Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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S37 STACK 03°) THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR W hitcomb, who for the past eleven years has been the beloved head master of the Somerville English School, but now is at the head of 15 rock ton’s school, made a formal address at the opening exer- ciser. Brockton is to be congratulated, for the govern- ment of a high school could rest in no worthier or more efficient hands than those of Mr. Whitcomb. We greatly regret to announce the loss of Miss Ingram and Miss Small, both members of the Eng- lish School faculty. Miss Ingram resigned in favor of the Brookline High School, while Miss Small taker, charge of the English department in Brock- ton High School. K « We are pleased to learn that Mr. Southworth has once again resumed his duties at his office in the City Hall Annex. His illness was the cause of much anxietv to his many friends and, in fact, to all those who knew him. 9 ► r. Tiie football season has once again opened in all its glory, and again comes the question of school patriotism and fealty. Are the games to be at- tended by a small and unenthusiastic crowd, or are they to be witnessed by the majority of the student body, loyally cheering their fellow-schoolmates on to victory? We are optimistic enough to hope for the latter, although the spirit shown thus far is in no way encouraging. Cheer leaders were chosen •early, and everything within the management’s power has been done to arouse enthusiasm. Now, schoolmates, it rests with you. not to remedy the apathy shown in this one respect, but to strike at the root of the evil bv overwhelming the existing indifference toward all things connected with the schools, that need and deserve your support. Attend the games, and by fervent cheers en- hearten the players to strive their hardest to gain the honor for which they are battling. K Relentless Death has taken two more of our members to their eternal home. One, Miss Mil- dred I fall, was a member of the English School, •class of 1007, and the other was Miss McGarr, of the class of 1008. Miss Hall had for some time suffered with rheumatism, but nothing serious de- veloped until this summer, when she was stricken •with typhoid pneumonia, which resulted in her 5 death. Miss Margaret McGarr passed away on September 10, after a sickness of only five days. The sympathy of the entire school rests with the relatives and friends of the two young ladies in their sad bereavement, but “The path of sorrow, and that path alone Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown.” r k We take this opportunity to express our thanks to the faculties of both schools for their timely as- sistance to the new staff. Particularly are we in- debted to Miss Merrill and Miss Pratt, as their thoughtful advice and kind encouragement have served and will continue to serve, we trust, as our most dependable mainstay. r r »» ». The need of a school song has long been felt, and. considering the fact that there are so many rhymers within our own precincts, it seems useless to remain in need longer. It has been suggested that the bards” submit their bardic lays” for publication in the Rawatok, from whence compe- tent judges may select one or two as standard school songs. For the football song published in this issue we are indebted to Edmund A. Arnold, English. ’07. i; it it It It is the earnest wish of the staff that the Raima!ok shall serve as a medium for all matters connected with school life. Club notes are earn- estly solicited, and, in fact, anything which will be of interest to the readers will have a place found for it. As is well known, the editing of a class column is an arduous task unless the editor is as- sisted by notes from his classmates. Therefore we beseech you to aid in any way possible your class editor, as this department is one of the principal features of the paper. All material must be written on one side of the paper only. All material must be in on or before the tenth of each month. ------------♦■»•♦-♦----------- ■Resolution Whereas, by the divine will of our Heavenly Father, our classmate, Mildred G. Hall, has been taken from us; and Whereas, we, the class of 1907. have learned of her death with great sorrow, we hereby offer reso- lutions of sympathy with her parents, who mourn her loss. William T. Henderson. President.

