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

Page 9 text:

blue and white 7 On winter nights I’ve scene: A landscape white with feath’ry snow, A silver moon and moonbeams low; They made the snow with their pale glow 1 he palace of a fairy queen. And as i looked I seemed to see Small sprites and elves a dancing 'long he moonbeams paths, singing a song I hey d sing and dance—a merry throng— It was a fairy jubilee. A WINTER SCENE Gertrude Leonard, ’31 watched this “SLANGUAGE” Madeline Barrows, ’33 I hear there s a new guy coming to school tomorrow.” The ‘ speaker was Jack Horne of Iona High School. Where’s he from?” uninterestedly asked Sam, one of his closest chums. “Is he an American or something interesting?” questioned Dick. Oh. he has just moved into the new apartment house on Green Street, and they say he’s English.” “Gee! Does he carry a cane and talk like------?” started Dick. “Favvncy that! Well, well, old chap, this is a bally good town. Bah Jove!” I hey all laughed at Sam’s English. I he three boys were walking home from school through the snow on a cold afternoon. All were dressed in' the freeze as you please” style of most hoys, with flapping overshoes and jackets. ()n their heads were perched tiny caps of the school colors. “Let's razz him. and if he’s a good sport we’ll take him iri—,” began Sam And if he isn’t, well—I pity him.” Ihck finished as they parted for the night. The next day when the three boys entered their home room they saw a tall extremely thin youth with very light hait and pale blue eyes. He was dressed m a stylishly cut suit of a very light gray and wore spats to match, buttoned over highly polished black kid shoes. 1 here he sat at a desk in the corner, looking at a book through a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. . “There the new guy now,” said Sam in an excited undertone to the others. Let s go shake those cute spats off him— and Dick started. Oh! Lets not be too rough on the poor fellow.” Jack whispered as he followed. Hi there. Frenchy, what’s your moniker ?” asked Dick. W'-wh—er—I beg pardon?” Aw, pardon me, old chap, that was a bally mistake on my part.” chimed in Sam with a broad accent. He means what’s your name.” explained Jack. . “Aw—-My name is Algernon Frederick Percival Fitts.” “Is that all?” I d have a couple of fits over those names.” “I'd feel insulted if you called me that.” Algernon s pale blue eyes stared, “But. he stammered, “I do'not understand.” ou will after you stick around in this dump awhile.” Where did you park your doggies before you crashed into this caboose asked Dick. Algernon, rather dazed, asked po-,, A.: A ill you please converse in the English language?” Just a sec.; I 11 get a dictionary.” “We can’t talk French either.” “Where did you live?” “My home was at Willingdon Park. I alio way Roads. Lindlay County, Lancaster, England. I left there to reside in Iona so that I could study American

Page 8 text:

0 VFRGENNFS HIGH SCHOOL necklace. In this rhyme is the solution of the mystery. When the 1110011 shines clown from its lofty perch You will not frown, but will end your search. Hannah, the cook, will remain at the house and see that you have plenty to eat. This is all, dear, and I wish you luck. If you don’t find the necklace in two weeks, then you aren't the girl 1 think you are. ‘Lovingly, Aunt Jane’ Isn’t it exciting girls? We will go immediately and begin our search tonight. So the girls go to the old house and begin their search for the “hidden treasure.” They look only at night because didn’t the rhyme say that they would solve the mystery when the moon was shining? They examine the furniture for hidden compartments. They search in every room for some hidden spring in the walls, but to no avail. The second week is drawing to a close, and the girls have discovered only that they aren’t very good detectives. On the last night of the two weeks Jean exclaims: “Girls. I’m afraid that we will have to give up. although I do want that necklace so! Let’s go to a movie. It won’t last long and maybe we will be able to think better after we have given our poor minds some recreation. Hannah will be gone, but Fido can stay in and guard the house. So the girls go to the movies and have a glorious time. On the way home Betty says, “Girls, it may sound queer to you. but I have a premonition that something is going to happen 0-night.” When the girls reach the house and Jean turns on the lights there is a great clamor. “Horrors!” “What has happened?” “Just look at this room!” And the girls are well justified in being properly shocked. The room certainly is in a turmoil. Jean is greatly disturbed and says to the girls, “Do you suppose that anyone knows that Aunt Jane left that necklace here? It looks as if someone has had a quarrel with Fido. Listen! He is up stairs and is harking at someone. Come on. girls, let’s go up. I know it is dangerous, but maybe I can fool the burglar with a brave front.” The girls go quietly up the stairs. They hesitate a moment, and then Jean, stove poker in hand, approaches the open door very slowly. At the first glimpse she stifles a scream and drops her poker. The other girls run to her and take in the scene. There on the rug is Aunt Jane’s precious wine jug, broken into two pieces. Fido is barking at a tiny, furry kitten, which is perched upon the shelf. Betty cries, “Oh Jean, look what Fluffy has done! I forgot that we were leaving the two together. Oh dear!” Jean tries to comfort her by saying, “Never mind, dear, I can have it cemented and it will be as good as new. Besides, you know, Fido was also to blame. I’ll pick up these pieces and have them fixed to-morrow. Why listen ! It rattles! Can it be the necklace? Yes, it is! Goody! Goody! Isn't it just gorgeous? Oh look! Here are four rings and a note. I will read it to you. ‘Congratulations girls! These rings are a recompense for your faithful work. I got the pearl one for Jean. The others you may divide among you, and if they don’t fit I’ll exchange them. Aunt Jane’ “Oh girls! Aren’t the necklace and rings perfect? Dear Aunt Jane! And that rhyme—do you remember how we teased Auntie about keeping “Moonshine” in that jug? Well, she surely has turned the tables.” ‘When the moonshine’s down from its lofty perch!’ “Auntie knew that, because of the tradition ‘hands off’, we wouldn’t be very apt to touch that jug. Oh girls! Weren’t we dumb not to have thought of it before?”

