Stoneham High School - Wildlife Yearbook (Stoneham, MA)

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GRADUATION NUMBER of slangy, hot-headed, lovable Jo, and I also copied some of her good traits. My mother was quite delighted when I counted to one hundred before begin- ning battle. “The Curiosity Shop” impressed me so much that, ever since, I have had an unreasoning prejudice against dwarfs. Last year I read “The Keeper of the Door.” It is one of the most fascinat- ing books I have ever read. I am read- ing it now for the fourth time. The characters are real, vital people and as for the hero — well, I admire him tre- mendously. Part with my books? Hardly! They are my truest, most dependable friends. Doris Bowser ’32. MY FIVE FOOT SHELF. Lately I have been thinking quite a lot about the books I would like to have on the shelf in my room. I have about two hundred children’s books, but, except for a novel or two, I have as yet no others. First of all in the list would come the Bible, which, of course, I have. Next I would choose the “Rubaiyat” of Omar Khayyam ; there is such a wealth of wisdom and pleasure in that. A set of Shakespeare would, of course, be indis- pensible. No library could possibly be complete without the Immortal Bard. Now, perhaps, you will guess my par- ticular interest in life, when I admit that I should next admit to my shelf “The Life of Anna Pavlowa,” and Isa- dora Duncan’s “My Life.” These two greatest dancers of all time are my ideals. They have captured my imagi- nation just as they did the imaginations of all who saw them dance their wonder- ful impersonations of color and rhythm. Now for my poetry! I would wish to possess the poems of Dorothy P arker, for their irony and wit; the poetry of the Indian Tagore, for its filigree beauty; the beautiful love lyrics of the Englishwoman, Sara Teasdale. Carl Sandburg also appeals to me, for he al- ways sees life from so many angles. Louisa May Alcott and George Eliot are my favorite novelists. Of course they can’t be compared, and yet — Last of all, I would have a little leath- er-covered book in which I should place the poetry written by my friends. This, I think, I should treasure most of all. Virginia Williams ’32. “PLUS ULTRA” “This Far and Farther,” is the motto of the class of ’32. How many of us will be inspired to go farther? Fellow classmen, take this motto and put it away in your mind, never to for- get it. This is a final challenge to each and every one of you : You have gone this far; do you intend to go farther? You are gathered together today, as one asesmbled body for the last time. For twelve years, you have progressed under the title of “Class of ’32.” After tonight you will be but a class of the past. All your small victories and de- feats, all your glories and honors will be forgotten. You have worked hard and played fair for twelve long years, striving for the honors which you will receive today. You have arrived this far. The final aim is for you to go farther. To some of you, S. H. S. will be your only Alma Mater. Make your Alma Ma- ter proud of you! The height of your future careers lies on the foundation which you have had. Everything that you are had its beginning and development here. Carry these early ideals with you and cherish them as something sacred. Above all, remember that the “thing” man calls character is of vital impor- tance. You have already laid the basis of your character. As you go farther you should raise it to even greater heights. Do so, to such an extent that S. H. S. will recall you as one of the best of the Class of ’32! M. B. ’32. TO A MOUNTAIN Little I ask, for little I have, My wants are very few. I only wish that I might have A pretty view of you. I care not for a mansion Or a castle tall; I only wish for a hut of logs Where I can keep my all. Some men wish for riches ; Others wish for fame. Some men try hard to attach A title to their name. I only want my humble hut To take my troubles to, Where I can sit and dream and have A gorgeous view of you. Pauline Miller ’32. 3

