Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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i6 SOM ICR VILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 1916-A Editor. John Dunham. Assistant. Russell Sutcliffe. Teacher: Where’s Miss B-------?” Freshie: “In the typewriting room.” Teacher: “Temporarily ?” Freshie: “No. just for to-day.” First Girl (looking at fashion sheet): “What’s zibeline ?” Second: “Oh. it’s one of those aeroplanes they’re using in the war.” The nursery is now open on the first floor. Make the most of this opportunity to see the infants at their play. Horsman, Historian: After the two ships had gone some distance one proved unseaworthy and had to put back to port, where the passengers all crowded on board the other. Advice to Freshman :— If you your lips would keep from slips Five things observe with care— Of whom you speak. To whom you speak, And how and when and where. Miss Su—s—y at a football game: “Oh. don’t watch the game. I’d rather talk.” Freshies go to school just for the walk. Sophs go there to laugh and talk. Juniors go there to close their eyes. And Seniors go there to eye their clothes. It is reported on good authority that G—d—r has recently bought a tea room in Boston. Call up South Boston 415 and ask for Miss Fish. S—11—y : “Hello, is Miss Fish there?” Voice over the wire: “Why yes. she’s right here. This is the aquarium.” SENIOR AND FRESHIE Senior:— “And still we gazed and still the wonder grew That one small head could carry all he knew.” Freshie:— “And still we gazed, and then began to hint, So large a head and yet so little in’t.” Teacher: “What is your name?” Bewildered Pupil: “Er—er—freshman.” Davison, translating: “They gave the bonds a ripe examination.” 1916-B Editor, John D. Ring. Assistant Editors. John A. Hciser. Donald E. Nickerson. Somerville should have a good cheering sec- tion this year under the leadership of Burtnett and Morse. Teacher: “Was that correct. K------ly?” K----ly; “Yes.” Teacher: “Repeat it.” K----lv: “I didn’t hear what he said.” Teacher: “This rule must be respected.” Someone in room: “Ker—choo.” Teacher: And it’s not to be sneezed at.” few brilliant translations:— “He entered the room by two doors.” “And lie placed the fire in the saucepan.” “The son of the great Jove gives me a pain:

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 15 into high schools, others who oppose its intro- duction. Here are some opinions. Some persons think military drill is beneficial to high school pupils; others think it is not. Some think it is the duty of the high school to train boys in military drill so that they may be better able if called upon to help their country in times of war. Others think that pupils should not be trained at all in military drill for fear that thereby they might become inclined toward war. Some think it is beneficial as physical exercise, others that it is injurious as such. You will see from this citation of opposing facts and opinions that it is difficult to discover an authority competent to make a decision on these matters to which all must bow in deference. It is quite likely that it is the duty of the State to make this de- cision as it has done in some other matters ap- parently of less moment. So far as physical training is concerned, while the opponents of military drill in high schools concede little value to it. I do not know of any one who would say that the drill with its usual accompaniment of the setting-up exercises is not better than no organized physical training. Should the School Committee decide to es- tablish the drill as a school exercise, there would be several interesting questions to settle. When should the drill be held, in school hours or after school? Should it be compul- sory for all boys or only elective? If the lat- ter. how many boys would take it? Should it have “point” credit? And the last question we will propose, though not the last which we thought of. remembering the girls, is if the boys have military training, what shall the girls have? In one particular it is more important that the school make adequate provision for the physical development of girls than that it do so for boys. The ordinary round of a girl’s life gives fewer opportunities for physical ex- ercise than come naturally to boys. So I should want something provided for girls which would meet their needs quite as fully as would anything provided for boys do for them. This might be accomplished in part by an or- ganization somewhat on the order of military drill without the use of guns, of course. I know of one high school where such an organi- zation of girls exists, which has maintained a high place in the esteem of the community for a long time. Another and more important pro- vision which might be made would be regular physical exercises under the direction of trained instruction. I have now discussed the present situation in our school both in respect to the lack of equip- ment for physical instruction and in respect to the proposition to establish military drill as a part of the school curriculum. I come now to the consideration of certain physical activities which arc wholly commendable and which lie wholly within the range of the pupils’ power to promote. These activities include the vari- ous forms of out-door sports both for boys and tor girls. It does not appear that the boys have yet taken up all the opportunities which exist for participation in any of the major sports such as baseball, football, track teams and hockey, not to mention various other sports which arc found in many other schools. Som- erville has good public fields which are avail- able to high school pupils at all times. Why should there not be more than one squad of boys playing baseball or football during the ap- propriate season? What is baseball for? Is it a game only to be played by athletes who make of it an attraction for spectators who get only the exercise of attending the games? Or is baseball to-day the game it used to be. which furnished to every healthy, wide-awake boy the blood stirring exercise which his exuberant en- ergies craved? And so with the other major sports. My point is that it is within the power of the boys of the high school greatly to in- crease the extent, variety and spirit of their athletic activities without doing anybody any harm and without waiting for additional equip- ment. I he spirit of the faculty of the high school and the attitude of school and city offi- cials is most cordial to such undertakings. Difficulties? Of course there are difficulties. Hut whoever waits to have a field free of diffi- culties before he undertakes to do something worth while will never do much. High school pupils through their relations to the school faculty, through their class organiza- tions, through their athletic associations, through their approach to school and city offi- cials have means of creating conditions more adapted to an alert and spirited body of stu- dents than those that exist to-day. And achieving the undertaking would, in it- self. be stimulating. For after all. striving and accomplishing arc essential elements in any vigorous living, and high school pupils abound in vigor. May I suggest, in closing, that pupils make use of all the opportunities that are now of- fered for physical improvement, that they strive to increase the number of outdoor sports suit- able for group work and that they show their regard for clean, manly athletics by supporting heartily all the teams which represent the Som- erville High School in competition with other schools. In these ways can each pupil secure his share of advantage from the general lot and contribute his share to the lofty and undaunted spirit which we all want to have characterize the school. Very truly yours. Charles S. Clark, Superintendent of Schools.

