Vergennes Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Vergennes, VT)

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6 THE BLUE AND WHITE. The Blue and White. Editorial Board. Editor-in-Ohief, WM. If. CARTER, ’00 Associate Editor, JENNIE A. HARRIS, ’07 Exchange Editor, ALICE S. MULLEN, ’06 Alumni Editor, GEORGE DAVIES, ’06 Athletic Editor, LEO E. PRATT, ’07 Assistant Editors, ( ARCHIE S. HAVEN, ’08, ARLIE F. ALDEN, '08, ( ERNESTINE BRISTOL, ’09. Business Manager, EDWARD MACK, ’08 The Blue and White will be published once each term, or tri-yearly. T erms. Price per copy, Twenty-five Cents. Vo i.. 1. Vergk nnf.s, Vt., Dec., 1905. No. 1 Editorial. Upon its subscribers depends EXISTENCE the existence of the “Buk and White.” If our paper merits it, we are confident that it will receive your Hearty cooperation, but we wish to emphasize our urgent need of financial support. Each subscription helps us to make the paper what it should be, an honor to our school. We wish to call attention to the re-OUR cent addition to our teaching force. SCHOOL Miss Chandler has a large class in advanced arithmetic, besides having charge of all the work in English, French and German. Her help makes it possible to introduce several new and important subjects. Besides the class in arithmetic already referred to we now have a class in mechanical drawing and economics. Book-keeping is also one of the additions. The aim of these studies is to give those who do not intend to enter college, practical training along these lines. Perhaps the most important increase in the school’s curriculum is the teacher’s course it affords. Examinations for this course are made out by the state board of Normal School Commissioners. Students passing in this work and graduating from the school receive a two years teachers certificate. We also have several minor improvements in our new high school room. The new teacher’s desk is a marked improvement. The bust (on the North wall) is the gift of Mrs. II. T. Booth. As a school we wish to again thank all who have so kindly contributed for the decoration of our room. Furthermore we cordially welcome all visitors, especially on Wednesday afternoons. Hitherto out of town students have been examined during the first week of the fall term. It is expected arrangements will be made so that examinations may he taken in the district schools of the county next spring. Attention is called to (he athle-OUR tic report, which we are glad to jcs say, shows greater success than ever before. What, at the opening of the season seemed like a weak team, won eight games out of the ten played. Our foot ball: captain and manager both deserve high credit for this. Football is the most exciting of our American

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THE BLUE AND WHITE. 5 The First Snowfall. At eight o’clock in the morning the sky was overcast with black, threatening clouds. A little while before, a brisk wind had been blowing but .now had nearly died away. Presently the wind ceased altogether, and the little snow-flakes came fluttering down, slowly at first but increasing in size and rapidity until the air was nearly filled with them, gradually covering the dark, naked earth with a white blanket of snow. It continued snowing until about 8.30 p. m. and by that time one might see that the clouds were beginning to break up along the southern horizon, and glimpses of the sky were seen. The wind began to rise, softly singing among the tree-tops, and starting the clouds in their northern flight. Then it grew stronger and at 6 o’clock the last of the clouds had passed, leaving a clear sky behind. The wind soon died down. Then the great full moon rose from behind the mountains, flooding the whole scene with a peculiar light that made everything look distinct and beautiful, outlined against the white background of snow. Afterwards the stars came out. “Silently one by oi e in the infinite meadows of heaven Blossomed the lovely stars, the For-get-me-nots of the angels.” Thus ended the first snow-fall as silently as it had commenced. What the Woods Say. hen y u first enter the woods, all the wood-life scurries away to hide in hollow logs and trees, under stumps and leaves. Sit down and rest your back against a tree and watch and listen. Soon a squirrel pops up from the leaves with a rustle, you hear another chatter shrilly, on some fence-rail; then—“Boom, boom, brrrrrr!”, some partridge is drumming on a log to attract his mate, who no doubt, is watching him from some nearby thicket. On that dead elm a wood-pecker is industriously waking the echoes, by his drilling for the juicy worm hidden underneath the bark, and overhead, the cawing of some thieving crows attracts your attention. The call of the phoebe, as he looks around for his daily fare, mingles with the “Cheery-cheery,” of the little blue-bird. Then a shadow falls, and the forest is as still as death ; for now danger threatens. You wonder what the cause of this hush is, and soon you hear a hawk cry out, and then you know why. As you get up and leave the woods, a bluejay follows you, shrilly calling you all the names he can think of, for disturbing the peace ot the many inhabitants of the woodlands. W. G. Watt, ’08. Only a Stump. Only a stump in the meadow, Rain-beaten, old and bare; But to me, it tells the story Of the tree that once stood there. As I look at this stump in the meadow Musing, I seem to see, Standing in all in its beauty, A towering old, oak tree. Its great arms wide out-spreading. Proudly erect it stands, Breathing of God, its Creator, A work not wrought with hands. From its branches sound happy bird-notes. The wind whispers ’mong its leaves, And every fibre seems thrilling With life, and joy and peace. Gone is that oaken giant; Only its stump remains, And of its vanished glory, Remembrance mutely claims. Jennie Harris, ’07.

