Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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M SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. IKemlwortb. C. ASHTON It. SANBORN, S. L. S., 1001. In the length and breadth of all Eng- land there is probably no more famous ruin than that of Kenilworth. Its sur- rounding scenery is enchanting rather than inspiring ; the distant hazy hills, the nearer sloping fields, a running brbok, rippling through the meadows and flowing unimpeded by bridge or dam across the roadway ; the sheep in the shadow of the castle walls resting in quiet from the noonday heat; the still breeze sighing among the “imme- morial elms ”— all lend their subtle in- fluences to form a picture so peaceful and serene that one can hardly believe this spot was once the scene of bustling activity. Imagine, if you caii, the lordly ruin of a once royal residence gradually succumbing to the mellowing effects of time and its rural environments ; a fort- ress once well nigh impregnable to human foe, capitulating to the sun and rain, the birds, the grass, and flowers ; each crumbling stone covered with the ivy green, •• That creepeth o'er ruins old,” — an 1 you have Kenilworth as it is today. The dilapidation of this building is in strong contrast to its well preserved and habitable neighbor, Warwick, once owned by the Earl of Sussex and founded by the famous Guy, whose size and fabulous deeds of prowess against knights, robbers, dun cows and other ferocious animals form a cycle of tales as curious as “The Arabian Nights.” The present state of Kenilworth, how- ever, is due to the fact that during the Commonwealth its owner remained loyal to the cause of the unfortunate King Charles, and as the result of his pains had his castle battered down about his ears by some infuriated Roundheads, while the Earl of Warwick, by turning Cromwellite, was left in quiet possession of his estates. An unhappy few find its rather unpre- tentious appearance disappointing after the glories of Heidelberg or the shining splendors of Versailles; but Kenilworth, lacking much of the architectural beauty of the former, and all the newer and per- haps too gaudy richness of the latter, has been invested with such a charm by the pen of that master magician of English prose, that all its minor faults are forgotten, or at least, overlooked, by the majority of travellers, and they find it more interesting than either of the others; not perhaps, as has been said, on account of its own attractions —which, however, must not be disre- garded, since they really form a strong factor in the fascination which it exer- cises over most minds—but by the ro- mantic associations attached to it through the novel of Scott,, and the thought that Shakespeare may have come here when a lad of twelve to wit- ness some of the scenes consequent upon the visit of Queen Elizabeth, whose fleeting pageants he afterwards reproduced in “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” But it is Scott’s presence and not that of the immortal bard which seems to pervade the place. One can imagine what delight he took in rambling about the ivy-covered pile, searching for some spot where the broken stones of the fallen wall formed a rude stairway to the tottering battlements of some tower. How joyously he must have climbed when he found such a place, clutching the ivy when his foot slipped or a crumb- ling stone gave way beneath his step, and how amply was he repaid for his breathless ascent when he stood at last alone upon the summit, enraptured by the solitude and beauty of the extensive landscape visible beneath ; or, again, viewing it by night when the moon shone through the casements of the high windows, perhaps he thought of Mickle’s touching ballad, of which he was so fond, beginning— “ The dews of summer night did fall.” After seeing it thus under all sorts of conditions it is not surprising that he peopled it with the shapes of those who once walked the same paths on which he trod and viewed the world as he was

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. »3 his eyes, meaning to sleep only a min- ute. The host bustled in with steam- ing tray, but pitied the tired man and did not wake him. Ilis daughter was working at the window on a piece of lace. But the chemist had forgotten that an important process was going on in his retorts and cylinders. Without a second’s warning there was a fearful explosion, flames rushed from the hall, and the landlord and his servants sprang into the streets, shouting, “The old wizard has done it at last! lie has b.own us all up!” Again the bells rang out their wild alarm, not now fora ship- wreck ; fora still more deadly enemy — fire. It was not long before several adja- cent cottages were shooting forth sparks. Their dry, thatched roofs caught fire like tinder. A frantic crowd had already gathered, summoned by the pealing bells. The screams of a child rose from one of the burning cottages. Blended with the noises of the flames came the wail of a helpless, frantic mother. Suddenly some one shouted, “Who did this thing? Where are they? Find them ! Kill them ! ” From the crowd came shouts of “It is the witches!” “They are burning our houses over our heads ! ” “ Enough of their devil’s doings!” “Catch them! They would burn our wives and chil- dren ! ” All at once the crowd surged toward the trembling pair, for excite- ment runs in a crowd like fire in a stub- ble-field. Rough hands were laid on the old man, and hands no less rough on the beautiful girl. “ She is as bad as he!” “ Take her too! ” “She has an evil eye! ” Toward the Common all rushed, bearing along the prisoners. “We’ll make a fire for them ! ” “ Hurry, hurry ! Such shouts were heard on every side. The old man had now re- covered his usual calm, and went along with dignity while they tore his clothes and pushed him about. But his daugh- ter, with death-pale face, could hardly keep upright. Her clothes were half torn from