Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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The Golden- Rod 13 SCHOOL LIFE. DEBATING SOCIETY. After a number of postponements the first preliminary debate was heard in room 7, on the evening of March 22. It was disappoint- ing, in as much as only three of the debaters appeared. Erickson argued for the affirm- ative against Brokaw and Pope for the neg- ative of the question, “Resolved: that there should be a large and immediate increase in the United States Navy.” The judges, Messrs. Aschenbacll, Fuller, and Lundin, returned a decision for the negative, but the members gave a nearly unanimous vote in favor of an increase in our navy. A motion to abandon all plans for a sleigh ride was passed in spite of the strong opposition of a few members. Edw. Likander was admitted to the society at this meeting. After MacMahon, reader for the evening, had read two poems of his selection, the society adjourned to the “Gym” to play basket-ball. Several special meetings were held during the month to discuss possibilities for the sleigh ride. The party, originally planned for March 8, was cancelled because of the extremely stormy weather. The following committees have been elect- ed :—Entertainment Com m ittee,—M ac AI ahon, Schools, Leander. Historical Committee,—Bur- gess, Erickson, Mahoney. Nominating Com- mittee,—Kendall, Higgins, Peterson, Schools, Mahoney. THALIA CLUB. A masquerade was given in the gym- nasium on Friday evening, March 10, members of the Boy’s Debating Society being invited. After a march those present unmasked, and an enjoyable evening followed. Refresh- ments were served, followed by the dancing of the Virginia reel. The Club, as a body, attended Miss Zeller’s lecture in the Hall on the evening of March 24. In doing this, the girls set a good ex- ample for which they deserve commendation. SCIENCE ACTIVITIES. The Boys’ Science Club has held its regular meetings, but because of the poor attendance little has been accomplished. No papers have been read. A postponed meeting of the club was held on Tuesday, March 14. The attraction at this meeting was the attaining of a temperature of G9° below zero, Centigrade, or about 150° below zero, Fahrenheit. This was done by allowing carbon dioxide gas to escape rapidly from a tank into a bag which was made as non-conductive of heat as possible. The rapid escape of gas caused a fall of temper ature, which, when it reached 69° below zero, Centigrade, caused the carbon dioxide gas to solidify. A quantity of frozen carbon dioxide was produced. On Friday, March 24, a Girls’Science Club was organized. A constitution was accept- ed. Girl members of science classes in the school are eligible to membership. At the weekly meetings, held on Friday, a speaker, appointed for the day, must give a reading. The speakers may have the use of the lantern. This constitution is essentially the same as the one in use by the Boys’ Science Club. The girls have chosen the following officers: President—Ebb a Holteen. Vice-President—Pauline Randali . Secretary—Dorothy Joyce. Treasurer—Dorothy Palmer. SCHOOL. Mr. Collins made courtesy, the key-note of a talk before the school in the Hall on the morning of March 13. It was the outcome of the fact that there had been several who

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12 The Golden- Rod THE BOMBARDMENT OF HARTLEPOOL. If the boys and girls of America, when they read of the account of the bombardment of Hartlepool in their newspapers on that eventful day of December sixteenth, nineteen hundred and fourteen, had felt the depression that was felt by myself and in my home in Quincy, they would have known something of the sensation that the news of the bom- bardment of my birthplace gave me. In the following, I would like you to remember that I know Hartlepool, in the same way as any of you know your native place. Hartlepool, (which has existed since the Norman conquest) is an old fishing town. It is now a coaling station, shipbuilding, marine engine and an electrical plant making town. It was on the grey morning of December sixteenth, nineteen hundred fourteen, when a mist hung over the sea, that Hartlepool, for the first time in its history, was under shell fire. As the cruisers at the command of the Emperor of Germany came from the east, only shadows of their dark forms could be seen. The guns opened fire. Long flashes bursting through the mist, the deafening roar, as the batteries returned the fire, the gasworks flaming up, shells bursting in all directions, shivering glass and falling houses told the people that the enemy had surely come. Mothers quickly gathered their children together with little food and clothing, and rushed out toward the country, while fathers and husbands quickly left their work and hurried home. The German cruisers were flying the Eagle ensign, which even in the clearing mist could not be well distinguished from the British White ensign. Hartlepool has but one gun, but this did not seem to make any difference to the Germans, who soon escaped. Mr. Hill:—“Name three things contain- ing starch.” Student:—“Two cuffs and a collar.” —Ex. The following is quoted from letters re- ceived from Hartlepool. Mrs. Applegarth, as soon as she heard the noise of shells, ran upstairs, took her two small children, wrapped them in a blanket and put them in their carriage, then with her other