Stoneham High School - Wildlife Yearbook (Stoneham, MA)

Page 8 text:

THE STONEHAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHENTIC mer. As a child she was practically a cripple, but by steady perseverance and hard work with her exercises she has become a specimen of perfect health. Gymnastics served to give her perfect muscular control. Physical training teaches a girl not only how to gain good health, but what is far more important, how to keep it. The competitive group games and group athletics teach a girl that it is not the winning or losing of a game that counts, but whether it is won fair- ly. In short, it teaches her how to play effectively the greatest of all games — the game of life, for — “When the Great Scorer comes at last. To write beside your name. He writes not — whether you won or lost ; But how you played the game.” Marjorie Young, ’24. An (§lb “ anbrnark “Up and down the village streets Strange are the forms my fancy meets, For the thoughts and things of today are hid. And through the veil of a closed lid The ancient worthies I see again.” Around historic Boston, many an an- cient worthy with periwig and silver buckled shoes has played his part in the making of the history of our na- tion. Some of the olden habitations yet stand by the wayside, landmarks to us who “seek their secrets in the light of historic truth.” Bunker Hill is hal- lowed ground, where our sires were de- termined to fight and ready to die in their good cause. How many time worn and weather beaten landmarks we might find in Lexington and peaceful Concord, witnesses of those stirring deeds Avhen the fate of a nation was at stake ! The Old Powder House, a prec- ious legacy of the Pevolution, still stands on the stage road through Som- erA’ille, to remind the passerby of the Siege of Boston. On a rise of ground at Mystic side, not far from Medford Square, stands a maiision strongly built marked with the evidence of an old-time magnifi- cence. Once this Avas the most re- noAvned in Ncav England for its archi- tectural strength and beauty, and its imposing appearance must still impress us. At first it AA ' as a little settlor’s home built by Governor Winthrop for workers on the land Avhich had been granted him along the Avinding Mystic. Here in 1637, came a AA-ealthy West Indian mercliant, Isaac Eoyall, Avho es- tablislmd his seat in old CharlestoAvn Avith his gardens, his slaves, and his rich Avines. He enlarged and added to the little house, until it was the stately three storied dwelling which AA e see to- day. The house stood in the midst of grounds laid out AA’itli trees and shrub- bery, and separated from the highway by a low brick wall. In the rear was a large garden, where on terraced mound stood an ornamented summerhouse, surmounted by a dashing figure of Mercury. The old brick quarters which the slaves occupied still remain, the last A ' isible relics of slavery in New England. Isaac Eoyall did not live long to en- joy his princely estate, and the proper- ty AA as passed to Isaac Eoyall the sec- ond. Then Avhat scenes of joyous fes- tivity and merri ment did the old house jknoAv! Gilded coaches rolled up in I state to the broad entrance, and promi- ! nent guests alighted under the shade ' of the grand elms. The hospitality of I the Eoyall house Avas knoAvn far and I Avide, and continued over a period of I lAcarly forty years. j Isaac Eoyall AAms an important per- ; sonage in these times. For sixteen years he was the chairman of the se- lectmen of CharlestoAvn, and for twen- j ty-tAvo years he A ' as a member of the I Governor’s Council. He served on countless committees, ahvays further- ’ ing the AA ' elfare of his countrymen. The Harvard LaAv School was first made possible by his bounty, and a town in Worcester County Avas named Eoyal- ' ston in his honor. He AAms held in high esteem by his toAvnspeople, and Avas loA’ed and respected by all. Then came the EeAmlution. Isaac . Eoyall, torn betAveen tAA ' o opinions, chose the Avrong one and on the Sun- day before the battle of Lexington, he I left his beloA’ed home — to die an exile i in England. 1 Then the old house looked upon stirring times, for it was made the I headquarters of General John Stark. From a little window in the roof of the house, Molly Stark watched her hus- band’s advance to Boston, ready to ride into the country and spread the alarm if he should be attacked. It was John 6

Page 7 text:

