog was upon him in an instant, his long white teeth buried in Albert’s clothing. Using his gun as a club, Frank dealt the dog a stinging blow on the head. The beast, leaving Albert, leaped for Frank, but quickly drawing his knife the latter buried it in the dog’s side, and it soon died. Large flakes of snow were soon falling. Albert was again on his feet, the dog’s teeth having gone only through his coat, and so they sped on over the newly-fallen snow. Their pursuers now rounded a large rock, and catching sight of them, discharged their guns, the bullets whistled around them, one going through Albert’s hat, and another through his coat. “I guess its all over with us,” said Frank, seeing the apparent impos- sibility of escaping. Hut they were to be free men and not prisoners. The few falling flakes of snow had now increased to a blinding blizzard. The snow was so dense that one could scarcely see ten feet ahead, and their footprints were so quickly covered that all danger of recapture was gone. The pursu- ers gave up the chase; even the dogs were unable to keep the trail. The barking of the dogs became fainter and fainter, until it died away in the distance. The fugi- tives travelled on all that night un- til they came to a small cabin in a clearing, where they spent the rest of the day. —H. lV.y ’96. (To be continued.) Small Boy—Oh, mamma, did you know we had a hen that goes fishing every night ? Mamma—No, dear. What does she go fishing after ? Small Boy—Perch. —[Exchange. THE GOLDEN ROD. EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer, Catherine C. Pope. We are happy to make the ac- quaintance of the Student’s Pen. Although the Argus has suffered from the burning of its school- building, we find the paper very in- teresting and amusing. Many of our exchanges would improve their appearanee if they were more careful, in arranging their matter, to have their articles in the right column. May! One more paper. We hope to see all the exchanges with whom we have become acquainted this past year once more before the close of tne school year. We are glad to receive the Pen- dulum, from Bernardston, Mass. The editorials and essays are ex- cellent. We should like the paper better if it were in book form. The Volcano publishes a list of its exchanges at the present time ; but we do not see our name among them. How is that, Volcano? Do you not consider the Golden Rod one of your friends ? The High School Observer and the Central Collegian are two of our latest acquisitions. The latter devotes its first page wholly to poetry. The poems in the number at hand are very pretty. Our near neighbor, the C. M. T. S. Register, although very good in many respects, lacks one feature which all should have, and which we anxiously search for, and that is an exchange column. “At the University of London a young Scotch girl, only twenty years of age, carried off the honors against 16,000 male students,” says one of the most breezy of our ex- changes. Beware, young men ! The Messenger hastens to us from Deering, Me., and although we greet most messengers with fear and foreboding, we always meet this one with a light heart and friendly greeting. Come often. Another Owl flies into our sanc- tum, this one from Leicester, Mass. He is in his infancy and as yet does not display so much wisdom as one would naturally expect, but he will probably acquire more of that quality as he grows older. The Volunteer has volunteered to let us share its contents, which we find very interesting. This paper contains more engravings than any exchange we have re- ceived so far. It, however, lacks an exchange column. Why not insert oner The Stylus announces that “as the spring weather advances the zeal for study is apt to diminish. The very breath of spring fills one with a desire to inhale more of the pure air.” Much as we wish for summer and vacation, let us finish the year with the best record of all. We should like to call the atten- tion of the Beacon to the fact that “Criticism begins at home.” They make the old criticism on the posi- tion of advertisements in one of their exchanges, while in the same issue, on several pages may be found from one to two columns of adver- tisements in three columns ot printing. On opening the Seaside Torch we first find an engraving of a “Winter at Niagara” which is very appropriate this winter, then after turning two or three pages we see several engravings from Central Park, New York. Among these the Egyptian Obelisk and the Mall are prominent. The description of the obelisk is especially interesting to the Drawing class of ’95. We welcome the School Palladi- um, in which we find a “Letter from Italy.” Since we may not go to that interesting land, we are al- ways glad to read sketches of it from those who are more fortu- nate than we. Friend Palladium, in reply to your questions we would say that a Debating Society is the only society we have in our school; and, at present, our sub- scription list is sufficient to “make both ends meet.” The Golden Rod Vol. II. QUINCY, MASS., JUNE, 1893. No. 10 THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION KATES. For the Year, . 