Stoneham High School - Wildlife Yearbook (Stoneham, MA)

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8 THE AUTHENTIC. cial in Patch’s barn. “Diji” Reynolds’ new suit of clotlies became a non-suit as a result of someone throwing a plate of ice cream at him. About a week later the “Wire Gang” went down to a house on Chestnut street, where the Freshman class of ’0(1 was holding a class social. One of the gang took a cake from a young lady who was going to the social and divided it among the fellows. The day after this social the gang came to school each wearing a little brass l)ell which had been removed from a pair of reins found outside the house in which the social had been held. The tinkling of the hells disturbed the French teacher so much that she reported the atl ' air to Mr. Emerson. The fellows were called into the otiice, but the door is closed on what was said there. The president of the class received a bill claiming damages for a broken window and tiie reins destroyed. After the damages were paid, Ed Rrady, who collected the money, had enough left after the payment to buy candy, peanuts and two tickets to the old Howard. The nest place visited by the “Wire Gang” was Barton’s, on North street, where the class of ’04 was holding a social Two of the fellows got into the pantry and passed out pie and cake to the gang outside, but were unable to find the ice cream. The gang waited in the shadows for a particular member of ’04 who was to come at nine o’clock. The unfortunate fellow was seized and painted w’ith iodine. He got away before the artists were finished and called the ’04 crowd to his aid. Cross- country running was in order. ' I ' he gang escaped. The class held its first house social at the home of Miss Bertha Walker. The initiation of Hickory Mellett into the “Wire Gang” is the ne.xt subject in the review of these turbulent times “Hick” wore mism.ated shoes and antiqu.ated clothing. He was made to ride in a little two-wheeled cart, to sing songs and to go through the manual of arms with an old broom — a ludicrous scene as I look back over the review. Raising the emblem of the secret society on the flag pole at the school capped this series of pranks, and shortly after this, the name of Sam Drown, president and leader of this gang, was dropped from the school roll. Poor Sam, he was attacked with hay-fever and was eaten by a horse as he was standing near Sanborn’s shoe store, and we have not heard from him since. The gang was broken up and the actors have passed by the boards into other plays. It is with many regrets that I look back over these bright scenes and think of the fellows who were with us then but who do not appear here today. Jlistakes have been made and opportunities have been lost and are never to be regained. Had they but taken the advice of Mr. Emerson when they were on the wrong road they might have won. Tiiere are lights and shadows in every history, but shadows in our lives cause oppression, and many things are better left unsaid. The records contain many proofs of an ingenious facetionsness. Our edu- cation was not always done soberly, I assure you. Ambition had, at that time, exercised but little in- fluence and pride, sustained but few disappoint- ments. Our temper was not embittered by the unexpected, nor was our exertiem checked by nn- coiuiuerable competition. Animated by the glor- ious promise of the future we cast off all care and delighted to dwell upon the glittering scene of expectation The summer vacation passed quickly and we became the junior class We began the study of Geology. We used to think that it was time elaborately thrown away, but now I see that we were singularly unapprecia- tive. We had many happy times searching for geological specimens. It was on one of these en- joyable trips that Stacy Finnegan lost her footing and slid to the bottom of a hill. We went to the .Vgassiz Museum at Harvard A pretty little inci- dent happened while we were there “Dick” Ervin and a young lady of the ’04 class managed to sepa- rate themselves from the rest of ns and went into the little chapel where this part of their conversa- tion was overlieard “Dick” was asking, “Wiiat makes a man. when he is engaged, give a girl a diamond ring?” “Why, the girl, of course,” re- plied tiie little maid. We went to the theatre, but some of the girls didn’t like the play because they thought the dinner scene was a little course. We began to make flowers in March to be used in the decorations for ’04. We held many flower parties but the one at Clerk Green’s on High street is of particul ar interest. Ed Brady believing that Mr. Green had cider in the house, slipped into the cellar when none of ns were lookimj:. After using a box of matches, Ed. struck upon what he sup- posed to be a keg of cider He shouldered the keg and went out into the yard He put the keg down on a saw-horse, got a glass, filled if, and took a long lingering drink; he found it to be the sourest vinegar ever made “Chick” shoiddered the keg and put it back where he found it. .Vfter the social given by the Misses Stevens, a joint social of the classes of ’04 and ’0 was held at

