Scituate High School - Chimes Yearbook (Scituate, MA)

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20 A REAL SEND-OFF Emily Whittaker, ' 45 IN small towns all over the United States there are boys, and girls too, entering the armed forces every day. The story of Tom, as told below, is typical of the experience of many American boys today. The bell had rung for everybod) to be in class. It was the last day of school before the spring vacation. Every boy in the senior class was restless, especially Tom Ryan, who was plan- ning to enlist in the Navy the following week. He hadn ' t told his classmates, but he had talked with his parents and he was going to enlist the Wednesday of vacation. He had thought a lot about the Navy and decided that it was the right branch of service for him. He hated to leave school where he had had so much fun playing football, baseball, and basketball. He would miss the school dances every Friday night, too, and walking home from school with Sally Evans. The class seemed very boring as Tom sat thinking, but it was soon over and he was walk- ing home with Sally. Sally, Tom started, would you miss me if I went away? Of course I would. Tom. Are you and your famil) thinking of moving? Well — not exactly. I am. You mean vou are going to leave Center- ville? Yes, Sail). I ni going to enlist in the Navy next week. Oh — 1 knew ou would, sooner or later, but I thought you would wail until graduation was over. Well — this is how I figure it. The third semester is now over and I have good grades. I will be able to get my diploma. I want to get into the Navy, and if I enlist now. I will have a better chance of getting into radio as there is a demand for boys in this field. I understand, Tom. Will you write to me ever day. Sally? Of course I will, Tom. ' The following Wednesday Tom went to Boston. He met other fellows he knew and didn ' t feel too bad about joining. He passed all his tests ex- tremely well, and was sworn in. He had two weeks before he woidd repoit to Sampson, New York. B Saturday everyone knew that Tom was going in the Navy and he was receiving con- gratulations from many envious boys. One night when the gang were all down to Jack ' s, a meeting place of students, someone said, Why not give Tom a going-away party here, and invite all the kids he knows? ' Tom was very popular and everyone was whole-heartedly for the idea. The girls were elected to take charge of the whole affair. At one of the committee meetings, someone decided they should give Tom some kind of present. Thev asked e eryone for money and finalh . after a great deal of deliberation brought him a kit bag. In it they put shaving cream, razor blades, a razor, tooth brush, tooth paste, and everything they could think of that he would need. The two weeks went very fast and the night of the party rolled around. Jack ' s was packed with intimate friends, school chums, and rela- tives. Everyone was there at 7 o ' clock sharp and when Sally suggested that she and Tom go in for a soda, he was very much surprised at the sight that confronted him. In one corner of the store a juke box was playing and couples began to dance. Sally and Tom were shown io the head table, which was prettily decorated and heaped with food. As Tom sat there looking around, he noticed the soda fountain all lighted up. Two of . e girls in his class had taken over the fountain and there was old Jack sitting bach l-king it easy. Tom smiled to himself and beg ' n io realize how much he was going ti miss ( ' enler ille and a ll his friends, y nien the music -topn ' f ' . there was entertaimnent. The ' Hovenok Twin ' performed. The were the comedians of Ton; , class. Then there was Chuck Jones, who • the best jitterbug in town. The evening passed ver) quickly and il .- ion came time to present the gift. It was just befoi- the last dance of the evening. The presentation was made by Sally. Tom, we all want )ou to know I ' lat e arc- j,oiiig to miss )ou. We hope it won t be long before you will be back in Centerville. right here in this store, drinking sodas with all of u . and especially with me. she whispered sollh. a? sl e leaned forward to hand him the gift. Tom was overcome when he saw the kit bag with all the articles in it. Some of the students hadn ' t seen the gift. As they came forward to look at it. someone said, The only thing he hasn t got in there is mone for cigarettes. What do you sa , gang, let ' s do something about il. The kit bag was passed around the group and ever) bod) dropped in dimes, quarters, and even