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THE STONEIIAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHENTIC ARE WE MODERN? Are we modern? Tlie cosmetics, the modern conveniences of our homes, the knowledge of surgery, and all the other things we are so proud of were known to the Romans, the Greeks and the Egyptians. Pompeii discloses, bit by bit, that steam furnaces and glass windows were part of the better homes. But, after all, are we modern? De- cidedly, we are. The Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians buried their art, and handed down no knowledge of many, many inventions. If a man, en- lightened by the discoveries of his fel- low men, invents something, the credit is due to him, not to an early inhabitant of Asia Minor. If a person, by chance, makes a beautiful vase, which about three months later finds its counterpart in the ruins of Pompeii, should it be any the less admired? No, it was from the beauty of his own soul that it came. We are not just reviving their skill, we are creating for ourselves. We are modern. Marjmnn Curran ’33. PATHS Did you ever think, while strolling down a shadowy lane or climbing to some high summit, that a path could have personality? This thought first crossed my mind one day after an ex- ploring tour through the White Moun- tains. Like people, no two paths are alike and, like all individuals, each path has its own individuality. Paths circling ponds or lakes, garbed in moss and overhung with willows, sug- gest the happiness of solitude and peace. Rugged paths through thickets, wind- ing paths through heavy undergrowth, steep ascents to hill-tops, can not help but bring a thrill of fascination and ex- pectancy. Then, too, there are those paths, sometimes bordered with ferns, or perhaps made gallant with decora- tions of garlands, strewn in nature’s inimitable way, which seem a blending of perfect harmony. Orderly garden paths, still another type, bring forth the security of highly modernized domesticity. But, finest of all, most outstanding in character, is the mountain trail. Faint sometimes, as it winds its way to the summit, it is distinguished by the white blazed marks of the rangers on near-by pine or hemlock. This mountain pathway suggests a thought. It is one of nature’s great se- crets. Only through hard work can you reach the top and your desired goal. Mary Bickum ’32. FRIENDS I’LL NEVER FORGET “When I was a child I thought as a child, I spoke as a child — ” and I might add that I read as a child. On my ninth birthday I was given a set of five red and gold-bound books. They dealt with the life of one “Flaxie Frizzle.” Flaxie was a sweet, golden- haired little girl and I just lived her joys and troubles, her mishaps and mis- takes. I read and re-read those books by the hour. However, I’m afraid the only lasting impression they made on mo was a burning desire to have golden hair. After reading “Black Beauty” I was filled with a keen sense of justice and the need for humane treatment for horses. I told my farmer uncle that he was a bad man to make his horses pull a load of hay. My uncle gently remind- ed me that I liked to ride on loads of hay, so I didn’t press the point. Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” Series really did me lots of good at the time. I imagined myself in the shoos

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THE STONEHAM HIGH SCHOOL AUTHENTIC Cii ' abiTatton J bbrfss GEOBGE WASHINGTON ' S POWERFUL CHARACTER “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this conti- nent a new nation” — . Such, we all know, is the beginning of Lincoln’s Ad- dress given on the battlefield of Gettys- burg, To what other man than George Washington could Lincoln have been referring, when we realize that no man exercised, or exercises now, more influ- ence than he on the people and govern- ment of the United States of America? What character stands out more vividly in the minds of Americans than Wash- ington ? A recent American historian has said that “General Washington is known to us, and President Washington; but George Washington is an unknown man.” Washington’s character has ex- erted so much power that he stands in our minds as a myth and not as a man who once had life ! Such an attitude toward Washington is, of course, a trib- ute. Still, we sliould not lose sight of the fact that, although he was great as a soldier, equally great as a statesman, and greater as a leader of men, he was greatest of all as a mere man. Thus we must regard him in his capacity as a man before we can understandingly dis- cuss his life and character. Washington’s power of character came to the fore even in his earliest boyhood. He was well liked by all his friends and soon was regarded by them as their leader. His famous rules of conduct were written at the age of thirteen. Then we foll ow him into early youth, and discover that he was given his first job of surveying a tract of land by an Englishman, Lord Fairfax. His char- acter was responsible for his gaining i this position, because Fairfax, an expe- rienced man of the world, saw in him not merely courage and ambition, but a great number of finer qualities. A short time later his military career had its beginning and, because of his courage and trustworthiness, he was ap- pointed lieutenant-colonel of Virginia’s militia to oppose the French, After suc- cessfully repelling the invaders, the at- tempt was made to put him on an equal level of importance with the other offi- cers of the Virginia militia. Washing- ton resented this because he was nat- urally proud, and also on the ground that he was the only officer who had seen any fighting. He therefore resigned his commission. From this point we pass over the re- maining years of his military career and we see him again as the master of Mount Vernon. When we think of Washington as guiding the destinies of a young nation, we cannot imagine him being concerned very much about so- cial life and agriculture. Yet, such was the ease, and a visitor to Mount Ver- non is known to have said that Wash- ington’s greatest pride was to be thought the first farmer in America. Washington himself once wrote: “Agri- culture has ever been the most favorite amusement in my life,” and it is a fact upon which historians agree that Wash- iigton was never happy away from Mt. Vernon. He divided the majority of his time between the entertainment of numerous guests in his house and the cultivation of new plants in his garden. Such is a glimpse into the very marked home life of a seemingly stern states- man. 4