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THE BLUE AND WHITE. games. In no spirit of fault finding then, we wish to remind the spectators that the Dome team’s reputation depends largely upon the treatment which visiting teams receive. The question of abolishing football is being seriously considered in other places, especially by college authorities. Another season, can we not cheer on our team just as well from behind the sidelines, thus giving better satisfaction to all ? We often hear such expressions as “what good will Latin ever do me ? ” or “how can I ever use this or that subject?” There is too great a tendency to estimate the worth of any single study by the amount of help it will be in earning money. Do we not gain, by faithful study, things worth infinitely more than anything we buy with this same money ? For every hard problem in mathematics we master, for every difficult Latin sentence we work out, there comes to us a larger measure of self-control, a greater power of grasping truth. Every new subject, earnestly pursued, gives us a broader view of life, and leaves us better fitted to meet, calmly and steadfastly, the difficulties and discouragements that come to us. Another question that comes to each student of foreign languages is, “shall I crib ? ” It would be well for every student to say “No !” at once, and stick to it. Aside from any question of unfairness, it does not pay. If we begin by depending on such help we undermine our own powers of memory and self-dependence. “ Oh 1 ” they say “I can crib just a few words.” But Why those few ? Let us begin by depending entirely upon ourselves, and we shall find that we can do so more and more surely. Let us enter upon all our school work, not with a question of its worth, but with a whole-hearted determination to get all we can out of it, though we may forget in a few years most of the facts about a subject, yet the effect it had in the formation-of our character, that indefinable something it brought to us, remains, and will remain throughout our lives. Social. The Senior Corn Roast. We advise all future senior classes to meet as soon as possible. We, the class of 1900, did not fully realize our importance until we gathered at -Miss Fisher’s on the evening of September first. Afier a raid on the wood pile, we started for the pasture, where the roast was to take place. Here we soon kindled a blazing fire on a grassy knoll and at once proceeded to business. The great juicy ears on the ends of long sticks were gathered about the best heap of coals and naturally many were lost, notwithstanding heroic feats of rescue. It was apparent even to envious rivals that Mr. Rodgers could have had the largest number of empty cobs if the girls had not amused themselves by knocking his roasts into the the in a tremendously tantalizing manner. At last the fire began to die down and the satisfied band started toward the house, From the steps we looked back at the smoldering embers of our fire, which still cast a ghostly glow upon the sky. Several of the party remarked about the darkness as we entered the house. Inside the large rooms were all lighted in welcome and soon we were served with delicious sherbet. Then, after the hop in which most of the party joined, we started homewar d. Here general information ends. All united in saying they had never enjoyed an evening more. Hallowe’en Party. The juniors, realizing their obligations to the seniors, gave a party in their honor at the home of Miss Vera Bullard, of New Haven. The night being dark and stormy only fifteen braved the elements and arrived safe although a little belated. '1'he evening was spent in playing games and in lively conversation until the guests, mindful of the long distance before them, departed, each reporting a good time, which was by no means decreased by difficulties in getting there. Considering the fact that so fewr wore able to attend, another attempt was made the following WHAT AND HOW SHALL WE STUDY?