THE STONEHAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHENTIC pijgstcal ' Srmmng CStrls Physical training is not a new please of education as many people suppose. Civilized society has always felt the need of physical education for its members, except, perhaps, for a brief period in the Middle Ages when physi- cal weakness was considered a sign of spiritual excellence. The people of Persia, Egypt, India, and China had methods of physical training even be- fore the Greeks had recognized its need; the latter, however, ' are to be re- , garded as the first people to establish j and maintain a national system of , physical education, based upon high ideals and thorough training. The festivals held at Olympia, Corinth, Ne- mia, and Pythea witnessed the very acme of excellence in the development of the human body. Later, in Eome, | physical education, directed to military | ends, became an essential part in the i training of youth. i Today, in the effort to get away from formal discipline in the gymnasium, to ‘ escape the artificial, traditional, formal calisthenics and gymnastics, physical j educators are turning to the Greek idea in athletics and as the only solution to the problem. Between the Greek methods and modern methods of physical education is a great gulf, brought about probably by the various systems of gymnastics that have been developed to serve the particular needs of various nations and peoples. For centuries nations have paid at- tention to the physical education of men — now they are beginning to real- ize the need of similar training for wo- men. The past few years have shown a great development in the way of sports and competitive group games. Keen interest is aroused in these games, but it should be remembered that they are for recreation only, and to be played with this in view. A few years ago, competitive sports for girls were practically unknown, while now most high schools have some form of interscholastic or inter-class games — such as field hockey and basket ball. The main object of competitive sports should be to arouse interest and should be played to the best of a girl’s ability, but win or lose, it is only a game and not the most important thing in life. Thirty years ago gymnasiums had no place in the American system of educa- tion, but today they play an essential part in any well rounded high school course. The Y. W. C. A. has been a great help in this respect to millions of the young women in this country. Yet physical training is not by any means confined to competitive group games and in-door gymnasium work. Hiking, swimming, riding, tennis, and golf ' have won their place in girls’ physical training. These activities bring the girl into the open air and sunshine, which are two of the greatest factors of good health. But what are the aims of all these activities, jou ask? The aims as set forth at a recent conference for physi- cal training are as follows — firstly — skill, strength, and endurance as ends in training for citizenship — secondly — deliberation, reflection, determination, perseverance, and self-control as ends in character building — thirdly — the de- velopment of moralitj through physi- cal education, accomplished by obedi- ence to authority — fourthly — the pur- pose of high school athletics is for de- velopment of the individual in phy- sique, skill, self-confidence and efficien- cy. This is what physical training aims to do for girls, and each year sees it more completely accomplishing its purpose. The value of gymnastics for girls is especially illustrated in the case of An- nette Kellerman, the wonder girl swim- 5

Page 9 text:

THE STONEHAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHENTIC Stark, you know, who once in the face of the enemy said to his men, ‘‘They are ours tonight or Molly Stark is a widow.” Washington and his staff were often seen in the old home and many a coun- cil of war was held in the secrecy of the summerhouse. General Lee then took up his head- quarters in the old mansion, whose ech- oing corridors suggested to his fancy the name of Hobgoblin. The Koyall mansion came in 1810 in- to the possession of Jacob Tidd, in whose family it remained for almost fifty years. A frequent visitor in the home of Mistress Tidd was her brother, William Dawes, who performed the same deed as Paul Kevere on that memorable April night. The old house now has been taken over by the Royall House Association, an organization which has made it pos- sible for us to see today the wonderful carving of balusters and columns, se- cret panels which open at the right touch, pictured tiles in the quaint fire- places, an old tea chest which figured in Boston’s famous tea-party and scores of precious relics of Colonial days. So the old house stands, surrounded by lofty trees, stored with precious memories, dreaming of the future and of days long done, ready to welcome you and me and all those who wish to recall the days and the deeds of our I forefathers. I Margaret Patch, ’24. of Picture, if you will, young Bertel Thorwaldsen as he listens eagerly to Old Jan, the best story-teller in all Co- penhagen. The old man takes the boy with him into the Indian jungle, made hideous at night by the cries of savage animals. He tells of a native guide sighting a magnificent creature, the king of all beasts. The lion, even as he lunges forward to protect his mate and cubs, to guard the safety of those he holds most dear, is pierced full in the breast by a javelin. Something far wdthin the soul of the young boy responds to this story, and over and over again Old Jan must re- peat his jungle tale. The 10th of August, 1792, all Paris is in a tumult. A frenzied mob moves upon the Tuileries. Poor, weak King Louis submits to the will of his turbu- lent subjects.“ Marchons,” he says, and royalty leaves the Tuileries forever. Behind are left only the Swiss Guards, paid mercenaries, “ye were but sold to him for some poor sixpence a day, yet would ye work for your wages, keep your plighted word. The work now was to die and ye did it.” Alone, the Swiss face the insatiated revolutionist. They stand firm. This is not their quarrel, Louis is no king of theirs and he has forsaken them like a king of “shred and patches.” Yet it is their duty to defend. Volley after vol- ley they fire; cannon are captured; the stricken mob is checked; the day is won. But no, orders come from the king to cease firing and the Swiss Guards obey. The issue is inevitable, granite Swiss on one side, all Franco on the other. Terror and fury rule the hour. Exposed to the entire fury of the populace, some of the Swiss find protection in flight, but most of the brave defenders are massacred, butch- ered without mercy. For what a bitter and fruitless cause the Swiss have spent unavailing devotion ! Nothing is more ghastly in history than the terri- ble and pitiless slaughter of the Swiss Guards during the French Revolution. While this fearful struggle is still vivid in memory, an officer of this loy- al guard, who has retired to his home in Lucerne (a district most noted for j its mercenaries) determines to erect a ! monument in his gardens to his unfor- i tunate comrades. All Switzerland fa- vors commemorating her children and the subscriptions are generous. Next to find a sculptor of such skill that the loftiness of the subject can be justly portrayed. Instantly comes the reply as a question, “Who but Thorwald- sen?” And so the greatest sculptor of the time, once the blue-eyed lad of the Copenhagen shipyards, is summoned to Lucerne from Rome. As Thorwaldsen meditates upon a theme worthy of such courage, he re- calls once more the story told by Old Jan of the lion, who though mortally wounded would still protect with his life his mate and cubs. Thorwaldsen has never seen a live lion and he goes to old masterpieces