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19 tlioufiht of the jars neath packed in rows on the shelf: hiil when slie liioii rhl of llie fun she had missed, her eyes clouded over again. Sud- denh. she heard someone say, Hi ya, Cindy Lou. Reeopni inf; the voice of W alt Driscoll, she jumped lo her feet and let him in. Sa . vhere e ou heen all da he asked. So she told him the whole stor). Geepers, Cindy, you certainly missed some- ihinp colossal. You would have enjoyed seeing Yours Truly gel his ears pinned hack. So. he had heen heaten. lli- had pla ed Bol) Chalmers and Bob had beaten him! She chuckled inwardlv at this. But. he certainly seemed lo be enjoying his downfall. Golly. went on Wall, ' as a tennis pla cr 1 always thought I was pretty hot stuff. But after seeing that gu . Chalmers, on the courts, I feel like a kid. Why, we must have looked like teacher and student out there. He looked at Cindy and continued. ' Of course it wasn ' t so hard to take, learning my lesson from the three-year champ of State Tech. There was a gurgling noise from Cindy ' s direc- tion. Walt, what do you mean? Three-year champ — Walt, what have I done? Oooh! And then she told him the entire story. When she finished, her lip was trembling. And to think I stood there and argued form with him. How he must have laughed at me. And what I did to you. Oooh! Don ' t worry, Cindy. He left Riverside three hours ago and I ' m the only one who knows about il. Come on now: let ' s forget it. Are ou able lo come out now ? There is a niftv movie uptown tonight. Want to go? You bet, cried Cindy Lou. Oooh! I ' m so sorry. I ' m glad you forgive so easily. There was no slam of the door as Cindy Lou went out this time, only the resounding footsteps of a boy and girl, eves happv and sparkling, and hands linked in understanding. THE END Mr. Parkhurst (at assembl) I : The orchestra will now plav Oh Would That I Were a Dove: rd Flee. Jeriliins: What ' s a dove-eyed flea? A man came to Mr. Anthony with his story. Mr. Anthony. he said. I have a beautiful wife, two wonderful children, lots of friends, a good job. lots of money, and I am in perfect health. Now, Mr. Anthony, what is my problem? ROCKETS AND RADIO Paul James, ' PI The world lias recently seen the iMtroduclion of two vast sources of destruction. One of these is rocket-power which has been used pra tically and effectively by all of the major combatant nations of the world. The Germans and Rus- sians have rocket guns and aircraft that fire rocket projectiles. We have used the bazooka verv eflfectivelv in all the theaters of action. We also have jet propulsion. ' which is fast be- coming a part of this war. I he other invention, radio control, is the larger in scope. Here the Nazis have had the jump on us. They have operated radio-controlled bombs from aircraft. They have introduced robot tanks which are called beetles by our forces. These tanks were not so successful at first but they can and probably will constitute the most powerful artillery weapon in the final battles of the war. The Germans badly outsmarted us before the war. when they bought the radio-bomb plans from the American scientist. John Hays Ham- mond, Jr. These two sources of destruction, com- bined, w ould make all weapons of today obsolete. If the Allies are to finish first in the race for the mainstay of the world, they must think faster than the Germans, for the German scientific mind is keen. If the Nazis are allowed to continue their surge of secret weapons without equal com- petition, they may still come out on top in spite of various assurances of final defeat for the Axis and the end of the war in nineteen forty-four. In peacetime, these devices can easily be con- verted to practical use for the people. Rocket- power can be used for transports and trans- Atlantic flying boats. Jet-propulsion can be adapted to set new speed records and in many ways can increase the efficiencv of aircraft. Radio- control is already prominent in many fields. Television will come into practical use in the near future. Man warplants can easilv be converted to the making of electrical apparatus and radio equipment. Plans have already been conceived for Pacific Island bases for aircraft. Radio control would play a large part in the safetv of long trips across the ocean. In the struggle of air domi- nance there will naturallv be many large com- petitive nations, such as Great Britain and Russia. The nation that develops the best radio and pre- cision apparatus will probably take the lead. Interplanetary commerce and communication sound like far-fetched ideas, but manv theories develop practical uses. Leadership in radio- control would bring ever closer the unsolved mysteries of the solar systems.