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4 THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR EDITORIALS With this issue the Radiator staff of 1906-’07 assume the task of producing for the High Schools the sixteenth volume of the Radiator. It is with much apprehension and some serious misgivings that we take up this responsibility, for do not the Somerville High Schools prize their Radiator highly? Do they not expect the staff whom they elect to produce a paper which shall rank as one of the best? Yes. this is expected, and no less will prove satisfactory. But as is well known, the staff, by itself, is helpless, and in order to accomplish what is expected, enthusiastic support must be given, and it is now our pleasure to believe that we shall receive it. The things we ask are few, but if granted, our most ardent ambition will be accomplished. We ask and hope for two things: the financial support of the student body, and the literary support of those who have the ability. We also ask those who read our paper to patronize our advertisers, so that the business men of Somerville and Boston may never have a reason for believing that to ad- vertise in the Radiator is a matter of charity. Remember always, dear schoolmates, that the Radiator is a paper published by you, and for you, and that its success means honor for your school, and if in either the Latin or English School there is any one so insensible to the thrills of scholastic patriotism as not to wish to secure honor for his future Alma Mater, he is indeed an unworthy mem- ber's ; : The aOfK-x .to the. Latin .School, which has just been completed, comcs .aV a, gtvat; relief to both the Latin and English Schools. The congestion which has been so noticeable and disagreeable in previous years has to some extent disappeared. The two schools are connected by means of a brick corridor, of attractive architecture, which runs from what was formerly the east door of the Eng- lish School to the west end of the annex. The rooms used by English School pupils occupy two floors and a half, giving ten additional rooms. A large hall on the upper floor of the Latin School is to be used by both schools as occasion makes necessary. The rooms are all equipped with tele- phone connection to the head master’s office, the latest means of ventilation, and also with electric clocks and bells governed bv a master clock in the office. The tinting of the walls in the English School is a marked improvement, giving to the rooms and corridors a certain airy appearance with- out darkening them. It is still necessary in the English School, how- ever. to use as classrooms the lecture hall, not originally intended for such a purpose, and we fear that the continuation of the present rate of increase will find the school at the end of two years as badly off as ever, unless further additions to the building arc erected. We arc. however, ready at the pres- ent moment to join in the refrain. Sirs, for this re- lief much thanks,” and to appreciate fully all our advantages. We arc indeed fortunate in being able to attend a school occupying a site of such historical signifi- cance and overlooking such a breadth of interesting and beautiful landscape. On one side Tufts Col- lege, on another Harvard, and on a third side may be seen the gilded dome of the Massachusetts State House and Bunker Hill Monument, while at our very feet lies the fortification thrown up by the Americans when they withdrew from Bunker Hill. Is there another school that can boast of being within sight of three institutions of such world-wide importance and of so much of historic interest? Word comes from Brockton to the effect that its new.high school was opened September 10, with an attendance of over eight hundred pupils. Mr.

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6 THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR '%t3a's Strategy Xaura iDitllc, X., '07 c I IE sun was just setting beyond the ex- tensive tobacco fields of a plantation in Virginia. Amid the lengthening ■ shadows of the fast-gathering twilight, bringing to an end the heat of the day. with its cares and toils, two figures were seated on the veranda of the old Brag- don mansion. Roth were silent, gazing at the familiar hills and fields which stretched far and wide. The man, small and slender, with his woolly, white hair offsetting his black, wrinkled face, was the first to attempt conversation. Wa!. ‘Liza, ‘pears ter me yo’ ain't much fer talkin’ ternight. Wha’ am de matter? Ain’t cher gwinc talk?’’ “Yo' jes’ min' yo’ bizniss, ’Rastus Jotliam Wash- in’ton. an’ !c’ me alone. Nothing more was said until a form appeared in the doorway of the house, and some one spoke. Oh. Eliza, I've found you at last,” sighed Mrs. Bragdon. What shall i do? You know that be- fore Colonel Bragdon died, he asked me to always keep our custom of having the annual dinner, and we must have it this year, the first one after his death. But there is nothing to give to the guests. As you know, we rely on the tobacco; but the pro- ceeds have not come in yet, and will not in time for the dinner!” Tcr’blo, ter'ble,” nodded Liza, rocking back and forth in her chair. Then, you know.” continued Mrs. Bragdon, “we have no poultry to speak of except the turkey gobbler, and that would be far from enough.” Suddenly a light shone in Liza's gleaming eyes, and she said • Xebber yousc min', honey. Sic an’ ’Rastus ’ll tak’ car’ ob dat. You jes’ stop worritin’ ober it an’ we uns '11 fix dat all right.” Mrs. Bragdon, glad to place the burden upon the strong shoulders of the old. faithful family servant, thought little more of it. She felt that, in the hands of the trustworthy servant, surely everything would come out right. TJza did a great deal of thinking that night, and the next morning, while washing dishes, she con- fided her plans and made known her orders to ’Rastus. Now. yo' sec here. ’Rastus Jotliam, when it gits dark ter-night youse gwine driss up lak a gal; yousc gwinc put on dat rid driss ob mine, an' a kcr- chcef, an’ my ole yaller sunbonnet. Now. vo’ jes’ berember. an’ yo’ nuts' act reel lak’ a chile, too. Yo’ tak’ ina’ does bastrik an’ put dat turkey gob- bler in an’ go an’ sell it.” “Yas, ’Liza.” said ’Rastus meekly, for he knew that to go against ’Liza’s orders would mean trouble. Toward evening that day. a little figure clad in feminine apparel, with a covered basket on its arm. stole cautiously away from the gate of the Bragdon mansion. It made its way toward a plantation about a half-mile off. There was no difficulty in selling the gobbler, and after depositing it in the poultry yard. ’Rastus re- ceived two dollars and a half and returned home. Late on the same night ’Rastus again went stealthily from the house, and went to the same place where he had sold the turkey. He took the bird from the yard, careful not to awaken any one, and then, running home, placed it safely in the Bragdon poultry yard. ()n the following day affairs went on as usual. The gobbler was strutting about in the yard, and Mrs. Bragdon could discern nothing amiss. Toward evening ’Rastus, again attired as a girl, slipped out with the turkey, and, going in a differ- ent direction from that of the previous night, sold the bird a second time. Again late at night he stole the gobbler back, and again placed it in the Bragdon poultry yard. This went on for four nights, and ’Liza thought that in two more nights she would have enough money for the dinner. On the fifth night, as 'Rastus started out to sell the turkey, ’Liza called him back, and said : Now. min'. 'Rastus, be keerful an' don’ yo’ fergit dat dorg wha’ youse gwinc ter. Don’ yo’ class ter fergit.” As 'Rastus neared the house of the Grants, where he was to sell the gobbler, he forgot about the dog, which was feared bv very many people, and was hoping that this would be his last night as a pedlcr. The sale was made quickly enough, but as 'Rastus turned from the door, he started to hop and skip. The dog, seeing the fluttering red dress from behind the house, flew out and took hold of it with his jaws Rastus shouted lustily for help. Upon hearing his shouts, the inmates of the house came running out. It was too late for ’Rastus to escape then; for his sunbonnet had fallen back on his shoulders, disclosing clearly his black face in the moonlight. With much difficulty he explained his conduct to the Grants, who laughed exceedingly over it. Then, quickly retaining his turkey, he re- turned home with many misgivings. Bres ma' soul.” he said to himself, almost sobbing, hope ’Liza won’t skin dis pore nigger.” Upon his confession to ’Liza, her anger at first was beyond words, but afterwards she began to give ’Rastus his just deserts. Wha’ fo' vo’ do dat? Yo’ am a pore fool ob a nigger.” Mrs. Bragdon. hearing the disturbance, came from the house, and seeing ‘Rastus in the torn aj - parcl, which neither of the darkies had thought of in their excitement, demanded an explanation. She was greatly mortified, and on the following day sent 'Rastus to return the money, with a note of apology to each plantation where he had been. After that she said no more, but proceeded to make plans for the dinner herself. But ’Liza remained angry for several weeks. She was forever freshening the incident in the mind of 'Rastus. “ Yo’ pore fool ob a nigger. she would sav, yo’ deserb a good hard lammin’!” And ’Rastus would meekly reply: Yas, ’Liza, I knows it. ’Liza, I do fo’ shore.”