Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD 11 Reggie Runs a Race 1. Reginald Theobald Partenheimer strode briskly down the street. Undei his arm he carried his school books, his dearly beloved school books. What would this world amount to if there were no lessons to study, and no dear teachers to “remain at the close” for. In fact, studying was the very incentive for his living; he would die of idleness and in- activity if his privilege of doing home work were taken away. So it was, that although heavily burdened with his some fourteen books, he strode briskly down the street from the Queensborough High School to his home. A boy as studious as Reginald was not often found. He would return home im- mediately at the close of school, study until supper-time and then continue the good work until eight o’clock, when he would diligently pick up his work and as- cend the stairs to bed. Some nights his mother let him sit up real late, and those nights he, sometimes, didn’t get to bed until even nine-thirty. This was “Reggie” Portenheimer, or if you please, Mr. Reginald Theobald Por- tenheimer, Junior, and he was the model student of Queensborough High School. Everybody knew him, but nobody wanted to. He spoke to no one. No one spoke to him. He was thoroughly ashamed and sometimes annoyed at the boisterous and ungentlemanly actions of his despised class-mates. It hurt him to go through school side by side with all these insig- nificant people who “flunked” their tests and joked about it. But today, as Reginald hurried home, he was worried. His mother had taken him to a doctor to have him examined, and the doctor had found him to be badly in need of more fresh air. In fact, it was imperative, that he partake in some out- door sport. And, so Reginald was worried as he made his way homeward on that warm afternoon in late May. 2. For some forty years, track had been the major sport of Queensborough High, and Georgetown had been the objective meet. For forty years, the team had striven for the championship of the Western Coast States, and, for forty years, Georgetown had been the biggest barrier to that title. Now had come the week of the annual duel meet with Georgetown. The entire school, and many citizens of the city had been called together to rally with the team for the contest on the morrow.

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10 THE GOLDEN-ROD “When We Went Abroad—” Mrs. Allan put the receiver on the hook and turned to her husband with such a look of misery on her face, that he actually laid down his cigar and the even- ing paper. “Well, who do I have to tow home this time?” The day before. Mr. Allan had had to tow his wife’s brother’s car for three miles. “John, the Clarks are coming over to spend the evening.” If she had said her mother had died, her voice could not have been more tragic. “They just came back from Europe two weeks ago.” “Xuff said,” grunted John. When the door bell rang, Mrs. Allan opened the door to greet her visitors. “Oh, my dear, I’m so glad to see you,” gushed Mrs. Clark. “I thought of you all the time we were abroad. Why, yes, I will take off my hat and coat. Horton, dear, don’t stand there like a dummy; take off your things and say something. You know, Helen, dear, when one has been abroad, and then returns to visit the old friends again, there arc so many things to talk about, one never knows where one ought to begin. You know yourself I never was very good at conver- sation, and when we were abroad Horton had to do all the talking. Yes, Mr. Allan, I speak French and English very fluently, but it is not my nature to talk. I always sit and listen. Don’t I, Horton, darling? Why, my dear, what a charm- ing little parlor set. It’s just exactly like one we saw in Havre, isn’t it Horton, dear? If you had a little larger room, it would be exactly like one we saw in a little peasant cottage. Doesn’t that lamp stand crookedly? Why, it reminds me of the leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s in Italy, I really don’t remember the town, but it’s famous. I felt just as if it were going to topple over, so I insisted on standing on the off side! Really, I was terribly frightened when Horton stood on the other side. I almost fainted, didn’t I. Horton, dear? Really, my dear, you never know how much vou think of vour husband until he is almost ready to be killed. Yes, Helen, I will take a cup of tea. When we were in England, we got into the habit of having a cup of tea, and some little snack just before retiring. You know, of course, that the English are noted for their tea drinking. But I never got such a surprise in my whole trip as I did in Scotland. I was under the im- pression that all they did was save money, eat oatmeal, and play the bag- pipes and golf. And do you know, my dear, they live just as we do. They drink a lot of tea, too. And their cups and saucers are so thin! Horton asked the reason—he did all the talking, as usual, while we were abroad, didn’t you, dear? —and they told him it was because the thinner the cups were, the more tea they would hold. But really, the French were the most interesting—My goodness, is that the right time? Really, I had no idea it was so late. Come, Horton, dear, we must be going. We’ve been over here all this time and I haven’t told you a thing about our trip. You must come over soon, and I’ll show you some of the snap-shots we took when we were abroad. Good-night, my dear; don’t for- get to come over soon.” 'Fhe door closed and silence reigned for about a minute. Then. “John, when I noticed that the clock had been put an hour and a half ahead, I almost wept for joy. I’ll never be able to repay you.” And John grinned peacefully, and said, “Don’t praise me, I didn’t touch the clock; that was ‘Horton, dear.’” The wind is softly blowing just a little bit of snow: A little bit of sunshine and the crocuses will show: On every twig that’s lonely a thrush will stop and sing. The blue sky for a greeting will bring violets back again. And every day of winter brings us nearer days of spring. R. G. W.

