Richmond Hill High School - Archway / Dome Yearbook (Richmond Hill, NY)

Page 5 text:

THE DOME Einar---191'-H - Asleep on the Deep Or, The High School ffero f fs .0Q,5,r- - HERE comes a time in all men's careers when all restraint is thrown off, when students who have been brought up Fi fD N .r a rw f in nice homes forget ll their surroundings and indulge their emotions. Such an occasion was now making history in N, , ,e W tl I. :91,nffm.:x 23. if Y 1, -W - em, 3,iQfijI,f. : ?J':p'f .f the high-school auditorium. The nice, well-bred students stood, and, regardless of the fact that it might bounce back, Hung lustily a succession of cheers to the roof. The occasion? As they say in the Arabian Nights,- Know, O Gentle Reader, that Willie Winkle had just rebutted, and when he rebutted it was a sound for sore ears. Not only was his re- buttal a triumph in logic, an epic of rhetoric, mind you, but - Well, Willie not only rebutted good, but he rebutted loud. When he hurled masterly, rounded phrases, innuendoes, invec- tives, and whatjs all, people came from miles around. At the sound of Willie's inspired voice full grown babies wept like men. ln fact, no debate was termed a complete success if less than forty babies were led from the hall soaked with tears of bliss. And so on this night Willie had out-Willied himself. His team had been losing, and he had been their only hope. His cold, undaunted voice had led the team to triumph. With a shy smile he had sat down, and, watching the opposition chew its hnger-nails with a defeated look in its eyes Cwhich proves their caliber, itis dilhcultl, waited for the judges to return their decision. Finally they returned, and proclaimed Willie's team the winners. Then he arose, and to his enthusiastic, con- gratulatory team-mates said modestly, 'C Why, aw, shucks, fellas, there was nothing to it. Shyly he said, c Why, pshaw, you fellas did most of it.', Taking his hat, with a blush he edged his way through the happy crowd. He sought as well as he rebutted. He soon found a shy, sim- ply but tastefully dressed little girl that he knew to be Mary Merton. It had long been bruited about the Spanish Club and the Girl Reserves meetings that Willie and Mary had, in the parlance, a M mutual crush. This is not to be confused with the Greeks' orange crushfi fThe Greeks' orange crushes are awesome, to say the least, however.l Mary looked shyly up from under her beau- tiful eyelashes, and said with becoming modesty, H You were wonderful, Vvillie. You were cute.'7 Willie's embarrassment was obvious. He drew a figure 8 on the floor with his toe. H Aw, Mary, he said, M er, aw, shucks. Letis go get a soda. With a coy laugh Mary assented. She said, U Yes, Williefi and naively tal-:ing his arm they walked out. They walked up to Ye Olde Breakfast Nook. When they had entered, Willie almost wore out his arm waving to proud friends. After they were seated, a waiter, who looked dubious, ap- preached. With becoming modesty Willie ordered. 4' Two small cokesg gargonf'

Page 4 text:

SPANISH CLUB

Page 6 text:

Page 411 THE DOME Mary smiled. Willie, not to be outdone, smiled back. Mary smiled again, and therels no telling how long these pleasant courtesies might have continued if, after Willieis seventh return of the smile, a Maryis brow. uWillie, she said simplicity, H you must Easton. You know how my heart is set on that. We are graduating this term, and you must do frown had not crossed with characteristics of win the debate against it. Until then you must prepare. You must not see me. You must gargle and oil your tonsils. Oh, Willie, you must win for my sake, for mef, There was probably, Willie reflected, not an- other girl in the world who so inspired him 'to such great deeds,- not one who could say all that with such great characteristic simplicity. His smile was disarming as he replied, 'Ll must, for you, will win,- have to! 7, In silence they rose and, after Willie had de- posited a tip that confirmed the waiteris dubi- ousness, left in a subdued mood, which had just pulled up to the curb. In the two weeks before the eventful night of nights, Willie trained. He prepared a rebuttal that would confound the stoutest opposition. He gargled, he oiled his tonsils, and prepared to rebutt as never before. And the school smiled with shy modesty, and said 'C it was in the bag. But the day before this important event a dreadful thing happened. Willie disappeared ! His mother knew only that he had left the house to buy some throat discs and had not come back. The school was dismayed. Laughter deserted its halls, and only the sound of amo, amas, amat, could be heard through the open transoms. Searching parties scoured the town. People talked in hushed whispers. The blood-hounds were loosed. The Police Department expected an early arrest. Only the Marines were lacking. The night passed, and the day dawned crisp and clear. So crisp was it that Mary, simply dressed in a purple dress and orange and green checked golf-socks, regretted having changed her heavies. She brooded: her Willie was gone, and the day apparently would not be saved. She had borne the news well, and after serious cogitation had decided that Willie had been kidnapped by gam- blers from Easton. When she reached this de- cision, she said with tearful modesty, 'L Oh, the dirty louses! 5' And at that moment Willie lay bound and gagged in a dry well at the outskirts of the town. His throat and hands were raw. So was the deal he had been given. By glancing at the sun he knew it to be five oiclock. Two hours till the starting of the Easton debate. He writhed. He strained at his bonds. He pitched and pitched and pitched. Vlfhen he had held the opposition for four innings he quit pitching, because of- oh, mir- acle! -the last gleams of the sun disclosed- guess what? - a razor blade in a far corner of the well. The rest is history. Alumni will corner you and tell you and tell you, while sitting on your chest, how Willie, by grasping the blade in his teeth, ffinding incidentally a new use for old razor blades,j had sawed through his bonds and lightly leaped forty feet out of the well, how he had run fifteen miles to the auditorium, stop- ping only for his throat discs, and entered shyly to the plaudits of the multitude and been borne to the platform on strong shoulders to give his rebuttal on Resolved: That the Horseless Car- riage is Here to Stay,'i in a husky whisper that saved the day to cheers heard a mile away. Picture yourself his meeting with Mary. His face was covered with dirt. Shyly he said, 'K Mary! 7' 'L Willie, you were marvellousf' she mur- mured. Willie hesitatedg cleared his throat. H Mary, l want to ask you a question. L' What is it, Willie dear? '7 c'Mary, he stammered, will you-go to the Prom with - er - wi-with - N 'C With whom, Willie? she queried coyly. At this point the entire audience ran to the stage, formed a pair of entwined hearts, and chanted blushingly, N With becoming modesty! 'i George Fischer.