Rye Neck High School - Scraps Yearbook (Mamaroneck, NY)

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NATURE'S GUIDE-POSTS I suppose you have all seen a car full of tourists stopped before a maze of signposts. consulting road maps and signs, trying to decipher their message. I should like to see the-se people when they reach their desti- nation, which is so often the big woods. Can't you just see them-after a day of rambling in the woods, when night begins to fall-panic stricken creatures stampeding around, fainting, and performing other citi- fied antics? Why. I can almost hear a puff- ing lady lament the fact that there are no sign-posts or lights. Oh, if she only knew, but I guess few do, that the woods are just as full of guide-posts as any city-if one knows where to look. It isn't a science, set aside by itself, to be able to find ones self in the woods. It just requires the knowledge of a few facts. Perhaps the most outstanding guide-post is the sun. Everyone knows where the sun rises, and where it sets, therefore with just the knowledge of whether the time is morning or afternoon, one can easily tell in which di- rection he is going. If one doesn't know how to locate the sun on a cloudy day, or is in the midst of a down- pour, a glance at the bark of several trees will impart the desirable information. Real moss, not the heavy fungus type, grows on the trunks of trees, on the side where there is the most moisture. Now, the north side of the tree has the least chance for the suns rays to evaporate its moistureg therefore, moss is usually found on the north side of a tree. Don't select one tree-particularly if it is inclined, or prostrate, or if it is pro- tected from the weather-to tell you the secret. Pick out erect trees, more than one, and the majority will have the moss on the north side. If you are not yet satisfied, and there are pines or hemlocks near, as a rule, the feath- ery tuft, on the very top of the tree will point to the east, toward the rising sung or if there is a stump near by. where a fairly old tree has been sawed off, look at the an- nual rings. On the north side the rings will be thicker. You see Mother Nature has provided for the tree's protection, and has made the bark thicker on the north side. The center of the tree, therefore, will be nearer the south edge than the north. You can find most of these signs at night without a great deal of trouble, but if the stars are out, look for the Big Dipper, and follow the line of the two stars in the end of the bowl, the pointers-and they will point to the North Star, which of course in- dicates North. It's all very interesting to know these hundreds of little facts about the woods. There are many that the Indians have taught us, and still more that have been lost with the Vanishing American. If those city tourists and campers would at least pick up a book or an article regarding the woods, they would be saved many a panic when they get into the woods, and without any effort on their part. -Dorothy Fitch A PROVERB Of the many wise sayings that come to my mind, I think that one of Benjamin Frank- lin's may best be applied to the success of the individual. He said, Diligence is the mother of good luck. How often one hears the remark-the al- most envious remark- What wonderful luck that person must have l That per- son has probably succeeded in something in something, seemingly without exertion on his part. But is this last true? I doubt it. Almost without exception, this good luck has been attained after tireless efforts. To the unsuccessful part of the world, the successful man seems to possess some un- canny influence over things. Because of this wrong impression, these people remain unsuccessful. - Why should we exert our- selves when the 'fates' are working against us? is their thought. If one thinks that way, if he expects things just to happen, of course he will not succeed-for good luck is undoubtedly back- ed by diligence. -Hazel Coakley THESE LAST DAYS The last few days of school have come. To me it seems a shame To think we have to leave so soon To go and seek our fame. The days, so short, behind us fly So hurried, it seems, are we But we'll work and work for Rye Neck High To show our loyalty. -Clara K. Wendel Page Seven

