Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. “ Parthenon ” they called that temple, temple of Athena fair, Virgin goddess, wisdom-lover, Queen of Athens sun-lit air, Fearless ’mid the din of battle, Patron of the Athenian town, Lover of the Attic olive, lov6r of the violet crown. Stately columns simply Doric beauty lent unto that fane, Artists of the old-time genius to grand thoughts gave loosened rein; Architraves above the columns, pediment, and glorious frieze, With its Pan-Athenian pageant, and its eternal power to please. Noble, sacred Architecture! Sculpture pure and ne’er surpassed! Manhood reaching up toward heaven, earthly burdens earthward cast! When the golden Attic sunshine fell in splendor o’er the land, And the blue iEgean murmured ocean mys- teries to the strand : Or when moonlight beauty lingered round that marble temple fair, And the nightingale with music filled the soft, caressing air, Then the soul was all enraptured with the majesty and charm, Stilled was every baser passion, hushed was every alarm. Athens, I have ever loved thee, even from my childhood days; I have pictured thee in fancy in the sunset’s golden haze; I have loved thy bards and prophets, archi- tects and sculptors grand, Loved thy orators and statesmen, world- renowned and peerless band. And the music of thy language lingers in my memory still, All its majesty and sweetness gloriously ray being thrill, Aud thy thoughts forever spoken, and thy deeds of deathless fame, Through the ages aye shall echo, city of illus- trious name. I had hoped ere yet last autumn taught our Quincy woods to glow, With the crimson, golden splendors that New England’s forests know, Greek might be among the studies offered to our Quincy youth, As the finest means of culture in the eternal search for truth. hi. The City of the Seven Hills her Colosseum built, And there before Rome’s greedy eyes a sea of blood was spilt; Those gloating eyes beheld with joy the pangs of man or beast, As starving eyes with ravenous glare devour a forbidden feast. Ten times ten thousand people watched the gladiators’ fight, And hailed each deftly given thrust with frenzies of delight. Here maiden martyrs, pure as suow on some lone Alpine height, Took one last lingering look of earth, then turned to Heaven’s light. And while the Roman eagles flew victorious o’er the world, And while ihe Roman banners waved to every breeze unfurled, Such scenes at home sapped Roman strength, and gave Rome to the foe; And those who smiled at captive’s pain, be- wailed their own dire woe. What though they built of massive stone a theatre of gore? What though the eager thousands swept through every crowded door? What though imperial Caesars sat in guilty luxury then, To watch the struggles, wounds and death of their own fellow-men? Not stately buildings reared on wrong can “ constitute a state.” Not stone on stone, however graud, can make a nation great. The storm-cloud gathering mighty force in Gothic Northern sky, Burst on the vaunted power of Rome, and found that power a lie. And thus fell Rome, and Athens, too, fell thus Egyptian power— Remorseless Fate aye bids her time, and waits the appointed hour. Egypt to build her royal tombs must crush the people’s right, Athens a fane to fancied gods must ever keep in sight, And Roman cruelty must gloat o’er martyrs’ dying breath. Within a Colosseum reared for torture and for death. God grant these lessons be not lost on this fair land of ours! God grant no poison lurks unseen in fair Columbian flowers! And, when we build, we’ll question first what is the corner-stone; On Truth and Right we’ll rear our walls, on these, and these alone! {Continued on last page.]

