Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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before, but who have succeeded admirably in which we might express our sincere in their first effort. This is one good result thanks. of the Great War. The Committee consisted of Herbert Rea, EvANGELOS SoTEiiiADES, ' 18 Chairman, Charlotte Boody, and Jennie Ger- sinovitch. F. Everett Wilkins, ' 18 A SERVICE FLAG A RUNAWAY BOY A Service Flag — I wonder how often many of us realize the meaning the one when we see it waving in the breeze. Sure- ly a person shows the greatest of love for country, liberty, and justice, when he is willing to sacrifice all, give his life, if nec- essary, that they may exist forever. Per- haps, even while we look at that star of blue, its brave owner, somewhere in France, is facing the foe and the unknown, to save his country, more precious to him than anything else. So why should not ev- ery home possessing a service flag have a feeling of great pride for the one who went away, for whom this emblem stands, and who we all hope will ooon return safe- ly home? Marion McKie, ' 20 OUR NEW FLAG The Annual Convention of the Massachu- setts Department of the Women ' s Relief Corps was held April 10, 1918, in the Shaw- mut Avenue church, Boston, Mass. One of the objects of the organization is the promo- tion of patriotism in the United States, and the purpose is promoted by the presen- tation of flags to schools. Thus it came about that Wakefield High School, one of five fortunate institutions, received upon this occasion the beautiful new silk banner which is now proudly displayed on the plat- form in Room 1, and to which we earnestly pledge our allegiance every Tuesday. Mr. Howe represented our school and re- ceived the flag, responding with very appro- priate remarks, in which he made a touch- ing reference to our service flag with its blue stars and its one gold star. That Wakefield High School should re- ceive one of these flags was made possible only through the efforts of Mrs. C. Delia Giles, of this town, and, the school, by a unanimous vote, empowered Mr. Howe to appoint a committee to write a letter to her In Italy, as soon as a boy reaches the age of eight or nine years, he is expected to do some sort of work to earn his board, at least. My father was one of those hard- working boys. He had always yearned for an education, but his father turned a deaf ear to his pleadings. One day father and several other boys plotted to run away. A man, an unprincipled fellov) who overheard their plotting, promised to take them with him, and if they worked hard enough, to give them an education. He took them to a neighboring town, which, I believe, is named Solmone. When they got there, they were foi ' ced to work hard. No education was given them; but they had three meals a day, which they hardly ever got at home. The meals consisted of com meal mush. Father remembers that he once ate it from an old wooden door. After a few days, his father found out where he was and per- suaded him to go home. But first father made grandpa promise to give him a new suit and a regular weekly allowance of spending money. So he profited in some respects by his escapade, although he never received the longed-for education. Adalgisa Orsini, ' 20 THE W. H. S. OFFICERS ' PARTY The officers ' party was held in the town hall on December 8, 1917, under the auspices of the High School Battalion. There was a short introduction to the matrons, Mrs. F. I. Wilkins, Mrs. H. M. Dolbeare, and Mrs. R. M. Dean, which com- menced at 8 o ' clock. Following this was the grand march, led by Major F. Everett Wilkins and Miss Dorothy Baker, in which a large number of young people participated. Poole ' s orchestra furnished the music, and dancing was enjoyed until midnight. Two moon-light waltzes, and an elimination dance were special features, adding greatly to the evening ' s enjoyment. Major F. Everett Wilkins was floor di- rector and had as his aids, the remaining commissioned officers. • ' 16

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WAR BOOKS The incidents of the great war have been so unusual and so important that a great many books have been written about them. The young students would do well to read some of these war books which, while giving much information on the war, are really very interesting. In the first place, one should have a good idea of the general history of the war. A book giving much interesting information is America and the Great War for Freedom and Humanity, by W. F. Johnson. This book tells of some of the causes of this War, relates briefly the history of its first three years, and outlines the part America is playing and must play in it. Many war-correspondents have written on the events of this war and their books are worthy of attention. One of these is From Antwerp to Gallipoli, by Arthur Ruhl. He describes what he saw on the different war fronts that he visited and he visited most of them. He was in Belgium, France, Ger- many, Austria, and Russia during the first two years of the war, and he also witnessed the Gallipoli campaign from both the British and the Turkish sides. Italy at War, by E. Alexander Powell is another interesting story of a non-com- batant. The author saw different parts of the front where the valiant Italians are fighting at great odds on the snow-clad Alps, and he describes vividly what he saw. Richard Harding Davis also visited the war fronts, going to Belgium at the very be- ginning of the war. He tells of the sights that he saw in Belgium and France in his book, With the Allies. Because of his eag- erness to see as much as possible of the fighting, he stayed behind the German lines in Belgium. He was suspected by the Ger- mans of being a spy and hfc was all but con- demned to death. This true adventure of his renders the book more interesting read- ing than most boys ' books of adventure. He continues his account of the scenes on the western battlefront and goes on to describe the Anglo-French expedition in Salonika in With the French in France and Salonika. About the actual conditions in Germany, we are told in Ambassador Gerard ' s famous books, My Four Years in Germany and Face to Face with Kaiserism. Inside the German Empire, by H. B. Swope, also des- cribes the position of Germany at the end of 