Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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28 T H K G 0 L I) E X - R 0 I) ALUMNI NOTES Alumni Editor of the Golden Rod: When those of us who are now wearing the olive drab of the army or the blue of the navy left our dear old Quincy High School, few had any intimation that we were to grad- uate into that greatest of all colleges—War. Very different from the institution we so re- cently left is this; though a school it is, and large is its curriculum of worldly studies. Here we arc receiving tuition from the great- est of all educators—experience. While at rest in the barracks, or walking the streets of a cantonment, or reading in the Young Men’s Christian Association building, or treading the mud of a sentry post, the sol- dier’s thoughts often wander back to the days of his student-hood in the High School, and to his friends there, some of whom are now paving the way in France for us to come and aid in the task of sweeping autocracy from the pathway of enlightenment and democracy. In our reveries, we realize what a great asset is education even in war. and what pleas- ant days were those of school; that period which held terrors for some of us and which so large a number were so eager to leave. Xow we can realize the benefits of graduation, and what a treasure-trove school really is and how we almost unconsciously gathered intel- lectual riches that make our future one of real enjoyment. By consideration we can come to a vivid realization of the wide knowledge which will be derived by those of us who do not make the Great Sacrifice in this school of war. who upon graduation will be real men. It is a happiness to take this additional course and. aside from a clear conception of the service to our country and to mankind we are ren- dering. we can realize the benefits for our- selves. Without danger or sacrifice or work, nothing worth while comes, and just as through work in high school we stored up pleasure for our future, benefits to the country, to the world, and to ourselves will come of the danger and sacrifice and work of which the fighters of today are partaking. The knowledge of the backing we have at home and of the sacrifices our friends there are making for us. and the fact that we know those who cannot be with us in body are with us in thought and in spirit, is another great source of strength. Without these elements, an army greater by far than that which is de- feating the Kaiser’s aims would be required. Looking forward, beyond the victorious conclusion of the present war, can be seen for us another war. as great, which will be un- dertaken by the students now in grammar and high school, as well as other educated citizens of tomorrow. It will be a war fought by the mind and by advanced thought in speech and will be for the establishment of a perpetual peace, for the “United Nations of the World.” in spirit, if not in fact. Corp. Emery F. Tobin, Co. M, 325th Inf.. N.A., Q.H.S. 1913. March 5. 1918. U.S. Naval Academy Rifle Range, Annapolis. Md. Dear Alumni Editor: It was a great pleasure to hear from the folks of the Quincy High School, and it is to me an equal one to be able to comply to your request for a few lines for the Golden Rod! “Are any of the sailors here from Massa- chusetts?” asked a soldier here at the Range. “Why, yes.” I answered. “I’m from a city just south of Boston.” It was not many minutes before we were talking animatedly, because we at once learned we had practically been neighbors in Quincy! Just a few minutes later, I turned about to begin a conversation with a Texan rancher on his experiences in the wild towns of the Border. So often do

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THE GOLDEN-ROI) 27 Medal, having written between 60 and 70 cor- rect words per minute for 10 consecutive min- utes on the Royal machine. Clifton Canniff and Arthur Carino are closely following Miss La wry in speed work. During this year the department has been doing a large amount of work, not only for the other departments of the school, but also for the various schools in Quincy. Civil Service preparation work has been extended in the Shorthand Department. In the school library at present there are 1600 usable books, 2 daily and 2 weekly news- papers, 7 weekly and 13 monthly magazines. This year’s appropriation has been spent chiefly on general reference books, but some contribution has been made to each depart- ment. A number of volumes have been chosen with a view to the out-of-school inter- ests of the pupils. Plans for next year in- clude a re-adjustment of the seating plan, a large increase in books, and classes in library methods. Assistance has been given the local Exemp- tion Board during the past winter and spring by a number of teachers and pupils of the school. A banking stand consisting of three win- dows has been erected in Room 11 by the manual training department. At one, called the Quincy Exchange, supplies are given out; at a second, there is a bookkeeper; and at a third, a cashier. By using this stand the law students are finding their work much more practical. 1918 On January 8, a committee composed of Robinson, chairman. Dimmick, Taylor, and the Misses Roachc and Finn were elected to plan the class banquet. Esther Jackson and Edwin Heap were elected Class Prophets, and Alma Lawry and Edward Markham were elected Class Histo- rians on January 30. The names of the students obtaining an average of ninety or over in their studies for the four years were given out by Mr. Collins to the Senior class on April 1. They are: Alma Lawry, Marjorie Leach, and Royal Weymouth. Alma La wry’s percentage was over ninety-four, and is one of the highest ever attained in the school. The Hotel Vendome was selected for the Senior Class banquet at a meeting on April 10. The banquet took place on June 5. 1919 The Junior class held a meeting on April 11, at which the following class officers were elected: President. William Lindsay. Vice-president. Dorothea Joyce. Treasurer, Walter O’Brien. There was no secretary elected, as Mildred Geddes was elected to that office last year. 1920 On April 5 the Sophomore class elected the following officers: President, John Holden. Vice-president, Dorothy Cole. Secretary, Marion Horton. Treasurer, Herbert Fitton. Pin committee: Arnold Haskell. Malcolm Kennedy, and Marion Ames. Motto committee: Edna Campbell. William Jenness, and John Russell. Edward J. Markiiam, News Editor. She—What notes sound the warning of a Teacher (to pupil)—What docs A.M. stand slippery sidewalk? for? He—Either C sharp or B flat.—Ex. Pupil—After marriage.—Ex.

