Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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Amid innumerable hardships the men soon constructed a fort, and about a dozen roug-h-hewn log cabins. As soon as the worst of the first winter was over, the men spent their leisure time either hunting game, fishing, or preparing their cornfields for planting. They dug clams along the shore, and in the shallow water lobsters were plentiful. Every morning. Governor Bradford assigned to the men whatever public work was necessary, such as clear- ing land, hewing out timber, making tar or soap, or trading with the Indians. Dur- ing the first winter many died, but the strong cheerfully took their places and went on with the work with renewed zeal. Wherever the men went, they always car- ried their muskets with them for fear of an attack by the Indians. This precau- tion was absolutely necessary, as they were already so few in number, that every new loss weakened them greatly. The women busied themselves with the countless household duties, and, at time«, they even shouldered guns in defence of their homes. The preparation of meals, sweeping and cleaning were considered very important, while spinning and weav- ing were two of the most common tasks. All was done in a very thorough and sys- tematic manner. Although the Pilgrim mothers were burdened with as many tasks and sorrows as the men, they considered the strict and thorough education of the youth absolutely essential. Their cliildron were taught to read and write, and to do simple sums in arithmetic. The carefully stitched samplers that we still have ars fine examples of the accuracy and exactness required of the Pilgrim maidens. What was more important, they were taug .t to be industrious, obedient, upright, and above all. God-fearing and reverent. Tc the PilgTim mothers for their constancy, their devotion, and their faith in high ideals, we owe our unending prai c and gratitude. These men and women of 1620 were practically isolated from the rest of tl:e world, as they received letters from home; but two or three times a year. The men, however, were accustomed tq meet eve- nings and talk over the affairs in England as well as they could, and to relate the day ' s happenings in the colony. To the colonists, as a whole, life was too serious for any idleness or frivolity, and from sunrise to sunset all were busy. There were always two or three Indians wander- ing about within the enclosure, as a great deal of trading was carried on with the friendly tribes. Governor Bradford was always busy with the every-day details of the colony, and in settling the little disputes which were constantly arising. Serving as governor of the colony was no easy task, but Brad- ford ruled with such good judgment and fairness that the colony grew and pro- spered. Standish, the bluff and bold soldier, pa- tiently drilled the men in military maneu- vers, stationing guards and posting sen- tries on the various bastions of the fort. Brewster, the pastor of the little band, had to prepare two long sermons a week. During his spare time he worked in his corn-field, but this was very seldom, be- cause of the many extra demands made upon him. All brought their griefs and misfortunes to him, because he was al- ways ready to console and comfort them, and to give helpful advice. He was a man of noble character, firmly devoted to his task, and always eager to be of some service to those whom God had entrusted to his care. The quietness of Sunday was broken only when, morning and afternoon, the beat of the drum called the people to church. They met in front of Standish ' s house, where, led by a sergeant, they marched silently up the hill to the meeting- house. Behind the sergeant mached the governor in his long robes; on his right, Pastor Brewster in full robes; and on his left, Standish with his side-arms. Then came the colonists with their families, in twos and threes, all wearing long white cuffs and stiff high collars. The men wore high conical hats, knickerbockers, buckled shoes, and blouses belted at the waist They carried muskets for protection against a surprise by hostile Indians. To these stern and sturdy Pilgrim fa- thers and mothers we owe our deepest rev- erence and respect for the trials and hard- ships they went thi ' ough, that they might enjoy religious freedom. To them, also, we are even more indebted for the found- ing of our great, free country, the United States, the greatest peace-loving nation in the world. FREDERIC B. SNYDER, ' 20

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food — relieved by the little delicacies of culinary art that the Pilgrim mothers had learned in the land of their birth. How often they must have longed for a variety of food, such as they were unable to obtain here — another of their many sacrifices. Let us now turn to the industries of these early times. How absolutely differ- ent from the busy hurry and scurry of the modern industrial world. They co uld not depend upon importation. Everything had to be done with their own hands. The work of the men was — Clearing the forests, mak- ing the homes, building church and fort, planting and caring for the gardens, pro- curing and preparing the food, protecting their homes and their loved ones from the attacks of the savages — all these and a thousand other tasks kept busy the stalwart and plucky settlers of the early years. The women, also, had their share of work to accomplish. What would be the thoughts of a Pilgrim lady, could she be given one peep into the kitchen of today? — set tubs, running water, gas stoves, besides wash- ing machines, electric irons, toasters, sweepers, etc.! Had the little Pilgrim lady had such luxuries, perhaps she would have had too much time to spare and would not have been so content, but as it was, she did all of her work by hand, even to doing the laundry out-of-doors in the streams. The lady of today goes to the store and buys her cloth and her thread, uses her manufactured patterns and her . ' jfevinng machine ' and then her work is practically accomplished. The little Puri- tan lady had to make her own homespun first, planting the flax, plucking it, drying, seeding, baking, thrashing, combing it, and then spinning the cloth and finally making the garment, entirely by hand. We know that the Pilgrims were very cultured and refined. Many had been well- educated in their home-country and now were anxious that their children should have a similar education. However, schools were not established for ten years, but the little folks received what