Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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10 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR “While Don pumped her cut, 1 reefed mainsail and jib, took in the top sail and headed across the bay for Sqmin Light. As I had all I could manage in steering, Susie held the mainsheet, and Don. the jib sheet, for I did not dare belay them for fear an extra strong gust might send us over. “By this time we all had our oil clothes on, for every whitecap drenched us with spray. We should doubtless have reminded you of pictures you have seen, if you could have caught a glimpse of us then. ()ur oil clothes glistening with spray, the Dragon heeled over until her rail was level with the water, everybody sitting upon the weather rail, the waves foaming under the bowsprit and boiling under the stern. It was a most exciting scene. Not until we were well past the black buoy, did I dare to tack and go in before the wind, for to jibe in that gale would have meant, everybody swim. Going in we fairly flew. The mainsail was out till it touched the stay on one side and the jib full out on the other side. We left a wake like a racing motor boat. “Hut we couldn’t make the cove. As'there was hardly room to come about. 1 decided to risk it. and jibe her to go in the cove. The wind was not quite so bad in the river, as the point broke the force of it a bit. ■ ‘When I give the word, haul on that sheet quick, Sue! Ready, Don! Cast off the jib sheet! Haul, Sue! Quick!’ We just man- aged to make it without shipping water, and just as we came up to the mooring the wind went down altogether. “If you had been with us, you wouldn't have been quite so anxious to go out the next day in that ‘light southwest breeze’ as you called it.” “Hang it all.” complained Curly, ‘T never get in on the real good ones.” He picked up his chemistry again and resumed the study of the eccentricities of the elements. I thought for a moment. “Curly.” “Um-m-m.” 1 threw a book at him. “Well! What?” “It’s no use, you'd have been sick. Such amusements are for sailors, not lubbers, you know.” ()utraged and insulted, poor Curly retaliated, and in another moment we were rolling on the floor in close embrace. tEbe Struggle m TlKlen m. IPonD, ’13 ILLY Mercian, son of “The Wheat King,” had always lived the life of luxury so prevalent among that class of the idle wealthy. Never had he done a stroke of work in his life. Suddenly, at the beginning of his senior year in Dartmouth, he found himself confronted with a new phase of life. He was no longer the richest man in his class, but. on the contrary, his father’s failure had so greatly reduced his finances that lie saw horrible visions of being dropped from his class. He flung himself full length on the mossy bank, as idly he threw pebbles into the rippling stream below. “By Jove! I'd like to know what I’m good for anyway! And to think dad wanted to make a professional man of me! hy. I doubt if I d even make a decent hod-carrier! But. I’ve just simply got to do something or be dropped. “Let’s see—first there’s Latin. I passed in that, but I couldn't tutor a donkey. German? No, that’s out of the question, too. French? Urn! that’s more like it. Chemistry? That’s it! That’s one advantage of my medical course anyway. Then, there’s English and 1 know I could tutor that. Mathematics I can easily tutor. Oh, I guess maybe I won’t be so poverty stricken after all. “But. ye gods and little fish-hooks, how am I to do all that and still play football? I can’t give up that captainship after trying so hard for it. Besides. I haven’t another full-back to take my place. That's one place where I’m actually nec- essary without one of dad's checks,” Billy added bitterly. ‘‘Still,” he continued, “there’s Dick Gordon, who has been trying ever since his freshman year to make the team. He would make a splendid full-back, too, if he had a decent chance. Oh. hang it all, I want to be full-back myself.” Suddenly Billy sat up very straight, “Why, Billy Mercian, you conceited fool, that's the whole trouble with you. You’re a selfish brute. You’ve always had more than your share; it’s

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SOMKRVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 9 but after much pulling this came off the bottom, was reeled in. and untangled from the line. Hut still the line was taut, and puzzled, he quickly reeled in. To his amazement, instead of the frayed end he had expected to see, “()ld Solomon’’ appeared. By some miracle the line had held, and ------------ the big trout had worn himself out in trying to escape. He was easily drawn ashore and strung on a twig. As they again started homeward Roger laughed weakly. “Well. Raul, that was a rare case of sophomore help senior. B Sail on tbc 36a? JSy Cliff orb Ik. Ibernck, '13 VERYTH'I XG was quiet in the house. Curly and I were studying in the den. Outside the rain tapped dismally on the roof of the piazza, and ran in little rivulets down the window-pane. The wind was whistling in the trees, and blowing the umbrellas of adventurous pedestrians inside out. In short, it was just the kind of afternoon to make one glad to be in a snug, warm den in a morris chair, rather than out in the cold and wet. Curly laid down his chemistry, and yawned. I yawned in sympathy and also laid down my book. ■ Gee! I wish we were back in camp again,” said he. “Same here! I replied with emphasis. “Xo such luck though. A long pause followed. Say! Curly!” “Huh?” You ought to have gone out sailing with us that afternoon, instead of playing tennis.” I didn’t play tennis,” he answered. “You kid- naped the girls and George didn’t come over. 1 went up the Tanyard Swamp, gunning. I didn’t get anything, either. What happened out sail- ing. anyway?” ()ne could tell from his tone that he didn't think much of my ability as a sailor. Well! I replied. “Several things happened. I'll tell you about the trip. “About two o’clock Edna and Lou came down to the tent to see if we were going for a sail that afternoon. Of course 1 said. ‘Yes.’ and Don echoed my answer. We went over and got the Dragon ready while they went over and got Susie. “There