Rochester High School - Rochord Yearbook (Rochester, MN)

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ARCTIC SECRETS lily Ted Tollefson, '31 Did you ever stop to think how wise trees really are and how much they know? Standing through the ages, they acquire a vast knowledge, unequaled by that of any human. Here is the autobiography of a northern pine tree told just before the tree was cut down and sent on its way to a Sas- katchewan lumber mill. I have lived here at the roof of the world for centuries, the only green thing for miles around in this God-forsaken Arctic land. Residing near the North Pole for so many years, I can relate many interesting experi- ences. Many years ago-about the year 1000-I saw coming toward me an odd creature that l later learned was a man. He came alone in a small boat, and he was accompanied by two lean, hungry-looking dogs. This was the first Polar land explorer, Izzy of the Green Shawl, that fearless Viking from Pal- estine. He left soon, and for a long time I saw no other man. Then one day a tiny ship appeared. It was manned by a motley crew of men who were starved and half mad. This boat was commanded by Frobisher, the great English explorer. Henry Hudson came next. XYorking in the interests of the Dutch, he and his small son had been set adrift in the Arctic waters in an old, leaky vessel. In this ship, the Half-Moon, he tried in vain to find a north- easterly passage to China. I grew older, as things have a habit of doing, and I became tall and majestic. My boughs stretched high into the Arctic airg I was a large tree, a fitting monument for the top of the world. Centuries went by again before I saw Peary and his negro com- panion, Matt Hensen, come to my land in 1909. They trudged behind a lean, gaunt team of half starved and half frozen dogs. So wild with joy at reaching the pole be- cause it had been his life-long ambition to do so, Peary seemed mad, and when he left, he was the happiest man I have ever seen. From that time on, visitors followed in rapid succession. First came Amundsen, fa e It Was Byrd in His Giant Plane once by dog team, but years later by plane, and finally by dirigible. I know where his body can be found now. He lost his life, as you know, while he was hunting for Nobile, that Italian aceg but let him be, for he is resting in the land he loved. Amundsen was followed by MacMillan, the leader of the best prepared expedition ever to enter my realm. The last section of Nobile's ill-fated dirigible came close to my domain, and I could tell you now where the mangled bodies of his men and the inside of his ship are waiting to be discovered. In 1926 I saw my last explorer. He was none other than Commander Richard Byrd in his great plane, the Josephine Ford. He circled me and then flew away into the dis- tance. Now after centuries of life I find myself willing to die. I know the North, its mys- tery, its secrets, it glamour, and I have seen the progress of man up through the years, so I go to my doom happily. Page Sezwr,

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fllllllflfilf, 1930 THE criticisms, and reviews were written by the journalism class for the Post-llulletin. Saturday mornings and vacation seldom mean sleepl' for the journalists, for at least two of the school reporters have to collect locals from S200 till 9:30 and then have them typed by 10:15. How many of you really understand the arrangement between the Post-Bulletin and the high school? At the Minnesota High School Press As- sociation convention in St. Cloud this fall, the delegates learned that R. H. S. is the only school in Minnesota and one of the few in the United States that is actually paid by a newspaper for the services of its re- porters. For all of the local news items and school notes sent to the Post-Bulletin from the school, S20 a week or a total of S780 for a school year, is received by the high school treasury for Hnancing the Rochet. Last year, the Rochet was graded in class A, at the National Publication Con- test. George Gallup, secretary-treasurer of Quill and Scroll, national high school jour- nalistic society, said that the appearance of the Rochet is professional rather than high schoolish . Most of you know of the complete change the Rochet underwent, beginning last year. The new system was introduced by the journalism teacher of last year, Miss Doris Trott. The new type of magazine was the first of its kind in high schools in the country, but the system is being taken up by many schools. By combining the features of the 'fCrucible , the former monthly literary magazine, and those of the 'tRochet , the annual, the new baby Rochetu was introduced. Besides their writing for the Post-Bulle- tin, spending evenings making up the dum- my , and organizing material and cuts, the journalism students must be ready to go to the most convenient place, usually the high school, for reading proof before saying a final O, K. to the printer, to be sure things are as nearly correct as pos-sible. In addition to their activity in news, all the students of journalism are members of the national honorary journalism society, Quill and Scroll. Like other clubs, meet- ings are held once each six weeks. Spon- sors of the club are Miss Ethel King, Oliver Nordly, and the journalism teacher, Miss Margaret Owen. Jean Winston Lee At every t'Roehet Staff meeting you will find these three workers- Iean, Winston, and Aletliea Page SLU

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AUTOBICGRAPHY OF A KITTEN By James Punderson, ,33 Purr! Purr! Purr! NVhat a nice, com- fortable sound, I thought as I pawed and scrambled my way out of a tangle of hot, furry bodies. Dear me, continued my mother's soft voice. I shall have a task training so many new kittens. Vlihat a fine lot they are-the best I ever had. I am glad the chauffeur made us such a cozy nest, here in this box in the garage. It is still cold and snowy outside, but my babies will be warm. I hope that dog Jack won't bother us. Purr. Ouch, I wailed as I gave a lurch and hit my head on the side ot the box. My mother gently pushed me back with my brothers where I had my first breakfast and went to sleep. XYe were all blind for several days, but I was the first to get my eyes open. I shall never forget the first glimpse I had of Jack, the dog. He stuck his big, brown headin- to the box and sniffed at us. F-f-f-ft! Ffffff! Vlfe turned into hissing, little spithres when we saw him. jack only grinned because he knew mother was gone. just then mother ilew in like a streak of lightning and landed on Mr. jack's head with every claw. jump- ing cat-tails! How that dog did howl! I donit wish to brag, but I am the clever- est kitten of the whole bunch, you know. I was first to get my eyes open, nrst to get out of the box, hrst to learn to purr, and I'm going to be first to-catch-my-own-tail. There! I almost had it that time! I had an adventure yesterday. I slipped out of the garage and raced across the gar- den. I was having a line time when a little girl swooped down on me and caught me by the tail. She carried me into the house. Her mother gave me a saucer of warm milk and showed her how to carry me properly. I was certainly glad that I was smart enough to purr for them. I'm going again tomorrow if-Did you see that tail wiggle? Excuse me, please. I'1l-get-it-yet! HOW I WRITE A THEME By Gordon Fawcett, '31 My troubles were over. The only home work I had left to do was to write a theme. Desirous of seeing my work in the Rochet , I decided to take great pains and care with this theme. just as I was on the verge of snatching a dandy title out of the air, some one had to turn the radio on. And according to human nature, I started to berate that some one, who happened to be my sister. No sooner had I begun to do so, however, than I re- ceived a lecture from my father on the pro- per respects due one's sister. After this half hour's interruption, I had started to begin again, when I was disturb- Paye Eight ed by my younger brother's pleas to help him with a hard arithmetic problem. Grouchily, I assented. I had no more than completed this task when I was sent out to the store for some aspirin. After I had hur- ried back, I again prepared to write my theme. Sitting there, sucking the end of my pen and gazing at the ceiling, I endeavored in vain to think of a title. And then the door bell rang. Enraged, I got up to answer it. Alas! it was my chum who wanted to take me for a ride. Promising myself to get that theme during study hour the next morning, I grabbed an aspirin for my whirling head and was off.