Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

Page 18 text:

covers that this is quite a world, after all, and that he is bound to be a large illumin- ating light in said world. And while he ponders thus, he finds that he has been looking at a bit of pink ear that peeped out between her curls. A year has done much to improve (?) her. She talks of her class fraternities, girls ' clubs, etc. and the prodigious bow is less conspicuous. In the presence of Sen- iors she moves with quiet dignity (?) — among her classmates she giggles eternally. She wraps herself in a certain self-possess- ion and mystery that almost drives hi7n to distraction. With the other girls she dis- cusses secret affairs, in groups of twos and threes, who suddenly hush up, when he puts in an appearance. She is so absorbed in grov ing up that she gives little attention to the world or upper classmen. 1920 The Juniors consist of that portion of the school v hich is almost ' there, (there, being the place occupied by the Seniors.) He has grown as to arms and legs — also as to dignity. He discusses track and baseball and wonders where he ' ll fit on the football team. If he should be on the dance com- mittee his responsibility is great and over- whelming. He makes his debut in a dress suit with fear and trembling after giving the family an hour or so of torture getting him into it. His pumps either cram his toes so that he dances like a well, you know, or flop about and almost drive him crazy. On the whole, his first night at a class social is one of the most trying ordeals of his life. He also discovers that more than one of the so-called gentler sex possess wondrous locks, mysterious eyes, and peachy complexions, and he bland- ly wonders at his lack of observance in for- mer days and consequently resolves to make up for lost time. At the same time She has grown up and looks with condescending pity on those childish Sophomores and considers the Freshmen absolutely too babyish. She speaks with almost alarming indifference concerning the next dance and who she may go with, if she feels like it, at the same time wondering if she ' ll get there at all. Her locks no longer trail their golden length adown her shoulders but are caught up with a variety of barrettes, combs and hair pins and she disparingly declares that her hair never will look right. She quite unconsciously apes the Senior girls and is often blissfully ignorant of any such class. She makes her debut at the Junior Par- ty as a full fledged society belle. She be- gins to talk of her career, of college and boarding school. On the whole, she is sort of a sub-deb and self considered social star with a vast and wondrous future open- ing up before her. 1919 At last comes that portion of the school which hds arrived and which consists of those who wonder what they have arrived at. Some creature possessing either an ab- normal mind or so-called creative imagina- tion, once spoke of the upper classmen as dignified Seniors. Alas! his dream was never realized. The Senior boy has lost much of his Jun- ior dignity (?) except in case of necessity. While he is told to set the standard of the school, he determines to get as much out of life as possible and keeps his determina- tion to the despair of the faculty. Girls and social functions bother him not-at-all (?) but he is haunted night and day by the spectre of a predestined event, when he must face the school on his fated day of Rhetoricals. His family wonders what manner of fever he could possibly be get- ting, for, as the long looked for day ap- proaches, he is seized by an abnormal ter- ror which threatens his general constitu- tion. When his turn comes and his name is called, the room seems to swim in an inky blackness which threatens to envelope him; the platform heaves and rolls and he is al- most suffocated by a sinking sensation in the region of his interior. Something seems to take possession of his knees and he rattles off something, he knows not what, — with dispairing eyes fixed on the top of the windows, far above the cruel gaze of his classmates. Later he laughs and declares that, It sure was a grand and glorious feeling. This ordeal over he rests contented (?) through a continuous ebb and flow of re- port cards, discussions on points and diplo- mas and wonders what the deuce is the use of slaving as he does for a confounded piece of paper tied with blue and grey rib- bon. His personal appearance now is fault- less and the Sophs look up to him with a sort of fearful admiration and copy his every move. He has reached a position long 12

Page 17 text:

