South High School - Index Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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NIARY KATHERINE RICHARDSON

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CLASS HISTORY MARY KATHERINE RICHARDSON W, SING of the Class of 1908 who, having been sent by Q. the Fates from the lower grades of learning, arrived at length at that institution of arts and sciences, ' als called the South High School. They had been wor- ried by multiplication tables and harassed by spell- ing books and had suffered much from the wrath of Minerva, goddess of schools, and her high priests and priestesses, who had wielded their rattan sceptres faithfully in season and out of season. Doubtless because of this wise, clear-eyed Athene, this class, then consisting of two hundred and twenty-five youths and maidens, succeeded in absorbing what was thought to be a necessary amount of learning and were wafted on their way with benedictions. The remarkable discernment and self-reliance, which have dis- tinguished our class during its sojourn in the South High School, manifested itself immediately. We did not enter the front door. We knew instinctively that that was to be used only in the after- noon. In the effort to End our home under the roof, we did not try to use any other means of locomotion than that with which nature had provided us. We did not ask the Sophomores, the Juniors, or the Seniors to be so kind as to tell us where our rooms were, but we politely inquired of pleasant-faced teachers. They were our oases in the desert of haughty Seniors, rattle-brained juniors, and smirk- ing, tormenting Sophomores. We had so much courage that we even dared to march boldly up to the principal and ask his aid in our search. We serenely went about our business, regardless of titters, scoffing, and ill-natured remarks. We followed out the rule, Re- turn good for evil -for the simple reason that we could do nothing else. We came to school regularly every morning, the girls with bobbing, smoothly-plaited braids, familiarly called pigtailsg the boys with hair carefully brushed by a doting mamma. Then Mr. Woodward did not need to tell the boys to enter and leave the 15

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building on their own side. So great was their bashful humility and terror at the sight of the aforesaid pigtails that they turned and fled. They have outgrown this weakness. Now, at the sight of the puffs on the heads of these very same girls, the boys fly, not from them, but to them, with flattering haste. Conscientiously we applied ourselves to the task of making our- selves famous. We were the 'ffair beginners of a new time in school life, a landmark, as Mr. Delano would say. Judge this day how well we have succeeded. Never were there such Fresh- men. Every teacher sang our praises. How proud we felt at our first class meeting. We were weighed down under the responsibility of electing just the right persons for class officers. We succeeded finely when we chose Robert Benchley, President, Gertrude Darling, Vice President, Katherine Patten, Secretary, and Walter Steele, Treasurer. The important business of deciding on a class pin was taken up also, and in a short time we became the proud possessors of the most beautiful school pin that has ever been made or ever will be made. About this time there seemed to be considerable excitement in the air. Upon inquiring we found out that a club called the Dra- matic Club was going to give a play. Some of us were allowed, as a great privilege, to pay thirty-five cents for a seat behind a post, where we craned our necks to see William Weir eat some cake and an orange under a table. We were highly ediiied, in spite of the fact that our necks were stiff for about a week. We intended to act ourselves sometime and be applauded for it. Weeks rolled by, and just as we were thinking we had really become a part of the school, the class games arrived. We did not pay any attention to the advice of the Seniors that we have a game all by ourselves in some back yard, but with steadfast purpose we prepared to come out into the open. I say we, for it is the girls' part to encourage, exhort, cheer, make flags, get up songs, and twine bunting-letting the boys drive the nails of course-? When the eventful day came, then were the fruits of our labor shown, for, I say it with bated breath even now, we beat the Sophomores, the proud Sophomores, by one point. After that even the Seniors ad- mitted that our class was rather unusual. For the rest of the year we crowded over the Sophies, who were for once humbled and abashed. 17