50cents | Single Copies, . 5 cents Foi sale at K B. Souther’s. Address all communications to 8 a rah c. McGovern or jos. j. Callahan. BUSINESS MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, John W. Estabrooks. PO much interest has been man- G} ifested in the project of a new High School building, and so ne- cessary is this improvement, that an early realization of our hopes is confidently anticipated. The au- thorities will in all probability give us an admirable building, adapted in every way to a High School of the first grade. Ouincy is deter- mined to maintain her leadership in schools. With a large member- ship, a suitable building, a flour- ishing alumni association, and with all the associations of past years, the High School will be easily first of all the educational institutions of Quincy. It ought not to be necessary for our business editors to hire a horse and carriage in order to collect the subscriptions due The Golden Rod. When subscribers consider the expense of publication, besides all the work of mailing the papers, writing the articles, etc., they sure ly will not delay the payment of subscriptions. Why not form an alumni associ- ation ? Other schools regard such an association as of the highest importance. The real strength of a school depends not simply on its present teachers and pupils, but on all those who have ever been connected with it. An annual meeting of all past and present members of the school might con- sist of literary exercises and a so- cial reunion. Some of the students of the Quincy High School have won high rank in many fields of usefulness. Let us have an annu- al festival, with speeches, music, a dinner, and a good time generally. As this is the last issue of our paper for this school year, we wish you all a very pleasant vacation, and hope you will come back with renewed strength, both mental and physical. But, o Sextant! there are one kermodity Wich is more than goald, wich doant cost nothing, Worth more than anything ezeep the Sole of Mann I mean pewer Air, Sextant, I mean pewer Air! O it’s so plenty out o’ dores, so plenty it doant No what on airth to do with itself, but flies About scatterin leaves and blowin off men’s hats: In short it’s just as ‘free as air” out dores, But o sextant in our church it's scarce as piety. [We think the last line might be made to read, “But o committee in our school it’s scarce as possible.” —Eds.] To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion ; to be worthy, not respectable ; and wealthy, not rich, to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly ; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart ; to bear all cheer- fully, do all bravely, await occa- sions, hurry never— in a word, to let the spiritual, unhidden and un- conscious, grow up through the common ; this is to be my sympho- ny.—[Exchange. THE GOLDEN ROD. LOCALS. PERSONAL. EDITED BY Annie E. Burns, Daisy C. Bemis, Percy A. Hull. “It was a complete sell (cell).”— “His dog was half of himself.”— “Pneumatics is air.”—“A horse (hoarse) rattle.” A passage in English was ren- dered thus : “He shrugged his shoulders, shook his eyes, and rolled his head ” One of our pupils tells us that we must connect the legs of a chair before it is in equilibrium stable enough to stand. We shall have no more debates until next September, as the school is too busy attending to ex- aminations and graduation exer- cises to give the required time, as every minute is precious. “What has become of the ener- y expended centuries ago in uilding the still remaining parts of the Egyptian pyramids?” Pupil—Well,—ah, it is still there; —when they put it there it was kinetic, now it is potential. Some of the young men have of late been indulging themselves, on account of the warm weather, in the luxury of climbing the trees on the school grounds. It was men- tioned by our principal that a the- ory existed that man originated from an animal that was very fond of climbing trees. When the hope was expressed that none of the boys resembled that animal in any way (?), they suddenly refrained from that sport, and confined them- selves to reclining on the grass under the trees. A Henry county negro was dis- covered carrying a very large arm- ful of books, which biou ht forth the inquiry, “Goin to school ?” “Do you study all those books ?” “No sar; dey’s my brudder’s. Yer jest oughter see dat nigger fig erin. He done gone and cipnered clean through addition, partition, subtraction, distraction, creation, abomination, justification, amputation and adoption.”