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

Page 8 text:

A CHRISTMAS WISH FROM DR. GROVER For three centuries New England has sent forth from its rugged soil, pioneers who have wended their way to the remote parts of this country. They have taken to new communities those stern qualities which have been our heritage and have built them into the foundations of many a town and institution. The austerity of New England softened under the influence of time, which relieved it from the pressing necessities of hunger, cold, and danger, and gradually the observance of Christmas took on the warmth and heartiness which characterized it in old England. As one who has missed a New England Christmas for twenty- five years, I can, perhaps, see some beauties in it which you may overlook because you have become accustomed to them. I hope this Christmas, therefore, will mean to you, as it will, I am sure, to me, an opportunity to hold a little more closely to the spiritual values by taking whatever opportunity we can find to make other people happy. Let each of us resolve that in the coming year we will do all we can to come to the close of the day with the know¬ ledge that we have done nothing to bring pain or hurt to others and that perhaps we have made conscious effort to ease the burdens of some fellow traveller, and, so, put the eternal spirit of Christmas to work for the happiness of man. Our actions need not be preten¬ tious nor our deeds heralded, but through the little things we do, we may gradually help in the task of making human relationships a more constructive force towards everlasting peace. May I commend to you the dedication of your lives to make this peace possible! “All glory be to God on high. And on the earth be peace! Good-will, henceforth, from heaven to men Begin and never cease.” Van Dyke, “The First Christmas-Tree”

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News Editors David St. Hilaire ’40 Lois Ives ’41 Business Staff Gilbert Camp, Mgr., Betsy Foxcroft ’40 Donald Hills ’40 David McGee ’40 Donald Whitford ’41 Athletic Editors Alice Goodwin ’40 Glenn Davis ’41 Art Editor Eleanor Pestana ’40 Photographic Editor Richard Fellows ’40 Senior Mary Maling Gregg Brewer Stanley Stembridce Faculty Advisers Miss Devaney —Literary Miss MacIver —Typing Mr. Halpin —Business Mr. Kibbee —Art Dedication As a gesture of hearty welcome, we wish to dedicate this issue of the Pioneer to a man who plays a vital part in our school life—our new superintendent. Dr. Grover. We hope that he already feels at home among us, and we know that we shall soon be better acquainted with him.

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HAROLD SHERBURNE STEVENS In conducting a search for old copies of the Pio¬ neer, we came across a human interest story that was as inspiring as it was fascinating. The story concerned a former Reading High School graduate and assistant editor of the Pioneer, and in the hope that this story may be as interesting to you as it was to us, we are de¬ voting some of our editorial space to it. Harold Sherburne Stevens was in all respects an average American boy. He was blessed with fine par¬ ents, not rich and not poor, just fine American parents. He moved through the grades easily because of his bril¬ liant mind, which was to serve him well later in life. He entered Reading High School in 1916 and graduated four years later, in 1921. Harold Stevens was not only a very popular member of his class, but he lent his executive ability to many of the school organizations. The orchestra, a minstrel show, operettas, the Pioneer, student council, and senior play were included in Harold’s brilliant high school career. Because we have accurate material from which to draw, we shall mention his work on the Pioneer. The Christmas issue of the Pioneer of 1920 contained his first literary contribution, the story of his travels of the previous summer. “ ’Neath Caribbean Skies” is, in our opinion, the best descriptive story we have ever read, barring none. When one reads it, one can almost see and hear the tropics in the moon¬ light and feel the warm fragrant breeze that whips over whitened walls and kisses one’s cheek. We are not alone in our opinion. “The Argus” from Gardner, “The Semaphore” from Stoughton, and the “Shuttle from the High School of Practical Arts made specific refer¬ ences in their exchange columns to Harold Stevens continued story. He wrote an essay on spuds and one on public opinion in the same issue. In the March number his story, “ Neath Caribbean Skies,’ was con¬ tinued. He wrote, also, a short story entitled “In The Crater and an essay called “What 1 o Do. In the May number, Harold Stevens concluded his serial. We have gone into detail on Harold Stevens work for the Pioneer because it gave him, as it has several others, a start in the literary field. W alter Pritchard Eaton, a Reading High School graduate, many years later in an interview said, “I have worked for many papers—The Pioneer, The Reading Chronicle, The Bos¬ ton Journal (which ceased publication shortly after I left it!), The New York Tribune, The New York Sun, and others.” Without any effort on our part, we can think of three well known writers who graduated from our school, but we must return to our subject. Harold Stevens left high school early in his senior year due to an enviable chance to sail for Italy on the Pocahontas as one of the stewards. A strike halted the Pocahontas at the Azores and troubled her throughout the rest of the cruise. At Gibraltar, the ship seemed to be laid up indefinitely. Harold Stevens and several other of the boys were desirous of entering American universities in the fall, and now September was nearly over and back home the universities were opening. Har¬ old Stevens organized these boys and they paid a visit to the American Consul, who, impressed by their story, sent a wireless message to another vessel. The next day they were on their way back to the U. S. A. Harold entered Bates College and successfully made up the work that he had missed. After he had left Bates, he went to New York City, where he accepted his first position at a salary of twenty-five dollars a week. He rose rapidly. A few months later he was making twenty- five hundred dollars a year as an advertising agent for a large New York concern. Because of lack of space, we shall skip across the years, past the crash of 1929, to the Chicago World’s Fair, year of 1933. At this time Harold Stevens reached the highest point in his brief career. As an advertising man, he received a salary of seventy-five hundred dol¬ lars per annum, and by writing for different medical magazines, he earned another twenty-five hundred, or a grand total of ten thousand dollars a year. He was one of the principal speakers in the medical exhibit of the Chicago World’s Fair. After one of his lectures, he was greeted enthusiastically by Dr. Mayo, one of the famous Mayo brothers, who told him that Mrs. Mayo would like the pleasure of the first dance with him. No doubt, Harold Sherburne Stevens would have Three