Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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8o THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR What headaches those girls must have over a lan- guage in which they must begin at the wrong end of the book, read from top to bottom and from left to right! This new method of training is making independent, self-reliant women, and yet it has its disadvantages. When a conservative man and a “new” woman marry, they often have a sorry task in compromising their ideas. Speaking of marrying,—their method of selection is a little peculiar. A girl takes no thought of this hcrseli. and her intercourse with young men is free and disinterested, although they marry at an early age—about sixteen years When a young man de- cides to marry, he seeks out some married gentle- man friend of his. who then makes a canvass of his young lady acquaintances to find some one suitable for his friend. His idea of beauty is different from ours. He will look about for a lady with a pale- face. slanting eyes, straight hair, rosy lips, and an elongated face. A girl is allowed her choice pro- vided she is not too particular. A no more cordial feeling than simple toleration is expected before marriage, although they often become very dear to each other later in life. Having decided, we will say. upon () Kiku (Miss Chrysanthemum), he goes to her parents and lays his case before them. Should they approve of his friend as a suitor, a party is arranged at the home of some mutual friend, where the young people arc introduced. Should the young people find no fault with each other, the betrothal is entered into and preparations made for the wedding. All the arrangements arc made by the go-betweens, who are responsible for the success of the wedding and are concerned in the divorce, should that prove necessary. The ceremony is merely the formal drinking of sake (the native wine distilled from rice), and has no l eligious significance. After the ceremony there is a grand feast, and the name of the bride is trans - ferred from her father's family to that of her hus- band. It seems too bad that a Japanese girl has to give up her pretty name for one that does not seem nearly so appropriate to us. Their names arc typical of their natures, for these charming girl. have such maiden names as Miss Springtime. Miss Sunshine. Miss Chrysanthemum, or Miss Cherry- blossom. Hut our girl is married now. She does not set up housekeeping,” but goes to live with her husband’s people. These she must now obey and reverence as she has always her own people. She is supposed to have more love for her husband’s people than for her own ; in fact, a Japa- nese woman’s life is summed up in the three obed- iences, obedience to father and mother, obedience to husband, and after his death, obedience to an older son. A bride takes to her husband’s home dresses enough to last a lifetime (for the style never changes in Japan ). She also furnishes the furni- ture: i bureau, a low desk or table for writing, a work-box, two lacquer trays, and the furnishings even to chop sticks, and two complete sets of bed- ding. These are the bride’s personal property. A wife is her husband’s servant, and looks after his every want. She is devoted to her children, and makes many sacrifices for them. (She even gives up her seat in a street car to children.) The Japa- nese think a great deal of their ancestors, and the child inherits the rank of his father. Now marriage is the only outlook ahead for women in Japan. As new ways of self-support present themselves, a woman may look forward to making single life tolerable by her own labor. At present there is not much for her to do but teach school. But for all the results are not all that could be wished, the outlook is bright, and we must bear in mind the vast difference in the two systems and customs which we arc trying to harmonize. “It is not possible to understand the condition of women without some consideration of the effect that Chris- tian thought and Christian lives have had on the thought and lives of the modern Japanese women.” tlbe Convict [Continued from page 7S.) barrel was lying the rigid body of the warden. He had freed his hands and. honest Catholic that he was, he could not die without the performance of some holy rite, however slight, so he had torn open the clothing about his neck and chest, reveal- ing a gold cross hung there, which by its very pres- ence liad undoubtedly given him courage in his dying moments, for his hands were folded peace- fully beneath the cross, and his face, although bear- ing unmistakable marks of suffering, bore also to Rat’s questioning gaze glorious signs of peace and love. When Rat turned away he was a different man. In one precious moment the wretch had learned more than any preacher could have taught him in a year. In that one supreme moment lie realized that for once he had not accomplished his desired ends. He had caused all this suffering but not with the hoped-for result. He saw that the re- venge that turned the other cheek after all sur- passed the revenge that hit back. He learned, too, that there was another thing that he had reckoned without; he learned that there is a love that suf- feretli long. He realized that if anyone possessed this love he could not be revenged although he be killed. The warden’s loving face was the ever- lasting proof of this. Oh. to get, to retain, to be filled with such love! “If I could only get it! Oh. love! Oh. love! save me.” So prayed Erastus Rawley. ' ' There is to-dav in Glasgow a powerful preacher —a man of little education, but of wonderful power in saving men from lives of sin—the Reverend Erastus Rawley.

