Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD 9 were Beatrice Martin, the blonde-haired, bashful miss, and George and Wilfred Cooke, brothers, as you know, and both jolly good fellows. “I can recall while we were Juniors we were informed that the school committee had changed the ruling which had abol- ished school socials, and we resumed them with more interest than ever. ‘Freak’ Day was observed as usual, with Floyd MacDonald and Karl French taking the main parts. That child MacDonald was always getting into mischief. We were Juniors when Congress declared Woman Suffrage. Fred, I’ll never forget the cele- bration the girls had when we fellows were wondering if we should ever have peace again. But it was not all smiles that year, for we lost two of otir beloved teachers, Miss Seymour and Mr. Roach. “Our interscholastic athletics were not very successful that year, but we had a class that won three class championships, football, basketball, and baseball. It was one of our popular members, Donald Davis, who obtained the captaincy of the baseball nine for the following year.” “Yes, Wyman, it all seems as if it hap- pened yesterday. How, when we were Freshmen, we envied the Seniors, but when we returned that fall we were to envy them no longer,—it was our turn to be envied. This year we had many new and popular additions, Mary Harris, a former New York girl, Margaret Nowell, who had returned to Quincy, Juliette Mc- Carthy and Archibald Blair from Boston schools, and Clayton Blake, who came from New Hampshire to finish his learn- ing at Quincy High. “A great many interesting incidents happened that year. First, we proved our merit in football. We were success- ful in winning all the games except three. We also had one of our stars, Bennett, mentioned on the all-interscholastic team. During the football season there was a class spirit shown which has never been equalled. John Lane and his able assist- ant, Lois Wctmorc, had meetings called in the hall, where we practised, and so did they, wonderfully well, school cheers. “Then came Senior ‘Freak’ Day, when we all appeared at school arrayed in the most peculiar fashion. This year we cele- brated Hallowe’en by having a Junior- Senior reception. The gym, which was wonderfully well decorated, showed hard work done by the entertainment commit- tee. A few weeks later there was another reception given to the football team, at which Mrs. Collins presented the mem- bers of the football team with Q’s. “Then came the Friday before Christ- mas vacation, when the Christmas pa- geant was held under the direction of the English Department. The pageant was a representation of the experiences of our Pilgrim fathers, treaties with the Indians and Colonial school days in Quincy. This was all very well until Bertha Wight ap- peared as Dorothy Quincy and John Mil- ler as John Hancock. Such a coincidence! We all know what has happened to them since! After the pageant John Miller presented Mr. Barr with a gift as a token of our respect for the faithful services ren- dered to all by him. “When we returned after vacation, we found a tall, stern, strict gentleman in Mr. Barr’s previous position. Later we learned that this gentleman was none other than Mr. Burtt. “'Phis year Mr. Collins also gave his consent for a representative basketball team. I remember the first, game with Thayer Academy, when we, to some de- gree, offset our football loss by being on the long end of a large score. We were successful in winning a large percentage of our games. There was considerable material uncovered for the team for the following year, which we earnestly hope will be as successful as ours,

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8 THE GOLDEN-ROD “Yes, but somehow or other we all seemed to change considerably that sum- mer. Some grew so large that we even decided to send them out for football, and two of them succeeded in making the team, Bennett and Leavitt.” “Talking about football, Bertha, wasn’t that the year the football season was in- terrupted by the ‘flu’?” “Come to think of it, I guess it was. We had a vacation on account of that epidemic. Of course, we were all disap- pointed when we were unable to attend school! Anyhow, in spit of the ‘flu,’ we had a rather successful football season, and Bennett was elected captain for the following year.” “I don’t remember much of what hap- pened that year except the election of class officers, when you were elected sec- retary. ‘Larry’ Leavitt was the choice for president, and ‘Betty’ Breslyn was elected vice-president. Then as we thought we should always have plenty of money in the treasury, we elected Donald Bennett to guard it for us.” “You must have forgotten, ‘Barb,’ that Miss O’Xeil left us that year.” “That name sounds familiar, but I can’t seem to place her. Describe her for me. “Why, don’t you remember the teacher in Room 24 that used to give us those long Latin lessons, and with whom Brad- ford Ropes tried to compete (unsuccess- fully) in carrying on Latin conversations? I don’t see how you can forget her; I know I never shall!” “Now I remember her. As soon as you mention Ropes I recall those funny inci- dents; he certainly was a clever fellow. Even if Miss O’Xeil was a little strict, she had such a way of teaching that we couldn’t help learning ‘Caesar.’ Although we were all sorry to have her leave, we soon found out that Mr. Jewell was quite as good.” “Why, Barbara, I didn’t realize we were so near the beach. We must hurry or we’ll be the last ones off the boat.” “Look, Bertha, what are they all look- ing at? Say, there’s that old deaf and dumb lady that caused so much commo- tion getting on the boat. Why, she’s lost her parasol. And can you imagine who is with her?” “Why, that is Wyman Arbuckle, isn’t it?” “Yes, and that’s the rich old aunt that he talked so much about in school. Say, isn’t he getting extremely careful of her in her old age? He’s a lucky fellow. Well, Bertha, I must hurry, I have an engage- ment.” At this point Barbara left us, while we hurried to help Mr. Arbuckle out of his difficulties. We escorted him to the pa- vilion, and there we started a conversa- tion. After the usual welcoming, we began to talk over old times. Suddenly Wyman said, “Say, do you know, Fred, that since I left the High School I’ve had some pretty hard times, but somehow as I look back through those days spent at Quincy High, I always seem to enjoy a laugh at the expense of one of our fellow classmen. For instance, when I think of ‘Jack’ Beale as a soloist in the Christmas pageant that was held under the super- vision of Miss Giles. I know that he knew the words and he may have known the music, but I doubt it. Singing reminds me of those assemblies that Miss Howes used to call in the hall once in a while. The fun we had while singing ‘Scotland’s Burning,’ ‘The Three Blind Mice,’ and ‘Old Black Joe,’ and that whistling, say, that was wonderful! Especially that done by Harold Deacon and John Lane. Miss Howes and Miss Tuthill very ably con- ducted the music department of the school while we were there. “If you remember rightly, our large class continued to grow, for we had sev- eral additions this year, among whom

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10 THE GOLDEN-ROD “After our winter’s vacation some of our classmates, who were extremely fond of dancing, Marion Campbell, Lillian Pitts, Dot Prout, Elizabeth Burke, Ruth Bish- op, Florence MacLeod, Helen Donovan, and ‘Betty’ Breslyn, practised the art on the gym floor at recess. One day while they were thus enjoying themselves, there came from that direction a terrible noise. On investigating, we saw ‘Betty’ Breslyn and ‘Ed’ Day sprawling on the floor, laughing so hilariously that for some time they were unable to get up. This noise put an end to the dancing, as Mr. Collins’ very sharp ears also heard it and he in- vestigated ! “Early spring had us thinking about the play we were to give, ‘Officer 666.’ We were fortunate in having good mate- rial for the parts and an experienced coach, Mr. Mitchell. This was the first year in which the Senior Dramatics was shown for two successive nights. Oh, yes, Wyman, you took the leading part; you took it very well except when you let your cigar go out. Then there was John Lane, who made a successful crook, as he had had previous experience at Thompson’s Cafe. John Miller acted the part of Gladwin’s millionaire friend, Barnes. Laverty, as ‘Officer 666,’ furnished the humor of the play. One of his features was snapping we know not what off the wall. ‘Bill’ Houlihan, the detective, showed by dropping his cigar that he was a novice at smoking. You remember Mary Townsend, who took the part of the Aunt. She looked like a genuine aunt (with her hair powdered). You were lucky to have Margaret Nowell playing opposite you. She was a very clever per- former. You remember ‘Bee’ Porter, who played opposite John Miller? She took her part to perfection, too. She was also very generous with the flowers. “Others of the cast were ‘Reggie’ Han- son, Karl French, John Delaney, ‘Archie’ Blair, and Edward Speirs. The play was easily one of the best ever put on at the High School.” At this Bertha showed her womanhood by bursting out with “Yes, Fred, and don’t forget yourself, with the large, red moustache; you took the part of the police captain.” As Wyman’s aged relative was getting extremely nervous and was making all sorts of gestures to him, he told us that he must depart. So we bade him good- bye and started away on our pleasure trip, highly elated over our enjoyable meetings. Bertha Wight, ’21, Fred Hannon, ’21, Historians% THE MAN WHO LOST HIS SOUL He stands, wrapped in the mantle of despair, Upon his face a grotesque mask of hate; The symbol of a man who tried to dare To be the master of his own great fate. But, lo! from off that face there falls the mask, Recoil in horror from the sight you see! What phantom is that deathly skull, you ask. Friend, would you learn his bitter history? There is a man whose only god was Greed, A man enchained in making wealth his gold; The anguish that he caused he did not heed. And he has paid the price, a bartered soul. Derisive fingers point at him with scorn. Men mock the tortured anguish in his eyes; There stands a man of every honor shorn, A man whose highest goal brought but this prize. Be warned, 0 friends that arc of little faith, Lest, as the seasons ever onward roll, You in your greed become just such a wraith As that felon, the man who lost his soul. Bradford Ropes, 1921.