Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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16 THE DEBATER The Officers of the Wakefield High School Battalion Cordially Invite the Classes of 1916. 1917, 1918, 1919 to their PRIZE DRILL May 26 at the Town Hall at 8 o ' clock Tickets 25c, 35c and 50c EASTER FLOWERS The flowers, all, have been asleep. They now awake and then they peep From moss and leaves upon our way. To make a happy Easter Day. The Crocus is the first to waken From the long nap that she has taken, She leaves her little bed of down Then dons her pretty yellow gown. The Tulip is the next to come, From out the darkness and the gloom, She wears a robe of brightest hue To bring the Easter-tide to you. The Lily ' s robes are all of white As shining in the Easter light She brings the truth and purity That speak through all eternity. IRIS T. ANDERSON ' 19. THE GLASS FLOWERS |0ME glass flowers are in the Aggas- siz Museum at Harvard. They are made entirely of glass and wire, and are colored so that they look very natural. With each flower there is part of the flower made separately and enlarged. The seed pods are also en- larged. These flowers were made by Leopold Blachka and his son Rudolph, in their home near Dresden, Germany. The father is dead and the son is the only one who knows the secret of making them. Great care is taken in packing the flowers to send across the ocean; and it is seldom that any are broken. After being wrapped in tissue paper and sewed on cardboard, they are put into a box. This box is put into another one much larger and the whole is done up in the middle of a bale of hay. In this way, the flowers can stand a great shock without being broken. This collection was presented to Harvard by Mrs. Ware in memory of her husband. DOROTHY PRESCOTT ' 19. A WALK THROUGH PICCADILLY E enter the business section from a side street. The contrast is very marked. Now we are in noisy Piccadilly. The clock of the Manchester Infirmary beams benignly on our party. We stop and look around, but not for long because of the great throng ever moving foward. Some- one says, Let us cross the street and get out of this crowded place. As we near the most crowded corner, a policeman mounted on a handsome black horse waves his hand and we cross the street. The mighty hand has held up trams, han- som cabs, carriages and automobiles. As we pick our way across, a Yorkshire cab- driver swears at the delay. Here is a little fellow, with a marked Lancashire accent, informing the passerby, in a lusty voice, that he has Hextras for sale. There is a little girl, in ragged clothing, trying to sell a few faded flowers. From a .shop that we pass come appetizing odors of cakes. We stop to buy a few Bath buns, some rice or Eccles cakes, and a glass of milk.

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BATTALION NOTES The arms are fair When the intent for bearing them is just. Shak. Henry IV. OFFICERS ' PARTY [|ECEMBER 29, 1915, the officers of the W. H. S. Battalion held their twenty-fifth annual party. It was exceptionally well at- tended, having officers present from Technology, Stoneham, Gloucester and Woburn. The hall was decorated with flags of the different nations, and flags of the three companies, A, B and C, artistically draped over the balconies. Plants were placed across the front of the stage almost obscur- ing the orchestra from view, and also were used in the matrons ' corner. The Grand March was led by Major George Wallace and Miss Vivian Smith of Stoneham. Next in order were Capt. Frank Reid and Miss Ruth Boudreau, Capt. Mal- colm Eaton and Miss Dorothy Beals, Adj. Paul Keywood and Miss Mildred Munn, Sergt. Major Laurence Boardman and Miss Gladys Grant, 1st Lieut. Co. A Harold Thrush and Miss Dora McKie, 1st Lieut. Co. B Carl Belmore and Miss Marion Davis, 1st I,ieut. Co. C Willis White and Miss Kathleen Frazier of Lynnfield, 2nd Lieut. Co. A Clay- ton Sanford and Miss Helen Powell, 2nd Lieut. Co. B George Bolton and Miss Edith V hittle, 2nd Lieut. Co. C Raymond Cuttei- and Miss Gertrude Anderson. The matrons were Mrs. N. J. Doane, Mrs, J. G. Reid and Mrs. W. E. Eaton. Capt. William McLeod, Co. A, was unable to attend owing to the death of his grand- mother. DOROTHY BEALS ' 16. THE BATTALION NDER the able instruction of Maj. MacMahon, the battalion has progressed steadily. A great deal of new work has been taken up this year. For ten minutes at the beginning of each drill period the bat- talion does setting up exercises. It is then drilled in Butts ' s Manual. After this, one company is drilled in field signals, while the rest ore drilled in the Manual of Arms. Although the work is progressing very rapidly, there is not nearly enough time given to it for the amount of work taken up. It is generally conceded that at least one period (forty minutes) each day should be devoted to Military Drill in the high school to make it of any practical use to the country in time of war. The preliminary trials for the Senior and Junior prize drills will be held very soon. This will save a great deal of time and elim- inate a great deal of confusion at prize drills. In their place will be exhibition drills by one company each in field signals, Butts ' s Manual, and the setting up exer- cises. PAUL HEYWOOD ' 16, Adjutant.

