Reading Memorial High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Reading, MA)

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10 THE PIONEER. T is for Taylor, whose surname is “ Duck.” Strange, in his fishing he never has luck. U is for union, a virtue profound. ’Twixt upper classes ’tis too seldom found. V is for Vera, our Senior so gay, Gracious to all, somehow making her way. W is for Walter, who much needs a check. Send one sufficient to take him through “Tech.” X is Xperience, which ’97’s had ; Welcome, vacation ! you make our hearts glad. Y’s for You, reader ; forgive, I entreat! Muses, like mortals, have oft, limping feet. Z’s for a graduate, no matter who. Name her I will not, because — I’m all through. Roy E. Parker, ’97. Some of the Uses of the X-Ray in the Public Schools. A New York paper recently published an imaginary X-ray photograph of a goat. The picture was entitled, “ Why Billy died —told by the X-ray,” and the stomach of the animal con¬ tained all manner of indigestible articles, from boots to a clothespin. Aside from the use of the ray in post-mortem examination upon quadrupeds in a few years we shall witness its employment in many scientific experiments upon living animals of a higher order. Probably its greatest sphere of usefulness will be in the public schools. Methods of examination mav be greatlv im- proved. The present form of test is unfair to the pupil, for although it does not display all his knowledge, it is quite certain to hit upon the points which he does not know, and thus show all his ignorance. The X-ray test would be conducted somewhat in the following manner: A pupil is asked to step to the examination room, and with no friendly “helps” nearer than his own desk, the X-ray is applied by the teacher, and the exact amount of Latin, Greek, and mathematics which his head contains is at once visible. In this way no opportunity is offered for surreptitious alteration of papers after the correct answers have been announced. The work is quickly accomplished, the examination of each pupil occupying less than a minute. The next decade will know nothing of irate parents raving over the injustice and partiality displayed upon report cards. Instead of a defin¬ ite report by percentage, an X-ray photograph of the brain of each pupil will be sent to his parents, who will judge for themselves of the standing of their child. As an aid in disciplining, the rays would be invaluable. It might be well to keep an outfit for producing the lays in every room in the school for use at times when personal investiga¬ tion would be unwise. For instance, should a desk cover be suddenly raised and sounds of suppressed snickering be heard, the ray would disclose with unfailing accuracy the funny pic¬ ture which causes the disturbance, and should it be desired to find the offender who drew the picture, it would be necessary only to project the rays about the r.om, when they would show the effect of the guilty action upon the culprit’s brain. The tardy pupil will find a half-open door but a filmy screen for such antics as he may execute for the edification of his companions in the schoolroom. A wise teacher would periodi¬ cally take a ray survey of the scho )1 as a whole, that any incipient insurrection might be nipped in the bud. The method of examining teachers now in vogue will become a thing of the past. Instead of an ordinary photograph, which is apt to be deceptive, a teacher will apply with a picture of that part of her brain which contains her knowl¬ edge of the science or language which she desires to teach. For instance, an instructor in mathe¬ matics would present a view of a brain filled with cube roots, logarithms, and Pythagorean dem¬ onstrations. Sometime, pupils will be fairly examined, cor¬ rectly marked, and higher standards of moral¬ ity and justice will prevail in our schools than ever before, because of this wonderful discovery. A., ’98. Wanted — Parents to visit the Reading High School. All are cordially invited.

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THE PIONEER. 9 poet has stamped qualities which are especially distinctive. The Homeric types of women, also, are remarkable for true and fine insights. Andro¬ mache, the young wife and mother, who, in los¬ ing Hector, loses all, awakens our curiosity and our pity ; Helen, also, clear sighted, remorseful, and appreciating any kindness shown to her at Troy, perfect in grace and accomplishments, is restored to our favor. She appears to be one of these ideal creatures of the fancy, over which time, space, circumstance and moral probability hold no sway. The divine types of character are marked as clearly as the human. Zeus, the powerful ruler of Olympus, is intolerant of competing might, and manageable only by flattery and by appeal to his emotions. Hera is the proud and jealous queen, ever ready to find fault with whatever Zeus undertakes. Apollo is the minister of death, the prophet, active in upholding the decrees of his father, Jupiter, and never at va¬ riance with him. Athene, the goddess of war, art and industry, unlike her brother Apollo, is often opposed to the purposes of Zeus. Many beautiful scenes, filled with pathos, are pictured in the Iliad. Especially touching is the farewell of Hector and Andromache. The latter is overcome with grief, clasping lovingly the hand of her husband for the last time. The infant child, fearing the glitter and clash of the armor, shrinks from the father’s arms. The speeches of the Homeric personages ex¬ press the attributes of the speakers. Illustra¬ tive of this is the great speech of Achilles, in the ninth book, of Odysseus and Ajax, who have come as envoys to him from Agamemnon, en¬ treating him to return to battle. The Homeric outlines of character, in all cases, are especially distinct, yet the poet leaves to the reader a certain liberty of imagination to fill them in to satisfy his own ideal. Florence E. McIntiue. (One of the young ladies in geometry class) “ This ratio is represented by the Greek letter which means ‘ pie.’ ” R. H. S. ALPHABET. A is for Amsden, a belle of the school; Governed by conscience, she minds every rule. B is for Burnham, in football so fleet; Oft in the evening he walks Salem street. C is for Connelly, the funniest kid, Count on him always to do as he’s bid. D is for Dyer; the wheel she doth ride — Into high fences how gracefully glide! E is for Edna, who dwells far away ; Though she owns horses she’s late every day. F is for Frank,— quite a driller they say, So very attentive to learn all he may. G is for Grace. O’er her mates she doth soar, Bearing class honors ; how can she ask more? H is for Houseman, our Cicero star, Who iu declensions exceeds us afar. I is for Ida, our dear little child, Loved by us all, though just a bit wild. J is for James-John, gigantic pair, Who spen 1 much time in arranging their hair. K’s for the Kingmans,— a triplet they make. Brains are their birthright; they all take the cake. L is for Leon, who gives us surprise, Winning in drill, sure, whenever he tries. M is for Myra,— sometimes she’s called Mike,— Love of cold water endangers her “ bike.” N is for Nellie, who has a back seat; There she is able to stand summer’s heat. O stands for cipher; if one’s in our school, Sure he’s no blockhead and neither a fool. P is for Pillsbury, Parker and Pratt; Peas in one pod, but unlike for all that. Q’s for my queen ; she’s a person of fame. Ah ! you’re just dying to find out her name ! R is for Rob, a smart Sophomore man; Hardest task learned is to shirk when he can. S is for Stella, our Senior so fair. Bright sparkles a gem ’mid the curls of her hair.

