Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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6 THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR Captain Cavior, fll . t). 5. C. 36v Xcster C. Gustiit, E., '00 X July IS, 1911, the hot afternoon sun beat pitilessly clown on the white tents of the headquarters' staff, and the heat reflected from the sand seemed to dance in long, wavy lines back to the sky. About the tents a few soldiers walked lazily, smoking and talking to pass away the time. In one of the open doorways a middle-aged man sat writing. It was the gen- eral in command of the second great volunteer army that the United States had raised to drive back the triumphant legions of Japan. Three months before, almost without warning, the war- cloud had burst, and the Pacific coast awoke to find itself in the grip of an immense army of in- vasion. Four miles in front of the headquarters’ tents stretched the long lines of citizen soldiers—the pride of the nation—sent out to face the yellow hordes from the East. That they were outnum- bered five to one made no difference to the Yankee boys in khaki. Over hill and dale for fifty miles the long, thin lines lay. the sunlight glancing on the polished bayonets. Far out on the extreme left, in an open clearing in some dense woods, stood the gun-carriages of the Massachusetts Wireless Corps. At four o’clock on that eventful day. suddenly a low rumbling broke the stillness. The general paused and listened. Again it came, longer and louder than before. The wireless operator heard it. too. and began moving his tuning instruments in frantic haste to catch any message that might explain the sound. Suddenly came a buzzing. “Japanese batteries opened on left llank. it spelt out. Then silence. The headquarters’ operator tried in vain to call, but received no answer. Then gradually the rumbling died away. An hour later the buzzing in the receivers com- menced again. The Japanese are--------- it said. and then stopped in a sharp buzz. A minute after- ward it started again. “Japanese are co--------- another buzz and then silence. Then in short, jerkv sentences, broken by intervals, came the following message: “Japanese coming, send help, hurry. Look out for------” Silence again. But where were the Japanese coming? Send help where? The general strode up and down, racking his brains in vain for a solution to the problem. Was it from the left flank that the mes- sage came? If so, why did not the station answer when ca'l !? Was it a trick to force him to hurry his men to the left, and thus weaken the right? Meanwhile, let us see what was taking place in the woods which sheltered the left flank. Captain Taylor was walking slowly up and down behind the instruments of his corps. On his right lay the Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment, on his left nothing but dense forest. Suddenly he heard a dull boom, and the next instant a twelve-inch shell went screaming over- head. burst in the rear, uprooting trees and blow- ing branches high in the air as it exploded. 'Phis was followed by another, and yet another, and soon the air was filled with flying steel. The re- ceiving set. struck by a living piece of metal, was utterly destroyed, and its fragments mingled with the mangled body of the unlucky operator. Then, after a sharp bombardment, the firing stopped. Captain Taylor was getting worried. He sent two men out with orders to search the woods to tlie left and front. Then followed an hour of anxious waiting. Suddenly a horse and rider burst from the woods, the man swaying in his saddle, and a fast-widening spot of red dyeing his khaki coat. With a final effort, he waved his arms towards the forest whence he had emerged, gasped out the word “Japanese,” then plunged from his saddle to the ground—dead. Tavlor hurried to the colonel of the Massachu- setts regiment, who sent quickly a line of skir- mishers into the woods and formed for a flank at- tack. Soon a scattering fire came from the forest, and one by one the skirmishers came into the open, then by twos and threes, and in a short time the whole line could be made out, retreating slowly backward step by step, firing as they came. '1 he wireless operator hurriedly began to send to headquarters. “The Japanese are, he sent, when a deadly dum-dum bullet struck him. and he sank to the ground. Another operator sprang forward. Scarcely had he touched the key. when he, too. sank with a groan. Man after man came up. only to send a few words and then fall before the enemy’s sharpshooters.

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TIIK SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 5 Much as we regret to lose Mr. South worth, we consider ourselves fortunate in securing as able a successor as Mr. Clark for superintendent of schools. He comes from Washington, D. C., where he has been prominent in educational work for years. Mr. South worth has been conscien- tious and energetic in his duty. Mis many years of service have gained for him innumerable staunch friends in teachers, pupils, and citizens. All join in wishing him well at his retirement. Especially has he the admiring regard and good will :f the high school students. Judging by the way the people of Washington regretted to lose Mr. Clark, we believe that he, also, will prove a wise and skilful director of the school system of which we arc so justly proud. 5 . K We are glad to notice that interest is being taken in the orchestra. This is a project that all musi- cally inclined are interested to help. Although several valued members have left, there is still talent enough in the two schools to make a suc- cess. When the players who. out of 1,700, are brilliant performers enough to form a school or- chestra have been systematically drilled for a time, they will be able to produce real music, harmoni- ous and accurate. The pioneers of last year ac- complished highly creditable results. Now we ex- pect them, after a season’s experience, to be an even more pleasing feature of the numerous re- ceptions. debates, plays, and dances that we are all looking forward to this winter. r Debating is a subject which seems to be receiv- ing much attention in the last few years. The English High society is in active operation, and several smaller clubs which were started last year among the underclassmen will probably soon be working again. In the Latin School one or more clubs may form, to contest among themselves and with the English School. These arc favorable signs, for there are few. if any, better means of improving the mind, quickening the intellect, and acquiring self-possession than debating. It is no small art to stand before an audience and give con- clusive arguments in clear, forcible English. A word battle with a keen opponent trains the ear to be quick in catching the important points, the mind to grasp the argument clearly, and the judg- ment to criticise and refute it. Our debaters, then, are worthy not merely of tolerance, but of respect and even admiration. Many who do not feel ca- pable of taking aggressive part are anxious to see the inauguration and success of interclass and interscholastic debating. . Seniors, do you realize that this is the last chance? Eight months more and you will be graduates! Then will you look back and say. 1 couldn’t have done better.” or will you say with vain remorse, I wish I had made the most of my last year”? Great changes can be wrought in eight months. A deficient pupil can make up con- ditions and finish with a fair record: or a good scholar can relax and get through merely on suf- ferance. It is the time for the business man to put the final polish on his training: for the prospective college student to clinch the last hold on his prep- aration : for every one to snatch at Knowledge,— the life-preserver that our Alma Mater llings to us as we arc launched into the current of the great world. . . The Somerville High Schools open with an at- tendance of 1.700. a membership far beyond their capacity. Especially is the English School over- crowded. It now holds fully 1,200 pupils, twice the number originally designed as the extreme limit. Ibis naturally results in great congestion. To help the trouble, the desks have been set in double rows, seats have been put in several rooms intended only for laboratories, and lastly, the Annex was built. Hut still there is no elbow room and. worst of all. 1,200 pairs of lungs are con- suming the cubic feet of air sufficient for only half that number. W hat is the conclusion to be drawn from these conditions? We must be thoughtful in the use of the corridors and staircases. Since there is none too much room, we must exert our- selves to keep our places. Our very misfortune offers one advantage, a magnificent opportunity to learn to observe the rights of others.