through the camp life in America, across the Atlantic and on the battlefields of France, I never forgot that I represented the 1919 Class of Wakefield High on the Field of Honor. — James G. Brown, ' 19. THE DOUGHBOY Paul Rogers had gone. She had sent him away saying she would never marry a slacker. These words wounded him deep- ly and he had returned to his little room in the Charles Street boarding house. The first thing that greeted him upon his entrance to the room was her picture, with that sweet but strong face, that he had always before delighted to see, but now it hurt him. He walked to the table and picked up the picture, sat down, and gazed hungrily into the beautiful face before him. Then he spoke quickly, almost savagely, Kate, oh Kate, I know I ' m a slacker, but I can ' t help it, — I can ' t. You told me it was a sure sign I didn ' t love you, if I were too much of a coward to fight for you. I never thought of it that way. I will go! He finished with a sob that shook his strong body, re- placed the picture and went out into the street. After eight long months of unselfish ser- vice with the Red Cross in France, Kate re- turned to her home. She had heard noth- ing from him, whom she had sent away, until she received a small parcel, post- marked France and addressed in a hand that she did not recognize. She wanted it to be a message from him. In the little box was a Croix de Guerre, resting on a scrap of paper on which she read, Paul Rogers died today from wounds received while gallantly rescuing a com- rade. He said he thought you would like the cross he won fighting for you. — D. B. W. ' 19. A STUDY IN THE CLASSICS Variety is the spice of life; so goes the old saying, and in no case does this prove more true than in our high school and the inhabitants thereof. The latter consist of several elements and may be divided into four classes; Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen. 1922 The Freshman complies well with his name. He is generally fresh and pert of nature and most neglectful as to personal appearance. His hair will look as though it never felt the friendly caress of a brush, and his trousers have vowed vengeance on any semblance of an iron. A collar is a necessary evil, which he considers most un- necessary. He glories in camouflage to the extent of bringing home a dozen or so books which never receive his slightest perusal. His desk is a thing of beauty and a joy for never, plentifully littered with pencil shav- ings, her notes, bits of erasers and a box or so of elastics. Ambition is a thing unknown to him and school merely be- comes a new variety of vacation, vastly in- teresting, and a pretty good way to kill time. She, on the contrary, has entered the lit- erary world and higher social circles and consequently is no longer a child. Her con- versation is mixed with Latin phrases and she speaks before the mystified family of a2b(xplusy). She flaunts prodigious bows of ribbon on her curling tresses and her passion is dancing school. She carries on her correspondence by means of codes to the disgust of the Freshman boy, who, by the way, is disgusted merely because his curiosity as to said notes is not satisfied. Her main pastime is whispering which is not alone confined to the fairer sex. In short, she is really, fairly grown up and has left her childhood days forever in the past to the tune of Mica, mica, parva Stella. I 1921 A year goes by and now they are Sopho- mores. He suddenly discovers that Tom Brown, Senior President, wears scarlet socks, and immediately dons a pair. Then come checked suits, high stiff collars and wondrously brilliant stickpins. His trous- ers now frequently bear the imprint of an overhot iron and his hair lies plastered down with vaseline. Suddenly he becomes aware of the fact that a certain She sits just in front of him. He wonders vaguely what has hap- pened to the freckles that peppered her nose when they were kids and in study hours he ponders upon the whiteness of the back of neck. Somehow, she seems to have just come into existence and has learned to glance over her shoulder in a manner which causes his collar to feel tight to the choking point and his head feel sort of queer. He suddenly dis- 11

Page 19 text:

coveted and is only glad he is there be- cause he won ' t have to go through it all again. Finally, it is his grand finale in which he can do naught but play his part and thank heaven and his lucky stars when its over. His motto is: Give me liberty or give me death! And She! How we picture the Senior girl at the height of her glory! She has got got there and fully recognizes her posi- tion. She is so grown up that she enters a second childhood and walks into school on an appointed day, blissfully unconscious of her appearance, flaunting the prodigious Freshman bow. In fact she returns to her Freshman days in spirit as well as in looks. Sometimes she becomes a football fan or a baseball fanatic, to the sorrow of those who have her welfare at heart. She loves to fancy herself playing the role of hero- ine as she is daily acquiring knowledge of the mighty passions of the human heart. She sees herself in the vistas of the future as an accomplished college girl — but dares look no farther. Somehow, the centre of all her interest, — all her dream of dreams — the goal of all her ardent longings, — seems to be waiting for her when she passes the por- tals of the High, forever. She knows not what this dream may be(?) and merely waits for the inevitable. She looks upon the four years just past, and wearily sighs what might have been. But when she comes to leave it all behind, she knows she ' ll miss it, even with the lure of the world beckoning her on, and later, — all she remembers is a blur of colors, a glow of brilliant lights, a group of white clad fig- ures facing their manly classmates, and then a final farewell as she closely holds her diploma — the proof of her work in the little school world, — and her password on to the next. —I. M. L. ' 19... FACT AND FANCY ly grew clearer. Oh! it was a delicate be- ing from the moon, with a luminous star shining on her forehead. Silently she beck- oned me to follow, and the journey began. We climbed down the rough cliffs, down and down we went, until the water ' s edge was reached. There floated a large shell with a rosy dream for a sail, and we were soon crouched in it. As there was a stiff breeze, it sailed swiftly along, rocking and tossing in the golden channel. After some time, we reached the place where the path led up- wards. Then we started up for the wind filled the sail and lifted the boat. On and on we sped, high above the clouds, through the vast spaces of the night, pass- ing many curious sights. Now we were within a few feet of a brilliant star, now the milky way opened before us, and again a troop of fairy creatures shedding a gold- en light, approached to escort us into the presence of the great queen. We were almost there, in a moment more we should be kneeling before her, — when crash! we were falling, falling, falling, splash! into the water. How cold it was! Suddenly I awoke, the cold water trickling down my face, and Mary Ann ' s cross tones ringing in my ears. It was 7.30 and school began at 8, so thus ended my trip to the moon. — D. H. P. ' 19. It was a scene from fairyland; this im- mensity veiled with silver and gold. The twinkling stars, high above that vast, quiv- ering something of shimmering silver, al- ways beckoned, trying to entice fancy to roam along that path of pure gold, which, starting at the base of the stern cliffs, led straight to the palace where rules the queen of night. An indistinct form rose nearby and slow- 13 UNIFORMITY OF A SCHOOLGIRL Have you ever stopped to think how the word uniformity may be applied to a school girl? Take, for instance, the sub- ject of dress. If one girl starts the fad of wearing a certain colored sweater or dress, you will soon see more than one like it. No matter how red her hair, or how sallow her complexion, she is sure to put on that color whether it agrees with her or not. Not long ago, short skirts came in style. Didn ' t everyone adopt that fad, although some were tall and slight, and others short and dumpy? Satin stripes running hori- zontally, were a craze, not long ago, and even the large people wore them, although they resembled an accordion. Have you ever heard the slang express- ion: I ' ll say so? Of course you have! One person started it and so it went over the school like a flash. One day the Seniors wore their hair