San Diego State University - Del Sudoeste Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

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16 WHITEAND GOLD A SPELLING MATCH AT HARDSGRABBLB. The big boys at the school had, the term before, compelled their teacher, Bob Firm, to ride out of the schoolhouse astride a fence-post. After this rather undignihed exit, the crestfallen pedagogue never re- turned. Therefore the trustees of the district, thinking that perhaps a lady might be treated with a little more respect and consideration, employed Sarah McGregor, a graduate of the San Diego Normal School, as the teacher. For a number of years it had been customary, on the last Friday of each month, to have an oldiashioned spelling match at the school-house. On this particular night the rain dashed in torrents against the weather- beaten wall of the little frame building, and the wind shrieked hideously around its corners, but nevertheless the usual crowd had collected by the red-hot stove inside. Billy Clowes, big and awkward, was standing beside the stove, ab- sorbing as much heat as possible, his coat-tails steaming like plum-pudding all the While. Becoming a little over-heated, he moved hastily to one side; as he did so, he came violently into contact With the number ten boots of Sandy Saunders, his rival from infancy. Billy had no intent in mind, but Sandy, being rather sensitive about his feet, immediately took offense and a row arose then and there between the two. The ending might have had serious results for the two participants, had not the ringing of the teachers' bell called every one to order. Jacob McGraw, on account of his gray hairs, was generally the leader on such occasions. HNaow, ladies and gentlemen, he began, Hweire gathered tonight here fer the purpose ofeaheereah-reviewinieererathereahem!- the refreshin' 0f our-ere-memories With a few of the helegant words of our splendid Hinglish langwidge. I happoint Sandy Saunders and Billy Clowes to be choosers. This oft-repeated introductory speech was greeted With the usual degree of applause. Then Billy tossed a penny to Sandy. Everybody was breathlesss with excitement, for the Winning of the match depended upon the first choice. Sandy caught the coin on his extended palm and showing it to McGraW, exclaimed gleefully, t tIt's heads. With an angry glare at each other the two leaders stalked with dig- nity to their places by the front blackboard. t tMoses Bagby, ', shouted Sandy. Moses had been the champion in all spelling matches for years, so everyone accordingly considered the match won. Sandy, after making his choice, folded his arms and, leaning back against the wall, smiled sweetly at his hated rival.

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WHITE AND GOLD By keeping time With her baton, The HRevel of the Leaves we love, But When it's time for us to move, She keeps us till we feel abused, And then says gently, HClass excused. Miss Tanner, my respects to her, She ought to get a. million per, Her patience, 'tis a sure God-send, She makes us bow and scrape and bend, And when, from climbing ropes, weire sore, She calmly says, Do it some more. ' ' And Miss Prattis voice is soft and low, She never says, i i 'Tis THUS and so. ' iIf reading is so hard for you, Just come to me, Iill help you through, This Grammar is not really awful, T 0 hate it soyit seems unlawful. ' ' T is late, your Physics in a muss, You scowl and scold and fume and fuss, The dear old Prof. stands by and sighs- Heid rather hear his baby,s cries- Oh what is needed, don't you see, Is more Kinetic Energy. Then comes Miss Godfrey, cute, petite, I tell you what, she's awful sweet, And when your woes to her you take, She smiles and gives her head a shake, And then attempts to cheer you some, With this, iiThe worst is yet to come! And last, not least, comes Mr. West. With learning great he's truly blest, ' i Put not your faith in men, ' i says he, ' 'Your aim should be Geometry. ' ' N ow What he says is very true, Iim going to follow it, aren,t you? 15

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WHITE AND GOLD 17 But Billy had one faint hothhe new teache:. i i Sarah McGregor, ' ' he roared. Amid the shouts of the crowd these two took their respective places. Sarah walked timidly to the front; but Moses, with a scornful glance in her direction, strode with a confident air past the ranks of lesser mortals, for did he not know that old State Series spelling-book by heart? Be- sides, what could that slip of a girl do in a spelling match? The next best spellers were rapidly chosen until those who reached their limit in words of one syllable were taken. The spelling at last began. Jacob pronounced each word with an awful deliberation, striking terror to the core of those whose vocabularies were limited. Over half went down the first time around. With wildly beating hearts and wavering knees Sandy and Billy held their own. But the extraordinary success was not to endure so very long. Billy spelled spectator s-p-e-c-t-a-t-e-r, and fell. Sandy, with an exultant glance at his crestfallen rival, slowly spelled the word s-p-e-c-t-a-t-o-r-e. A subdued titter ran around the lines as Sandy, with a hang-dog expression on his averted face, shuiiied to a seat in the corner. - Half an hour passed and all were down but two-Moses and his new- found competitor, the little school-mistress. Jacob pronounced words now as if he were throwing snow-balls at the heads of the spellers. Sarah spelled timidly, but with painful precision; Moses spelled his words in a careless offhand manner. He had not learned that speller by heart for nothing. The very hardest words in the back of the book were reached, but to no purpose, for Greek had met Greek. The book was finished and still these two stood face to face undaunted. Poor Jacob scratched his bald head in bewildeiment; then turning to the audience, he said, HIf Doctor VanMeter be present, will he kindly suggest some word from his learned stock fer em to try.PH The old country doctor stood up. Anxiously rubbing his chubby hands together, the good man remained in deep thought for a few min- utes. Moses lost his self-composure, and began to hitch up his trousers and pull at his coat-tails. But the the plucky litttle school-teacher be- trayed no signs of agitation. The rest felt the crisis was drawing near and waited with bated breath for the outcome. The doctor took a step nearer, but still was silent. The suspense was becoming intolerable. Then slowly he gave the word: iiglossopharyngeal. It was Moses' turn to spell. He grew more nervous than before; he wriggled and twist- ed, he hitched at his trousers and rubbed his shiny face. Then he opened his mouth, but no sound came; be cleared his thrdat and tried once more,