Racine High School - Kipikawi Yearbook (Racine, WI)

Page 85 text:

i f e .,,, ,,. ,.,,,1 gk .,,. .. .. , ., .J,., . ' ,4k,-- A,ggf , ,,L3- , . .-:, - . - . -' . . . . lfmevei.-'jg I E gy gu ilt, W. K , .. A, .. ., .. .W zii' A W 1 LF, V L -- .t . - -4 so polite and actually thoughtful that I'm overcome with surprise most of the time. The other night we had a progressive- game party for one of the clubs and dur- ing refreshments one youngster brought me some punch after I'd really had all I wanted. I gently refused-but no, that wouldn't do in the least. HOh, you must drink it for me , said Johnny in his most wheedling tone so of course I took it, wondering whether I was o11 Fifth Avenue or only Henry Street. I know you would ha.ve laughed to see me standing' in the receiving line, bidding good night to thirty young hoodlums and assuring each how glad I was to have made his acquaintance. However, it wasn't really a bit funny: just perfectly natural. For do you know they're all just like the rest of us except some of them have seen more of life. I hate to go back to the humdrum life at school and I shall miss the roar of the streets just as one does the ocean. I can almost understand why Fresh Air chil- dren so often pine away in the country for lack of some excitement. Yet not quite, for life on a farm has an interest tall its own. The decree is signed for the thir- teenth. Don't tell me thirteen is an un- lucky number after this. There goes the gong for lunch and I must away. My promptness at meals dis- closes all to plainly my Settlement ap- petite. Ever devotedly yours, Hope. 2 Henry Street. April Second. Gladys dear- If I write very disconnectedly please don't mind. I jump up about every five minutes to see the fire engines go by. No one else pays one speck of attention to them and I should think they'd feel right hurt. Yesterday there was a fire in the basement of a tenement near here and all the lodgers of the upper floors leaned lazily on the tire escape balconies and watched the smoke pour out. It was just V! W -.- W a pleasant, little diversion. A hurdy gurdy is twice as interesting and a Ger- man Band the height of excitement and bliss. They all seem to be mighty musi- cal, especially at one A. M. Between the male chorus which floats in my front win- dow Hlld the cat calls that soar in from the rear fences, I am lulled into peaceful slumber immediately my head strikes the pillow. My work is to help with the children, but they're not babies and I don't have to wash their faces. For which due thanks be given! VVe Cthat is the K--A-Club and ID are arranging a play. Itis to be a very finished production, and the cos- tumes are elaborate beyond measure. Flashing swords and gleaming pistols are very easily contrived from lots of wood and silver paper, while tobacco cans make wonderful tinder boxes. But I warn you now, never attempt any three cornered hats of cardboard. They haunt me in my sleep and dodge my footsteps by day. It's time for gym so I must go over. Gym is their pride a11d joy and I'm urged to attend every class. Itis a free circus, but some day I'll go down and referee one of their basketball games and then they 'll wish they'd never asked me. Iiovingly yours, Hope. Henry Street, April fifth. You dear Gladys- This isnit exactly about settlement work but itls East Side news and there- fore, lat least, new. Last night Miss B- took me to an Italian Theater. Up in the front row in the balcony we sat in decor- ous silence, munching peanuts and watch- ing our neighbors drink pop. The re- freshment man came around between each act so no one starved, It was grand opera we had come to hear, Caruso's famous Pagliacci. True simplicity was attained in the stage set- ting, but the costumes were works of art of every age and country from Sappho down to Barrie. Each member of the

Page 84 text:

