Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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THE W. H. S. DEBATER Our High School BY RUTH W. BOARDMAN E, who have the privilege of a high school training, do not stop to think that the boys and girls of this town have not always had the advantages of such an education. Sometime between the years 1694 and 1707 the first school house was built within the present boundaries of the town of Wakefield, but this school did not offer any high school courses. In 1829, a private academy was opened, so that it was possible for some to acquire a higher education. This building stood on Academy Hill, where the Lincoln School now stands. This academy during its continuance had a valuable influence upon the people of the town. It created in the minds of the youth a desire for a higher education that they might be fitted for larger fields of usefulness. It also led the inhabitants of the town to appreciate the advantage of an education for their children and hastened the day when the high school would be established. The first high school was estab lished in 1845, many years before some of the neighboring towns could boast of such an institution. Its first sessions were held in rooms in the old town hall, which stood on the park not far from where the bandstand now is. The establishing of the high school was a bold undertaking and was tried, at first, only as an experiment, but was such a success that the private academy could not stand the com- petition, which was necessarily caused by the two institutions of learning. The town bought the land and buildings occupied by the academy, and here instruction was given until the present building was completed in 1872. At first the number of pupils was small and all recited together. In 1860, when the number be- came sufficiently large, the pupils were divided into classes. The first class, numbering twelve, was graduated in 1863. The building was originally used not only as a high school, but also for two grades of the gram- mar school. When the number of high school pupils had increased sufficiently, the grammar grades were discontinued. In 1900, owing to the crowded condition of the school, six pleasant com- modious rooms were added. The number of pupils has increased rapidly as can be seen by the fact that when Mr. Howe came to the school in 1895, the number was one hundred and twenty-eight. The enrollment for the present year is four hundred and two. The present build- ing which has long been of good use to the com- munity, as a high school, will soon be used for other school purposes as the town now has under consideration the erection of a larger and more convenient building for a high school. The Legend of Castle Rock BY EUGENE LENNERS M ANY years ago before the white man came Indians living on the shores of our lake, now known as Quannapowitt. Chief Quonopohit ruled over the tribe dwelling on the east side of the lake, hence its name. On the west shore lived Chief Rabbit and his tribe of Indians. When the Boston Ice Company built icehouses on the west shore of the lake, they also built canals in which to float the ice. The canals enclosed a large island which was named Rabbit Island. Many peo- ple have supposed that the island derived its name from the rabbits which had their homes on the shores of the lake. This is not true. The island was named for Chief Rabbit, who was once the proud ruler of the land. The land of Chief Quonopohit extended as far south as the rock now known as Castle Rock, and there joined the lands of another chief named Was- awam, who was friendly with Quonopohit. Chief Quonopowit had a son who, when very young, was betrothed to the daughter of Wasawam. Chief Rabbit also had a son and he it was who won the love of the daughter, but not the consent of the

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THE W. H. S. DEBATER tion, the intruder gazed threateningly upon the poor clock, which shrank back in terror. After a second or two, however, a ball of twine which was lying beside the clock and which had until now es- caped notice, must have suggested more mischief, for the fiend seized it with avidity. What happened in the next few minutes, the clock was too overcome to know, but when it re- gained consciousness, it saw a complicated system of twine wires strung from the table-legs to all parts of the room, a close net-work around the chair-legs, and a generous number of apples hung in a row from a line stretched from the top of the door to the mantle. Crouched on the floor in front of the fire-place was the fiend, holding a match in his hand — ready to light the fire. All was dark again — all was quiet. The match was struck, but it sputtered with indignation and refused to light properly. Then a second match was struck, but it, also, was un- friendly. With a revengeful air, the fiend arose and rushed across the room to the windows. What might have happened never did, however, for at that moment there was commotion up stairs. One instant and one only, did the unbidden guest hesi- tate, then disappeared through the doorway as mysteriously as it had come. Please explain ! Certainly ! Peter, The Incor- rigible, walked in his sleep. Advice to Freshmen BY L. MOSES JIRST, do not wear green ! It is wholly un- necessary. There are many other ways in which to display your verdancy. Do not try to enter the school house by the front door. Only a few days ago I saw a group of Freshmen girls stealthily accomplish this perilous feat. It was perfectly evident to all around that they were Freshmen, so they failed If they aimed to deceive. I suppose, however, the adventurous nature of the undertaking appealed to them. It must indeed be wildly exciting to successfully avoid two or three ferocious teachers and pass unscathed through the midst of a crowd of savage upper class people. Do not carry your school bags to the recitation rooms. I have not noticed any of the Freshmen this year doing this, but I have a vivid remembrance of my own Freshman days when several members of our class used to carry around their school bags to the general joy of all beholders. Do, by all means, get lost. It will serve to kill time for you, and it will furnish amusement for others. When selecting your text books, always try to get as old ones as possible, in the hope that some pre- vious owner, being altruistically inclined, has left valuable comments in them for the benefit of future owners. Such comments are usually hard to decipher but, of course, it will save time to puzzle them out, instead of looking up the matter for yourself. If you are in the habit of communicating fre- quently, do so once in a while when the teacher is looking at you. She will see that you are at least honest. Never display any emotion when caught. Calmly and majestically pack up your books and walk to the seat indicated, or to the office, as the case may be. If you are politely requested to report the num- ber of times you whisper each day, remember that there are various other ways of communicating. You will probably find it a great waste of paper to be obliged to report, but, when your supply of paper is exhausted, you will be given more. My last and most important bit of advice is — ac- quire a reputation for brilliancy. Such a reputation may easily be acquired by a little additional work during your first year, and it will be invaluable to you. For a reputation sticketh closer than a brother. It is possible that a reputation for brillancy acquired during the first year may sustain you through the three remaining years of inno- cuous desquietude. In case it does not, you will feel compelled to make some effort to sustain it, for after you have once tried starring in your classes, you will find the sensation so enjoyable that you will wish to keep it up indefinitely. In either case your reputation is a valuble asset.