was hardly wind enough to take us out of the cove. It was blowing about southwest and there was no room in the river to tack on ac- count of the fleet anchored off the yacht club. 1 went right amongst the fleet, heading f r Rat- Rocks. “We had almost cleared them when the Redfin, the big racer, not the cat boat, dropped her mooring and started to make sail. The tide carried her right across our course and I jammed the tiller hard up. which tacked us across, our boom raking the deck of the Playmate, of the Boston Y. C. The girls were almost ready to jump overboard from fright. Just as soon as we got clear I tacked back again, but we had lost too much to make the rocks. We kept on across however, but when we started to tack again, we went aground on the bar. The tide was too low. “All I could do was to try my best to go between the rocks. The wind had breezed up quite a bit. but we cleared the rocks all right and started out between the beach and the bar. After that it was great fun. The wind was against the tide, and the waves were about five feet high. The Dragon would go away up on one wave and come down slap on the next one. Don was sitting up forward, with his back to the mast, when we buried our bow- sprit in a big comber. Some of it ran off by the scuppers, but most of it ran down the back of his neck. Holy smoke, wasn’t he mad! Yc went up past Essex and were just oppo- site Ipswich when it started to blow a gale. Edna was sitting to leeward on the middle seat. Lou was opposite her. Don was sitting at the foot of the mast, and Sue was beside me. at the tiller. “Well. 1 never was so scared in my life! The masthead went over till it almost touched the water, and we shipped half a boat full. “I let her come up quick and yelled: ‘Let go the jib sheet. Don.' She righted and we lay in the trough of the waves. As soon as possible. I got over an anchor, which held us up to the wind, and prevented us from being capsized by the waves.

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR i r about time you gave some one else a chance. You just buckle down to business and get your pigskin and be satisfied. Just suppose some other fellow had always stood in your way all through college! Wouldn’t you hate him? Rut Dick Gordon is a man! He’s never flinched once; he’s just kept on plugging. Give him a chance ! ’ Fearful lest he should lose strength to stick to his resolve, he strode rapidly off in the direction of the campus. Half way there he was fortunate enough to meet Gordon crossing the campus. Putting two fingers between his lips, he gave a long, shrill whistle. Instantly Dick stopped and with a puzzled expression watched his captain's approach. I say, Dick, I’d like to have you report on the gridiron at three o’clock for practice. Report, captain? asked Dick with the same puzzled expression on his brow. Gradually it cleared away and left such an expression of amazed wonder that somehow Lilly felt that his sacrifice was more than worth while. Captain Lilly, surely you can’t mean that you are going to make me a regular? Exactly, Dick. From today you are Dart- mouth’s full-back. Lut----- but, why. Lilly Mercian, you are full- back yourself. 1 was. Dick: you are now. And. man. what- ever you do, play with all your might. Don’t let that Harvard team beat us! Lilly Mercian, you’re square! I’m going to play so well for old Dartmouth that this year will be the greatest in her history of football.” Silently their hands met in a strong clasp of perfect comradeship. Zhc .16o? Scouts of Hmevica Bp ill. Chester Milep, ’16 The Boy Scout movement has become uni- versal, and wherever organized its leaders are glad as we are to acknowledge the debt we all owe to Lieutenant - General Sir Robert S. S. Laden-Powell. who has done so much to make the movement of interest to boys of all nations. The I toy Scouts of America is a corporation consisting of some of our most prominent men. who gladly and freely give their time to help this movement that the boys may become good citizens and men of good character. In the various cities, towns, and villages the Boy Scouts are cared for by local councils. These councils are formed to keep the boys interested. In order that the work of the Loy Scouts throughout America may be uniform and intelli- gent the National Council has prepared an Official Handbook to furnish to the patrols of the Loy Scouts advice in practical methods. The aim of the Boy Scouts is to promote the ability in boys to do things for themselves and for others. It is called “Scoutcraft” and makes the boys observant and handy, or able to do things. Scoutcraft includes instruction in first aid. life saving, tracking, signaling, cycling, nature study, seamanship, campcraft. woodcraft, chivalry, patriotism, and other subjects. This is not work, but pleasure for the boys. All that is needed is the out-of-doors, and a competent leader. There have been all kinds of scouts, one being on the danger line of the army, or at the outpost. The army scout was the soldier who was chosen to go out on the skirmish line. I he pioneer was out on the edge of the wilderness guarding men. women, and children. Lut since then other kinds of scouts have been established. These are peace scouts, who learn to know how to live in the woods. W herever there have been heroes there have been scouts, and to be a scout means to be prepared to do the right thing, as the scout’s motto is Le Pre- pared. To be a good scout one should know something about the woods and the animals that inhabit them, as well as to how to care for one’s self when camping. He should know the difference between birds and the difference between bicycle tracks and those of other vehicles. There is another thing which a scout must know, and that is obedience. To be a good scout a boy must obey his patrol leader. He should so discipline himself that he need have no thought but to obey the orders of his officers. Other virtues of a scout are courtesy, loyalty, self- respect. but the most important virtue is that ;f honor. Honor is compared somewhat with self-respect. hen a scout says he will do it on his honor he is bound to do it. 'Flic honor of a scout is a [Continued on page 13.1