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THE AUTHENTIC. 7 Again the little instrument took me to Stone- ham and to the Enterprise Office, wliicli liadn’t clianged at all in ten years. Here was HOUSTON setting type, looking full forty years older than to- day, trying to win bread no doubt for Editor Lewis’ seventeen children, as I saw by actual count. We always thought that Sid PATCHETT was going to be some great mechanical engineer, at least he thought so, as he is always blowing about that automobile he is to make, but what 1 now saw changed my mind completely, for here he was in a seven by nine room, apparently in Germany, mak- ing the toy known as Jack-in-the-Box. I watched him for some time and as he tinished each one and tried it, pushing the wire that held the cover down, as Jack bobbed up Sid’s smile was something remarkable. And those of us tliat know that laugh can imagine what followed. And now with a sliglit explosive noise and a click or two, the little Japanese machine stopped I could hardly believe my senses that I was in Bos- ton and that it was 1J05. I must have looked queer, for my Japanese operator was laughing. I had seen so much and so thoroughly believed these prophetic visions that I offered him my last cent, willing to walk back to Stoneham, but he would only take his regular fee and I left him with the assurance that I hoped tlie Japs would whip the Russians, and when peace was declared, to cele- brate the event, the Class of 1905, Stoneham High School would hold a reunion on the schoolhouse steps, each with a tremendous horn and that ; — “Such a toot as they would blow. Would sure be heard in Tokio.” Roy . . Ho ' HY, ’05. CLASS HISTORY. j “Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain. Our thoughts are linked by many a hidden chain. Awake but one, and lo! what myriads rise! Each stamps its image as the other Hies.” T he difficulty in writing this history has not been in the invention of material, but in the rejection of it. If I should not follow strictly to the chronological order of events, attribute it to the interest of the theme rather than to any fault of mine. There is much to be said, but time forbids me to speak of the various incidents which crowd the recollection, and I trust that no individual will consider his own peculiar circumstances overlooked in the general nature of my remarks. We are sorry it is all over : everyone is sorry to say goodbye, to say goodbye to our schooldays. And it has all seemed so short — as short as the few sad — yes, they are sad! — moments before this merry play has closed. Why, it was only a week ago — in feeling — since we were verdant Freshmen. Just a week ago in feeling, in reality four years. Four years out of our life ; four years between fourteen and eighteen ; the best four years that we may ever know — and they have gone ! How royally we have spent them, like millionaires of time, in song and play and happiness, and just enough study to keep ns salted ! Well ! we will go and the halls will know us no more; but we will always be a part of onr school and onr school will always be a pai’t of us. We shall never forget. Still we are sorry, very sorry ! The ancient records show that we began onr course in what is now the Dean School under one of the best and dearest teachers we have yet had — Miss Hadley. We were at once instructed by Mr. Emerson to be careful in the use of the paper, that we were not to throw paper away unless it were written on both sides. The next day Mr. Emerson came before the class and announced that in spite of his admonitions he had found three sheets of paper in the waste basket but little used. On two of the sheets was the name of Russell Symmes, and on the other was Roy Hovey. Result : Symmes and Hovey in disfavor. The records do not show much activity during the Freshman year, though we carried off nearly all the honors on the athletic field. The first year was one of instruction and initi- ation. Various advices were offered by Mr Emer- son, but even thougli the remarks were of a general nature, yet there are reasons to believe that they were of a particular application Why did Mr. Emerson look over the heads of the rest of ns at onr lusty friend Mr. Hovey and say, “Avoid argu- ments with girls. In spinning yarns among silks and satins aman is sure to be worsted and twisted. Then when he is worsted and twisted he is sure to be wound up.” Though banded by a bond of common brother- hood, we have our particular friends. The remem- bered joys of onr Sophomore year are never past ; they are ever present. It was during the early part of this year that the famous “Wire Gang” was formed with Mr. H. II. Drown, gentleman, as president. On Hallf)ween niglit the class held its first so-

