Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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 = 1 ' aVor V . L c - 1 212907 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR Profound sorrow overwhelmed the hearts alike of faculty and student body when on September 20 we were told that our beloved Miss Bertha A. Raymond, after an illness of only four days from pneumonia had passed away from earth. Miss Raymond came to the Somerville High School in 1900, in the Department of Elocution, of which, later, she was given entire charge. Of varied gifts, gentle of manner, and never self-assertive, Miss Raymond was peculiarly fitted for leadership. With great humility of spirit, equally as ready to serve as to lead, she illuminated each task assigned her by her faith- fulness to detail, by the charm of her personality, and by her lovableness. Slight, fair, petite, she gave herself without stint to the many activities of the school, always with welcome helpfulness and success. The larger life of the school has met with an irreparable loss! A place is vacant, which seemingly must remain unfilled. Miss Raymond’s social relations were char- acterized by great courtesy and unusual friend- liness of spirit. To have known a personality like hers has been a high privilege, and inspires renewed confidence iu the power and influence of noble character. We miss her! In the rooms which were in her charge, along the corridors where we so often met her hastening to her many duties, we miss her bright smile and cheery word. In the great audi- torium so Closely associated with her, each heart feels a brightness is gone. “Part of the sunshine of the scene, with her did disappear.” In the fullness of great gifts and wide uneful- ness. the summons came and she has passed from our midst. But in our hearts her unfading mem- ory remains. “Her sun went down while it was yet day,” to rise, we know, on brighter scenes and fairer fields of usefulness And when the sunset gates unbar Shall we not see her, waiting stand. And white against the evening star The welcome of her beckoning hand? The Radiator staff thanks you, the student body of the school, for the magnificent support which you have given the paper. It is our dutyx now to show our appreciation by giving you the best paper our money and resources can provide. The Radiator is your paper, its columns are open to you and any suggestion or criticism will be given immediate attention if referred to the staff through the class editors. The staff also thanks the faculty for its hearty co operation in the cam- paign. without which it must have been less suc- cessful. In behalf of the staff the editor extends hearty thanks to all. Students, support your class editors. Theirs is a task without glory and a task which involves hard work. If you will aid your class editor by passing in notes to your class column, you will have done your part. Don’t criticize your column if you have contributed nothing toward it. The world war is ended at last. The nation which developed a great military machine, has been humbled, as a nation has seldom been hum- bled before, and is now in the throes of revolu- tion and disintegration. The supreme war lord who threatened the entire civilized world is now a refugee in Holland, and the country, which has often trembled before him, now reluctantly shel- ters him. Thanks to the strategy of the Allied and American generals and the diplomacy of the Allied and American statesmen. Germany and her allies have been brought to their knees. Let us hope that during the reconstruction period we may have as able leaders. Peace was ushered into the lighting zone by a sudden silence, but into the Allied and American cities and towns by a tumult of jov. The entire populace went wild, and well they might, for the war is over at last. Long may it be the last. The editor is pleased to note that the Wireless Age has printed three articles written by Francis R. Pray of the senior class of our school. It is certainly a great honor to have one of our class- mates a contributor to a paper of this type. Con- gratulations, Pray. v FEB 23 1323 Cooke—“Do you think Dr. Knocker’s cough medicine does any good?” Ashley — “Not unless the directions are fol- lowed.” Cooke—“What are they?” Ashley—“Keep the bottle tightly corked.”—Ex- change.

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Now that Thanksgiving Day is approaching, we may, perhaps, well consider what the day 4originally signified, what is has meant through | ilV hevyears and what its meaning is for us, this (year. All are familiar with the origin of Thanksgiv- ing Day. We can, however, scarcely realize what a great significance the day held in the eyes of the Pilgrims. In their own country they had undergone religious persecution and had volun- tarily gone as exiles to a land whose customs were strange and whose people spoke a strange tongue. Although enjoying religious freedom in this land, they emigrated to a new land to prevent the as- similation of their children with the Dutch. This brave band undertook a voyage in a frail bark, across an uncharted sea, to an unexplored land, trusting in God’s leadership. After a rough and stormy voyage they landed, on a bleak December day. on the shores of the New World. Then fol- lowed the winter of famine and death, which claimed one-lialf of their number. But God was |i with them. The Indians were friendly and the harvest, the following autumn, was bountiful, and safety through the coming winter was assured. )ne can only imagine the deep snirit of gratitude Mhich prompted their fervent thanks to the Al- mighty. They had seen the will of God accom- plished. thev realized that His will was best, and they were thankful for His guidance. Recently the day has lost some of its original significance. People have thought more of how the dav was to be spent, than of what thev had I to be thankful for. Although the dav has been an lenjoyable one to all. its spiritual significance has Tbeon lessened. This year all this is changed... Pood consprva--. {ion and the high cost of living-will prevent tltft• greater part of the feasting, and although the day will not hark back to the sombre days of the Pil- grims, prayers of thanksgiving will rise from every true heart to the throne of God for His guidance during the epoch-making days of the past year. We have much for which to be thankful. A year ago the submarine campaign was a menace, air raids terrorized London and Paris, the de- moralized Russian army was giving way-every- where, the Italians, also demoralized for a time bv German intrigue, had been driven back to the Piave, the armies in France remained in dead- lock, awaiting the great German drive in the spring, and only a few Americans were in France. The hand of God is evident in the great events of the year. In the spring the great German drive came. Before superior numbers the Allies re- treated and we breathlessly asked, Will the line hold?” The Allied forces were united under the master strategist, Focli. Although the line bent far back, thank God it did not break. Meanwhile a great American force had landed in France and many more came streaming in day by day. Drive after drive gained new territory for the Huns, but at last on July 18 the great Allied offensive be- gan. Now the Germans have been driven far be- yond the line which they have held for four years. The submarine is no longer a peril, air raids have failed, and over two million Americans are now in France. Bulgaria, Turkey and Austria have been brought to their knees, the surrender of the latter gives the Allies access to the southern frontier of Germany. Germany must soon accept humiliating terms, perhaps before Thanksgiving. We may well on Thanksgiving Day thank God that the German offensive was blocked, that our enemies have been defeated eve where, that .great.leaders have been .‘jbukieace is at ; that

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6 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADI ATOM f I ' MISS BERTHA A. RAYMOND Late Instructor in Somerville High School