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 17 The leading members of our class arc fram- ing a petition to compel C------k to visit the barber at least every six months. According to the latest statistics, R—1—y is six feet tall with his collar oft . Miss II----n s reason for dropping chemis- try: “The incompatible affluence of conflicting aromas did not concur with my delicate dia- phragm.” Senior: “Arc you going to buy the Radiator?” Freshman: “What's the Radiator?” Senior : “Why, cr----” Lreshman: “I thought the school furnished all necessary heaters.” Miss C—Id—ell: “I can’t write on the Talis- man.” Voice in rear: “Well, write on paper.” “Who made this pile of splinters?” Horsman: “Abbot bumped his head.” The Class of 1916-B extends a hearty wel- come to the new teachers and the incoming class. Seniors! We are embanking on the last and most vital epoch of our career. We have the opportunity of setting new records which will stand forth as examples to our successors. Arc we to grasp this opportunity? Did you find it hard to make the change from summer leisure to school work? If you wish to hear Greek, as it was spoken by the Athenians, drop into Room 210, any third period----and be disappointed. Teacher: “Who sat in the seat before you?” Miss Ma—hews: “Another boy.” We hope that Lamont will recover, shortly, from the injury lie sustained. II—s—r says he will soon be on his feet— is soon as his shoes wear out. Mr. W—k—s: “Here, here, be human; don’t act like Freshmen.” Greek translation: “And he stood above his head.” Note: “He must have been in the subway •during the rush hour.” Teacher (in Physics) : “What is a good defi- nition of water?” Freshman: “Water is a fluid that turns black, when you put your hand in it.” “It is the little things that tell,” murmured Miss B------d. as she pulled her young brother from under the sofa. (In Spanish) Teacher: “You may read on, Seignor.” The verdant one: “I can’t be very green or she wouldn’t mistake me for a Senior.” First mosquito: “Been on a vacation?” Second mosquito: “No, on a tramp.” Advertisement: “Wanted, girls to sew but- tons on the fourth floor.” Levison claims that even if Washington did throw a silver dollar across the Potomac, money went farther then than it does now. Lines to the French Classes:— When your daily toil is over, At the setting of the sun. Why not spread your lips and murmur I)r-r-y, dr-r-ip, dr-r-op, dr-r-um? After many years of practice. When you feel you’re nearly dumb, Gently stretch your lips and gurgle, Dr-r-y, dr-r-ip, dr-r-op, dr-r-um. Note: “We might add that the author of the above ditty has been duly and justly lynched.” MacDonald doesn't want to be President of the United States, because in that case he would have his name put on postage stamps, and be licked by every one; but he has dis- covered a way to get his name in everyone’s mouth. He is going to manufacture tooth- picks. La-Terza recently sold his shoes—at least he had them half soled. Carroll (breathlessly rushing into room at re- cess): “Did you see Clark?” Cohen: “Yes. he went out for lunch.” Carroll: “Will he be back after lunch?” Cohen (moving out of range): “No, that is what he went out for.” Mark Antony: “Friends, Romans, Country- men. lend me your ears!” Voice (in crowd): “Not until you return the umbrella you borrowed.” Boys! ! Your co-operation is needed by President Joseph Smith and the other members of the Debating Society in order to retain the shield which they won from Brookline. The society is open to every boy in the school. Go out for the trials and thus benefit yourself as well as your school. As a Freshman pronounces French on enter- ing Mrs. B------’s class: “Policy voosc fran- cazc ?” On leaving in June: “Par-r-lez—voo— fr-r-ransay ?” A pupil enters Room 213 and quickly goes out before being assigned a study seat. Mr. v----s (to Mr. II-----r. who happens to be in the room at the time): Evidently that boy doesn’t want to study here.” Mr. H-----r: “Do you judge by his appear- ance ?” Mr. W-----s: “No. disappearance.” The sketches in Miss M—ch—l’s chemistry notebook remind us of the map of the war zone.