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

Page 23 text:

The Pioneer Page Twenty-one You don’t believe me? Figure it out for yourself, then by means of logs, sines, tangents, sulphuric, acid, or even Latin and you will see that 15,552,000 seconds is as near right as can be and leave the historian with a clear con¬ science. Here’s the method: 180 days, for 4 years, at six hours a day, times the next smaller division of time which Mr. Pope has so instilled into our minds, by means of numerous problems, and your answer will be 15,552,000 seconds. It lias taken us that length of time to make history. Now let us survey our own narrative of what we, as civilized men and women, have thought and done in past times. The first thing to do is to “make a rapid preliminary survey of the material to be covered” and “with a flying start” we can review our brief, yet vastly important history. Prehistoric First we have a period known as Pre¬ historic, or before written records. This period is brief enough in that it covers about 12 years of time, when we as youngsters succeeded in doing what was all wrong and never remembered to do the right thing, though we did succeed in learning our R’s, you know what three. But we progressed through this period in lightning style with the help of our brilliant predecessors, including many teachers and our beloved principal, Miss Alice Barrows. Does this prehistoric age seem vague to you, peculiar, or even funny? If it does you can take part in the dumb-bell drill, which has been so well demonstrat¬ ed by some of our girls during Education Week. Ancient Out of this era of antiquity we pass to another, which covers two years of time. This time, our Ancient History, was well spent for we became better pre¬ pared, if you will recall the words of Dr. Barker, “to do what has to be done, wdien it ought to be done, whether we like to do it or not.” During that period, so ancient and so honorable, many events occurred. From a state of barbarism, we progressed until we became real thinkers, and organized a democratic, self-governing group at our class meetings. “Ding” Lyons became our president and also a member ofthe Student Council. 11 Fran ’ ’ Porch and “ A1 ” Levenson were elected to the Round-Up Board. “Fran” also became a note-worthy Ciceronian and has orated to “Dobbie” Jones, our president, ever since. “Pete” South- wick, “Ma” Adams, “Dobbie” Jones, and “Chippie” Gaw lent their voices to touching, yet pitiful harmony, in the operetta “A Lass of Limerick Town.” The varsity girls’ basketball team cap¬ tured “Buster” Harvey, who once was ours, as our representative. With heart¬ felt affection, we extended sympathy to “King” Jarvis while he swelled up with the mumps. Next “Dot” Goddard and 11 Hooky” were made Round-Up desper¬ ados who attempted to capture news from their lazy classmates. However, lest I bore you, we must remember that famous Durfee game and the clever work of our basketball stars of the season,, 1 ‘ Beth ” Fowler and ‘ ‘ Mic. ” But we were kept busy sprinting for Coach Tay¬ lor, and answering in tones that allowed no discussion, ‘ 1 1 have no oral theme to day.’ ; Ancientl (continued) The teachers needed a vacation, so we followed suit and took ten weeks, coming back fresh, but not Freshmen, for an¬ other 180 days. We chose “Ding” ' president again, with “Count” Cutcliffe,. secretary-treasurer, and “Jack” Ingalls, as “Ding’s” assistant. Those were the good old days w T hen we had such dignified and austere gentle¬ men as “Ben” Nichols, “Elsie” Hill and “Van” for upper classmen. “Van” showed his dignity when he acclaimed, “A zebra is a sport model jack-ass.” At this time we had a clever young man known as “Chass” Ellis enter our class, and he contributed bushels of poetry to the Round-Up. As real and genuine floormen, we evened up in the class series of basketball losing 3 games and taking as many in return. “Ma” Adams, “Buster” Harvey, and “Fran” Fowler made the girls’ varsity basketball team and they showed up the green and white in flying array. “Jack” Spear was our private repre¬ sentative to the boys’ varsity team. The Senior play, “Rose o’ Plymouth '

Page 22 text:

Page Sixteen The Pioneer RUSSELL MEIKLE—‘ ‘ Russ ” Ambition: To Travel Class Basketball ’23, ’24, ’25, ’26 Senior Play Committee ’26 Chairman Gift Committee ’26 11 The force of his own merit makes his way” EDITH MELLEN —‘ 1 Ted’ ’ Ambition: To finish school Junior Woman’s Club ’24 Senior Play Committee ’26 “ Silence is commendable” ELIZABETH MERCER— ‘ ‘ Betty, ” ( ‘ Beth’ ’ Ambition: Concert pianist Field Hockey ’25 Tormentor Board Senior Play Committee ’26 Special Chorus ’26 Stock Room Assistant ’26 “ Mistress of herself though China falls” VIRGINIA MERRILL— ‘ 1 Gin,’ ’ 11 Ginny ” Ambitioni: To become Governor of Mass, or President of the United Stages. In working up I shall follow the vocation of kindergarten teacher Hockey Team ’25 Captain Basketball ’25 Varsity Basketball ’26 Ch. Senior Play Candy Com. ’26 ‘ 1 The most magnificent sign of wisdom is continual cheerfulness” KATHLEEN MERRITT — 11 Kay ’ ’ Orchestra 11 Genius must be born and never can be taught’ ’ MABEL MERRITT —‘ 1 Maybe ’ ’ “She has a gift to feel A pleasantness, a mirth In all quiet things” MARION MEUSE—“Mam” Ambition: To be kikten on the keys Special Chorus “Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory” HAZEL MORRISON—“Haz” Ambition: C. P. A. Junior-Senior Reception Com. ’25 Junior Woman’s Club Fashion Show ’26 Picnic-Lunch Committee ’26 High School Orchestra “No question is ever settled Until it is settled right” ROBERT MOYER— 1! ‘ Bob ” Ambition: To become a scientific and electrical engineer Junior Reception Committee ’25 Picture Committee ’26 Picnic Committee ' 26 President Radio Club ’26 Class Basketball Tormentor “With all good grace to grace a gentleman ” MURIEL MUSSELLS— —“Mima,” “Red” Ambition: Artist Graduation Chorus ’25 Style Show ’26 Senior Play ’26 ‘ ‘ A flaming meteor shone for hair’ ’ FRANK NORTON —‘ ‘ Franky” Graduation Chorus ’23, ’24, ’25 Debating Club ’24 Football ’24, ’25 Male Octet ’25 Christmas Cantata ’25 Easter Cantata ’25 Senior Ring and Pin Committee Senior Dance Committee Senior Play ’26 “Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre” GARRIT OLDENBROOK Amibition: Chemical or electrical en¬ gineer Baseball ’25 Senior Play ’26 Class Elections ’26 “So much one man can do, That does both act and know” VIRGINIA PARSONS —‘ ‘ Ginny ’ ’ Ambition: Artist Graduation Chorus ’25 Basketball ’25 11 Like to an island in the sea Stands your personality” LAWRENCE PARTELOW—“Buff” Ambition: Physician of some kind Five Squad ’26 Debating Team ’26 Varsity Basketball ’25, ’26 Chairman Senior Dance Com. ’25

