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

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BLUE AND WHITE “A DIFFERENT HORSE” It was a beautiful spring day, not a cloud to ruffle the calm blue of the tranquil sky. The girl gazed around her appreciatively and thought that nothing could happen to spoil this perfect day. (She had a mistaken impression as you will soon find out!) The pleasant contemplation had no more than gained a foothold on her mind than a loud racket assailed her ears—and it came from the direction of the swamp. Her immediate conclusion was that some pet had got ensnared in the traps that the men set out in the swamps. As she came close to the trap she noticed a small, black animal which had caught its paw and was vainly trying to free itself. As the girl came closer she noticed that the animal had a pretty white stripe down its back —those are queer markings for a cat she innocently mused. Knowing that cats are sometimes fierce when caught in a trap she went back to the house to get a burlap bag to put over its head. The small animal offered no resistance (it couldn’t very well, with its cranium so draped) as she extricated its paw from the trap. “I’ll take it home with me and keep it until it’s well again.” Little did she know that the animal was a slightly different breed than a cat. On the way up to the house she was surprised to smell a queer odor which grew more nauseatingly strong as time passed and reaching up a hand to push back her damp hair she was again surprised to find her hair more than nat- urally wet. “It’s a skunk,” she moaned, the truth finally forcing itself upon her—a perfectly beautiful gesture gone to waste! “But I won’t give up,” she said, “it certainly can’t spoil the day any more than it is already. I’ll still keep it for a pet.” By this time she was at her home and was practically ostracized by her family— for very obvious reasons. She installed the “little animal of big smells” into a formerly occupied rabbit hutch, where it was comparatively happy. Our heroine immediately found some good strong soap and proceeded to eradicate the perfumy fragrance from her crowning glory. (Her family was allergic to that particular brand). When her hair dried she was amazed to find it more lustrous than it had ever been before and took a more lenient attitude toward our friend of the trap. His paw was not badly injured and in a few days it was as good as new. By now the girl had become so fond of “Deluge,” as her pet was later christened, that she wanted to keep him, and now he is a major attraction of the farm. When the girl tells her friends of her shampoo, they listen but don’t offer to be a guinea pig—she never wonders why! The moral to this story is: When a good deed you would do— On a sunny day in spring, Always look before you leap It might be a wise thing! “Toby.” Norma LeBeau, Class ’41 PAGE NINE

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VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL sunshine and pleasure—she has the most splendid wardrobe in the land, from a gown of pure Easter lilies to the early rose gown of Tune time, she has them all. She’s the Queen of the May, the Queen of Paris, who is youngest, sweetest and fairest. The bride-to-be and lovely lady to mount the throne is Spring, Queen of the Seasons. Mabel Thorpe, Class ’40 THE CONTEST WON The sun beamed down warmly out' of a clear blue, cloudless, spring sky. Against the bright green foliage on the bank the clear blue of the lake presented a strikingly beautiful contrast. The water was perfect; the low chop, which is known among boatmen as “fast water,” was rippling the surface of the lake. It was the last heat of the Class B inboard motor boat race coming up. The judge’s whistle shrilled. The big motor boats, their high-powered engines muttering with suppressed power, moved out to the triangle. Jerry Langdon guided his long “Seagull” into line with the other contestants. He had won the two previous heats and was out to take the last. The ten boats leaped away, their propellers churning up a frothing white wake which merged with the water curling away from their sleek bows. The “Seagull” cut in close to the first buoy to a quick lead, broadsided into the second buoy at dangerously high speed, and was a full lap ahead of the next boat when it completed the necessary ten laps. Jerry stood in front of the judges to receive the prize he had won. with the plaudits of the crowd ringing in his ears. The ceremony over, he picked up his battery-powered. ten-inch speedboat and ran home to show his parents what a nine-year-old can do against stiff competition. Thomas Mundy, Class ’40 EASTER Easter is the time for celebration. The name comes from that of the ancient Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. Eastre, in whose honor a festival of spring was held in April. It is from these old-time festivals that we get our Easter customs today. ‘ Easter also contains the survivals of the Passover feast of the Jews, observed in the memory of the coming out of Egypt. One of the oldest customs is exchanging Easter eggs. Colored eggs are the “bunnies” gift on Easter Eve. Easter cards and white Easter lilies are also greetings. Easter is always celebrated in the church with lily decorations and perhaps a short play with special music. People of many denominations celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, at Easter. Inez Willard, Class ’41 PAGE EIGHT

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VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL FIRST JOB Avoiding the shoveled walks where a street-lamp cast its yellow glow over the newly-fallen snow, Joe vaulted the wrought -iron fence and in a half-crouch, the soft snow muffling his footsteps, raced silently across the sloping lawn. Skirting the pattern of light from the windows of the white hotlse, he halted in the shadows of a snow-laden bush. “Can’t miss,” he whispered fervently, gauging the distance to the walk. “Just as the ol’ boy passes the lilac bush, I’ll let ’im have it! Then a quick getaway over the backyard fence.” He smiled in the early winter gloom. Wait until the gang heard about this. They’d find out that Joe Young could pull off a job as slick as any of them. A guy had to use his head on a job like this. Well, there couldn’t be a slip-up SPRING FEVER Oh, what a feeling—my head hums, my heart is working double time—its spring— spring!— the time for love. The birds chirp and flit lightly from branch to branch—of course, it’s Mr. and Mrs. Robin looking for a suitable position for their future home. The gray squirrels scamper around looking for their mate. Up North the bull moose lays back his head and blows his challenge to the world to come and deprive him of his feeling. People hurry and scurry about; there is a new lightness in their step. It’s spring, the most beautiful time of the year. James Benjamin, Class ’41 (Ed. Note: We think he’s in love!) anywhere. For a week now the ol’ boy was always home for supper at six sharp. Must be around ten of now. He’d be along any minute. Mebbe the gang would respect him more after this. Mebbe they’d call him “Joe” instead of “Shrimp” and “Half-Pint.” They’d probably let him in on some of their jobs, like the one they’d pulled a coupla weeks ago. There was the old boy now. A guy could spot that derby a mile off. Gotta take it easy now. Wait until he passes that lilac bush. Can’t miss— gotta get him. Wish he’d hurry up now. Joe was already scrambling over the backyard fence when he heard the teacher’s angry cry— “Who threw that snowball?” Joy Angier, Class ’40 A MIRACLE The score stood 22 to 22 in the final game of the championship series between V. H. S. and Burlington High School. The clock was ticking off the seconds, and there was 20 seconds left to play as “Art” Moorby came flashing down the floor. He stopped at midcourt and let fly an arching shot at the besket. The ball spun toward the basket, and the whistle blew just as it split the twine to win the championship for V. H. S. Just then Mr. Hylan woke up to find that his first championship for V. H. S. was only a dream. James Allen, Class ’43 (Ed. Note: If only dreams came true.) PAGE TEN