South High School - Oriole Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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a report room. My new friend, Anna, was sent to the same room. My cousins had told the principal about my preparation and he agreed to let me try out 9-B work. Anna had already spent two years in the building, so she was able to ex- plain the many bewildering things that arose the first day. We stayed in our report room until the bell rang and everyone hurried into the hall. At first I thought this must be the fire drill my cousin had spoken of, but I was reassured when I realized that no one was alarmed as the halls filled up with laughing, chattering young folks. Everything fascinated me that day, I was almost afraid I should waken up and find myself back in the plowed fields of Zuirblaukia- surely this must all be a dream. I had hoped to take both cooking and sewing, but I found I had to choose between them. I had always done more or less cook- ing, so I decided to sign up for sewing and learn to make the kind of clothes my cousins made. I was rather disappointed to learn that I must begin on something very simple before I could hope to make a dress. However, my teacher assured me that I could go ahead just as fast as I was able, and I felt fully confident that I would be making suits before the end of the semester. I went from class to class as one hunting new fields to conquer. At noon my friend introduced me to the cafeteria. This was my first experience in a cafeteria and I had gotten clear to the desserts before I could make up my mind what.to choose. When I turned to retrace my steps, I found what seemed to be hundreds of students behind me, so that first day I Iunched on custard, jello, and pie. My cousins had great fun that night teasing me about it. It didn't take me long to learn. though, and my mother was delighted to know that I could get a good nourishing lunch for fifteen cents. That afternoon I saw my first swimming pool. We weren't permitted to go in until later in the week. I wasn't at all certain that I wanted to go in. Surely with so many girls in the water, some of us would be overlooked. Most of the students already knew how to swim. Would they laugh at my feeble efforts to keep my head above water? Yes, I could think of lots of things nicer than a swimming pool that day. Time will not permit me to go into further detail about that epoch-making first day at school. In my estimation I had at least mounted the ladder of success and in my youthful enthusiasm I could already picture myself at the top. Day followed day, weeks developed into a month. Each day brought me new and interesting experiences. The impossible seemed to be coming to pass when one day I opened a savings account at school. I who a year before would have rejoiced over possessing a single skatikas was now receiving money regularly from my father to put into the school bank. Nothing could have persuaded me to draw out any of that money either, for I now had a secret ambition-so secret that I didn't even share it with my mother. Perhaps some day I might go to col- lege. In my idle moments I dreamed over the possibility, for had not our teacher said that money was our best friend? Yes, with money, everything was possible. By the end of my first year I could number many pupils among my friends. A few, like me, were born on foreign soil, but most of them had been born in America. There was Stanislov Slovinska and his brother Michael, both of Polish descent, Katherine C-eletko, a Slovik girl who lived beside me, Hulda Burgraff, who had been born in Leipsicg Maria Piazza, whose parents had crossed from Sicily two years before her birth. No one, however, was quite so dear to me as Anna Mindek, for I had met her when I was most in need of friendship. I found the extra-curricular activities interested me almost as much as my classes. Such fun as one can have in an American school! I joined the World Club and opened up correspondence with Frances Michalouskis, a girlhood friend of mine back in Zuirblaukia. I was quite thrilled to be able to write as an American student. As far back as I can remember my family had owned an accordian. As soon ren

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H1719 much in a month as we would have made in a -, f X sfo- whole season on our Lithuanian farm. We opened r5t fi a bank account in a big bank on Carson Street, and E , f Y. ' h f' f . it .,,, 555' mootnproud we were as we watched the igures fl V As soon as my household tasks were completed f,-ii. PP4, each morning, I would hurry to my cousins' home gf ,, , gpg!! Z! I with my books and they would help me with my K I f lessons. Strange as it seems, I had never gone to 1 visit school as we had planned. When I met other .- l 1 'f 11m K I girls I became very conscious of my foreign appear- I 7 f f 'S ance and my broken English. I determined I would . . not go to school until I could dress and speak as f V..-Q. 'i A the others did. if I In the meantime I made great progress in my ' . J work. My cousin took me to the South Side Branch I '-1', I! if of the Carnegie Library and introduced me to the IQ I f librarian in charge. She at once seemed to under- lllllllln' x , .1 I stand my problems and was an invaluable friend to me during those summer months. She knew just what kind ot books I needed, she showed me how to use the catalogue in the library and all the other things that were to prove so useful to me in the fall. By September my cousins pronounced me ready for high school. A teacher living near us had heard about my efforts to fit myself for school in the fall and she sent for me to come to see her. America was surely the home of kind people. She arranged for me to go to her three times a week for help in lower mathe- matics and geography. For the first time in my life I looked upon a globe repre- senting the world, and my heart swelled with pride when I saw the large space occupied by my newly adopted country. My parents were so grateful to Miss Wilson for the help she had given me that they insisted that they be allowed to pay her, but she said she was amply