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THE AUTHENTIC. 9 Defcrrari’s Hall in Melrose This was the lirst of its kind ever held and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. Many of the students in the Astronomy class entered the study with hand and heart — with em- phasis on the heart. The rule of opposites was in vogue, to be sure, as was evidenced in the indepen- dent star-watching of .Vlonzo P. and Stacy F. We have arrived at the close of our junior year. It was at this time that we learned of the resignation of Miss Bingham. Deep enshrined in our recollection rises the hallowed time when the principles of Science were marshalled before ns with rare ability by that sweet lady. Whatever words this pen may form in onr appreciation of Miss Bingham’s teaching, expresses but weakly onr affection for onr beloved teacher. We are young, our words are few, but onr truths are great and there is no need of costuming the truth, for social effect, that we deai’ly love Miss Bingham, partly for her patience towards ns, partly for her gentle character, but chiefly just for herself. When we returned in September we were grave old Seniors. There was a change in teachers. Miss Turner succeeding Miss Bingham, and Miss Sherman succeeding Miss Miner in the Freshman divisions. We began tlie study of chemistry. The class was divided into two divisions for laboratory work. It is of Div II that I wish to tell yon. Among the early experiments in chemistry is that of generating hydrogen. Under tlie directions for generating this gas, there is printed in large, heavy type, “Keep all flames away from generator ” Now “Dick” Ervin, being of an inquiring nature, wanted to find out what would happen if a flame were brought near to the glass generator. So, by- way of friendly approach to his investigation, he lighted a match and thrust it into the month of the generator, and immediately there was a loud explo- sion. The place where the generator was re- mained — that’s all. Mr Emerson became so accus- tomed to hearing such explosions that he used to settle hack in his chair and with a knowing smile say, “.Vnother rebel killed.” The first class social of onr senior year was held at the home of Stacy Finnegan. It was voted that the fellows should pay for the ice cream. When the hour for the social arrived, there came near being an arithmetical perplexity, as only eight fellows showed up. Early in the year the girls formed a secret society called S. G. D. C., and held a successful so- cial in Bed Men’s Hall. At the class social in Bed Men’s Hall on Thanksgiving eve, Mr. Arad Gerry entertained ns with orations and readings, to the delight of every- one — save Arad. Yon are all acquainted with the fact that two of our number have even honors for first place. There is an amusing incident which shows the earnestness and application of these two young ladies. One morning, just before tiie examination season, there were written on tiie blackboard of onr room these words: — “Chemistry Division please bring pens ” This instruction had been put on the board the afternoon before by Dave Grant, simply as a joke. The girls, of course, knew noth- ing of this and were trembling with excitement when they saw tiie unexpected handwriting on the wall. The twins and .lane Lewis began to study with intense application at once. They took their books up to tiie morning exercises and devoted themselves to their chemistry. Dave Grant and the rest who knew of the att’air held their faces with their hands to keep from bursting with langli- ter. When the recitation hour came and the joke was found out, the three dear girls kissed and em- braced each other and sank into a deep slumber. In the recent Prize Drill Charles Newhall won a medal for the third successive time. Behearsals were begun in March for the play “Placer Gold,” which was produced May 12. Hovey and Newhall, as the two Irish farm hands, created great amusement. .Tune 8 the Class Supper was held at the Hotel Thorndike, Boston. The evening was spent in song and laughter. The pledge of perpetual broth- erhood being made we returned home. . s an annalist I have completed my work and onr looking backward is finished. The prophet will carry yon into the future, and I hope the pleas- ures in looking forward will be as pleasant as those of retrospection. What I said in the beginning I repeat in the end, we are all sorry that the merry play has closed tV’e have profited and we are grateful to yon for what you have done to give ns these benefits. I hope I have hurt no one’s feelings in what I have said in this writing. If 1 have, attribute it to the clumsiness of my pen for there is no malice here. Tliey are not aimed “to come home to men’s business and bosoins,” they are but ti ' ifles light as air, but trifles make the sum of human things It is not within the province of the Historian to say more. B. E CoxNoiis. jt Patronize onr advertisers.