—[Ex. EDITED BY Jennie Griffin, Edith Eaton, Herbert A. Thompson. Minnie Wilson has said goodbye to ’95. Catherine Kelliher, ’96, has been unable to attend school during the last few weeks, owing to ill health. Dr. Sheahan and Mr. Corthell visited us this month and distribu- ted the prizes awarded at the prize contest. At an entertainment given in Hancock Hall Tuesday evening, June 6, a duet was given by Annie Roche, • ’96, and Eleanor Roche, 93- At an entertainment given May 29 by the Young People's Literary society, Annie Roche and Annie Walsh, both of ’96, sang in a quar- tet, and Catherine O’Brien, '93, delivered an address. At the recent entertainment given by the Young Ladies' Char- itable society in Mechanics Build- ing, Boston, Mary Gavin and An- nie Keenan, both of ’94, were among the many who took part in the scene “Liberty.” ESSAY ON BOYS. Boys is hawrid. That is what all girls sez. They don’t say so so es they wunt get plaged. Boys like to have girls think thay are tuff. Mi big sister sez tuff boys generally turn out best. I hav never thot of gettin married but Iv had lots uv chances. Boys is yustful. They dim trees and steel things for the girl they like best. Six different boys likes me best. Gurls pretende thay doant cair for boys. Gurls who say tha doant like boys wunt go ter Heven. Girls who go tu heven must tell the trooth. After a while boys is men. When boys get to usin tebekka they ar men. Boys is bet- ter than men.—[Exchange. Latin teacher to ’96—You may give me the Latin for “The dog is white.” '96—Cur esi albus. —[Ex. THE GOLDEN ROD,. FROM THE CAPITAL OF THE NUTMEG STA TE. Dear Golden Rod Thinking that perhaps you would like to hear from the “Nut- meg state,” I take pleasure in writing a few lines about its capi- tal city. As I have not “Dwelt amid the city, And heard the flow of souls”— for a very long time, the descrip- tion will not be as graphic as it would be under other circum- stances. But beautiful as Hart- ford is, I have often wished my- self back in the Granite city, with its pleasant associations, and have longed fora whiff of salt air scent- ed with clams and other low-tide odors. The first thing which attracted my home-sick eye was the beauti- ful capitol, whose dome rises high above the surrounding buildings. People say it is the second finest in the United States. One is al- lowed to ascend the dome certain hours of the day, and he is well re- paid for the trouble, when he sees the beautiful view. To me the greatest pleasure is in climbing the narrow spiral stair in the “pitchy” darkness. One feels all the de- lightful sensations of dizziness, fright, and wanting to throw ones- self over the railings, and in this it excels Bunker Hill monument. The public library disappointed me at first, and does still, but per- haps I was spoiled by the constant patronage of the pretty one in Quincy. No doubt the small chil- dren stand in great terror of the library here, as they are nearly always greeted by a loud, com- manding voice—“Hold out your hands ; You can’t take books out with those looking things. Go to the sink and wash them ; be quick now.” The child, too timid to ask where the sink is, and not finding it, goes home with no book and a quantity of tears. The homes of Charles Dudley Warner and Mark Twain are on Farmington avenue, while Harriet Beecher Stowe’s is just behind them. The first two are beautiful residences, while the latter is less pretentious. When I chance to pass these houses, I often linger to catch a glimpse of the august personages who reside therein, but have as yet failed to see anything except tne fleeting coat-tails which I fondly hope belonged to Charles Dudley Warner. Hartford has fifty churches, the largest of which is St. Joseph’s Cathedral. This is even more imposing than Notre Dame in Montreal, Canada. I have not yet sampled the Con- necticut River either for skating or otherwise, as it has not conde- scended to freeze this winter as often as it might have. A branch of the river flows through Capital park, and is suggestively called Hog River by a small acquain- tance of mine. About three miles out of the city is the state prison, which I sincerely hope to avoid while here. It is dark and gloomy, as most sim- ilar structures are, and its senti- nels look