1916. This book is important, as it tells the attitude of the German people toward the war after more than two years of fight- ing. Cut however important or interesting the stories of civilians and non-combatants may be, the tales that appeal to us most are the personal narratives of the boys who have fought at the posts of danger for the sake of humanity. Over the Top, by Harry G. Empey, is now so well known, that it needs little ex- planation. It is the frank story of an Amer- ican who enlisted in the English Army in 1915 and went over the top and was wounded in action. Kitchener ' s Mob, by J. N. Hall, is also an account of an American who joined the British army and fought side by side with Tommy Atkins until he is wounded. The valiant work of the American Ambu- lance drivers is described in At the front in a flivver, by W. Y. Stevenson, who drove the famous Ambulance No. 10 in 1916. Another American, C. D. Winslow, in his book, With the French Flying Corps, des- cribes the part played by the flyers in the fighting in France. The gallant fighting on the Hills of the Gallipoli peninsula by the Dominion troops, the New Foundlanders, and the Anzacs is related in Trenching at Gallipoli, by John Gallishaw. He tells of the desperate holding on of these soldiers, and he des- cribes the wonderful care given to the woundtd men on their way to England. ' The First 100,000, by Ian Hay, is a true account of the doings of some Scotch kilties in Kitchener ' s first forces. The author, who wrote several books before the war, re- lates in his clever and humorous style, the adventures of his own battalion in training, in France, and lastly, in the attack at Loos in September, 1915. He continues the ad- ventures of these sturdy Scots in All In It, and he goes on to describe the cam- paign in the summer of 1916 ending with the battle of the Somme. These two books are very popular and justly so, for they portray the humorous and optimistic side of of the Great War. This war has brought out much hidden literary talent where it was least expected, in the plain soldier. The war books have, therefore, an added interest, as many of them are written by men who never wrote 15

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BATTALION NOTES T HE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION ENTERTAINMENT Since the last issue of the Debater went to press the season of 1917-1918 in the his- tory of the Wakefield High School Battalion has come and gone with its routinous drills, its ever-new experiences, its failures, and, we trust, its successes. I say the season has gone, but we, the officers, sincerely hope that it may be remembered with noth- ing but the pleasantest of memories by all. The fine spirit and interest with which the cadets co-operated with their officers certain- ly showed its results in the prize drill, which was held May 24. The drills were so close- ly contested that the judges even had diffi- culty in picking the winners. The junior drillers, especially, were considered the best matched squad the school has ever had. The tri-color offered to the winning com- pany, was awarded to Co. B, The medals for officers and non-commissioned ofTicers of the winning company accordingly were re- ceived by: Captain Robert M. Dean, Jr.; 1st Lieut. Allston Van Wagner; 2nd Lieut. Roger Moore; 1st Sergt. Oliver W. How- land, Jr.; 2nd Sergt. Raymond Batten. The first prize in the senior competitive drill was won by Sergt. John A. Reid, Co. B.; the second by Sergt. Raymond Batten, Co. B; the third by Corp. Rene Loubris, Co. B, The results of the junior drill were as follows: first prize, Priv. Richard Dolbeare, Co. B; second, Priv. Charles Carr, Co. A; third, Arthur Moncreiff, Co. A. The orderly medal was awarded to Priv. Dolbeare. Another important event of the year for the battalion is the officers ' party, which was held December 28th, 1917. Following the Wakefield officers in the grand march were officers from West Point, Norwich Univer- sity, Woburn, H. S. B., and Stoneham H. S. B. The Medford officers arrived later. The party was a success in every way and netted approximately $125.00. During the year, Wakefield officers have attended the officers ' parties held in Stone- ham, Gloucester, Medford and Woburn. On the evening of May 27th, after a short parade, the battalion attended, upon invita- tion, a patriotic meeting held in the town hall under the auspices of the Wakefield Grange. It also marched with the G. A. R. on Memorial Day. Major F. Everett Wilkins A very novel entertainment was given in the town hall, on February 6, 1918, under the auspices of the athletic association. Miss Marion Wilson, a well-known im- personater, gave several character sketches, which were all favorably received. During the intervals between Miss Wilson ' s sketches, the audience was favored with violin selec- tions by Miss Marion McKie, accompanied by Miss Margaret Hurley; piano solos by John Reid; and two reading by Miss Mary McAuliffe; all of which were greatly ap- preciated by the audience. The committee in charge of this enter- tainment consisted of the members of the Senior class committee, the commissioned officers, and the Debater staff. Helen Jones, ' 18 SENIOR CLASS NOTES At a meeting held March 6, the class made arrangements to have a floral piece sent to the funeral of Robert Gibbs. A delega- tion of members was chosen to attend the services. Arrangements were also made for the purchase of a picture for the high school by the class. The picture hangs in Room 9. At a meeting held April 5, the class hon- ors were announced and class speakers chos- en. The honors were: — Lester Lewis, Val- edictorian ; Evangelos Soteriades, Saluta- torian; Everett Wilkins, Honor Part. The speakers chosen by Mr. Howe were: — Char- lotte Boody, John Murray; and by the class — Mary McAuliffe and Raymond Drugan. The class motto, TRUTH CONQUERS, was also announced. Joseph Brehaut, Sec, ' 18 GOOD KING ARTHUR in 1918 When good Herb. Hoover ruled this land, It was a goodly thing; He made us buy of barley-meal. To make a bag pudding. A bag-pudding we all did make, And stuffed it well with plums. But left out the great lumps of fat. As big as our two thumbs. The family did eat thereof. And noblemen beside; And what we did not eat that meal, We ate the next day fried. Ruth Woodbury, ' 20 17