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 79 tCbe Momen of 3apan J6x lEft'te ID. IRttcbic, IE., ’07 UST at this time, when the eyes of alt the world are turned to Japan, a glance at her people may not come amiss. The women of Japan have been the cause of much comment, and all of our friends who have visited this land of cherry and plum blossoms have returned singing their praises. For many have fallen victims to the charms of the Japanese women, who are so womanly—kind, gentle, faith- ful, and pretty. And yet they arc little appreciated by their native people, and is it any wonder that they are trying to free themselves from the bonds of custom in this the Meiji era? Of course, it is difficult to distinguish as yet between the new and the old. Two grotesquely different ideas arc at work to improve the women’s condition, European theories concerning the relations of the sexes and European clothes! The same man who struts into a room before .his wife when she is dressed a la japonaise will let her go in first when she is dressed a la europeene!” A baby is welcomed in a Japanese home as much as in a Western one. Its birth, whether it be boy or girl, is the cause oi much rejoicing, although a boy is much preferred. As soon as the event takes place, a messenger is dispatched to spread the news among all the relatives and friends, who are ex- pected to soon pay their respects to the mother and babe, and carry with them some present. Silks, toys, or crepe are suitable, but each must be ac- companied by fish or eggs for good luck. Each friend must sooner or later make the child a1 pres- ent, which is duly acknowledged and a present re- turned by messenger. The baby’s dress is very simple—much like the kimona of the grown-ups. All baby’s clothes arc fitted, one inside the other, and put on the floor. Then baby is placed inside them. A loose belt is put on the outside, and baby is dressed, with no squirming and crying waiting for buttons to be fastened. In the lower classes the babv is strapped to the back of some older child at a very early age. sometimes at a month old. It is then carried about among the children’s games and through the streets. This perhaps accounts for the frank, open face of the Japanese—they never know what it is to be timid before strangers. A tendency for baby carriages is showing itself in Tokio, but whether this is merely a fad or not re- mains to be seen. At a very early age the children must become accustomed to the hot baths of which the Japanese are so fond. The older people spend much time in hot baths, which they have as high as 110° Fahrenheit. One old man who has charge of a public bath stays in the water the entire win- ter. One Japanese man’s objection to Western ways is that he has time for only three or four baths a day! The Japanese children arc very fond of fairy- tales. and will listen to grandmother or the nurse for a long time to hear about the Peach Boy” or of some terrible monster. Occasionally they spend all day at the theatre, seated on the floor in a box. '{’hey have a great variety of toys and games, such as shuttlecock and ball and the poems of a hun- dred poets. A girl learns in her youth the lessons of cheerful obedience, pleasing manners, personal cleanliness and neatness. She must sink herself entirely, always give up to others, and never show any but pleasing emotions. She learns all the rules of their simple housekeeping, which is not difficult, considering the absence of much furniture and the simple ways of cooking. But they have all the furniture necessary for their way of living. One of my friends tcils me the Japanese house gives one the impression that the housecleaning is just finished (for the houses are immaculate), but the furniture has not been brought in. Nothing is visible but the tiny box stove, which gives hardly any heat, and a few cushions. But at tea time, which occurs at any time during the day at fre- quent intervals, several individual tables about six inches high appear, also the tea cups, chop sticks, and many small bowls. At night they bring out the pads to sleep on, and the block pillow from some hidden closet. The partitions arc merely folding screens of translucent paper, which may be taken away at a moment's notice, and the house, which, by the way, is only a story and a half high, made one large room. So much for the houses—to return to our girl and her environment. The girls in this Eastern country are considered worthy of a certain amount of culture. They arc educated in the arts of writing, painting, and flower arrangement. They arc taught Chinese classics. They have a strict code of etiquette which is taught them by professional teachers. They learn how to open and close a door, how to rise and sit upon the floor, how to hold the body and head when saluting, all the most polite manner ; for polite- ness is one of their most noticeable characterises. They would much rather tell a lie or be dishonest than impolite. Tea drinking is the common occu- pation of the women. Strict rules are laid down for drinking formal tea. and it has been said that The woman who has once learned the tea cere- mony thoroughly is known by her superior bearing on all occasions ” The above relates to the strictly Japanese schools. The missionaries have estab- lished schools grading from kindergartens to high, normal schools, and even universities. Every day the streets are crowded with boys and girls going with their lunch boxes to school. In these schools they study Japanese and Chinese literature, geog- raphy, history, and natural science, also mathe- matics. In all the higher schools one foreign lan- guage is required. English having first place.