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THE PIONEER. 11 MY NOCTURNAL ADVENTURE. Tom was cross. He really was undeniably so, or I never should have bad my adventure. You s;e, Tom was home from college on a vacation, and father and mother were away, so we had dinner early and spent the first part of the eve¬ ning in the kitchen, making candy. It was very good candy, and Tom ate too much, which made him ill-tempered; and I will confess that I was a little bit cross, too, from standing so long over a hot stove. So we squabbled steadily for half an hour, though it was Tom’s first evening home; and we were glad when we heard some¬ one ring the door bell. It proved to be Tom’s old crony, Billy Jack- son, and his sister, who had come up to ask us to their house for the evening. I never could bear Billy Jackson, and his simpering little sister makes me tired ; so I said I had a headache — which was true enough—and couldn’t go. Tom was glad enough to go, and that made me crosser than ever. “Just like a boy,” thought I, “to go off and leave his sister all alone ; the very first evening he was home, too ! And yet he said this after¬ noon that I was a great deal prettier than either of the Jackson girls ! ” Full of indignation at Tom’s unbrotherly con¬ duct, I stepped out on the piazza, and wandered up and down, very lonesome and very cross. I decided that I had been foolish to believe t.hat Tom really thought me prettier than the Jackson girls, although he volunteered the opin¬ ion without my saying anything about it. I de¬ clared that he was the most ungrateful mortal that ever lived, when I had burned my hand and just about scorched my face on such a hot night, making candy for his delectation. (I wanted it just as much, but I failed to remember that.) And meditating in this ungracious strain, I strolled aimlessly out of the garden path and down the street. It was a warm night, but the street was almost empty. The blue-white glare of the electric light, now rising, now falling, was a refreshing change from the softly shaded light of the lamps within, and had a much cooler effect. I wandered along, unconsciously in the direction of the Jackson’s house, until, without noticing where 1 had come, I brought up in front of the High School building. Belford is a small place, and this schoolhouse is just an old fashioned wooden one. The lower floor is occupied by grammar schools, but the seeoud and the third are the undisputed realm of the High School. The pupils all sit in the hall on the second floor, an apartment which is large and rather barren, and known as the “ big room.” Some attempt has, in years past, been made to decorate it, and when it is filled with scholars it has quite a cheerful air ; but when no one is in it but yourself, it looks inexpressibly bare and laige. Some slight repairs had been going on, and a ladder leaned against one of the big room win- dows, carelessly left by one of the workmen. A daring impulse came to me, and following it, 1 ran swiftly up the ladder and stopped before the window. Much seaside rock-climbing and stepping about in a small boat had made me very sure of foot, and I had not the slightest fear. I had a struggle with the window which nearly lost me my balauce; but I finally opened it, and in a moment I stood in the gloom of the big room. For a moment I was tempted to basely turn and fly. If the room looked big and barren in the daylight, what was it at night, with no light at all save where that from the electric lamp came in at one end, contrasting uncannily with the total darkness all around, and lighting up the plaster features of one of the busts of the room in a way that was most ghastly ? But I conquered this cowardly inclination, reflecting what glory it would be to say that I had been in the schoolhouse alone, at night, and had climbed a ladder thirty-five feet long to do so. I endeav¬ ored to appear to enjoy myself, although there was no one to see me, and sitting nonchalantly on the sill of the window I had just entered, swung my feet and looked about me. In a mo¬ ment I heard a loud thud below me ; I knew be¬ fore I jumped down and looked out of the win¬ dow what had happened ; I had pushed the lad¬ der down !