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 7 Meanwhile the Japanese were approaching through the woods. For an instant the firing stopped. Then a noise like an approaching whirl- wind swept across the open. The waiting soldiers grasped their guns even more tightly, the officers walked slowly up and down the waiting line, speak- ing words of encouragement to the men. A frightened rabbit sprang from the woods and scur- ried through the line. Then a fox and more rab- bits; the wild creatures of the woods were fleeing before the approaching storm. Xow the trees and bushes began to sway as in a hurricane. Mere and there through the leaves could be seen the blue uniforms of Japan. “Load !” rang the command down the silent line. Aim!” A thousand rifles were leveled. And then, as the hordes of Japan burst from the forest with a wild cry of Banzai! the banner of the rising sun floating in the lead, the command. “Fire!” rang forth, and the roar of the rifles as they blazed out their rain of death awoke the echoes of the Marathon. For an instant the lines of Japan wavered, but. pressed by the hordes be- hind. they came on. Now the rifles commenced to blaze along their lines, and the Americans began to go down by the score. Step by step they were forced back, leaving the ground covered thick with dead and wounded. The color-bearer dashed for- ward and planted the stars and stripes between the lines, singing We'll rally ’round the flag, boys.” For an instant the lines re-formed, but it was im- possible for one regiment to hold back the thou- sands hurled upon it. and they were again forced backward, the men fighting desperately as they re- treated. The regiments along the line began has- tily to form for the flank attack, but they withered away before the leaden hail from the Japanese rifles. Captain Taylor raised himself on his elbow, his clenched teeth holding back the stream of blood. Near where he had fallen he saw the wireless set. Dragging himself out from underneath the body of tile Japanese soldier he had impaled with his sword, he crawled to the instruments. Many of the guys on the pole had been broken, but the antenna was still in serviceable condition. After several vain attempts, he finally got on his knees and reached for the key. Slowly and distinctly, though everv movement caused sharp pains to dart through his body, he sent: Japanese have at- tacked left Hank. Send help at once. Look out for the sunken road. Captain laylor, M. . S. C. At that moment he was seen by a Japanese sol- dier. itli a curse the yellow man sprang for- ward and ran him through and through with his bayonet, but it was too late,—the message had been sent. Outside the headquarters' tent the general paced anxiously up and down. Near by stood the waiting regiments of reserves, the trains ready for an immediate start, yet no message came. The operator of the wireless station listened, but no sound came to him. Suddenly, so faintly that he could hardly read it. came the message:— “Japanese have attacked left flank. Send help at once. Look out for the sunken road. “Captain Taylor, M. V. S. C. With a yell lie dropped Ins receivers and sprang with the message towards the general. Quickly tiie troops filed into the waiting trains, and with a cheer started for the firing line. Far off in the fighting line the boys in khaki store! shoulder to shoulder with fixed bayonets, fac- ing the yellow devils from Japan. They were not in the shelter of the woods now, but out on the open plain. They knew what was coming. The Japa- nese had massed their men for the final charge. With blowing bugles and wild cries of “Banzai! they came on. Not a man in that thin, brown line wavered. The front of the advancing horde met it only to reel back, broken and disordered. Again they came on. and again they reeled back- ward. For a third time they came.—thousands and thousands of them. The brown line, weak- ened by the previous charges, began to Waver and break in places, when suddenly from their rear came the glorious notes of the bugle. To those that were left to see, the sight will never be for- gotten. Up a slight rise, on the double quick, with the setting sun gleaming on their shining bayonets, came rank after rank of Yankee volunteers. The light from the crimson west shone on the waving banners as they floated above the moving lines. For an instant the men of Japan tried to with- stand the furious charge they received, but it was impossible, and they were forced back over the ground which they had won. back into the forest, back across the clearing where the men of the wireless corps had died, back to the shelter of their entrenchments and frowning batteries. Captain Taylor was found with his dead hand still clutching the key. A week later in the East- ern newspapers his name was among those re- ported as dead. But how he died, how his mes- sage won the day, the world never knew.