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

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VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL DID YOU KNOW THAT—? Geraldine Did it seem strange to you that a day called Labor Day should be a holiday? It began in Nevy York where the labor unions set it apart as an occasion for recognition of their service to the world. Soon the custom spread far and wide, for everyone likes to take a day off on that bright first Monday in September. Today’s celebration of Labor Day is quite different from the first ones in New York. Then it was thought necessary to have a big parade of the labor unions. This was supposed to be a new idea but even back in the middle ages, the labor organizations, or guilds, used to march behind leaders. each dressed in its own costume and carrying bright banners. The butchers were led by one of their members who was dressed as a knight, but instead of a sword he carried a large knife. The tailors were led by Adam and Eve, for it was thought that theirs was the oldest trade of all, since they believed that the first work man did was to make himself clothes. The two goddesses Venus and Ceres, led the bakers, and King Henry VIII the bricklayers. Altogether the parade was very gav and wound up with a big dinner. How different all this is from our celebration of today when each of us goes his own way and does what he wishes. The boy Columbus would of course have been surprised had anyone told him during his lifetime that five centuries later a whole nation would be devoting a PAGE Bacon. '39 day out of each year to the purpose of doing him honor. Yet that is exactly what we do today, bestow honor on him, who presented the world with two new continents. Naturally we think of him mostly on the twentieth of October. the day when he first set foot upon the soil of the newly discovered world. Hallowe’en is another of the festivals that has become a habit with the race, although it has long since ceased to have its early meaning. It is much older than the Christian religion ahd was once known as “All Hallows’ Eve” or the night before “All Saints’ ” or “All Hallows’ Day.” It was a time when ghosts and witches were abroad having one last fling before the holy day which followed, on November first. Long before the birth of Jesus, the old heathens looked upon it as a night of mystery. The heathen priests or Druids as they were called, always led a weird celebration at this time. They lighted bonfires and were firmly convinced that on this night the God of Death summoned to him the souls of all the wicked who had died during the previous year. Strange as it may seem, people in ancient Rome observed the same date. It was a feast in honor of Pomona, who was goddess of fruits and gardens. Thus everywhere nuts and apples played part in the ceremonies. So we have our Hallowe’en of today. The bonfire is now lighted inside a pumpkin to make a ghostly j a c k-o-1 ante r ft; our BIGHT

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BLUE AND WHITE picked up some apples, and with our twenty-two rifles we were trying to see who could shoot the most apples off the fence.” Uncle Jim, still not quite understanding, asked, “Why make all that noise tonight?” Tommy spoke up in amaze-ment, “Why, don’t you know? Tonight is Hallowe’en!” Uncle Jim, at last realizing his blankness of mind, said, “Sit down boys; let me tell you what we used to do on Hallowe’en night when I was a boy.” A CLASSROOM MONOLOGUE Lillian Husk, ’40 “Oh gir-r-ls have you seen the latest? Well just look yonder but don’t look too long. She’s hard on the eyes. But isn’t she just too, too, ducky! Such eyes, such hair, such a figure and what a voice. Isn’t she blank looking? Jean told me that the doctor made her take quarts of iodine to keep the sun from shining through her upper deck, y’know. Honestly, every time she says a word I almost die!” “Oh y’know the other day when the prof called on her, she got up and started to the front of the room, but that big clod—I don’t know what his name is, tripped her up. My deah’s, it was sttrik-ing. Well, when she finally did get to the front, she just stood there with a silly grin on her face —waiting for the applause to die down sans doute. Then the big moment came—” Girls! Quiet down!” from the teacher behind them. AUTUMN MAGIC There is magic in the autumn That weaves glamour all around, And fallen leaves of gayest colors Gently strew the barren ground. There is magic in the cornfield And the sighing of the trees, All the sprites and witches dancing To the rustle of the leaves. With an ethereal brilliance shining From a starlight studded sky, There is magic in the shadows After summer bids goodbye. —Cecile Lajoie,, ’40 ONE HALLOWE’EN NIGHT Julia Field, ’42 ’Twas one Hallowe’en night; I really had to scream To see a witch upon a broom; I thought it was a dream. I got very excited, But what frightened me the most Was when I saw in the middle of the road A tall and frightful ghost. I had planned to scare some people that night, But got so frightened instead— I walked right home with all my might And decided to go to bed. PAGE SEVEN

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BLUE AND WHITE witches are made of paper and their cats of licorice candy; and when you hear a ring at the doorbell or a tick tock at the window you may be sure that the ghost is no more than the boy who lives next door. Even though we know it is only fun, we still like to keep up the strange old customs. What was once a night of fear is now a night of fun. Who knows wrhat our future will be? The things that we are now afraid of may someday be only jokes. Just the same, it’s interesting to compare today with days gone past. OCTOBER Eleanor Putnam, '42 Do you realize the number of important dates that the month of October holds for one interested in History? On October 1, 1800 Spain ceded Louisiana to France by secret treaty and on the 2nd in 1889 the first Pan-American conference was held in Washington. October 9. 1871, was the date of the Great Chicago Fire and on the 10th in 1845 the United States Naval Academy opened in Annapolis. On October 11th in 1890, the I). A. R. organized at Washington, D. C. We all know the importance of October 12, and what happened on that date in 1492. The following day, some years later, in 1792, someone who didn’t believe in the “unlucky 13th’’ laid the cornerstone of the White House in Washington, D. C. In London, England, on the 14th in 1644, William Penn was born, to become a leader of men. John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry took place on the 16th, 1859. The turning point of the Revolution came on October 17, 1777, with the surrender of Burgoyne’s army at Saratoga. The United States obtained Florida from Spain on the 20th in 1820. The first incandescent light was completed by Edison on the 21st day in 1879. On the 22nd in 1915 the first wireless between Arlington, Virginia and Paris, France came into use. The great Statue of Liberty given by France to the United States was unveiled in New York on October 28, 1886. And for the boys and girls Hallowe’en always brings the month to a joyous climax. PAGE NINE