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Vol. IV. QUINCY, MASS., OCTOBER, 1894. No. 1. mu WILL BE PUBLISHED MONTHLY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE INTEREST OF THE QUINGY HIQH SCHOOL,. Subscription Rates. For the year, 50 cents | Single Copies, 5 cents For sale at E. B. Souther’s. Address all communications to SARAH C. MCGOVERN, ’95, LILLIAN K. BATES, ’95, FRANK M. COE, ’9G, HAROLD WILDER, ’96. BUSINESS EDITORS. Entered at the Quincy. (Mass.,) Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. D DIGAT0RY P0RM. Written by f rederic Allison Top- per, tf)e Mead Aaster, on ff)e Occasion of tf e Dedication of tf e Nev Migf), 11 $eptember, 1S94. 1. Vast o’er Egyptian sands for countless years the pyramid of old-time Cheops gazed, And silently it watched the hopes and fears Of dynasties, now falling, now upraised. Yet, through the lapse of time, its lips of stone Had never whispered forth unto the world The secret of its building, but unknown, It kept the mystery, while the saud clouds hurled Their blinding storms upon its towering head, And robber winds lurked nightly in the gloom, While desert beasts and birds of omen dread, By wailing cries presaged impending doom. The years rolled by, till came an impious band, Eager to work what time had spared to do; Quick at the gesture of a lordling’s hand. Strange mystery’s veiled face to bring to view. But, day by day, in vain they sought to find The path that well might lead to glitter- ing piles Of gold, whereof the sun-lit sheen might blind Some Cleopatra rich in Beauty’s wiles. Yet, after weary search, they came at last By brutal force upon an angry way, That led them first with trembling fear aghast, Adown, then upward rose, as if at bay. Still onward toiling, to a room they came, All guarded by great blocks of massive stone— Here surely was the treasure-house that fame Had rumored of so widely—here alone! Into that chamber pressing fearful on. With paliog cheeks and many a timorous start, What found these bold intruders, now so wan ? An empty coffer in its silent heart! And must men labor, suffer, bleed and die, To build for tyrant royalty a tomb? Lo! weeping History answers with a sigh: “Such was, alas! in ancient times their doom.” For them the lash, for them the master hard, For them the groans and tears that slavery knows, For them the fameless lives unsung by bard, For them the task that only death could close. Not such the fate Columbia’s workmen know; They quarry stone and shape it proudly free, ' heir grandly self-respecting way they go, And add their part to glories yet to be. In lofty building, monument and tower, In granite chiseled with an artist’s skill, We mark a beauty, nobleness and power, That long will keep our glorious land from ill. 11. On the Acropolis of Athens ’neath the soft blue Grecian sky, Built the Greeks a glorious temple, broad i 1 beautiful and high. Firm and deep were the foundations, laid to last through countless years, And the fane was consecrated by the prayers of bards and seers.

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. THE DEDICATION. Quince’s Grand New Higl) 5dI)ool building For- mally Opened. —TI)e Governor of Common- wealfl) and Offers Address ci Very Ear ere Gathering. [From the Quincy J)a ily Ledger.] One of the largest indoor gatherings which ever assembled in Quincy was that on Tuesday afternoon at the dedi- cation of our grand new High School bui ding. The attractions were many —the tine building, of which the Daily Ledger gave a fine description on Monday, the presence of the Governor of the commonwealth ; the presenta- tion of a flag by the Grand Army ; and a band of music But many were there because they take a pride in our High School and the great progress it has made of late. Many of the alumni wished they might again be enrolled where there was so much to encourage one to strive for a high education. They noticed arrange- ments which were unfamiliar to them and were surprised at the grandeur of everything. All the conveniences of a modern High school are there. It was a popular gathering. No in- vitations had been issued except to the Governor and our city government, and seats were reserved for these only. The pupils of last June, however, oc- cupied seats on the right of the plat- form, and under the direction of Mrs. Smith led the singing, which was a feature of the programme. The main study room, although the largest hall in Quincy, was entirely inadequate to accommodate the crowd. Shortly after the appointed hour the exercises commenced and were carried out according to the following pro- gramme : President of the Day, Dr. Joseph M. Sheahan Chorus, High School Invocation, Rev. DanielMunro Wilson Delivery of Building to Mayor, Commissioner of Public Works William N. Eaton Response, His Honor, Mayor William A. Hodges Acceptance, Chairman of School Board Emery L. Crane Reception of Keys, Head Master Frederic Allison Tupper Remarks, Superintendent II. W. Lull Address, His Excellency Gov. Frederic T. Greenhalge Ode, “ My Quincy by the Sea ” High School Words by Frederic Allison Tupper Presentation of Flag, Paul Revere Post 88, G. A. R. I. M. Holt, Commander Star Spangled Banner, High School Soloist, Miss Mary F. White Joseph n. Sheahan, fl. D., Sub-committee of the High school, was introduced as president of the day, and spoke as follows : I have just received a letter from one whose name is familiar to us all, and who has served us faithfully many years in the capacity of superintendent, Mr. George I. Aldrich (applause), in which, regretting his inability to be present, he speaks of this as an im- portant event. It is, indeed, an im- portant event. It marks an era in the history of our High school. We of the school board have been painfully conscious of the defects of the former building and we recognized