2 W . i' I - . in K vkr. . .Mm L.- k,,, ., .IIA Vkfk M, .,,.: 2 Liril ,,.l .yik i i rlkg , an V,,i7ikL,r K, .K - .. .V . . Lhyy V- N M gn ,K V. V. Z I A1L,' ev www.-,..'z: ,,1.L, W,2sW ,,:f4X Y .p E' if f ' , ,jg I ,Y . V f - f f -V , f .. f..,..y-, :fu -, W9 ing everyone in or near the station, Cbut first I saw Miss Van Vleet safely off with her friends, saying I'd wait for mine as as they didn't seem to be herej I boarded the first car I saw, 'cause no one knew how to get there anyhow. The conductor was cross and never had heard of Henry Street, so when We got to the Terminal I sailed off his old car and boarded the next one that came along. I rode on that for a long time and we went through the queer- est streets I'd ever seen. Every one must have been house cleaning for all the open windows and fire escapes were festooned with bedding and clothes, and lines of washing hung out over the roofs. Right in the pouring rain tool Do you suppose they were for decorative purposes? Hun- dreds of people were on the streets CBroadway in the middle of the day is tame compared with Grand Streetl, and there were dozens of funny little push carts. Finally the car started over the Wil- liamsburg Bridge and I knew I didn't want to be carried to Brooklyn so off I scrambled. When at length I pushed my umbrella open, I slipped my muff up over my arm, picked up my suit case, three magazines, Cwhy did I waste my pen- nies?l, purse, and pet clock, that I never dare pack, and started off none too hap- pily to iind Hitn. I walked miles and no Henry Street. So finally I plucked up courage to ask a cou- ple of youngsters if they wouldn't act as guides and porters, and rescue a fair maiden in distress. I just threw my suit case at them so somewhat unwillingly they were obliged to take up the search with me. Every ten or twelve feet we'd stop to rest in front of some saloon so our progress wasn't rapid, but after turning half a dozen corners we finally managed to get there. I had just started to open my purse for some change When a hundred or more dirty, sprawling youngsters scrambled up the steps, tumbling all over me and yelling like mad. Their sole ob- ject was to bang the shining, brass knock- er for me. Such is the etiquette of Henry Street. I thought the entire Zoo must have broken loose at the least. It was rather embarrassing to stand there with them all staring at me as though I was some unusual freak. I was thankful to tumble into the arms of the girl who opened the door, I wonder, am I so pe- culiar? A thousand thanks for your letter. It made me seem so Hat home to get one right off, though every one was lovely and cordial, and I'm not a particle home- sick. I really begrudge the tears I wasted over the place. Very sleepy. Good night-kisses, from Hope. April Ninth. Dear Gladys, I have about three minutes to spare be- tween a walk with the W-- club over Brooklyn Bridge and luncheon. Such fun as we had. The members are boys of about ten and twelve and they know more American History than even the Secretary of State, Ilm sure. Do you remember how many men were killed on each side at the Battle of Bunker Hill? Can you name the Presidents in order and give the impor- tant dates of Washingtonis life? I can't and I trembled lest they discover it. Therefore I started wild games of tag to avert historical discussion and finally asked the clever question, Have any of you ever seen a circus? ' No one had, but every one had a sister or a cousin or an aunt who had been so fortunate, and from that point there start- ed a chorus of family histories. What Mother said to Father upon the last occa- sion of his temporary but quite unexplain- able absences. How often big brother had escaped Hbeing pinched , and with how many beaux sister was blessed. I certain- ly did learn a lot of gossip but many a true fact too, which is more than can be said for some gossip parties. Do you know I forget all about the dirt and holes when I'm talking with the chil- dren. They're so bright and intelligent,

Page 86 text:

' iss, 2 . at ,'.f.k '--' W. -w.,,. tp we-vmcnae :il ' ' 4:5 S. , . ,...,.,.,, , . . . . ,ts Em.. fa-a seas fy ffm 4. jj? gtg FL km fi ,,,,: .1 f . if 'iii2i3fQi:.!.g' I 3 A A' ' 1 nf ii K1 it ' .- . 'Fr y 1 5 5 .i i- A 335'-'Vi V ' i X Lf ' Q... 6,35 5 .Q-a.l, ,. 25, elif .. ' '1 .,,, A gf il . , 1-2, K, ,. ,. A 4, N. ,L I gl, :EI 1. sf:--Ve megagH-:..wN:,.:,.,.W-.,-.. 1 1.2 g- L.. W ,F 'I - 2 1,3 -- '- 1 a ' ' V W X 1 'i 5. xv T chorus must have aimed at consistency be- tween his own costume and voice. In no other way could the different keys be ac- counted for. The orchestra had probably had a deadly quarrel for each instrument was striving nobly to drown out all the others. The result was an entirely orig- inal medley, warranted never to be sur- passed. As such, the audience evidently recog- nized its estimable worth and applauded vigorously upon all occasions. Next to me sat an especially entranced young m-an, who, noticing my vacant expression, undertook to explain the plot. His resi- dence in America couldn't have exceeded three months, and he hadn't been attend- ing school during that time either. I as- sented, whenever he rolled his big black eyes in my direction and gesticulated toward the stage with a somewhat bat- tered felt hat. However, since I was con- stantly obliged to seize the opera glasses to cover my mirthful eyes, my assertions were not very convincing. So he went all through the agonies time and again, till I began to feel apologetic. It was almost a relief when the curtain went down and I could remove my aching arm beyond the range of Miss B-'s punches. She understands sign language. Oh, but I've almost forgotten the fun- niest thing of all. Of course we had de- sired a libretto so I asked the usher to get one. No libretto came my wav. I asked again. Still no libretto, Three times I r ,fwx put in an urgent request and yet I never saw a libretto. Then I took the bull by the horns and departed down stairs in search on one myself. Boldly I walked into the main part of the house, minus hat and minus ticket, but carefully clutching my fifteen cents. A long-haired brigand accosted 'me and demanded my intentions. Very fully and distinctly I stated them and condescendingly he agreed to find a libretto. Therefore he held out his hand for the money but I was not to be thus snared, and I shook my head vigorously. W'hereirpon his face wrinkled into the most delightful smile I've ever seen and he made remark, Madame, I am the pro- prietor of the theater. Can't you trust me with your fifteen cents? Naturally I was crushed, but as he didn't have any more librettos after all, I'm glad now that I kept that precious fifteen cents. I wanted to spend it at the push carts on our way home for one can buy any- thing Hoff' them from jewelry to stock- ings Cguaranteed pure silk at ten cents a pairj, from lace curtains to pickles. But Miss BT hurried me on and wouldn't even let me get some delicious pink and yellow frosted cakes. I've dreamed of those cakes ever since. But I still have my iifteen cents. Much, much love, From Hope. -Alice Wacherhager, ,09. MSF 1' ff i 1 I . u M, i i i