very lonely as they walk their solitary rounds. The largest educational institu- tions are the High School, the Theological Seminary and Trinity College. The High School is a fine, large brick structure, [I do n’t want to make you jealous;] but strange to relate, nothing is fur- nished to the pupils. Connecticut is a very “stingy” state, I think. The Theological Seminary is situ- ated near the High School, and somewhat resembles it in appear- ance. Trinity College is farther out of the city. One can skate to it in winter, a distance of three miles. I have nearly consumed my mid- night oil, and pater-familias has inquired twice if I knew what time it was, so the natural conclusion of this letter is -to close it. Sincerely Yours, Catherina Christiansen. Hartford, Conn., April 3, 1893. [The editors are always glad to receive communications from for- mer students. Who will be the next to write?] THE GOLDEN ROD. PRIZE TRANSLATION. [From The French.] THK APPLE-ORCHARD.—CHAP. III. THE next day was Sunday. On that day Father Glam fin- ished dressing, shaved himself, and, his day’s work done, made his ap- pearance in the village, where he now and then played a game of piquet. Catherine, as Pacome well knew, went to the early morning service, and spent the rest of her time in putting the house into a state of unrivaled neatness. She sent her father away under the pretext that he disturbed her, put a piece of money into his pocket, and told him to amuse himself with his old friends. Now at the same time that Cath- erine was arranging drawers and polishing the furniture, Father Glam, trimly dressed and newly shaved, with a fine white shirt and a well-brushed coat, presented him- self at the house of Mathieu Le- blanc, who kept the best coffee- house in Varaville. Father Hen- nebaut was in the doorway, sur- rounded by some of the leading men of the village, with whom he was conversing eagerly. As soon as he saw the keeper he called him :— “Hollo! Father Glam, come here so that I may speak to you,” cried he. The keeper took a few steps. Father Hennebaut regarded him with a sullen and artful look. “What would you say if you had a nice piece of beef with a good glass of wine every Sunday, and a chop for breakfast every day ?” re- sumed he. “Eh! eh!” answered Father Glam, “then there is some inheri- tance; an uncle in the West Indies is no more ?” “What! he does not know of the affair ?” cried one speaker. “And what do you wish me to know?” said Father Glam. “Yes- terday, I spent the day at Dozul£, where I drew up an official report against three poachers whom I caught setting snares in the Red- Farm woods. Afterward, I slept.” “Well, ask Father Hennebaut.” “Ah,” said the latter, “it is a trick of fortune and of Old Nick if you could expect it. Try, Father Glam, you will never guess. At first it vexed me, because of other ideas which I had, but since it is my son’s wish, shake hands and jump for joy. Catherine will be my daughter-in-law on All-Saints Day.” Father Glam grew very pale. “What do you say?” cried he. Those around him began to laugh. “See the effect that it produces on him. He is trembling all over!” they said. “I am telling the truth,” replied Father Hennebaut. Pacome wished it, it is he therefore whom it will be necessary to thank.” “Is Catherine informed of all this?” asked Feather Glam with an anxious look. ‘No more than you yourself were just now.” The countenance of the old keeper suddenly assumed an ex- pression of uncommon gravity. “Since this affair is true,” returned he, “and since you have thought seriously of uniting in marriage Catherine and your son, it is my opinion that the first step to take might have been to ask her of her father.” “What for?” said Father Henne- baut. “Since Pacome wants her for his wife, that goes without say- ing. What girl of this place or the country round about would not be glad to marry him ? He has his mother’s property without count- ing mine, which will come to him some day, and all that makes a large amount. Then, the notary has been informed, and the contract will be signed in three days.” “Well, you are wrong, because, to speak plainly to you, this mar- riage will not take place.” A thunderbolt tailing suddenly before the door of the coffee- house could not have produced a more violent effect. There was but one cry in the whole audience. The pipe, his Sunday meerschaum pipe, had just fallen from leather Flennebaut’s mouth. THE GOLDEN ROD. “So! what’s that you say?” he cried finally. “Surely I misunder- stood you!’ “No,” answered Father Glam gravely, “I said what I meant. However honorable and unhoped for your alliance may be to us, I refuse it.” Having said that, the old man turned on his heel and left the vil- lage with a firm step. They no- ticed even that he did not drag his left foot. All eyes were turned upon Father Hennebaut. He was like one paralyzed, and stared after Father Glam, who was departing. His face expressed such profound astonishment and so great anger that those around began to laugh. “Farewell to the wedding, the fiddlers have departed!” said one of the witnesses of this scene. Father Hennebaut, even if he had not been as hard and dry as a post, was too wealthy not to be hated. The laugh very quickly became contagious, and it spread through the whole assembly. “Pshaw! you had invited me to the feast, behold a dinner which will not ruin you,” said a wag. “Well, neighbor, do not fail to send me the cakes which they will not eat,” said another. Every one threw in a word. Father Hennebaut became purple. “We will see about that!” said he with a furious expression. He arose and left the village to look for his son. Pacome had gone to Troarn to attend a sale of horses. On his return he met his father, who was smoking while he walked with hasty steps before the gate of the enclosure. A cloud of smoke was floating around his bare head. His face was as red as a peony. “Ah ! it is you,” he cried. “I thought you were never coming. There is news here— “What is it?” asked Pacome. “Are the fawn-colored oxen dead?” “Ah! there is something beside oxen to think of! I would have given four of them that this thing might not have happened.” “What then is the matter ?” re- turned Pacome, frightened. “Your marriage has fallen to the ground,” and he told him the story of his interview with Father Glam. “All the neighbors laughed so that the village rang with it,” said he in concluding. “What humilia- tion for us!” Father Hennebaut profited by his son’s silence to recur a moment to the question of marriage. If his excessive self-conceit was wounded by a refusal from an infe- rior, he could not help a certain satisfaction at the thought that this marriage scheme would perhaps be abandoned forever. He therefore exaggerated his vexation in the hope that Pacome, agreeing with him, would give up any new at- tempt and would turn to another quaiter. He even lightly intro- duced the name of a cattle-dealer who had a marriageable daughter. This name fell into his little speech as a drop of honey into wormwood. Pacome listened to his father with knitted brows. “So he has flatly refused to give me his daughter?” said he, without heeding the rest. “Flatly.” “Yet ne knows that we have his note.” “What foolishness! seeing that he is behindhand with the inter- est.” Pacome thought a moment, then, stamping his foot, he said, “There is some love affair underneath. I will know it.” — Thaddeus of Warsaw (Eva Ger- trude Reed), ’93. THE RESCUE OF A SIBERIAN EXILE. VI.—HOME, SWEET HOME. THE next night Warder and Winfield set out for a post about twenty-five miles to the south, their host supplying them with food and weapons. They had probably gone ten miles in weary silence when the long, far- away howl of a wolf ran through the dark, silent pine woods. The travellers shuddered at the thought of being chased by these half-fam- ished animals. The stories they THE GOLDEN ROD. had read when boys, of horses be- ing pulled to the ground and trav- ellers devoured, all flashed through their minds. “I guess we had better hurry; fifteen more miles to go with wolves after us would n’t be very pleasant,” remarked Frank, look- ing back over his shoulder into the inky blackness. Another howl, still nearer, then one to the left, told them that no time was to be lost. The beasts were evidently in large numbers, judging from the howls. “I’m afraid so,” replied Albert, “so let us hurry.” At length one loud howl, as if a hundred wolves had uttered it, told in words too plain that they had caught the trail, and were speeding after the two fugitives, who were by this time running for their lives. The blood-curdling howls grew nearer and nearer. Running at the height of their speed, mile after mile flew under their sore feet. At length the wolves caught sight of them, and their howls grew deafening. One gaunt crea- ture, outstripping his fellows, gained rapidly on the two. At last he was near enough to spring, and leaping at Albert with a sav- age growl, he buried his white teeth in his foot, bringing him to the ground. Albert’s career would have ended then and there if it had not been for Frank, who pulled his revolver and killed the beast. Albert grasped Frank’s hand, and he was again on his feet. The hungry wolves stopped to devour their dead companion, and the men were able to