Spaulding High School - Red and White Yearbook (Rochester, NH)

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Little Brothers First Date GWEN HAYES, '53 Erick stood in the bathroom from the time supper was over until the very last minute before he was to go to pick up Sue for the movies, his very first date. I got the biggest .kick out of watch- ing him get ready! I-Ie was talking to himself and going through all kinds of gyrations. As I stopped in the bathroom door for a minute I saw him drop the comb into the water and bring it up to his hair so quickly that the water splashed all over the mirror. He looked at me and tried to act nonchalant as he combed his hair first one side then to the other. A few minutes later as he was put- ting on his suit he hollered to me to come in and look at him. Sis, he said, what do you think would look best, my sport jacket or the one that goes with my suit ? He had on his suit coat and I told him I thought his sport jacket would look better. After all, I said, you're only going to the moviesg don't be so nervous, act just as though you were going to the movies with one of the boys, you wouldn't get all dressed up for that. Gee, Sis, it's almost time for me to pick her up. Wouldn't you drive me to her house ? No, I replied, you have plenty of time if you don't dilly around. I-Iurry up. ZW'- .... ,i,,. ..,,,. - ,,.,, .. jj I -V hiiu 1 ,, an Do I look all right now, Sis, do I, huh ? Wait a minuteg in case of emer- gency here's another dollar. Don't spend it all on pop and candy. Now get along. Later, when he returned from the show he told me all that had hap- pened and how he felt and acted all the time. To begin with, I was nervous all the time. As soon as I left the house I ran all the way to the block where Sue lives. When I got to her house I wondered what I should do now. I walked up the steps slowly and pressed the bell gently. Sue came to the door and said 'hello' and stood back as if she wanted me to enter. As I stepped inside I said, Are you almost ready? She said, Just a minute. Then her mother came through the door and said 'hello' to me and asked if I would like for her to take us down town in the car. No, thank you, I said. I have enough moneyg we'll take the bus. As Sue came back her mother started in: . Are you sure you'll be all right? Don't you want me to come after you after the movie ? No, I said, We'll be all right. I thanked her and said goodby. We caught the bus at the corner. Sue hurried. on and got a seat while I fumbled for change. Thank good- ness when I got there she was looking out the window. I leaned my elbow

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4 THE RED AND WHITE tinued, we will gradually become bet- ter, so science tells us. However, man is not becoming better, this world is not becoming a Utopia as science would have us believe. Man is in a state of retrogression, subject to the law of Increasing Depravityf' Thus our philosophy is all wrong, our accents are on the wrong values 5 we are basing our hopes in false premises. We as Americans can see the great need in our country today, but ignore or fail to see the remedy. How can we, as intelligent, thinking people, expect the waters without a fountain, Godliness without God, Christianity without Christ, peace without the Prince of Peace? Truly, it is little wonder our coun- try is topsy-turvyg why is it our lead- ers are wondering where to turn next? Our values are twisted, our thoughts are contorted, and unless something is done soon, we will find our country in a decadent state, on the road to defeat. What can be done to preserve our freedom, to insure domestic tran- quillity ? How can we, as Ameri- cans get her back on her feet? First of all, our faith in God must be re- newed, we must revert to that Faith of our fathers -the faith that ac- complished so much in that time of great need. Second, as Americans, we must be willing to give our country our all as did our forefathers, and perhaps die for the preservation of her freedom. We must take the responsibility as American citizens and vote wisely for her leaders. When we have chosen those best qualified to lead us, we must then be willing to back them up' and give them the support re- quired in a democracy. Truly, our American homeland has created and preserved a way of life and a system of government unique in human history. Such a country as ours surely inspires pride in all our people. America is beautiful and precious to all who give it the loy- alty of patriotic service, and hold it in pride and faith and devotion. America still holds the light of free- dom before the peoples of the earth. It is a primary task for every Ameri- can, through his own thoughts and deeds, to keep that torch burning clear and strong until, with God's help, the whole world lies within the scope of its peaceful light. Again I ask you, how strong is freedom? The answer lies with the American people. Nothing less than human freedom, for ourselves and all mankind, is at stake. We must be ready to give all that we have and are in order to save the greatest ad- venture in human freedom that this world has ever known-our America. Spirit of the American Flag DAVID FAIST. '52 The spirit of the American Flag is the unconquerable attitude that makes one meet the present with con- fidence and determination, and the future with faith and courage. Faith in the American heart will do much to win all struggles. Many a seemingly hopeless task has been accomplished because men had faith in themselves. Without the faith of our forefathers, there would have been no American Republic today. In the perils of the present time, the spirit of the American flag should banish all thought of fear or failure, for it is a symbol of achievement and success. Such a spirit long ago turned dis- aster into triumph at Valley Forge. Beaten but not disheartened, our forefathers enacted a drama of forti- tude, sacrifice, and patriotism that will continue to grip the hearts of men as long as time endures. With unconquerable courage our fore- fathers also won the battles of the Revolution, and thus established a fComtinued on Page 305

