South High School - Index Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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After this event the decorating committee for Class Day went to work. Oh, how that committee did toil and suffer! Suffered, because they hated to cut recitations for such a trivial thing. The Seniors complained of the artistic result, not knowing in their egotism that the color, not the committee, was to blame. After the bustle of that commencement week we were Seniors. Since we had time to get used to it during the summer, when we arrived once more at school, we felt quite capable of occupying that exalted position. Somehow we felt we ought to be dignified, walk sedately, and be a general model. We managed the instructing part very well, but when it came to being dignified there was diffi- culty. We tried hard, but finally gave it up in despair. There was a very exciting session of the class this year to de- cide on class ofiicers. Finally, however, after much electioneering and many violent speeches from girl advocates, peace was once more established when George Dixon was elected President, Janet Briggs, Vice President, VValter Steele, Treasurer, and Alice Sawyer, Secretary. Our class became very frivolous this year. The teachers had a large share in reducing us to that state. Why, only think! One instructor recited to us one day these two lines- Oh, how those borders yell When they hear the dinner-bell? Our state of mind may be imagined when I tell you what were the subjects of some of our briefs written in the English class. Frank Plaisted and Grace Redding took sides on the question, Resolved that there should be womans suffrage. Gertrude Darling and Helen Connolly had a debate on Resolved that it is wrong for women to flirt. Gertrude declared that it impaired both object and subject, but Helen stoutly maintained that it was a means of education, that it did no harm, and was lots of fun. Young men, beware of Helen Connolly. She means to have lots of fun with you. Ruth VVoodward wrote on a timely topic: Resolved that women should take off their hats in churchf' Many interesting things happened in our English class this year. While we were struggling through the nightmare of Buehler, Mr. Cole showed his capacity for long-suffering, such was our density. One day, while we were wrestling with the prob- lf!

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The next fall we were Sophomores and we soon settled to work, determined to win more laurels. Early in the year occurred one of the saddest things that can happen to a class. Two of our class- mates, Gladys Spaulding and Lillian Wickman, died within a day of each other. We shall always regret that they have not been with us in our work and play of the past two years. Once more we had a class meeting for the purpose of electing class otlicers. Experienced as we were, it did not take us long to elect George Dixon, Presidentg Gertrude Darling, Vice President, Ruth Vtfoodward, Secretaryg and Alice Sawyer, Treasurer. Class games came close upon this event, but this year '07 overcame us altogether, although our boys struggled nobly. Another two months of play and rest and once more we as- seinbled, browned, happy, and expectant. We were really Juniors. Only one more year and we should be Seniors. This year we played the good Samaritan and poured oil into the wounds ofthe travellers who were just entering into South High School lile. We were so fearfully busy in this rescue work that we didu't have time for our class meeting until late. We hustled through the business of elect- ing oflicers, for we had lots to do. Robert Benchley was chosen President: Gertrude Darling, Vice Presidentg Alice Sawyer, Secre- tary, and Frank Plaisted, Treasurer. A decidedly enjoyable feature of our school life this year was the minstrel show. Of course it was a great success, for our Presi- dent was at the head of it. Never did Bob and Art act so realistically as they did in their little act with the hand-organ and the little monkeys. Bob's manipulation of the creature brought down the house.', I cannot forbear mentioning here the soul-stirring play that was given by the Dramatic Club in our junior year. Then it was that Bob's true talent was shown. But if it were possible he outdid him- self at the play, Pyramus and Thisbe, given by the club at rhetori- cals. VVho can ever forget the moving sight of him as Thisbe, in Howing white garments, whose cheese cloth folds hung gracefully from his manly shoulders, his noble head encircled by a wreath of beautious pink blossoms. This melodious voice almost convulsed the frivolous Freshmen, as he talked through the wall, alias our respected President, Dixon. 18

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lem, whether John and I or John and me went down street, there was a fearful jar. The room shook, the very windows rattled, and Mr. Cole almost lost his balance. We started up in a fright, but were stopped by a giggle. We turned and saw only Mildred Duncan, alias Millie, calmly sitting on the floor. I think it was unfair for her to frighten us so. Who knows how many of us re- ceived severe shocks to our nervous system just by that thoughtless slip. Millie was none the worse of course, but still went on smil- ing. I think you surely must remember the day when discussion was rife as to whether you could be quite illf' Mr. Cole said that be- fore you could turn around to say you were quite ill, you would be dead. It was then that Miss Helen Connolly offered the consoling remark that while there is life there is hope. Never was there such excitement as there was this year at the time of the Senior Boys' banquet. It seemed that the Juniors meant to hint gently to a few of the Seniors that they had better remain at home on the festival occasion. The Seniors did not take this ad- vice kindly, so forsooth, the Juniors applied force. Mistaken as to the day fixed for the occasion, they waylaid Selig Simons, the gifted poet of our class, on his way home from a store. Although, as the story goes, he bit and scratched valiantly, he was dragged far away and confined in a dungeon drear. The Juniors thought Selig would never deliver his address. But they didn't know Selig. After hours of brave struggle and awful pain, he finally saw the daylight, or rather the starlight, once more. The next morning he was received at school with mighty applause for the brave escape he had made. There was a glowing account of it all in the paper, therefore Selig was happy. He found himself famous in a day. But the Juniors, nothing daunted, even tried to capture our Presi- dent. Of course, however, when the time really came they dared not lay hands upon his mighty person. If the juniors had only put the energy wasted at that time into their studies they would have the most brilliant class on record, barring ours of course. One morning we rejoiced with exceeding great joy to find that we were going to the hall for rhetoricals. The most taking per- formance was that rendered by the Boys' Glee Club. Never was the song 'tLove Me and the 'World is Mine sung with more feeling. 20