Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

Page 19 text:

Lest We Forget. July 3, 1905. Dear Class-mates of 1905- I've had a most thrilling experience and am sitting down at the first opportunity to tell you all about it. I can't explain it, but hope you may be able to. On the night of the graduation reception I intended to leave the building with the rest of the girls, but whether I did or not remains a mystery, for, as the clock struck one, I became conscious that I was wandering along the west corridor in total darkness. As I approached the geometry room I heard a terrible .S din. VVhen I opened the door a strange spectacle met my E eyes- a dozen girls equipped with combs were playing the most melodious music, while others were adding to the din E K' E! 3 by duelling with pointers. The ethereal music was fre- quently interruped by shrieks of laughter. I seemed to be E E' K H invisible, for no one greeted meg and without weight, for I made no noise as I hastened away from this deafening place and fied up-stairs. Will all the rooms of old S. N. S. prove as lively as this? I wondered. The science laboratory looked very familiar, for arrayed along the floor in perfect order, each occupying its proper place in the biological chain, were an amoeba, par- amoecium, vorticella, earthworm, clam, fish, and cat, in fact all the animals from the amoeba to the manikin, who towered above them in all his majesty. Each animal in turn seemed to be analyzing himself and after each statement to be making a compar- ison between himself and man. It was very interesting, 5. but fearing I should be drawn into the discussion, and I feeling that I could not analyze even myself correctly, I slipped away into the next room. The first thing which met my eye was this notice in green chalk underlined with red on the blackboard: U Young ladies-please do not converse above a whisper. This is the nine-hundred and ninety-ninth time I've spoken of this to you. If you wish crucibles you will find them in this room or in the weighing room or in the science laboratory or in the lecture room. If you can't find them it is probably my faultg in some way I have not been explicit enough. WVasn't that natural, girls? You all know, as I know, that the author of that notice was too good for us wicked girls. The physics 1'oom now demanded my attention, but as there was a class in progress I did not enter. Standing in the doorway I heard an intellectual looking member ofthe class remark, -' It seems to me that what you have just said is contrary to the pedagogical law you taught us in chemistryf' A look of mild surprise came over the face of the instructor who replied, ff I never had a class tell me that beforeg however, Igwill make a note of it. Whereupon he slowly unbuttoned his coat, drew a small memorandum from his pocket, jotted down a note, replaced the book, and re- buttoned his coat. Could it be that those conscientious girls were worrying about a pedagogical law, or might it be that they,-well, no, I won't say it, for it couldn't be so anyway. 13 T0 YHONX

Page 18 text:

The truth was, he was in a hard place. It was only twenty minutes after two and he had already attacked and rejected two lessons, confused fifty-four little brains, and driven Mary Smith to tears. Mary finally subsided, however, much to his relief, and a song was chosen. The children started to sing on fifty-four different pitches and discord reigned supreme. Could it be avoided ? No I Because the College Man didn't remember the pitch or key of the ff Butterfly Song. So, in the middle of the first strain, he arose with a puckered brow and exclaimed, ff Don't sing any more, children, don't sing l His musical ear could endure no more. It was now half past two. How was he to keep these fifty-four noisy, restless chil- dren busy for an hour and a half more? His head reeled when he thought of it and his eyes blurred when he looked at the first grade reader. Suddenly a bright idea occurred to himg he would try blackboard drawing. It proved to be a novelty and its eiect was magical. After this he told them a fairy story he had once read, and so the after- noon dragged on. Never had he experienced such joy as thrilled him at the sound of the four o'c1ock bell. After putting on fifty-four pairs of overshoes and the same number of coats and caps he locked the school-room door, thankful that the ordeal was over. What an afternoon he had spent! Slowly the College Man walked toward home, more tired than after a footfball game, but thankful in his heart that he was not a first-grade teacher. 0. L. M2 '05. A Sonnet. '06 J is for Judgment Day when Junior marks come out, U is for H Unity which they'll soon learn about, N is for Normal work, quite strenuous, no doubtg I is for Ignorance, 'tis their first state of bliss, Us for the wonder when they find what real work is ! lt is for glaring Red which they so gaily flaunt, S is for Science-room which they so sadly haunt. '05 5 is for Serious, it is the Seniors' mien, E is for liloquenoe, their ignorance to screen, N is for Negligence, a common fault, I weeng I is for Interest in eflueation's themes, 0 is their Outlook, and oft it misty seemsg ll is the longed for Rest., a Senior's dream of bliss, S is the Sadness felt at leaving S. N. S. I2

Page 20 text:

Ji With a-glance I took in the biology room which was a H perfect and harmonious whole, for law and order reigned supreme. Across the hall, however, pf' everything was confusion, talking, laughing, and moving about, but all i 1 ff perfectly jolly. Just as I was turning away I heard a voice say, ff It ' ff! occurred to me the other day that you folks think you can wind me round ' your little finger. Is it so ? A chorus of voices answered in a shocked tone, Oh no .' we never dreamed of such a thing ! At the door of the language room I heard from within sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth and a voice moaning, ft O dear! my English ! I shall have to study all summer to purify my contaminated English. Those girls have almost ruined it! What terrible mistakes they make every time they speak! NVhy last week I violated coherence twice,-Oh dear! Oh dear! I With deep mental reproach I hurried along the hall to the geography room. I had some difficulty in opening the doorg the cause was most surprising. The room was full of a tangled line which had neither beginning nor end. lVhat could it be? I was not long in doubt, for it surely was the U line of thought left in this hopeless snarl by those heartless Seniois. ff What a time the poor Juniors will have straightening it out next fall! thought I, 4' Ialll truly sorry for them. '79 y 1 P E40 WI' ' inf -FQ: tb' Q!! 1 . LINC OY THOUGH? Fearing I should be re-endowed with my natural body before my curiosity was Q satisfied, for I was becoming interested by this time, I hastened along. From the stairs I lookedginto the arithmetic room where sat swamis of girls diligently copying from well-filled boards. Each girl had an enormous bottle of ink and a box of pens before her. At regular intervals, that rhythm might not be destroyed, the weary beings straightened their shoulders and sighed, but only for a momentg for, if possible, the copying must be finished before the next centennial celebration. n You can easily imagine what I sau in the history loom dates,'dates, dates l why there was not a nail in the floor-that did not haveia label on it, stating the ffdate when it was made. At the desk, stately and dignified and adding to the learned atmos- phere of thc scene, sat a Fiske's history. My attention was now directed to the Main lrlall by strains r, -- 1 1 i--i of Maryland, my Maryland --a music lesson was surely in progress. As I opened the door the baton suddenly descended with several rapid taps and a voice thundered through a megapbone. Look out there, you-Juniois, or l'll send every one of you ont of the room. Yon'rc not here to whisper, but to sing .' Why were the Seniols in the front seats smiling? A happy thought now seized me and I proceeded to thc reception room and placed my name in the visitors' book to prove the truth of this story to anyone who doubts my word. llore l sat down on the couch fora moment and must have fallen asleep for l was awalu-neil in the morning by the trend of timid fcet,- the incoming class had arrived for exams. E. E. G. 14