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 8i Hrounfc tbc Campfire [Continued from page 7-».] agination. But now that they had all heard them at the same time, they were afraid to remain in the house. Mrs. Clarkson was especially averse to re- maining in the house, even for that night. So they agreed to dress themselves and hitch no the horse and drive over to the Wilkins' home- stead. and there seek shelter. They did this, and Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins gladly put them up for the night. “The next day when they drove back to collect such furniture and live-stock as they possessed, thev were thunder-struck to find that during the night the whole place had burned to the ground with the exception of the wing which contained James’s room. When his talc, which Fatty had composed under the spur of the necessity of proving his story-tell- ing powers, was finished he looked around to see what was keeping his two companions so quiet. They were fast asleep! Well, if that isn’t a pretty way to treat a fel- low? he muttered as he slipped off his shoes and rolled himself up in a blanket. But in a minute he was sleeping as soundly as they. H Ibelping Ibant» By? jflDarion HE shores of the lake were crowded with people. Laughing groups were standing about discussing the coming race. At intervals a boat, filled with young people, would push out from the shore for a sail around the lake. A young girl hastened up to one of the merry parties and called out, Oh. Tom! you don’t sup- pose anything will happen to Dot, do you? She has gone out for a sail. There she goes now.’’ The two watched the girl in the little boat until she was concealed by a bend in the lake before Tom answered: “Oh, I guess she’ll be all right. She is used to a boat, isn’t she, Madge?” “Yes,” answered Madge rather absently, and she soon for- got her anxiety for Dot in her contemplation of a young man stretched out on a bench some yards distant. He was tall and lank, and was dressed in a light summer suit, tennis shoes, and a straw hat, which at that moment was drawn down over his eyes. Who is that fellow over there?” said Madge in- dicating him by a nod of her head. “Oh. that’s Jim Fairbanks,” answered Tom. I wonder what he’s doing around here. He doesn't know much. His father told him he would disin- herit him if he didn’t go to Harvard and behave like a gentleman, and what did he do but go off to some school of mines out V est somewhere. He’s no more fitted for mining than nothing at all. Look at those hands, will you? lie’ll have to wear gloves when he gets to mining if he wants to keep them like that,” he finished with a laugh. Madge glanced at the young man’s hands. Truly they were very delicately made and at pres- ent were very white. “Hello, old man, don’t you want to keep score?” called one of the crew that was to race, to Jim. “Aw. I can’t.” answered Jim, “it's too hot.” “Won’t he make a nice fellow in a mine?” whis- pered Tom to Madge. “I guess they’ll have to regulate the temperature before they get him into one. Don’t you think we had better go up on the grand-stand? Almost everybody seems to be go- tfav?, X., ’OS ing that way. Where’s Dot? I thought you said she was coming right back.” “Why so I thought,” said Madge, “but T guess she’ll find us all right when she does come.” This was the last race of the season, and it was to decide the championship. The Lawrcnccvillc and Cranlcy crews had, raced several times before, and the score was practically the same. The crews were evenly matched, and each seemed to hope confidently for victory. All were in their places, and at a word from tile starter they began rowing swiftly across the lake. The course lay straight in front of them—a good mile to the opposite shore. The one who arrived at the starting point first was the winner of the day. The opposite shore was reached with no mishap with Lawrenccville a little ahead. The boats turned and started back over the same course. Cranlev was gaining inch by inch until it was al- most abreast of the Lawrenccville crew. Cries of “Cranlev! Cranlev!” “Lawrenccville! Lawrcnce- ville!” filled the air while the crews pulled steadily on. Oh. Tom, look! oh, look!” screamed Madge. The crews were three-fourths of the distance across the lake with Cranlev a little in advance. Suddenly around the bend a small sail-boat with only a young girl in it had sailed directly across the race course. It was Dot. The crews were but a few feet away and with their backs turned to the girl were rowing for dear life toward her. The ter- rified girl grasped the oars, and tried to row out of the way, but too late, and in another minute the Cranlcy boat pushed bv to victory, but the little sail-boat lay bottom side up floating in the water. “Save her. Tom,” shouted Madge, frantically, to the youth who stood beside her. inert and appar- ent I v helpless. But fortunately help was at hand. Jim Fair- banks from his lazy posture on the bench perceived the danger, and jumping into a boat lie rowed swiftly toward the frightened girl. The water was not deep, but here the bed of the lake was a mass [Continued on page $8.]