Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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withdraw. Forty-six boys are enrolled as members of the band. They range from nine years of age to seventeen years. Mr. Perkins prefers to get young boys because he can do more with them and can keep them in the band longer. On February 3, the whole band played to- gether for the first time, and after only three rehearsals they made a fine appearance before the public on February 18. The audience was very favorably impressed with the boys ' per- formance and there were many comments on the notable progress made in so short a time. The Framingham Rotary Club Boys ' Band also played. They sliowed remarkable talent and the result of Mr. Perkins ' training was very evident. The Band Committee comprising Mr. H. 11. Hovey, secretary; Mr. A. K. Comins, and Dr. E. A. Fessenden, plan to provide uniforms for the boys as other Rotary Club Boys ' Bands almost always have uniforms. The Rotary Club in general and the Band Committee in particular, are deserving of mucli credit for the work they have accom- plished. The large attendance at rehearsals is proof of the boys ' enthusiasm, and the prog- ress already made clearly demonstrates what an opportunity of this sort can do for boys possessed of musical ability. ISABEL L. ATWELL, ' 27. THE FIRST FALL OF SNOW Come, boys and girls, and gather round. And I will tell to you A funny little fairy-tale That some folks say is true! It happend up in Cloudland, once Upon a frosty night, A 1)and of little fairy folk Began a pillow fight! They thi-ew the pillows all about In riotous fairy fun. In much the same way, boys and girls. As you, no doubt, have done. And fierce and fiercer grew the fight. Till all at once — r-r-rip! Tht sc pudgy little pillowkins Just split from .tip to tip! And lo, a million feathery flakes Fell down on earth below! And that, dear boys and girls, was called The first fall of the snow! MARY BONFANTI, ' 30. THE HALFWAY HOUSE Just beyond the bend of Winter, Where you hear the robins sing, .lust before you get to Summer, Is the Half-way House of Spring. It ' s a House that lovers cherish ; It ' s a place where dreamers dream ; It ' s an atmosphere where poets Find Romance on every stream. Oh ! how often we would linger Where we hear the robins sing, Just around the bend of Winter In the Half-way House of Spring. DOROTHY DOUCETTE, ' 28. SPRING While walking through the fields that day All living things just seem to say, ' Tis Spring! I watched a bird his course a ' winging, Whose song came down in gladness ringing; ' Tis Spring! A woodchuck from his home crawled out And mumljled as he clumped about, ' Tis Spring! A rab))it came and did not flee, But said in rabbit talk to me, ' Tis Spring! The flowers decked in colors gay. With nodding heads all sang the lay ' Tis Spring! And everything for miles about Was happy for without a doubt ' Twas Spring! STEPHEN ROGERS, ' 30. NOX Est iam nox; curru vectatur Diana argenti, Nubes avia per stellati caeli expellens. Luce coruscant fluetus lunae alte trepidantes, Astra sues ignes caeli atro ab velo ostendunt, Quaeque avis in nido parva tranquille quiescit. Non crepitum praeter sonitus arborum auditur Et leniter oram in strepitus tundentium Per muta auditur stellati undarum noetis. Mox Lucifer languidam colore Auroram inducit Et nox languescit leniter diluculo adventu. EUTH GERSmOVITCH, ' 27, 13

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BEETHOVEN MENDELSSOHN Does it not seem strange that two persons who were brought up in so different an at- tnosphere as were Beethoven and Mendelssohn, should both follow the same line of work and become so famous? Beethoven was born in Germany, and from the first, life was hard for him. When he was scarcely more than four years old, his father, thinking the child might help him earn a living if he could teach, began giving him les- sons on the piano. He was made to practice manj ' hours every day, and when, in addition to the piano, he took up the violin, he prac- ticed almost all the time except when he was at school or asleep. It probably seems strange to some of us, but the more Beethoven prac- ticed, the more he liked it; and that, I think, is the secret of his success. Felix Mendelssohn, on the contrary, had a very happy childhood. His father was a banker, and they lived in a beautiful home, also in Germany. Although Felix started to study music when he was only three, he had plenty of time for enjoying childish pleas- ures. He showed indications of original genius earlier than Beethoven, and, when still a child, composed many beautiful pieces; in fact, many of them are famous now. When these young musicians grew up, al- though Mendelssohn lived a quarter of a cen- tury later than Beethoven, they both had much the same sort of experiences: they played for the great musicians of their time; played in the halls of royalty; played in pub- lic houses of the different towns they traveled in, and everywhere won recognition. Wlien Beethoven was about thirty, a great misfortune befell him; he realized that he was becoming deaf. He tried everything to cure this deafness, but in vain. As the years lengthened and his misfortune increased, he began to look forward solely to the writing of music; then he could hear the tones in his mind if not with his ears. As a result of this deafness, he became slack in his manner of dress, and the manuscript on which his compositions were written was often covered with blotches of ink. Fortu- nately, however, this did not do any harm to his playing and composing. Mendelssohn also had a great sorrow in his life — the death of his lieloved sister, Fanny, who, in his childhood, had heljied him master his lessons, and who, when he grew up, be- came liis constant companion. He was heart- broken over this loss, and it seems to me that he showed his appreciation of her kind- ness best by writing some of his most beauti- ful compositions while mourning for her. Both Beethoven and Mendelssohn died when they were still young. Although it was proph- esied many times during their lives that they would become great, no one knows so well as we, who live now, how great they really were. • JOSEPHINE SPEEO, ' 29. THE WAKEFIELD ROTARY CLUB BOYS ' BAND A while