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THE GOLD EX-HO I) 29 incidents of that sort occur that we are con- stantly being shown how thoroughly national is the effort to put down the llun! Probably it seems strange that a sailor should be so intimately associated with sol- diers. It is, I admit, contrary to tradition, yet entirely reconcilable to the cause we are serving. The navy has made arrangements to organize and man rifle ranges throughout the country for the purpose of training army men in small arms! The range here at Annapolis is the first one in which such an arrangement was tried, and therefore the first one to dem- onstrate the wonderful cordiality that exists between soldiers and sailors. The soldiers usually stay here for a period of ten days, during which they all fire a se- ries of courses in shooting that tend to give them an all-around proficiency in small arms. Just that you may obtain a little idea of the shooting they do. I shall describe one of the courses called “Collective Eire.” Five hundred yards, behind the targets that measure six feet by six feet, a company of about eighty-eight men line up. The com- pany is divided into squads of eight men, each of which is assigned a certain target. On command, they lie down and load rifles with five service shells. The leader then orders: “Squads aim! Fire!” A volley bellows from the eighty-eight rifles that suggests a field of battle. E'ive times the volley is fired, then in an ordered line, they advance to the next range and repeat. The soldiers all un- derstand what this sort of practice forewarns, and enter into the shooting with a vim. To my friends in the Quincy High, may I say that it’s a wonderful opportunity to be given a part in the enormous struggle that is being waged for the continuance of democ- racy and the crushing of Prussian Kultur. The number of ways we are engaged in the service are too numerous to mention Some sailors serve on land, some on sea, some in the air, and others beneath the sea! There are men that have served here on this range that are now on their way to France to man big naval guns behind the Allied Lines; and there are men still in the rifle range service that are to follow. All sorts of conditions are encountered in the service, most being enjoyable because they are so diametrically opposite to those met in civil life! For instance, we came here to this range with about as much equipment as the Pilgrims had when they landed in Plymouth. Also, we spent most of the winter here with such an equivalent. Sleeping and living in tents with floors and stoves is very comfort- able ; but we had neither floors nor stoves most of the time. When, on the suggestion of our commander, we did “acquire” sufficient property with which to build a stove, we soon had to tear down the improvised heating de- vice because some navy official or other had missed some piping, etc. So do you wonder that when I had bananas in my tent at night they seemed nothing less than painted oak pegs in the morning. How- ever, since it isn’t the privilege of everyone to breakfast on frozen bananas, I felt elated in having such a menu! The work here is rigorous and varied, and demands skill with the rifle, as well as with the shovel. Though we all realize it is very necessary that men be trained with the rifle, we are all looking ahead to an assignment to duty Across. Yours in the service. Enor E. Lundin. Greetings to The Golden Rod from a 1915 “Grad” Some time ago I received a letter from the Alumni Editor of The Golden Rod, asking me to write a few words of the life at Mount Holyoke College. I wish you all could be here to see for yourselves, but as long as you cannot be here, you must use your imagina- tions to your best advantage. Mount Holyoke College is situated not so far from Springfield (Mass.), to prevent us from enjoying city life, and at the same time, in the beautiful country near the Connecticut