Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 9 They easily found the young doctor, who was fresh from the city, and persuaded him to take the trip back. The old sea captains, of whom this town had its full share, were unanimous in shaking their gray head's and predicting ili luck for the little expedition composed of “city folks.” As one of them said, an experienced sailor might be able to do it, but as for those boys,—“n’ary a chance.” The boys were not to be deterred, however, for the woe-stricken face of the injured man’s wife was still fresh in their memories. These young knights-errant were constituted in such a manner that the thing making the most appeal to their generous hearts was the sight of a per- son in distress. The young doctor could still remember the ideals of his youth, as it was not very long since he, too, had been as these boys and filled with all the chivalry and enthusiasm that the average boy possesses. It was not dif- ficult. therefore, to persuade him to enter on this hazardous trip. The people of the little town were loath to have them depart, and many were the remon- strances offered by the kind-hearted folks against their going. Continued on page 19 » v The Divining Bullet Stanley F. Teele, 1923 ET’S go up in the garret,” said my brother Fred one rainy day. So up in the garret we went to rum- mage around in search of hidden treasures. We often went on these expeditions and many were our delightful finds. This day no wonders came to light until Fred, who was wear- ing out his clothes and patience crawling around in the black shadows of the eaves, stumbled upon a small chest. Lager to examine our prize, we carried it into the light. It proved to be a little chest of drawers resembling a doll’s bureau but heavy with nails and scraps of metal. With bated breath we opened drawer after drawer. Emptiness or nails — alike to us in value—were what we saw until the last drawer was hopefully opened. Our hopes were realized for — “by jiminey,” whispered Fred, “they're old-fashioned bullets.” And so they were — lit- tle round pellets of lead wrapped in their paper wadding and bound with linen thread. The pa- per was yellow with age, but the thread was still strong. “Come oil. let’s ask grandpa about them.” said I. “There may be a story.” Grandpa’s stories were always welcome, so we dashed down stairs with the drawer and bullets. Grandpa was read- ing the paper when we burst in on him. but he laid it down with a smile and said: “Well, boys?” We showed him our find and I said that we thought there might be a story. After a mo- ment’s pause he said: “You’re right, boys, there is a story about those bullets, though I haven’t thought of it for years.” “Tell us, grandpa, please,” we cried together. “Well now. boys,” lie said, settling in his chair and preparing to light his pipe—sure signs of a coming story — “It’s this way. You know that all this region, now called Clarendon Hill, was once called Walnut Hill. There was more rea- son then for calling it Walnut Hill than there is for calling it Clarendon, for in my grandfather’s time it was covered with walnut trees. During the Revolution the Hessians in the prison camps on Winter Hill cut down most of the trees for firewood, but I can remember a few that were left standing.” “But the bullets, grandpa, what about them?” I broke in impatiently. “Just a minute, boys, in just a minute. If you want the story I’ll tell it in my own way,” said grandpa, pulling at his pipe. “My father, your great-grandfather, lived in the old house with his father until I was about fourteen. Then he decided to build a house for himself. But mother insisted that there be water very near the house, as she was not going to carry water. So father said he would find a spring on the hillside where he was going to build. This part of Somerville then had plenty of water, but the hill seemed unlike the rest of the land. There weren’t any springs and father couldn’t dig a well deep enough, so he didn’t build that sum- mer. In the fall he spent much of his time tramping over the hills hunting foxes. Walnut Hill and the swamp between it and Winter Hill Continued on page 15

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s SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR The “Landlubbers” Richard Joseph Walsh, 1923 OM I'-VANS and his chum. Rob Stanton, had arrived to spend their second summer at the home which Mr. I 'vans maintained at the little scacoast town of Bon- haven. During the preceding summer they had learned to sail the twenty- foot cat-boat which Tom’s father had presented him. Having had the experience of the previous season, they were fairly competent sailors. Their great and unfulfilled ambition was to have the boys of the town acknowledge them as equals in seamanship. This the town boys steadfastly refused to do, saying that “those city chaps are still a pair of ‘landlubbers.’ ” To understand the point of view of these “na- tives,” as they were dubbed by the “landlubbers.” it is necessary for us to know just what sort of a place Boniiaven was. This town, built on Cape Cod. had fostered a people who spent the greater part of their lives on the sea. Genera- tion after generation of them had gone forth to help carry Uncle Sam’s flag throughout the world. To sum up. they were typical Cape Cod- ders. These boys had sailed boats almost from their infancy, becoming expert boatmen. Nat- urally. therefore, these coast-bred boys would not easily acknowledge two city boys as their equals in this respect, even though the “land- lubbers” excelled in other sports, On the day our story opens, the town group were participating in a picnic of their exclusive yacht club, to which the city lads had not been admitted. The outing, which on this day was to be held in the woods several miles inland, contrary to their usual custom of holding their outings on the water, included almost all of the other boys of the town. As a severe storm threatened, it was deemed advisable not to use the boats. The approaching storm did not. however, restrain the men of the town from going out to the fish- ing grounds, as they could make port before it became serious. For that reason, therefore, when the boys from the city walked through the town they found it practically destitute of men or boys, ex- cept the smaller brothers of the exclusive set into which they sought admission. As they were sauntering past the house of Jim Kent, the leader of the yacht club, they were surprised to see Mrs. Kent appear in the doorway and excitedly beckon to them. She looked worried and unnerved, and it seemed to their startled eyes as if she was about to faint. They hastened to obey her summons. “Boys.” she cried as they approached, “please hurry and get Dr. Brown. Mr. Kent has been badly hurt by the boom on his boat, and must have a doctor at once.” The boys assented, and hurried towards the home of the town’s only doctor. When Mrs. Kent once more beheld them hast- ening back alone, disappointment was written on their faces, and a look of despair settled on her own. “The doctor has gone to visit a patient in Jonesville,” said Bob slowly, “and he is not ex- pected to return before tonight.” “But Harry must have attention long before then.” the troubled woman exclaimed. “The nearest doctor is in Bayside across the bay, and there is no one to go.” She burst into tears. “Oh. if Jim were only here.” The two boys turned to each other with the same thought uppermost in the minds of both; why shouldn’t they take the place of the miss- ing Jim? Bob voiced it: “Why not?” “Just the thing,” answered Tom. “we’ll sail over in the Victor and bring the doctor back with us. It would take far too long to go all the way ’round in the automobile.” The worried woman looked scarcely less' wor- ried. even, at this offer of assistance. “I’m afraid that you boys couldn’t do it. I’ve heard Jim say that you aren’t very good sailors. Even if you were, it looks as if we are to have that long expected storm.” We’ll demonstrate our seamanship by doing this,” said Tom. Then, turning to his chum. “Come on. Bob, we’ll fetch the doctor in spite of the weather.” The boys at once set out for the boat and pre- pared for the arduous trip that awaited them. After sending one of the small boys to explain their absence to Tom’s folks, they hoisted sail and were at last started on their errand of mercy. The trip across to Bayside was accomplished under very threatening conditions, but at last was completed to the intense relief of the boys.

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10 SOMERVILLE HKiH SCHOOL RADIATOR 7VOTE5 OFTHL AIV M NI CATTKE.ELL-08 1920 Stephen Patten is attending Allen Military School at Newton. Mass. Roland Barker has entered Dartmouth Col- lege. Allenc Holman is attending Mt. Ida finishing school at Newton. Joseph Herlihy is now at Annapolis. Harriet Ford and Ethel Trimble attend Chand- ler Shorthand' School. Members of Boston University 21 arc: Her- rick Fap en. John Carey. Madeline Burhart, Ruth Platt and Curtis Fove. Mr. Foye has re- ceived the Augustus Buck scholarship for the Freshman year. James MacNamara is in Washington attend- ing Georgetown University. Entered in Wellesley are: Helen Wilson. Leota Colpitts, Mildred Codding. Miriam Ewart and Agnes Conwell. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Wil- liam Robinson. Forest Holmes, Henry Holmes. Leo Slafsky, Walter Chapman and Guy Northrup have en- tered Harvard College. The two latter have re- ceived the Price Greenlcaf scholarships. Pauline Dodge is a member of the Freshman class at Radcliffe. At Jackson College arc: Alice Hamilton. Lola Hamilton. Eleanor Brown. Anita A. M. Mar- chese. Lena O. Peck, Helen Steerc and Elizabeth Van Ummerson. At Simmons College are: Marjorie Fogg, Christine Schelbach and Nellie Wilder. At IT U. College of Secretarial Science: Mona Burke. H azel Matthews. Louise Newcomb, Lil- lian G. Norris. Gladys Nugent and Rose Still. College of Business Administration: Bernard Cutter. Eugene Sullivan. Tufts College: Weston Bennett. Horace Brandt. Grant Chisholm, Robert Hayes. Regi- nald Langell. Lawrence Maddison. William Moore. James A. Murray, James J. Murray and Walter Westland. Tufts Pre-Medical School: Annie Getchcll, Joseph Lane. Tufts Dental School: John McSweeney. Boston College: John Beaver, John Delaney. George Dowd. Thomas Kelley, William Kellev. Edward McCarthy. Thomas O’Connell. John Reardon, 7'imothy Sullivan. Thomas Twigg and Graham Magee. Northeastern College: Edwin Wright. Notre Dame University: Joseph Desmond. Normal Art School: Dorothy Freeman. Bridgewater Normal School: Edith Harding. Helen Northrop, Dorothy Perkins. Salem Norma! School: Mildred Dewire, Mil- dred Harkins, Alice McFarland. Lowell Textile School: David Donaldson. Carl Olson, Charles Mitchell. Chester Hammond, William Moore. 1919 The engagement of Miriam Cook to Francis Sawyer, S. 11. S., 17. was announced recently. Mary Ahern is working for Merritt Oldham’s Banking House. 1917 Miss Laura Flynn is teaching the fourth grade of the Glines School, and is on the executive board of the Somerville Teachers’ Club. 1915 John II. McSweeney, S. H. S., To, was grad- uated from Tufts Medical School (cum laude) in the class of ’20.