Racine High School - Kipikawi Yearbook (Racine, WI)

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1 'f ' I + , M .-sf.- ,., i... -. .,.,-x .f- at ': .f as'-we-i f-V' 'wr'--me-aww . plished no extraordinary results, and by his loud-voiced declarations that he would not serve a so-called third term, even if the people wished it. That was quite a large 'tif, but at that time the people of the United States would hardly have hesi- tated to make Roosevelt king if he had so desired. But he did not so desire, nor did he wish a third term-at that time. But if the people did not re-elect him, it would be a pleasant duty to say whom they should elect. So Mr. Roosevelt named William Howard Taft as his successor, and William Howard Taft was the peo- ple's choice for 19019-13. After seeing his protege elected, and his own term of of- fice completed-for the time being, at least-the ex-President departed for the wilds of Africa. There he spent nearly a year, shooting elephants and guides, hav- ing his picture taken, and getting his name into the American papers. When he had shot up Africa and killed everything in sight, he started for home and his postponed third term. See- ing that some of the foreign nations were considerably disturbed over certain mat- ters, he could not resist the temptation to stop for a few minutes and tell them how to run their governments. The advice was not always received as kindly as it was given, and the Colonel's dignity suf- fered not a little. When he reached home, he found that the United States was, in his opinion, on the road to ruin. After berating his form- er friend and colleague, President Taft, who had shown that actions speak louder than words, Mr. Roosevelt, with his cus- tomary unselfish foresight, offered to save the American people by accepting a third term as President. The American people, always unappreciative, have not been very eager to avail themselves of this kind offer, but the Colonel's hat is still in the ring, and in all probability will remain there until someone kicks it out. So far, the cases of Napoleon and Roose- velt are parallel: each has risen to fame, spent some time in comparative oblivion, Q ,Q if ' Q A- and then tried'to regain his glory. Napo- leon failed. Will Roosevelt? If he does not fail, he is the first man to disregard the precedent established by George Washington. If he does fail, perhaps he will spend the rest of his days, as Napo- leon did, at some modern St. Helena COyster Bay, for instancej, an exile, polit- ically, at least, from the world. On the other hand, he may still cling to his orig- inal plan of saving his erring country, and again run for the presidency. Who knows? -Charles Wratten, '12, THE HIGH SCHOOL OF MY DREAMS I was fatigued. Yes, utterly exhausted after fiercely endeavoring to see the point of an experiment on electricity. I dragged myself wearily down the squeaky stairs, and clasped and unclasped my hands nervously. That awful Physics experi- ment had made me desperate. I passed other students, who greeted me hurriedly, yet sympathetically. Their eyes were sad, and their faces lined by the trials of study. I really should have gone to Room Sev- en to write quantities of German verbs on the board. As I was about to open the door, I spied a chair standing in the hall. It had just been vacated by the teacher in charge. I dropped into it, and my weary bones rejoiced at the rest. Joan of Arc 's pale face caught my at- tention, and I gazed at her long and steadily. My head sank lower and lower, my tired eyes closed. I was asleep! Yes! asleep in the halls of learning. I dreamed of R. H. S. Not as it is at the present date. Oh, no! this dream in- stitution of learning was ideal. Refresh- ments were served at any hour on the third floor. Instead of Water ice-cold lem- onade was obtained at the fountains by the throngs of thirsty students. At this time there was no system of registration, but the students just walked out of the Assembly Room at their own free will. The teachers who had charge of the As- sembly rooms never scolded or rapped on