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12 THE GOLDEN-ROD liven Reginald was there, much though it hurt him. He had taken the doctors advice, or rather his mother had, and he had asked the coach for a suit. There was much joking and “kidding” him when the team saw this lanky “student” running around in a track suit. He ran his half mile alone every day. Once or twice “Red” Kelly, the star half-miler, had run with him, just to show him up and “throw off his stride.” If there was anyone in school that Reginald hated, it was ‘“Red” Kelly. Ever since he could remember, that per- son had been the most impudent creature imaginable. More than once Reginald had been severely “beaten up” by him and his friends. And so it was only natural that “Red” should take this op- portunity to annoy him. Reginald kept up his running faithfully every day, and it was through the coach's kindly interest that Reginald was able to keep out of trouble. So when the coach asked him to attend the track rally. Reginald felt rather obliged to say “yes.” First, they had some songs and cheers and then the captain, Dick Harding, spoke, and immediately following him, the coach. They told about how good a team Georgetown had, but how much better a team Queensborough had. Then they went all through the different events and pointed out the strength of the team. But it meant nothing to Reginald. He was bored. However, when the next speaker was announced, he sat up. It was the prin- cipal, old Mr. Howes. Now, to be a sec- ond Mr. Howes was Reginald’s ambition. He admired the man in every possible way. Anything that Mr. Howes said or believed, was right, and Reginald took it upon himself to believe the same. So Reginald was sitting on the edge of his chair when the old principal began. “My friends,” he said, “we have as- sembled to rally our track team for the biggest meet of the year. We’re proud of our track team, and we’re confident that our boys will put up a wonderful fight, and show that unconquerable spirit which has run in this school for so many years. “I am always reminded on this day, every year, of the first meet we won from Georgetown, some thirty years ago. Georgetown was the favorite to win, but the meet had come to the last event and the score was tied. That event was the half mile, and Georgetown with her two stars in that even: was certain to win. We had but two men who could be called good, and our hopes were given up. But there were two men on that field who had not given up; our two half milers. “It was a terrific pace that they started with! The Georgetown men shot to the front and the others strung out behind. One lap! As they came around the curve into the straightaway for the second lap, we could see the two men we depended on, desperately hanging onto second place. And the Georgetown men were slowly, confidently pulling away. “And as our men sped past the stands a great cheer went up. They leaped for- ward! They gave all they had in that next half-lap! They closed up the gap. They passed the leaders. That was all. They had used themselves up. But wait! The Georgetown men had dropped back. Their confidence, broken: surprised, they were beaten. Our men won. with a com- fortable lead. “And that, my friends, is the fighting spirit of our school, which we will see to- morrow. The son of one of those men is on our team this year; lie’s here right now, but I won’t mention his name.” Reginald was astounded! He had never heard Mr. Howes talk like that be- fore. Perhaps, after all, there was some- thing he was missing in school; something besides studies that was important. For one thing, he wished he knew the boy whose father had won that race. Reginald walked slowly to the library. It was the afternoon of THE meet, but that aroused no enthusiasm in him. He had never seen a meet and, in spite of what he heard the day before, he had no desire to see one. He would go to the