repaid in my progress and would accept no money. Finally my mother made her a present of a hand-embroidered shawl that we had brought from Lithuania and she was delighted with it. September fifth, the long heralded day, finally dawned and I went forth with my cousins to begin my education in an American school. I was surprised to learn that my parents were not going to have to pay for these lessons I was about to receive. just think-English, history, algebra, science, cooking, sew- ing, swimming-all to be had for the asking! How vividly that first morning stands out in my memory. I think I shall never forget it. My cousins escorted me to the auditorium and then departed for their own class rooms. I found myself seated in a huge hall, larger than our church had been in the old country. Hundreds of other boys and girls were wait- ing there in long rows of seats. I was so happy it seemed as though my heart would burst with gratitude. I turned to survey the girl sitting next to me. In a short time we were chatting like old friends. That friendship that sprang up be- tween us that morning has grown until today Anna Mindek is my dearest friend. She, too, was foreign borng she had come to America from Novgorad, Russia when she was but two months old. Of course she had no recollections of her old home as I had, but she.had the advantage of me in having spent eight years in the public schools. The girl in front of us overheard our conversation and turned around to say that her parents had come from Russia, too. When she was seven she had been taken back there on a visit. She assured me that Amer- ica was so much superior to the foreign countries that I should likely never have a desire to return to the land of my birth. Already I was ready to agree with her. After a short time the principal came in and I was assigned to a room called

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eleven as I was big enough, my brother taught me how to play it. Although I played only by ear, I developed a love for music at a very early age. Consequently, when the music instructor asked all those who played musical instruments to meet him after school one day, I presented myself and volunteered the information that I could play an accordian. Suppressing a smile, he suggested that I join the instrumental class for beginners and learn to play a violin. I followed his advice and now I am a member of the orchestra and play on all special occasions. Shortly after I had entered the high school, the assembly was entertained by a play put on by a dramatic club. It was the first play I had ever seen, and I guess I sat in open-mouthed wonder as the action developed. That night I went home and announced to my family that I was going to be an actress. My father shook his head in disapproval, but my mother was wise enough to realize that child- hood ambitions are rarely achieved. Nevertheless, I went to school the follow- ing morning determined to begin my theatrical career. I inquired and learned that I might join a dramatic club at once. I joined immediately, but it was months before I appeared on the stage, and when I did go on for the first time, I was so thoroughly terrified that I completely forgot my lines and had to be prompted several times before I could continue. Since then I have participated in a number of plays, but I realize now that I shall never be an actress. My time has not been wasted, though, for I can now go before an assembly group and speak with comparative ease. In my third year I was invited to join a literary society. I also went in for knitting and newspaper reporting, so I was kept quite busy. At home my mother still cooked in Lithuanian fashion. KIatski, or potato pancakes, was our idea of a company dish. Our foods were heavy and not so ap- petizing as the meals I bought at school. I decided that it was up to me to help Americanize our family menus, so I enrolled in a cooking class in my last year. I soon learned how to prepare a balanced meal. Salads, nourishing soups, and dainty desserts began to make their appearance on our table. At first mother was prejudiced against my new-fangled ideas as she termed them, but grad- ually she, too, grew to anticipate them with pleasure. I can honestly say that I enjoyed practically every class I had, although, of course, some appealed to me more than others. The years flew around and I found myself a dignified senior. It was then that I took up civics, the course that was to mean so much to me. It was during this course that I realized what it really meant to be a citizen of America. I read in my lesson one day a reference to America, the Melting Pot of the World. Here was a new and strange idea to me. What was the Melt- ing Pot? How did it concern Americanization? I read on and a new thought impressed itself upon my mind. Here in America everyone united, regardless of color, creed or nationality, to labor for the great republic and look forward to majestic exploits performed for the common good. The American flag, the sym- bol of our independence, stood for honor, justice, humanity and freedom, not only for our ancestors, but for our descendants. Here while we work shoulder to shoulder with natives of other countries, opportunity beckons. No other country offers opportunity to the foreign-born as America does, here one can go as far as his abilities carry him. America will make good with you if you make good with her. These words, taken from some reference reading I did one day, made such a lasting impression upon my mind that I kept repeating them over and over for several days. What an optimistic note they sounded, and how true the meaning they conveyed. just as America is the melting pot of the world, so our high school is the melting pot of the city. To this great cruciblelcome representatives of twenty- eight nations. There is no limit to the heights we foreign born may attain. All we need is the will to succeed. Every path is open, every talent is called forth, and some day in the near future, when our diplomas have been handed to us, we shall be ready to take our places as true Americans in the melting pot of the world. ,