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21 hills. Wlion it had fioiic all aioiitul ihr room and hack to lOm. liir hag was overflowing. What a wonderful send-off. ' thought ' lOni standing tiien He was as lia| |) as anyone could e eT ' liope to he. Someone dro|)|)e(l a nickel into the juke ho and the last song of the evening began. Would ou like to dance, Sail) ? asked 1 om softly. Yes, Tom. I would. They drifted out among the others, lost in their thoughts of each other and of the days to come. A BOAT NEARS PORT Donald Kennedy, 47 Ten miles out in the dull wartime Atlantic! Ten miles from the nearest port and safety from the packs of angry, stalking suhs. The captain wasn ' t very cheerful for he knew a lot could happen just ten miles out. The messboy was whistling a doleful tune, and most of the crew were going about their work like parts of a machine. They were serious fellows who had turned from carefree boys to hardened men in two months of service. This was no game; this was grim reality. Suddenlv. out of the gray clouds ahead, came a lumbering rubber cow. The lookout re- ported, Blimp! Dead ahead! A shout rose from the weary men as they gazed at the faithful guardian of the coast soaring overhead. It had been a week since the fateful foggy day that they had lost the convoy. Now they were secure under the watchful blimp. No ship had ever been sunk while being escorted by a silver queen of the sky. They knew they were safe. The blimp was circling now , scaiming the bleak empty water for a telltale shadow or a periscope cutting like a knife through the billowing waves. Now the forward lookout could see the low gray outline of land. Soon a destroyer appeared. It circled twice, then headed back toward the harbor. The ship followed it slowly through the treacherous mine fields into the inner harbor. All tension aboard ship relaxed as the boat touched the massive dock and the gang plank was lowered. The ship, her crew, and her cargo had all arrived safely. They were in port again after ten grueling days on the high seas. GROAN MORE IN ' 44 Donald Mcl ' lieison. ' 46 As summer draws closer, it turns the mind of the garden lover toward planning his sum- mer ' s project. This year when 1 hear the slogans, Produce for Victor). Food I ' ights f(»r Free- dom. and (irow More in 44, 1 am reminded of the experiences I liad last year. I started off on my venture without a care in the world. Thank goodness 1 didn ' t know what would befall me or I jjiobahl) never would have started. The first problem occurred in the very early spring. The frost was barely out of the ground when I could be seen out in my prospective garden, bundled up in furs and boots, yardstick in hand, measuring the land. Well, I thought, this ought to keep me fairly busy. Little did I know how busy I would be. My problem, Mr. Anthony, was to get a plough. There were no ploughs to be had; so I bought a spade instead. My second problem occurred about the first of April. I had shed a few furs and got out my new spade. Everything went fine, and about the first of August I was ready to plant my seeds. Then the problem was what seeds to get. My friends, some of whom aren ' t my friends now, had great ideas for mv garden ai.d recommended unusual vegetables, such as rutabagas, which gives me indigestion; brussels sprouts, which I can ' t stand; and a variety of unhtard-of herbs. I finally planted a few rows of carrots, beans, corn, tomatoes and other ple- bian fruit. Time was growing short, and the plants were growing well. Also, the bugs were growing fat at my expense. I invested fistfuls of money on insecticides which only made the bugs bigger. This constituted my third problem. I was losing weight and my mind besides; I was also losing ground to the bugs. It looked hopeless but I kept up the fight until finally I found a tomato that hadn ' t been touched! No one has ever been prouder over his achievements than I was of that tomato. It is now hanging on my wall — stuffed, one of the greatest achieve- ments of man. It was now getting on into December. The snow killed all the weeds and saved me the trou- ble. I guessed the carrots weren ' t going to come up after all. All m) tomato (singular) were harvested so 1 decided to call it a year and retire. 1 am now planning for next summer ' s victory garden, if I can last that long.