Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. branch of our education to be neg- lected? When shall we learn to express ourselves, if not now ! Edward Emerson tells of his father’s interest in the children’s declamations : “ On our return from school on speaking afternoons’,” he always asked: “ Did you do well ? ” w I don’t know.” “ Did the boys study or play, or did they sit still and look at you ? ” “ Several of them didn’t attend.” “ But you must oblige them to. If the orator doesn’t command his au- dience, they will command him.” We cannot all be Ciceros, but if we take a real interest in what we write or speak, it will doubtless be interesting to others. j. A little work, a little play To keep us going and so good-day! A little warmth, a little light Of love's bestowing—and so good-night! A little fun to match the sorrow Of each day’s growing—and so good- morrow ! A little trust that when we die We reap our sowing! And so good-bye! —George Du Maurier. Florence Thomas and Emma Curtin, both of ’97, took part in the Grecian Tableaux recently given at the Memorial Congregational Church, Atlantic. Things said false and never meant. Do oft prove true by accident. —Butler How happy is he born and taught That serveth not another’s will, Whose armor is his honest thought, And sample truth his utmost skill! — Wotten. bitei y T)epki ti]qeqt. f Mary McGuane, ’97. Edited j Rachel E. Johnson, ’97. by j Florence E. Thomas, ’97. { Mildred H. Sampson, ’97. GOLDEN-ROD. (iSolidago Canadensis.) COMPOSITE FAMILY. ‘‘Autumn’s earliest lamps I spy— The tapers of the golden rod. Its starry chandeliers burn bright All day; and have you noticed this— A perfect sun in every flower ? Ten thousand thousand fairy suns Raying from new disks every hour, As up the stalk the life-flash runs.” Lucy Larcom. Oh, the glory of the golden-rods ! How the strong, sturdy flowers delight our eyes with their wonder- ful golden-yellow blossoms ! They throng the roadsides, and cover the fields, and fill all the nooks and corners which they can find; some tossing their heads along the sea- shore, others decorating the low, wet spots, or parading themselves along our daily walks. Very well contented with themselves are the bonny blossoms, and we should miss them sadly, if year by year they failed to blossom in their well- known haunts. It is not strange that one of our States has chosen this flower for its emblem, because of its wealth of golden blossoms. Lucy Larcom writes that the golden-rod is “ As lavish of its golden light As sunshine’s self.” There are so many varieties, some blooming early and some late, that there is a constant succession of

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Vol. VI. QUINCY, MASS., NOVEMBER, 1896. No. 2. Wnt WILL BE PUBLISHED MONTHLY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN THE INTEREST OK THE QUINGY HIQH SCHOOL. Subscription Rates. For the year, 50 cents | Single Copies 5 cents For sale at E. B. Souther’s, Quincy, and W. D. Ross’s, Wollaston. Address all communications to Katherine P. Shuman, ’97. William C. Wales, ’OS. Joseph C. Morse, ’99. BUSINESS EDITORS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass.) Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. Editorial. General Mary M. Joss, ’97. Editors. Helen E. Bemis, ’97. Hallowe’en with all its alluring superstitions has come and gone. Hallowe’en is the evening preceding All Hallows or All Saints day. From its name it would be difficult to imagine all the fun and folly which is crowded into those “ wee sma ’ ” hours. There are few, young or old, who have not tasted the foolish joys of Hallowe’en. True it is that “A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the best of men.” b. The month of November has been a month of hope and uncertainty. Business, pleasure and all else have been forgotten in the unrest and excitement of election. We have listened to orations, and debates, and have experienced the wildest enthusiasm. Once more the voice of the people has settled the fate of our country. Even in these few days one can see evidences of re- turning confidence. We rest se- curely in the happy thought that our troubles are over, and that the great question of gold or silver is decided, at least, until J900. We can now direct our thoughts into other channels, and, surely, as we remember that this month brings to us Thanksgiving day, we can find much to be thankful for. Prosperity is an invited guest, this year, to every festive board, and she promises much. She is very welcome, as she has denied us her presence for a season, we are very eager for her re- turn. The rustle of her garments is as a sweet breath of spring after a long, tedious winter. b. That bete noir of the whole week, the Wednesday work, has been resumed. Again the bulletin boards are surrounded by pupils gazing hopelessly at the lists of subjects. Will no kindly muse give aid ? Again we hear the cry: “ What shall I write ? ” Or it may be the lament of some junior, antici- pating the horrors of his first debate that fills the air. And who does not devoutly hope that he will not be drawn when his division speaks ? But is not this too important a %

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. these glowing beauties, from the latter part of July until late in the fall. About eighty species grow in the United States, over forty of which are common in New England. But the different kinds are so much alike that many people cannot tell them apart. This species is very common, blossoming from August till some time late in the fall. It grows about three or four feet high, with rough, lance-shaped three-veined leaves, and with numberless heads of bright yellow flowers in a one-sided, spread- ing cluster. And now we may see this glowing flower “Bearing still the sweet impress Of unfettered loveliness In the field and by the wall, Binding, clasping, crowning all.” The golden rod is one of Whittier’s favorites. In “ The King’s Missive,” he writes of the “Royal plumes of goldenrod.” and again in his “ Prelude to Among the Hills,” he says that “Along the road, like the flowers of gold That tawny Incas for their gardens wrought Heavy with sunshine droops the golden- rod.” When he takes his “ Last Walk in Autumn,” he sees the whitening ornaments of the dying year, and among them “Trembles on its arid stalk The hoar plume of the goldenrod.” We read that some have claimed that it would heal wounds, and on account of this we have the botani- cal name, coming from a Latin word meaning to make whole. “When the flowers of summer days Droop and wither, one by one. Reaching up through bush and brier, Sumptuous brow and heart of fire, Flaunting high its wind-rocked plume, Brave with wealth of native bloom,— Goldenrod! ” From the Boston Transcript. DAVID, THE POET-KING. Before the kingly days of the kingdom of Israel, the people were governed by judges, the principal ones of whom were Gideon, Jephtha, Samson, Eli, and Samuel. When Samuel had become very old, the government devolved upon his two sons who, since they administered justice unfairly, and took bribes for their decisions, were not liked by the people. Thus it was that they began to clamor for a king to rule over them as other nations had, and so Saul was anointed first king of Israel. But on account of sin, his reign was not long, and Samuel, while he was mourning over Saul’s folly, was commanded to go to Bethlehem where he should find David, one of the seven sons of Jesse tending his father’s flocks, and him Samuel with the horn of of oil, anointed as king, the suc- cessor of Saul. After this Saul was seized by an evil spirit which only the sound of music could soothe. David being recommended to him as an excellent player on the harp, came and played before him, and so charmed Saul, that he made him his armor bearer. “ So, whensoever the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, David took his harp and played with his hand and Saul was refreshed and was