child hurried toward the country, until a man on horseback told her that the firing had ceased. Mrs. Inglis and family, who recently lived in Quincy, and one of whose daughters be- longed to the class of nineteen hundred eleven, and attended the High School one year, also had an experience. Agnes had been sent on an errand. When the bom- bardment started, Mrs. Inglis went in search of her. As she was walking along, a shell came over her head and struck the ground a few feet in front of her, covering her with soil. Another of her daughters, Elizabeth, was going to her work and, although frightened at the noise, kept on her way, until she saw the houses falling, and then she turned and hurried home. Her nerves were so shattered, that for some time afterward, she had to live in quietness in the country. A young boy, named John McGuire, was taking the forman’s breakfast to the factory when a shell burst, and fractured his skull, causing his death. The sorrowful part of this incident is the fact that the boy’s father was at work in Lawley’s shipyard in Neponset, when he got the news of his son’s death. This bombardment, which lasted oniy forty minutes, and during which one hundred and eighteen women and children were killed, is one reason that, when Kitchener called foi troops, eleven thousand men volunteered. Mary Burgess, T7. Music Student:—That piece your’ve just played is by Mozart, isn’t it? Hurdy-Gurdy Man:—No; by Handel. —Ex.

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14 The G o I d e n - Ro d had not been giving due respect to the office. All should realize that the office is not a playground. He then mentioned the lec- tures, to be given by the Juniors, to raise money toward completing the payment of the projection lantern, and asked the support of the school. Then saying that he would discuss at length, the courses of study for 1916-17, separately with each class, Mr. Collins went on to mention several changes. There will be a course in harmony and an advanced course in musical appreciation. The history courses will vary somewhat, and in junior and senior mathematics, three credits will be given for each half year. At an assembly on March 20, Mr. Collins made a plea for neatness in both the girls’ and boys’ basements. He spoke of the shorten- ing of the time between the bells at the close of recess as a penalty to those who delayed in going to their rooms after the warning bell. Two faults with high school graduates work- ing in commercial lines, as found by the re- cent educational convention at Rochester, N. Y., were mentioned by Mr. Collins. The full statements have been posted on the bulletin boards. The school was told that a bell at 1:00 on March 21. would be a signal for those who wished to go to the Hall to hear a lecture on birds, delivered by Mr. Henry Oldys under the auspices of the Mass- achusetts Audubon Society. At the regular weekly assembly on March 27, Mr. Collins said that probably for the rest of the year one period will be dropped on Monday, instead of shortening each period. He mentioned the following dates: inter-class track meet March 31, senior dramatics April 28, and school concert May 23. Each event should be strongly boosted. Following the regular assembly on March 20, Mr. Collins had a talk with the boys. It was the beginning of a campaign against two evils that have been prevalent for some time in the boys’ basement. Because of the lack of lockers, coats, rubbers, etc. have become the prey of thieves to such an extent that many complaints have come in from parents. The disappearance of articles can be at- tributed to no other reason, because many of them have been marked. A thief is the most despicable of boys, but it is to be hoped that, with the co-operation of the larger class of boys, this undesirable class may be eliminated. The other evil is the desire to write on the walls. This is generally due to mischievous- ness, but the result is very untidy and the practice should end. SHAKESPEARE. The Shakespeare tercentenary celebration given in the High School Hall on Thursday, March 30, proved decidedly satisfactory, to say the least, and much credit should be given to those who successfully directed the affair. This entertainment was conducted by the English department, aided by the physical training, music, sewing, art, manual training, typewriting, and science depart- ments. The physical training department gave an interesting exhibition of old English folk dancing, as it existed in Shakespeare’s day. The odd costumes in which the dancers ap- peared, added much to the exhibition. After the performance of “Much Ado About Nothing,” which followed the dancing, the Glee Club gave some selections that were not only harmonious, but also rather amusing. The latter element was appreciated fully as much as the former. No fault could possibly be found with the manner in which the singing was rendered. The three plays (As You Like It, Act I, Sc. II, Much Ado About Nothing, Act II, Sc. Ill and Act III Sc. I. and the Taming of the Shrew, Act II Sc. I, and Act IY, Sc. I) showed very careful coaching by the English department, and well merited the applause that they received. We sincerely hope that we may have more of such work in the future. The unique costumes, both for the plays and for the dancing, were made by the sew- ing department, the funds being furnished by the sales at the ice-cream counter.