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: K-fare-3e,,.ef,..-Q .., V . ..,,.. mm., , iii it ' 1 . Lectures little kid, ' Then 't is, Good-bye. Fl? 'KS Sli Sk SF is Tiny little boy, Alone in Room Three, Says, Great big teacher Don't you miss me? -L. Baumblatt, '13, NATURE 'S SWEETEST MOOD It was a rippling, tinkling, tumultuous stream. Alders and willows trailed their branches in the clear, crystal water and waved listlessly to and fro. The water gurgled gleefully with sounds like echo- ing laughter. It rippled and sparkled over pure, silvery pebbles, leaped over emerald rocks, danced over coppery sands, and then whirled away into the shadows. Now and then a shiny silver trout leaped in the water and flashed away into darkness. Green, sloping banks ran down to meet the stream. feathery ferns nestled in the crevices of rocks and swept gracefully with the wind. The sun flecked the babbling water with alternate light and shadow. So, all day long, it pursued its merry course, splash- ing and tinkling with sweet melody. Then when night came on, and the moon flood- ed the world with soft, pearly light, it murmured a tender, sighing lullaby till all about was asleep. -Dagmar Peterson, '13, THE RETURN FROM ELBA The siege of Moscow was the turning point in the career of Napoleon Bona- parte. With five hundred thousand men, the greatest army ever led by a European general, he invaded Russia and marched to Moscow in spite of all resistance. When he arrived, the city was already in ruins. He waited a month, expecting overtures of peace from the enemy, but none came. The frost and snow of a Russian winter forced the Little Corporal to begin a rapid retreat, which closely resembled that of the British from Concord. With- out sufficient supplies, unaccustomed to the climate, and harrassed by numberless foes, the French died by thousands. With his characteristic determination the emperor returned to France, and, raising another army, began a campaign in Germany with three splendid victories, but Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden were now allied against him, the odds were too great, and when, at Leipsic, Napoleon lost fifty thousand men in three days, his power was completely broken. Finding his army disorganized and much of his popularity gone, he abdicated the throne of France and went to the island of Elba. In less than a year he returned to France, and before he reached Paris the whole French army had declared for him. The European powers that had dethroned him again united, but Napoleon took the initiative and defeated the Prussians at Ligny. Two days later, thru a fatal mis- understanding, and the treachery of one of his men, he was defeated at VVater- loo by Wellington and Bliicher. The de- feat was a decisive one, and on June 22, 1815, just one hundred days after his re- turn from Elba, Napoleon abdicated in fa- vor of his son. Expecting generous treat- ment, he allowed himself to be captured by the English, who exiled him to St. Helena, where he died six years later. Thus ended the career of Napoleon Bona- parte, considered by many the greatest leader of men in history. History repeats itself. We have a mod- ern case, which, up to the present time, is very similar to that of Napoleon. Theodore Roosevelt was elected Vice- President in 1900. When President Mc- Kinley died a short time later, Roosevelt became President. He immediately be- gan his attacks on the trusts and those who were monopolizing certain markets. On all sides he was hailed as the deliverer of the American people, whose rights were in danger. In 1904 he was elected President of the United States. His administration was marked by the continuance of his trust- busting tactics, which, however, accom-

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K, g gi ' A D -M M - .if I 5, yegfzm-4. M gg 'i i fl 'f't't5PW?'e r551-wiv' , ,-9.5 I-J. 'ggi the desk when students whispered. They simply smiled encouragingly. No clanging bells announced the end of the period. Instead, a flunky, clad in lux- urious livery, entered the Assembly Room and Went to each individual and asked those who had recitations the following period to adjourn to their classrooms. Whlen a student was tired, he had only to go to the Rest Room, where he could recline in a hugh easy chair for a period. There were no hated school books, no dates, no diflicult rules to learn. In class the boys discussed football, baseball or racing, the girls talked over the latest events of society, While the kind-faced in- structor passed silently from one to an- other, and if a student talked especially well, he received an encouraging pat on the shoulder. At the termination of the period, the pu- pils did noti have to climb long flights of stairs. Elevators stopped at each door, and in this way the students were con- veyed from one recitation room to an- other. The students in one recitation were just enjoying a talk about the Country Club dance when the flunky announced that the period was over. I awoke with a start, and looked up. Oh, cruel fate! It wasn't a richly-clad flunky who was speaking, it was Mr. Brooks, who called a cheery Good- night to me over the railing. Ah, yes! the high school in reality and the high school of my dream are two dif- ferent institutions. I had no elevator to take me to the hall, so that I might get my wraps, but had to walk up the long flights of stairs, tired as I was. I tried to comfort myself with the thought that perhaps when women had the ballot, conditions in the local high school would be like those of the high school of my dreams. -Hazel Buck, 'l3. Teacher Cinterested in birdsj-i'Did you ever see a night-hawk? Soph.- I'have seen a lot of night- hawks coming home on the owl. 1 THE? SMOKEIVS RECPETNTANCE CWith apologies to Shakespearej Oh! my offense is rank, it smells to the ofliceg It hath the Principal 's curse upon it. One solitary pill! Refuse if-I can 't-- Though inclination be as sharp as will, My strong desire defeats my good intent, And, like a man to double business bound, I stand in pause before I take a pill- Then smoke another. VVhat if these lips Were thicker than themselves with cigar smoke? Is there not rain enough in old Lake Michigan ' To wash them white as snow? Whereto serves water But to remove the traces of offense? Then I'll wash up, my fault is past. -Guilbert Barr, '12, LUCY'S THEME The day was hot and sultry. Every- body in the Assembly Room was heated and uncomfortable. They squirmed and twitched, and twitched and squirmed, really adding to their misery, although they were unaware of it. At length a cool breeze from the lake wafted in through the window. Slightly relieved, Lucy, an important little Freshman, set- tled down in her seat, with an exhausted air. Oh, how I wish it were a month from now, she said to herself, longingly. There would be: No more lessons, no more books, No more teacher's saucy looks. And, continuing rather dreamily, I sup- pose a month from now I shaall be out at Grandma 's farm-maybe, in the hammock under the trees, or drinking soda Water, or eating candy-um-um ! She spent the next few silent moments in pleasant an- ticipation of the long summer vacation before her. She was awakened from this reverie by a silvery little laugh close to her elbow. She started nervously. . Ohl what was that? she asked, look- ing around her.