education they needed in their own homes from the moth- ers and fathers. Perhaps the most inspiring thing to the Pilgrims was the wonderful out-of-doors in which they lived. Children of God , they had gone back to God, for are not the for- ests God ' s first temples? Massive boulders, great and mighty trees and the open sky are always an inspiration — what must they have meant to a people who were striving amidst such terrible difficulties, who needed inspiration where there was so little of encouragement! To me, the home-life of the Pilgrims is a thing almost holy and to be revered. There is something so beautiful and so do- mestic about it all that it seems more like a beautiful poem than a fact. If only our lives had more of the simplicity, and more of the true, honest, spiritual characteristics which marked their lives, how much more of satisfaction and of real happiness, we should experience. Let their lives be to us a memorial of true living, an example of what is good and pure, and the ideal toward which we should strive. RUTH L CARLSON, ' 21 After the Debater had gone to press it was announced that Miss Ruth Carlson ' s es.say, The Daily Life of the Pilgrims, which won the first prize offered by the Kosmos Club, had also won the highest honor in the State Contest. Miss Carlson was invited to read her essay at the annual meeting of the State Federation of Wom- en ' s Clubs held a Springfield, Mass., on May 19. We congratulate Louise Smith, Herbert Hancock, and Carl Peterson on receiving honorable mention in the Pilgrim Prize Essay Contest. THE DAILY LIFE OF THE PILGRIMS Awarded second prize by Kosmos Club On a bleak December day in 1620, there landed on our shores at Plymouth, a little group of men and women known as the Pil- grims. They had braved ;a treacherous sea, and were now disembarking on soil which they had never seen before, and which held in store for them many unseen dangers and hardships. The voyage of the Mayflower had been rough and stormy, and Providence alone had enabled their little ship to survive the voyage. This lit- tle band of Pilgrims had come of their own free will that they might worship God as they thought right, and to free themselves from the corruption and formality of the Church if England.

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1620 — 1920 Three hundred years ago this year, the little band of Pilgirims — our Pilgrims — left kindly Holland for a new world. There were so few to go; the big, happy-go-lucky old world laughed at them; the way was so bleak and long. And when at last they reached their new world, it offered as a welcome that terrible First Winter! But the Pilgrims had courage; they had faith; and, most important of all, their purpose was high and true. That is why they could found a Nation. In the Fall, the High School will com- memorate the coming of the Pilgrims by a play or pageant. It is fine to do that, but such things, no matter how cleverly car- ried out, are artificial after all. Class of 1920, you can commemorate the coming of the Pilgrims in a fitter way, in a spirit as noble as their own. You are about to leave the comfortable, protecting years of High School to seek a new world — the world of grown-up life. You, their descendants after three huudred years, be like those Pilgrims of old. America has need of them today. ' Tis true the woods around Boston are not full of Indians now, but who will deny tha.; there are dangers just as red? You are not obliged to live on wild birds and the scan t harvest of yellow corn, but in a different way, these are the lean years of the Bible. And there will be those who will laugh at you, those who will pay no attention to you, those who will urge you to go down their easy way. But grip courage with both hands; never lose faith; and if you find your purpose in life grow- ing petty and mean, throw it away, and get another as straight and true as a pine tree on our brave New England coast. So you will uphold a Nation. HESTER C. SHARKEY. SOLITUDE God ' s own country. Free and wild. Giving of its sweet life. Is the thing I want in springtime. Then a yearning grows within me Swelling, swelling. Never ceasing. Till I can withstand no longer, And I flee to God ' s own country, Where all things are peace and quiet. GERTRUDE HUTCHINSON, English IV B. THE RIVER OF DREAMS Received honorable mention in The Boston Traveler Short Story Contest He was old and blind, this aged German musician, this old music master, who wan- dered from town to town always seeking someone he had lost. Accompanied by his dog, Trask, and with his beloved Cremona, he played for people who listened breath- lessly for his every note. He told all na- ture in his playing, of the morning song of the birds, of the wind, murmuring in the pines, of the rain, dripping on the sod. He played with his heart, his soul, and put his being into the music. Herr Schneider had had a life of con- stant sorrows. Coming from Germany at an early age with his wife, Gretchen, he had settled in the country, but Fate had dealth cruelly with him, and his life was not like that of which he had dreamed. Shortly after his daughter, Ellen, was born, he lost his wife, his beloved Gretchen! Gradually, however, the sunshine came back into his soul and he cared only for Ellen and did all in his power to make her happy. He composed and played little melodies, quaint, yet beautiful, which delighted the heart of his daughter. There was one lul- laby, River of Dreams, which was Ellen ' s favorite and many time at his daughter ' -: bedtime, Herr Schneider played this drowsy melody to waft Ellen into the land of Dreams. And so Ellen grew up, but although her father devoted his life to her, she felt vaguely something was lacking. Many times she caught herself day dreaming, of how wonderful it would be if she could go away and make a fortune at singing, for, indeed, Ellen sang very well; then afterwards come back and lay the world at her father ' s feet. On one dark evening Ellen did slip away, her love for her father filling her head with many fancies. The shock of her leaving, combined with the weak condition of his eyes, made Herr Schneider go blind; the.i restlessness set in. So with his dog and his violin he set out in quest of Ellen. Since then he had lead an itinerant life, depend- ing almost wholly on charity. The day had been a warm one. Several » times the old musician had drawn out his handkerchief to wipe off the little beads of perspiration that formed on his brow. Gradually the sun had set lower in the heavens, and overcome by fatigue he sank 7