Page 24 text:

Page Twenty-two The Pioneer Town, ’’ was witnessed by us and also the gracious gift of the same class to “Doc” Doherty, ‘‘a cake of Palmolive soap to keep his school girl complexion.” Yet those days soon vanished and we passed to a more blissful time known as the Medieval Period. Medieval A year, or if you like percent better, 25% of our history-making is included in this period. “Fran” Porch, “Dob¬ bie” Jones, “Ding” Lyons, and “Chass” Ellis represented us upon the Round-Up Board as literary characters and “Hooky” held the assistant managership and the Board dast not refuse us. Nevertheless w T e were still in the 1 Dark Ages ’ ’ and we presented some mighty and noble warriors for the foot¬ ball team, ‘ 1 Doc” Doherty, 1 ‘ Ding ’ ’ Lyons, and ‘ ‘ Paully ’ ’ Clements. 11 Our little Helen ” Badger wrote her nation-wide play entitled ‘ 1 Patent Medi¬ cine.” The Copley Theatre audience ap¬ preciated it, though the patent ran out and we just missed a noble prize. The Junior Prom came next with “Fran” Fowler chairman, and Marcia Ham, 11 Ma ” ' Adams, ‘ ‘ Ding ’ ’ Lyons, and 11 Jack’ ’ Spear as assistants. It was quite the affair and needless to say it is well remembered. With a knack all his own, 1 ‘ Chass’ ’ Ellis continued to present poetry to the Pioneer. In the early spring an intruder came to R. H. S. and took away ‘ ‘ our ’ ’ Miss Abbott. We soon recovered and things changed to the “Renaissance” period. “Jack” Spear, “Count” Cutcliffe, and ‘ 1 Buff ” Partelow with ‘ 1 Ding ’ ’ Lyons as assistant manager reported as our agents for basketball. With no regard to seniority the Sophomores captured the class basketball series from us, though 1 ‘ Sug’ ’ Crocker and ‘ ‘ Buff ’ ’ Partelow made the all-class team. “Johnny” Howard held out as presi¬ dent of the Debating Club and became famous as a debater and humorist, most¬ ly the latter. We were then well “re¬ vived ’ ’ and crushed our final exams in 1 ‘ steam roller’ ’ fashion and topped off by tendering a dance to the Seniors. This affair was well taken care of by “little Annie ’ ’ Crowell aided by Marcia Ham, Hazel Morrison, “Dobbie” Jones, “Bob” Moyer and ‘ 1 Ding” Lyons. A few days passed by and we saw such notables as “Hilly,” “Van,” and “Bob” Merritt evacuate. With one loud and triumphant acclaim, w T e took posses¬ sion of R. II. S. as supreme rulers of the student body. To date we had covered almost 11,500,- 000 seconds of the 15,552,000 seconds of our school life. Urged by the dying words of Anaxagoras, “Give the boys a holi¬ day, ” we departed for a brief relapse before we entered the well-known, much- talked of period known as Modern His¬ tory. Modern History This era constitutes a most important part of World History and also of the history of the Class of 1926. We fairly dove into the ‘ 1 Tormentor” work and out of habit swamped the “Pioneer” Board with “Dobbie” Jones, and “Fran” Porch, joint editors, and a staff composed of “Ding” Lyons, “Glass” Ellis, Helen Abbott and 1 ‘ Russ” Barnes, while “Hooky” held the check book, with Mr. Halpin cautiously watching his every scribble. The first issue of the 11 Pioneer’ ’ to meet the eye of modern scholars was pre¬ sented with all but seven articles labelled ’26. Most of them bore the immortal seal of our president, “C. J. ’26.” In this issue we intended to reveal what our teachers did in the summer time, but the interviews were quite tame, -as many were too bashful to give details and personal lights which would add much to such narratives. ‘ ‘ Chippie’ ’ and ‘ ‘ Billy” Gaw, 11 Doc ’ ’ Doherty, and “Tommy” Phillips with “Hennie” Carleton, manager, reported for football duty with the squad. Then came another 11 Pioneer ’ ’ with but four articles of other brand than ’26. ‘ ‘ Buff” Partelow managed a Senior Party for us, which was a delightful af¬ fair, especially financially. When the Christmas cantata was presented “Dot” Goddard, “Ma” Adams, “Pete” South- wick, ‘ ‘ Mil ’ ’ Scanlon, ‘ ‘ Franky’ ’ Norton, ‘ ‘ Tommy” Phillips, and 11 Hooky,” like so many angels, carolled “Good will to men. ” The day passing rapidly, we saw our