ago, following the example set by other Eotary Clubs, the Wakefield Rotary men started a fund to buy instruments and pro- vide a leader for boys interested in music and having some musical ability. The following instruments were bought to start with: one piccolo, ten clarinets, four saxophones, eight trumpets, five cornets, four altos, one bari- tone, five trombones, two basses, five snare drums, and a bass drum and cymbals. Mr. T. D. Perkins, a band master of forty years ' experience, was chosen as the leader of the brasses and drums. Mr. Perkins has coached tlie Framingham Rotary Club Boys ' Band, the Lawrence Rotary Clul) Boys ' Band, and others. He has also had much experience with high school bands, and he instructs eight or nine of these organizations each week. Mr. Perkins comes to Wakefield every Thurs- day. In the afternoon he gives the boys in- dividual instruction and in the evening they play ensemble. He has every piece so well in mind that he uses no music and thus can pay more attention to the boys. A visitor at re- hearsals is impressed with the fact that he can single out a boy who is playing wrong, and can take tlie instrument himself and plaj ' the selection properly. He keeps strict disci- pline among the players because he is liked so well by them. Mr. Sonderegga of Boston was engaged as Mr. Perkins ' assistant, to in- struct the boys playing the wood winds and gives similarly excellent training to that part of tlic band. On Decomlier 2, 1926, eighty-two boys en- rolled and on December 10, after careful ob- servation, twenty boys were finally selected and given instruments. Many other boj ' s pro- vide their own instruments and attend the rehearsals for the sake of the fine instruction, if a boy shows that he is not practising enough and is inattentive, his instrument is taken away and given to a more deserving boy. Those who own their instruments must also pay due attention or they are asked to 12

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TO A DAFFODIL Fair as the radiant morning star That clear and bright sliines from afar Within my memory lingers still The thought of you, O Daffodil. I seem to see you even now As in the breeze you used to bow Beside my mother ' s garden gate, Where you were queen in royal state. Upon your slender, swaying stem Of tender green, like fairest gem Your flower face of golden hue Is sparkling in the morning dew. Oh fragrant flower, so dear to me. Whene ' er your laughing face I see, Then does my heart begin to sing, O Daffodil!— For then ' tis Spring. JEAN M. WHITTET, ' 27. SCHOOLS OF SO. READING (WAKEFIELD) Just think back to 1680, and you will re- member that there was a complaint against Wakefield for deficiency of schools. Can you remember? If you can ' t, I assure you that there was. The town fathers, including the First Parish, bestirred themselves and arranged for school- ing for their youngsters. The first school ou record was built between the years 1G94 and 1707. The Parish paid and kept the school going. In 1G93 a law was passed that a free school should be started. Master Nicholas Lynde was the first master. Sessions were held in empty houses until a schoolhouse was built for the pupils. Master Lynde was the only teacher for the whole town. In 1799 the First Parish provided three new schoolhouses: one for the Center District, one for the West District and one for the South. The windows were built on all sides of the room and low enough so that the pupils could observe all passing events. The school in the West District was later sold and moved to Lafayette Street to be used as a woodshed. Since then all those schools have been either sold or torn down. In 1829 the South Reading Academy was built where the Lincoln School now stands. The academy was later moved, and is now the Grand Army Hall on Foster Street. At one time the vote was taken not to have any school dances; but they soon did away with that law. The school committee made its visits and its reports were of the same brief nature from 1798 to 1803 ; at that time a little more was added. The West Ward school is the oldest wooden school ))uilding in Wakefield, with the Lafay- ette, formerly the old High School, coming next. The Hamilton School was the first brick one to be built; the Lincoln followed. Then came the Greenwood School, which has since had an important addition. The Hurd, Fi-ank- lin, and Woodville buildings were erected in the order named. The Franklin School has also had a large addition, and the new Wood- ville building is thoroughly satisfactory and up to date. In 1923 our present High School was completed. It ranks with the best in the state in equipment and teaching staff, and we are very proud of it. LUCIA E. CARTER, ' 28. OUR LIBRARY It has been impressive to note the improve- ments and additions to the Charles H. Howe Memorial Library during the past year. The circulation of books has increased rapidly, and at the present rate should reach 4500 by the end of the school year. This in itself is an astonishing proof of the popularity of the library among the students. Because of the great number of debates that have taken place this year, the reference books, and particularly the periodicals, have been in almost constant demand. This is very gratifying, for there are several maga- zines of worth in our library which have formerly been overlooked by the students. Now that the custom has been formed of us- ing them, it is hoped that it will be continued. Several gifts have been received, and they have been very gratefully accepted. At Christmas time an anonymous donation of $100 was added to the book fund, and will be spent for a miscellany of books which the library h as long needed. Among the other gifts received are: seven books from Mrs. Ida Farr Miller; a collection of forty-six liooks from the library of the late A. H. Tliayer, given by his sister. Miss Nancy Thayer; a memorial collection of twenty- eight books given in memory of Miss II. Gertrude Lee by her parents. Miss Lee was for many years librarian at the Beebe Me- morial Library, and her death was mourned by all who knew her. The library is in constant use during scliool liours l)y the students, and in ad- ditioji, it is used for many other activities. In March, our librarian. Miss Kohl, who is 14