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THE DEBATER 17 Our party refreshed by their lunch, walk briskly and soon we come to one of the many side streets of this busy thoroughfare. We turn down the street, and find relief in breathing air not so close and dusty as that in Piccadilly. So we pass on, some remem- bering, more forgetting Piccadilly and its characteristics. BERTHA WARD BROWN ' 18. SHADE TREES AKEFIELD— The Best Town ! One reason for this is because of the beautiful shade trees. On the vei-y warmest summer days, if a person were obliged to remain much in the sunshine, he would find it very refreshing to seek the shade for a few minutes. If the town had but few trees it would be hot and sweltering on the streets, and we would not feel that gentle breeze which comes to us, usually, on hot days, since the moving of the air pushes against the leaves of the trees, and the leaves pass it along to us. Every year a few large trees are cut down, either because they are dead or in poor condition. As soon as they are cut down, there is a noticeable difference. Therefore, it should be the custom to re- place them with new trees, as it takes so many years for them to acquire any great size. If people do not take the pains to set out new trees, in a short time, those now standing will be gone and nothing will be left but telephone posts. For a wide street or avenue, the tall and stately elm seems to take the lead. On our common the elms form a perfect arch, planted as they are on each side of the walk. The beauty in the form and foliage of the maples, their fine color in autumn, and their rapid growth, make them the favorite shade tree for narrower streets. The white birch is equally pretty, and is used extensively to adorn public parks as it is very graceful in appearance. There are many people who pass along our streets each day, but who never give our trees one thought, perfectly unmindful of what nature has done for our town. CYRUS M. DOLBEARE ' 18. WAKEFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AKEFIELD is one of the prettiest and best-equipped towns in this vicinity. The especial attention of a stranger walking through the main streets of our towTi is di- rected toward the public buildings which he highly praises ; but when our high school is pointed out, a look of astonishment comes over his face, a sarcastic remark accompanying it. Do you wonder at this? A building forty-two years old, hardly an improvement or addition made since, ventilation poor, the scarcity of room, and many other deficiencies. Do you not agree with his remarks? A new high school is the most essential and will be the most beneficial improve- ment to the town and its people. Wake- field ' s reputation for The Best Town will be lost unless some step is taken in this interest. The present high school lacks practically every modern improvement. It needs a gj-mnasium which would be of great help to the various athletic associations, and an assembly hall which would be beneficial, not only in school time, but on social occa- sions, thereby eliminating the expense of hiring a hall. The one and only thing we can say in favor of the school is its convenient and attractive location. There has been much discussion over the question, but it is about time the discussion was dropped and action take its place. VYLEDA MAXWELL ' 16. TWO PICTURES An old farmhouse with meadows wide And sweet with clover on each side; A bright-eyed boy who looks from out The door with woodbine wreathed about, .And wishes this one thought all day: Oh, if I could but fly away From this dull spot the world to see, IIow very happy I should be. . mid the city ' s constant din, A man who round the world has been, Who ' mid the tumult and the throng Is thinking, thinking all day long: Oh, could I only tread once more The field path to the farmhouse door. The old green meadow could I see. How very happy I should be. HARRIET HUESTIS ' 19.