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THE W. H. S. DEBATER proud Chief Wasawam. In vaid did the Indian maiden plead with the father to be allowed to marry the man she loved. Chief Wasawam was obdurate. Made desperate by the thought of the marriage which was so repugnant to her, on the morning of the wedding day, she fled to the rock now known as Castle Rock, and threw herself from the cliff and was killed. Many years after a wealthy white man planned to build a castle on the rock where the Indian mai- den met her death, but for some reason the plan failed and ncthing came of his castle in the air. The rock, however, received the name of Castle Rock. Such is the legend that wes told to me, whether it is true or not, I can not say. Breaking in A Landsman BY ROBERT HOLMES JrVE merry campers were we, seated around a soap box, before a cherry fireplace, eating our breakfast, when the skipper suddenly suggested that we take a run over to Gloucester in tke launch, a distance of about ten miles. We readily agreed, and after hurriedly finishing our breakfast, the mate and the crew fixed the camp up ship shape, the cook and I washed the dishes, and put what was left ot the grub into the box transformed into a pantry, while the skipper carried the battery box to the launch, and tuned up the engine. Fifteen minutes later we were on board the launch. The engine, after its usual sputtering, and balking, started, and we were off towards the quaint little city of Gloucester. The sky was clear the sun shining brightly, the engine running smoothly, and there was hardly a ripple on the surface of the ocean, and so, of coarse, nothing un- usual happened on the way over. How could any- thing happen with such ideal conditions ? We arrived in Gloucester harbor in about two hours, and after making fast to one of the piles of the pier, beside which lay a long, black, fiishing schooner, we wandered up one of the narrow cob- blestoned streets to the center of the town. Here we amused ourselves by looking around a bit, and buying a few souvenirs. Then after a good dinner at a nearby restaurant, we returned to the launch. But what a change had taken place. The sky was black, and filled with hurrying clouds, the wind was blowing in fitful gusts, the sea was a murky, inky color, and one could feel in his bones, that a storm was brewing. We tumbled quickly into the launch almost without a word. The skipper started the engine and we glided away from the wharf. The mate steered while the skipper stooped over the little engine, getting all the speed possible out of her. The rest of us pulled down the rainshield and fastened it, got out the oilskins, and put all our purchases under the little fore and aft decks, where they would be dry. We were soon out to sea. The skipper sat at the wheel, the mate and cook held a rubber poncho over the engine, an additional protection against the spray, and the crew and I sat aft in our oil- skins trying to keep the ship trim. All of us ex- cept the cook had been out in this little launch in rough weather before; but the cook was a lands- man, who had never seen a body of water larger than a country pond until he joined our camping party. Imagine his feelings as the little boat pitched, and rocked, and sank her nose into the crest of a huge wave, which broke with a terrific splash through the rainshield, drenching him to the skin. But he was game all right, as he sat huddled beside the engine, his teeth chattering, his knees quaking, trying to smile as he clutched the rubber poncho in the attempt to keep the engine dry. There was really no danger. The skipper handled the little boat finely, the engine ran as smooth as grease, and we managed to keep most of the water pumped out of the bottom of the launch. But whenever a large wave came over the bow with a splash, we could see the cook cringe, and then utter a whoop of joy as he triumphed over the wave and held the poncho in place. After a two hours ' struggle with the storm, we found ourselves running with the waves and approaching a safe harbor. All except the cook proceeded to take off their oilskins and to make themselves comfortable. He alone remained at his post and refused to talk. It was not imtil supper was over, and we were seated around a roaring camp fire that he uttered a word. Then he broke forth into a wild and impassioned oration on the character and appearance of waves, and the folly of going to sea in a tub; and ended by solemnly de- claring that never again would he attempt to sail the seas in anything smaller than an ocean liner.