her, too. One bared white arm bore red cuts and slashes already. “Such tender skin,” they shouted in her ears, as they cut at it, “and yet she would burn our tender children ! The devil finds strange agents for his work !” The Common was soon reached, and while the crowd rushed about them, two fires were built and green withes were brought with which to tie them. Witches were burned at the stake in those days. The old man began to struggle desperately, and the lovely, wild-eyed girl, at sight of the grim faces and the fires, fought with all the rem- nant of her fast-failing strength. But cruel hands were at her white throat, cruel hands bound hers behind her, cruel hands smothered her wild cries. “Throw them on,” howled the now pitiless mob again, as they were forced toward the fires. But just then the crowd turned. A detachment of cavalry were swinging down toward them. Its commander halted and asked the cause of this seem- ing riot. “We are burning witches!” was the answer. Then his eye caught a a pale, imploring face turned to him from the fire. With a maddened shout he charged straight into the mob, his trained men following like one, cutting and trampling all of the aston- ished peasants who dared raise a scythe or a flail against them. On he rushed until, with one hand he raised the un- conscious girl from the ground, and with the other beat down her captors. Again he charged, until the opposition burst and scattered like a covey of part- ridges. A week later the English officer re- turned to the village. Beside him rode the girl and her father ; behind him his soldiers. The townspeople looked on him with threatening eyes, but fear held their hands. Straight up to the church he rode, helped his companions to alight, and led them inside. When the party issued again the young French girl carried flushed cheeks and downcast eyes, the English soldier her hand and a happy smile,— while the Sheathness bells were ringing “A —tale, I’ll tell, a tale, — I'll tell, a tale, — I’ll tell.” So they have rung ever since, but you have heard the tale.

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR. 15 viewing it; who had their loves and hatreds, joys and sorrows, sins and virt- ues, as did the people of his own time ; nor is it remarkable that the thoughts of a man whose fertile imagination, poetic temperament, and unrivalled command of language rendered him per- fectly qualified for his task, should find expression in a tale almost unsurpassed in its wonderful imagery, its diversity of character and interest of plot, and its skilful portrayal of a time unparalleled in magnificence of dress and modes of liv- ing ; whose advances in art, literature, science and exploration make Elizabeth’s reign well deserve the name of the Augustan period of English history. Revised Constitution of the Somerville High Athletic Association. Article 1.—Name. The name of this association shall be the Somerville High Athletic Association. Article II.—Object. The object of this association shall be to encourage manly sports and to promote a close re- lationship between the athletie teams and the schools. Article III. —Membership. 1. All pupils and teachers of the Somerville High Schools shall be eligible to active membership in this association. 2. Graduates, past members and friends of the schools, shall be eligible to honorary membership in this associa- tion. 4. Persons as enumerated in Sec- tions 1 and 2 of this article shall be eligible to life membership in this asso- ciation. 5. Honorary and life members can- not hold office or vote at meetings, ex- cept as stated in Article III, Section 1, and Article VI, Section 2, of this con- stitution. Article IV.—Meetings. 1. The an- nual meeting of this association for the election of officers (with the exception of the football manager and assistant manager) and reports of officers shall be held on the third Wednesday of Sep- tember. The football manager shall be elected on the second Wednesday of January. 2. Special meetings shall be held at the call of the President, Executive Committee, or upon the written request of ten members. Article V. — Quorum. A quorum shall consist of twenty-one active mem- bers. Article VI.—Officers. 1. The officers of this association shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer (a teacher), a manager and assistant manager of each athletic team, and an Executive Committee. 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Manager of the various teams and the captain in season of the football, polo, track and baseball teams (a teacher and a graduate repre- senting each school.) Article VII.—Duties of officers, r. The President shall preside at all meet- ings of the association and Executive Committee. He shall appoint all sub- committees not otherwise provided for, and call meetings of the association and Executive Committee whenever so re- quested or when in his judgment he may deem it necessary. 2. The Vice-President shall, during the absence of the President, perform all the duties of the President as speci- fied in Section 1. 3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of every meeting of the asso- ciation and Executive Committee. He shall com uct all correspondence, except as may be in the hands of the managers, and shall have charge of and be respon- sible for all the books and papers of' the Association, except those belonging to the Treasurer and his assistants. 4. The Treasurer shall have charge of all money belonging to the association, shall pay all bills, and shall submit a written report of his transactions at the annual meeting of the association, or whenever called upon to do so by the President or the Executive Committee. 5. It shall be the duty of the Man- agers and the Assistant Managers to collect all moneys with the approval of the Executive Committee to pur- chase all supplies and prepare a schedule of games. By virtue of their office they shall be Assistant Treasurers. 6. All schedules of games, awards