Page 10 text:

8 VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL customs and procure a suitable education. ‘A which?” What subs are you going to annihilate ? “Beg pardon?” What classes are you in, he means,” said Jack. “Ah—-well—English, of course, French, a—aw—is it American History? And that very, very interesting subject in which you make—er—experiments?” His questioning way of talking, with the little stutter, was amusing to the boys. Sure that's where we swish the dope around in the pretty little glass bottles.” You get a great kick outta it.” . I say, but you don’t mean really that the professor would actually expel a pupil from his class in that informal manner?” asked the shocked Algernon. “Sure! If you don’t savvy the dope, you’ll be given the password,” said Sam with a wink at the others. Dear me! I do wish you fellows would oblige me to the extent of speaking in plain unmangled English. “And if it isn’t English, what is it?” asked Dick. . It's the most abominable form of that vulgar type of conversation known as—ah—I believe it’s commonly called the ‘Slanguage' of the lower classes: I tell you it’s positively disgusting!” “Well, you’d better fall for it and gobble up all you can get. cause you’ll need it to get by in this dump.” With that they left him, a rather frightened stranger. As the days went by Algernon grew rather famous for his fancy English and his disdain of “Slanguage,” as he had dubbed it. Algernon entered the chemistry class for his first laboratory lesson in a slightly troubled state of mind as a result of his conversation with the boys. During the course of the experiment Algernon spilled part of the liquid given him in his test tubes. Jack, whose place was near him, handed him a cloth to wipe it up with. Fitts, where are your results ?” asked the professor, as Algernon’s turn for inspection came. Y—you see, old top, it was this way. 1 slopped the dope, and after I’d swabbed it up, it was minus,” blurted the rather embarrassed youth. The class stood motionless with surprise. The professor’s jaw dropped to snap shut with, “Report at my office, at four o’clock, Fitts.” When school closed, Fitts entered the office. “Will you please explain your unseemly and disrespectful reply in chemistry class, Fitts?” Sir, I was not aware of the fact that my reply was in any way disrespectful.” “It was—very—and I demand an explanation.” “I had received the impression that it was the proper type of conversation, Sir—that without it one must be unpopular. I do most heartily wish to be popular, therefore I have tried to achieve that manner of speaking so affected by the rest.” The professor, who was human, studied Fitts with a twinkle in his eye. At the end of an hour the boy left with a “Thank you sir.” and the impression that to be himself and a good sport would bring more friends than the fullest knowledge of “Slanguage.” The three boys stood on the steps and as Algernon came out they began to look at each other sheepishly and wriggle around uncomfortably. Algernon looked at them questioning- ly' “I guess you’re not so bad after all. Maybe we’ll let you join the gang,” said Jack. Not really! You mean I can actually be in your crowd? How perfectly delightful—.” “Oh. be yourself!” interrupted Dick, “or we’ll cut you pronto.” And Algernon, thanks to the professor. understood.