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THE DEBTOR Scene: Farmhouse of Mary Cass, a wi- dow. Time: 1840. Supper time. Place: Illinois. Enter Mrs. Cass, to prepare the meal. A knock at the center door. Mrs. Cass: Come in. QEnter a tall lanky boy with deep eyes and black hair.j Mrs. C: Why Abe, what brings you here this time of night and such a long distance too! I hope nothin's wrong. ' Abe: Yes, Mrs. Cass, somethin's wrong. but 'live come to make it right. Mrs. C: Surely, Abe, anything I can do. Is it a book? Abe: fAwkwardlyj: No, not this time. It's about something of your's. Mrs. C: Somethin' of mine! Whatever are you talking about? Surely you can't be meanin' the butter crock. ' Abe: No, it ain't about that, either, al- though I'm going to return that tomorrow. It's about when you were at the store this morning. Mrs. C: Well, for the lands sakes, speak! I can't for the life of me guess what you mean. I Abe: Well, you see when you was at the store this morning-well-well-I just hap- pened to charge you more than the right price for the lard. Believe me.. Mrs. Cass, I didn't mean to do it. It was just a sort of mistake. Mrs.-C: Of course, Abe, don't I know you well enough by this time to know that you ain't going to cheat anybody? How much was you off on the price? Abe: One cent. But- Mrs. C: A penny! And you come all this way for a- penny! Abe Lincoln, you oughter be spanked! The idea! Now sit down and have something to eat. The Lord save us! CExit Mrs. Cass to kitchen. Re-enter with some bread, butter and bacon. They sit down.j Abe: You see, Mrs. Cass, I didn't want you to think that I did that on purpose. Mr. Jenkins, he'd never forgive me. Mrs. C: Abe?-listen-You don't need to be worryin' about your reputation in this town. Everybody knows what you are and everybody trusts you. Now, you go up to Jim's room and pick out a book or two to take back with you. fExit Abej Mrs. C: Lands! What a boy! fRe-enter Abe.j There! take 'em with you. No hurry about returning 'em. Jim don't know how to read 'em. Abe: Thank you so much. I'll bring 'em back Monday. Good-bye. fAt door.j Mrs. C: What did you take, Abe? Abe: fSpeaking at doorwayj: A Thesis on the Criminal Law of Modern Eng- land and An Examination of the Political Government of The United States. Good night. fExit.j Mrs. C: That boy will make his way. mark my words! The End. -Donald Stevens A STORM Don't you love to sit and watch a storm- The driving sleet, the slowly twirling snow- When all your friends, if old or new, you know Are under shelter, dry, protected, warm? The world seems different I think after the snow Has covered the earth with a blanket of white, Whicll shines in the light of the moon and makes day out of night, While the vales become hills made of drifts by the winds which blow. If you donit stop to think of the ships out at sea or the planes Which have to fly in weather fair or foul, Or, in time of war, of soldiers fighting, dreaming Of a cozy chair, by a warm, cheery fire be- hind panes Through which one sees the snow and hears the winds which howl, Don't you love to sit and watch the snow fall, gleaming? -Ruth Clarke SUNSET The sun is slowly sinking in the west Casting shadows o'er the calm blue sea, The lofty clouds of purple, pink and blue, Are changing now to dark and somber hues As the day fades into the darkness of the night. --Clara Wendel Page Six

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HOW TO BRING ABOUT PEACE The United States is looked upon as a world power and as an aggressor nation be- cause of her size and prosperity. Because of this many of the less significant countries are filled with awe and in many cases, fear. There are many ways in which to put the fears to rest and to produce harmony in feel- ing. Peace is the result of wars, treaties, abitration and conference, but which is the most satisfactory method to pursue? A frank bid for friendship and confidence is accomplished by means of conferences held from time to time in the various countries and extending to every nation. These meetings place all on equal footing and give the small countries the feeling of being on a level with their larger neighbors instead of instilling in their minds the sense of inferiority and weak- ness. In producing this friendly relation, the weaker are assured of protection and many unfounded suspicions, which would in- evitably lead to war, are banished. -Eva Wenzel Can peace ever be attained permanently? The question is asked by many. It is an- swered only by a few. Those who jump at conclusionsg those who are so inflamed with their own zeal as not to see the impos- sibilities of their plansg and those who do not thoroughly acquaint themselves with sur- rounding conditions are apt to be the ones that would answer this question. Peace is a wonderful thing, but unless all people are willing to give up their claims once in a while we shall always have petty strife which is apt to lead to greater trouble. There are always some unwilling for some reason or other to do this, and as a result we cannot expect to have uninterrupted peace in the world of today. It is possible to avoid great confiicts and catastrophies by careful management and diplomacy as has been done, but the petty quarrels and small wars and uprisings can hardly be prevented. When all people think the same and look with the same understanding on their worlds, then we may expect international and popular harmony. But this is Utopia, not this world. So, we must content ourselves with doing the best we can, striving to attain this end thru future generations. We can keep the subject active and alive in the minds of the people, but we cannot attain our end im- mediately as some of us expect. PEACE All efforts to secure international peace through treaties and alliances must fail. There is no other alternative. As a word, Peace, is a short expresson for the phrase, Peace of Mind. You tell meg how can any nation have peace of mind, as it were, after it has engaged in a bloody struggle with its own brother-a struggle that claims its toll not only in mercenary value, but one that has cost the lives of thousands. No, it is impossible, for the conquered is like a deadly serpent, who abides his time before he strikes, and the conqueror is like an armed man towering over the serpent, yet not daring to move. You say that the hornet has flown-true, but the sting remains. Fa- ther Time alone with his misty veil of For- gotten Ages, can restore the peace that once existed between the two nations. And, fur- thermore, it is absolutelv impossible for friendly relations to be brought about any sooner by any such ridiculous treaties, as those of outlawing war, naval disarmament, and all the rest of these petty alliances. which are made only to be broken, and when broken, by one or another, cause jealousy, and the struggle ensues. -Milton Glatzl If the countries involved really desire peace, an intermingling of the peoples will help. -Michael Auleta Each nation should encourage any in- stitution which has for its purpose, justice, confidence, good-will and peace of the world. -Robert Montgomery If the nations involved are truly sincere, a treaty may be gained that is satisfactory to all concerned without the loss of lives that marks each war. -T. F. Goldman There is but one wav to secure peace. That is by arbitration. Why can't the heads of the disagreeing nations sit down together and talk over their clashing points? A com- promise could probably be reached, and the great toll of lives, the enormous cost of a War would be avoided. -Hazel Coakley Page Eight