gain a little time. But the hideous pack was again at their heels, howling and snarling ferociously. A light gleams across the white snow ! The post is in sight, and their hearts leap with joy and hope. Firing their pistols and shouting soon bring a man to the door. A puff of hot breath and a heavy weight on Frank’s shoulders causes him almost to fall beneath it. A crunching sound as the white teeth sink deep into his back, causes a dimness to come into his eyes. With one mighty effort he dashes into the little log cabin, and falling on the floor, swoons. Albert soon follows. The man slams the door, and the wolves are checked. Albert soon recovered from his exhausted condition, but it was some days before Frank’s wound healed. The howling of the wolves continued through the night, but one by one, as the dawn of the new day came, they slunk away. That morning the guard drove the fugitives to the nearest town in time to catch the io o’clock train to Vienna. Bidding him goodbye they stepped aboard the train, and were soon flying over the land, leaving that country in which they had so nearly met their fate. Nothing of importance occurred during the remainder of their jour- ney. Reaching Vienna they boarded a train which carried them to the sea-coast, and there they embarked on an American steamer which in a few days landed them safe and sound in dear old New York. Years have passed, and on stormy nights, around the cosy fire, Frank can be seen with his family gathered around him, and his two boys on his knee. The burning embers fall, lighting the room with their sparks. By the fire- light an old man can be seen on the opposite side of the fire, and, if we ask his name, we shall be told it is Albert, who is spending the remainder of his days here. Frank is telling for the hundredth time the story which has already been told to the reader. The clock on the mantel strikes ten, and one by one the family go to their separate rooms. A tiny voice from the hall calls out: “Good night, Mr. Winfield ; good night, papa,” and soon all are in happy dreamland. —H. lV.f'g6. “For me one hope in life I trace,” The freshman cried ; “’T is this, That I may some day find the place Where ignorance is bliss.” THE GOLDEN ROD. EXCHANGE. EDITED BY Cassie Thayer, Catherine C. Pope. THE CLOSING YEAR. Another school year has drawn to its close, and with this issue of The Golden Rod we, the exchange editors, as well as the other mem- bers of our editorial staff, lay aside our pens. As some of us must now leave the school, our editorial duties will cease; but the others, after a short rest, will, we trust, re- sume the work with renewed vigor. How many friends we have made in the past year! Our circle of ac- quaintances at present numbers ioo. On our table we find repre- sentatives of schools from the “Pine Tree state” to the “Land of the Setting Sun.” Forty of our exchanges come from various parts of our own state, and to these we feel very closely related. As we peruse the many papers that come to our hands, we find in nearly all of them well written ar- ticles and those which contain thought, interest, instruction, hu- mor and entertainment. Such pa- pers reflect much credit on the schools which they represent. There are a few papers, however, that contain a large amount of school notes and clippings, thus devoting little space to editorials and compositions. These papers show that there is not sufficient in- terest on the part of the pupils. Other papers contain many articles contributed by persons outside the school, and extracts from magazines or other periodicals. This also in- dicates that the pupils are indiffer- ent to the welfare of their paper. It is not our aim merely to fill our columns, but to encourage pupils to cultivate a knowledge of En- glish, and to express clearly their ideas on various subjects. Many of our exchanges show consider- able improvement since last year, and this should be an encourage- ment both to the school and the editors to continue their efforts. Through our exchanges we have become acquainted with many schools throughout the breadth of our country, and we have gained valuable information in regard to their numbers, course of studies, the societies which they have formed, and the progress they are making. How many pleasant days we have enjoyed in our sanctum with the friends which have regularly visited us ! Our guests from Maine brought before our minds pictures of green fields and babbling brooks, and in imagination we breathed the balmy air of the pine groves. As we conversed with our New Hampshire visitors we could al- most feel the mountain breezes fanning our cheeks, and exerting