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5 THE RED AND WHITE on the outer arm and neither one of us said a word. When we got to the movie, Sue went over to look at the picture while I bought the tickets. I handed the tickets to the man and we both went in. The usher di- rected us to two seats. Sue took of her coat and I was so scared I didn't even help her. She leaned her elbow on the outer arm and I leaned the op- posite way so I wouldn't see her. Oh, I gave her a bag of popcorn. I handed it to her quickly so our fingers wouldn't touch. I didn't enjoy the show much be- cause I was so nervous and to top everything off when we came out of the show there sat her mother wait- ing to take us home. Boy, was I ever humiliated! Having to have her mother take us home! ! ! Sue got in front with her mother and held the door as if she expected me to get in beside her. I quickly opened the back door and climbed in and sat there in a nervous sweat. When we got to Sue's house, Sue's mother had left the key inside the house. She began to think of ter- rible things. She said that she and Sue could spend the night at her uncle's on the next street. All this time I had been standing there thinking of all the ways in which I might get into the house. Finally I got up my courage and said, Couldn't I climb into the house some way? She said all the win- dows were locked. , .Then Sue said that the top attic window was never locked. You know how it bangs all the time, Mother. Yes, her mother said, but Erick couldn't possibly climb up there. Then I said, Yes, I can, I can climb up that big tree. I ran and jumped quickly and caught hold of a low branch. As quickly as I could, I climbed to the branch where I could swing out and get onto the window sill. Then I climbed in through the window and stumbled my way down two flights of stairs in the dark, down into the liv- ing room where I unlocked the door and let Sue and her mother in. Her mother was very pleased with my deed and thanked me very much. She also offered to take me home but I thought I was big enough to walk home after all I had been through to- night. I thanked Sue and she thanked me. Then I said, goodnight and started home feeling real big. I wasn't ner- vous any more and I was very proud. One Red Rose BETTY RICHARDSONQ '53 Booker T. Clark stood alone in the large cave-like doorway of Sherman Street School. He stared vacantly into the wet street and thought about Miss Robins, the fourth grade teach- er. Miss Robins was the only per- son in the whole school who cared for or even noticed one small black boy named Booker. She had just offered to take Booker home in her new green convertible, but he had declined be- cause he was ashamed to let her know that he lived in one of New York's large and squalid slums. Miss Rob- ins had seemed to understand his po- lite refusal, but as Booker watched the convertible pull away from the curb he felt a pang of regret. Suddenly he wrapped his worn coat tightly about his thin body and bolted into the stormy street. As he ran, Booker noticed many things: the pea- nut vender, the organ grinder, the group of boys that would not let him play baseball, the two Smith twins who called him snowball, and a small group of girls ranging from seven to ten which he splashed slightly. He did not stop until he reached the long gray line which was Mulberry Street. Booker entered an unpainted door,