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

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Unguard ed BRUCE SIVIITH, '54 He paused in the center of the dim- ly lit vault. A shudder of fear prick- led momentarily down his spine. On all sides of him stood the waxen figures standing so grotesquely, silent and motionless, that he choked back his own breath for fear of disturbing these bloodless creatures who had never known life. It was a sight to make you hold your breath all right. These voodoo mad Haitians certainly had the most pecu- liar method of commemorating their dead ancestorsg a dark .room full of figures made to look exactly like the departed relatives. They were dressed in the richest fabrics, adorned with priceless gems and precious metals. Superstition certainly went a long way here on the strange island of Haite, and he was lucky that it had such a tight grip on these people, for if they didn't feel that their posses- sions here in the tombs were protected by these ridiculous zombies Cthey had such blind faithlh a smart operator wouldn't have a chance to barge in this way and make off with a fortune. Zombies! He snickered to himself as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and he moved toward the nearest of the wax figures. From the moment he arrived at Port au Price he had been hearing about the fantas- tic creatures who, according to tra- dition as old as the island itself, were brought back to life from the grave. Some of the whispered stories were so gruesome that at first they had actu- ally thrown a pall of fear over him, but now they provoked only contempt as far as he was concerned. Imagine fools who believed in bloodless crea- tures capable of committing the most ghastly murders. Imagine, supersti- tious half-wits who entrusted their fortunes to creatures existing only in their own tortured brains. Let them put faith in these zombies they talked of, leaving their treasures totally un- guarded! His hands moved over the first of the grotesque figures, dragging the gems free. The cold, waxy surface sent a shudder through his body but he forced himself to continue. Soon he was feeling no fear at all. It was just another robbery as far as he was concerned. Let the Haitians be con- sumed with fear of the avenging zombies reputed to guard these tombs. To him the tomb was an unguarded and beckoning bank vault. He turned as if hypnotized by some strange force and for a moment his breath almost stopped in his throat. He tried to force a scream of fright through his paralyzed lips but no sound issued from them. Moving to- ward him slowly, irresistibly like a ghastly creature rising from the grave, was one of the wax figures which had been standing, just a mo- ment before, at the opposite side of the vault! What he was seeing was impossible. How could a thing made of wax manage to move, unless what the Haitians said about the zombies was true?

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4 THE RED AND WHITE would provide vocational training in doing some type of work. Oftentimes boys will quit school and enter some branch of the service. True, some may use the service to good advantage and make use of their facilities to learn a trade, but in many cases the opposite is true. Are these boys .really any better off than those who just quit? Sometimes employers will hire them, but just as many times it doesn't happen. Nowadays, even a high school edu- cation is insuflicient for one to get a worthwhile position. Even if a boy or girl has to Work to help pay his way through college, the sacrifice and ef- fort will certainly pay off in the end. The Value of a College Education RICHARD CHARLES, '53 In the minds of all who read The Value of a 'High School Education certain facts are known. One often wonders also, what actually is the Value of a college education. Thus, as one sits down to think of the advant- ages gained by a high school gradu- ate's going to college, there are sev- eral. For example, I like athletics so I tried developing my thoughts along a parallel of an organized sport. For the development of this article I chose basketball, because in the not- too-distant past our basketball team went through a rugged schedule. So let's follow a typical fellow destined to make a career out of basketball. As this boy, whom we will call Bob, enters grammar school and advances through the different grades he is introduced to what is known as ed- ucation. He begins to realize that what he learns in school will be of help to him in his daily life. He learns the fundamentals. Here, also, he is first brought into contact with a game called basketball. He masters the very simple points of the game, its funda- mentals also. Then, Bob enters high school where his education branches out from the fundamentals and he learns how to make use of his elementary knowledge in order to do advanced mathematics, etc. His experience with education is probably very much the same as yours is, or was. Bob tries out for the basketball team and makes it. As a member of the school team, he spends many long and full hours practicing and perfec- ting the fundamentals of the game. The coach also shows him some new and finer points in the game. He learns how to combine the fundamen- tals into a much smoother, faster, more complicated game of skill. Here he recognizes that ability is not the only attribute, there is training and conditioning as well. On graduating from high school Bob was offered a position- on a local basketball team. The salary was in- viting, but so few move up to big time ball through this channel that he turned down the offer. In the same way there are many jobs open to high school graduates offering attractive salaries but all too often are not followed by good chances of advancement. Many of these jobs would not support a family, however. In the fall Bob entered college and continued his pursuit of knowledge and basketball playing. At college he met a great number of people whose later influence upon his life was bene- ficial. At the end of his college basket- ball career he signed a contract with one of the best professional teams in the world and is now quite able to support, very comfortably, a wife and family. Then it is apparent that in college basketball, Bob had greatly improved his game by becoming increasingly familiar with it. He gained a distinc- fConti7med on Page 312

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6 THE RED AND WHITE I Speak for Democracy CYNTHIA LUNT, '52 I speak that my own country may hear, and I speak that those countries who do not know Democracy may hear. I speak that we who know the value ofa Democracy may think on these things, and that those who do not know may be enlightened. Democracy to us means a govern- ment by the people, but it means more, far more. It is to us a way of life, not only in government but in all essentials that make us a great and free people. I speak for a Democracy that has made our country the greatest na- tion on earth, not only in wealth, in culture, in education and in progress, but in the ideal that all are created equal, that all have equal opportu- nities under the Hag of the United States. I speak for a Democracy that was purchased with a great price, pur- chased dearly by brave men, who per- haps at that moment when they laid down their lives might have asked, For what do we die ? , to whom suc- ceeding generations have given the answer, For this Democracy, for this way of life, that has made this great nation. Q I speak for Democracy and the free- dom it gives to all people who are a part of it. Freedom from fear of op- pression, freedom from restrictions to express ourselves as we believe, freedom to have a part in our govern- ment, to declare ourselves by the bal- lot, and to take part in civic and religious affairs to the end that this will be a better America, that we will go forward as a people, that we will not lose sight of the fact that the ideals for which Democracy stands must be nutured, not let to lie idle or to be crowded out by insidious propa- ganda, but kept always in the fore- ground, so that every boy and girl, every man and woman may become so conscious of these ideals, that nothing can dim their light and nothing can take their place. Oar American Heritage CAROLE HATHAWAY, '54 The Little Red Brick Schoolhouse in Wakefield, New Hampshire, was built in 1858. It contains some very interesting 'antiques which tell us something about life in the early col- onies. Upon entering the building, I saw a large glass case iilled with interest- ing but old articles facing the door. The case includes a sample of the kind of report card used nearly one hundred years ago. The report was then called a reward of merit. In- stead of having A's or B's, as the cards of today, different pieces of col- ored ribbons were used. A very beautiful piece of art which must have made some lady very proud was a fan made entirely of feathers: red, blue, yellow, and many other bright colors. At the far end of the hallway is an old Post Office which used to be in the building that Palmer's store now occupies. The post office is made of wood and glass. The mail boxes are made of wood without glass with a small lock right above the box number. The next article on display is an old cobbler's bench still containing nails, hammers, and many other tools which this trade requires. Entering the main room, I saw that which takes the eyes of most of the girls, a white satin wedding gown with beautiful old fashion lace on it. This gown was worn by some very proud lady in 1896. . Opposite this gown is the wedding dress which belonged to Mr. Robert Lee's mother. It is made of white taffeta on which a blue and gold How- er design is embroidered. A black shawl is draped over the shoulders of this gown. The owner of this shawl is unknown. A show case between two windows contains old school books that were used before the Little Red School Housei' was built. An old mahogany desk stands next