an invigorating influence upon us. When our California friends came on their long journey to see us, they told us the tales which the waves of the mighty Pacific are ever telling, as they break into spray upon the shore of that west- ern land. And so, as we conversed with each one, we were borne on the wings of Fancy to the place whence they came, and there we saw the sights and heard the sounds which filled us with delight. Now as these summer months will bring no visitors to our sanc- tum, and as we must take leave of those who have cheered us by their presence, we extend to the schools of which they are repre- sentatives our best wishes for a happy vacation and for great suc- cess in the future. IN REPLY. The Recorder, of Springfield, asks our opinion as to the value of the exchange column. If it is what it should be, we consider it of much importance. Through this department we criticise other ex- changes with a view to improving them. Though we criticise the faults of others, we do it in a kind- ly spirit, and any suggestions for bettering our own paper will be gladly received by us. We are just as glad to speak of the merits of an exchange as to point out its short- comings. In fact, it gives us more pleasure to praise than to blame. THE GOLDEN ROD. We feel that a word of deserved praise helps to cheer the editors in their work. In looking over our exchanges we often find articles of special merit and those from which lessons may be drawn. By men- tioning such in our column, the at- tention of the pupils is called to them, and perhaps, unknown to any but themselves, some truth has sunk deep into their minds by read- ing these, and has been the means of making them better. Sometimes it is well for us to put extracts and clippings from other exchanges into our own pa- per. But this is a privilege which is too often abused by exchange editors. We have often seen an exchange column with nothing in it but clippings. Surely if this were all we found in exchange columns, they would be of little value. This department of our paper should be a source from which mutual benefit may be drawn. Let us remember this, and thus make our exchange column worth maintaining. The Wolfe Hall Banner floats for the last time this summer over our exchange table. The May number of the H. S. Times contains a very good essay on “Amateur Journalism.” All the editors should read the article, “The Ideal School Paper,” in the Rutland High School Notes. We were very much interested in the article entitled “Harvard Annex” in the Volunteer. The il- lustrations are very fine. The description in the Oak, Lily and Ivy of “The Planet Mars” is very interesting, and “School Life at Sleepy Hollow” is especially amusing. How many girls when they leave school can say they have an educa- tion such as the Racquet describes in the essay, “What a Girl Should Know on Leaving School”? It is far pleasanter to have more articles written l y the students than to be obliged to write “Se- lected” at the end, friend Aquilo. Surely you have some literary scholars. In the May issue of the Helios area prize essay and also a poem. “Over the Alps Lies Italy” is the subject of an essay in the High School Echo, and of a poem in the Academian. Both reflect much credit on their authors. “There are one hundred and ninety college papers in the Uni- ted States,” says one of our ex- changes. Where are those not enrolled on our list ? We wish to thank those who have exchanged with us this past year, and especially those who have criticised us ; and we take this op- oportunity to bid farewell to all, and to extend an invitation for a renewal of our acquaintance after the summer months. We notice in the Lowell Review a column headed, “Quid alii de nobis putant. We agree with the Gleaner that it should be omitted; and as the latter says, “Don’t IdIow your own hbrn even though with another’s breath.” This applies to some of our other exchanges, although none of them devote so much space to the com- pliments tendered them as the Review. HIS LETTER. “Dear Father Please excuse,” he wrote, “The hurried shortness of this note ; But studies so demand attention, That I have barely time to mention That I am well, and add that I Lack funds : please send me some; Good-bye. Your loving son.” He signed his name And hastened to—the foot-ball game.—[Ex. “Let us pray,” says the minister; “let us prey,” says the money shark; “lettuce, pray,” says the gardener ; “let us spray,” says the horticulturist. -[Ex. A countryman examining a cane- seated chair, said, “I wonder what chap took the trouble to find all them holes and put that straw around them.”—[School Tidings. « •� 9 ' v