Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

Page 25 text:

He battled on with all his might, Emerged a victor from the fight, By using mankind ' s blessed right to Try again ! BEETHA LINDSAY, ' 28. SMILE When everything ' s gone wrong with you And all your friends seem lost, When you need help the most, just like The ship that ' s tempest-tossed; When all day long you ' ve done things wronj And life itself you dread; Just stand right up with- hopes anew — With courage look ahead. Just smile a bit and tell yourself You won ' t give up tlie fight. And soon you ' ll have yourself convinced Things are to be all right. Whenever things go wrong with you, Ileniember that a smile Will help a lot to lirighten things, And make your life wortli while. EMILY WENGEN, ' 27. THE OLD FARM Two bent forms stood at the gate before a low, rambling farm house. The figures were those of a farmer and his wife who were say- ing a last farewell to the place which had been home to them for many years. It was hard, indeed, for them to say good-bye to the home to which they had come when first they had been married, and to the broad fields they had loved so well. There had been a time when the fruit and flowers had depended upon the care of the little old lady, and the grass and grain had been tended by the snowy-haired man. But now what a change had come ! Why, it seemed as if the little farm no longer needed them. One new invention after another had replaced the old methods. The old farmer was saying to his wife, The windmill i umps the water and churns the butter now. The sheep are sheared by motor and the horses are clipped in the same man- ner. Even the old hen ' s place is taken by the incubator. And the dear old lady answered, Yes, and the mail is left at the door by the delivery man so that you have no longer any excuse to linger in the village store and chat with your friends and neighbors. We telephone for our groceries, which are delivered by a truck in a very short time. Somebody has sold you a new device by which you may cook without a fire. We light the house and barn by electricity and there ' s even a machine to milk the cows. Do you remember, dear, how I used to can the berries every summer? The canning factory takes care of them now. The pleas- ure of mowing the hay is now but a fragrant memory, for there are machines to cut and load the hay and stow it away in the mow. With a last, lingering glance, the couple moved down the road reflecting on the by- gone days before the farm had become so smart tliat it laughed at the two old-fashioned owners and was able to run itself. FLOEENCE BOUDEEAU, ' 29. THE ORIGIN OF AIR-FIGHTING IN THE GREAT WAR About ten years before the Great War, a French inventor and a German aviator were working together to perfect the airplane. When they w-ere beginning to reach their goal, after many years of study and toil, the Great War came, the war that shattered the hopes, not only of individuals, but also of the world ' s most powerful nations. Immediately both aviators gave their serv- . ices and planes to their respective countries. The two friends became scouts, flying above the enemy ' s lines to bring back information as to their position, supplies, reinforcements, etc. Every day the Frenchman and the Ger- man would salute each other in passing, while below, the great conflict was being waged. One day the German aviator was unable to fly over to the French lines, therefore another scout took his plane. When the two scouts. met, the Frenchman raised his hand in the customary salute. The other, misunderstand- ing the motion, fired at him. This was the- Ijeginning of fighting in the air. From that time on, one or the other would devise a better way to fire, until it became a case of hatred among the clouds as well as on the ground. When the first German scout was able to fly, h e was greatly grieved and incensed that his friend answered his salute with a shot from a gun which was attached to the side of the plane by an awkward con- trivance. Day by day, the air-gun was im- proved until the regular machine gun, which is now used, was developed. Thus two friends were estranged and, through their estrange- ment, the air battles of the Great War were begun. ELEANOE GLEASON, ' 28. 21

Page 24 text:

AT RECESS This title caused me to smile and fall on it for the caption to my Monday-morning drudgery. For the freshman, one like me, lunch-hour is just a long pleasant joke, interspersed with pie. This period is far from dull. A fear- some clamor fills the air, and, to be heard, one must raise a voice sufficient to drown the headlong Niagara. Almost every day some- body drops a fragile milk bottle on the hard, unyielding cement, or slaps his ice cream up- side down on the floor, to be ironed into place by the milling mob. The floor is at best un- certain footing — greasy, slippery, extremely well lubricated. The bubbler is in continuous use. One youth constantly juggles ice cream. Passages from The Lady of the Lake and other masterpieces are retouched with slang and published — orally. But the climax in the way of home-talent amusement came two or three days ago, when some person with little foresight left a bass drum, free and clear of all encumbrances, standing — or does a bass drum sit? — in the midst of the above-men- tioned milling mob. ' Nuff said! Mr. Peter- son constantly walks his beat, his subjects making way before him and melting from view. After lunch a riot ensues near the local chapter of our locker row, till the bell jangles harshly upon the ear — any ear. Oh, yes, we eat our lunches, too. ORISON PRATT. ' 30. A VISIT TO THE FORD PLANT A short while ago a few friends and I visited Henry Ford ' s new assembling plant in Som- erville, which had just been completed and was open to public inspection during the ac- tual working time of the plant. Since it opened, a few days ago, the factory has al- ready turned out more than thirty-five thou- sand cars. When we arrived at the plant, I was imme- diately aware of the fact that we were not the only ones seeking such beneficial knowledge, for as far as I could see were cars of people who were either in the building or waiting to get inside. At last, by dint of much pushing, we suc- ceeded in gaining the entrance of the factory, where we were given a card to sigu. Glancing over it I was rather shocked to find in one corner, Not responsible for injuries sus- tained by visitors during the inspection of this plant. Immediately there flashed be- fore my eyes visions of myself crushed and mutilated by a lowly Ford, being carried off to the waiting ambulance. However, in spite of my gruesome forebodings, I determined to run the risk. At last, after being glared at, puslicd, and trampled upon by half the city of Boston, I was taken in tow by a white- uniformed guide, in company with approxi- mately fifty other adventurers. The most notable trait of the guide was the bored air with which he regarded us. Our first visit was to the power house where we were free to examine the great turbines. Becoming rather confused by the eternal roar and bustle, I put out my hand to touch one of the great engines. Suddenly it was grasped from behind and jerked violently back. Turning around, I beheld the guide, still with his bored air. He drawled to me, Say, Bud, if you had touched that, you would never know what hit you. Whereupon, lie turned and strode off, leaving me gaping after him, per- haps the most surprised boy in the world at that moment. After recovering my composure, I joined the party in the main assembling room. At last I was to see the much-advertised moving belt on which the Fords are assembled in such a short time. It was just as astounding as it is pictured. As I approached the belt, a triangular piece of steel was placed on it. Within fifty feet this same piece of steel had already begun to take form, and within an- other fifty I could see that a Ford was being created before my eyes. Soon after, my sus- picions were definitely confirmed, for upon the application of a little gasoline, the familiar riivver rattle came forth from the rear end of the car. Next the body was put on, and there stood l)efore me a shining new Ford. Tlien, liurdened with much literature and rather fatigued, I left the great plant, still, much to my amazement, sound in every limb. FRANKLIN TUTTLE, ' 28. TRY AGAIN! He saw the motto long ago, ' Twas one of mauj ' in a row: Try again! He pondered o ' er it every hour. And found his thoughts so long grown sour Were sweetened by a magic poAver: Try again ! Golden words pierced black despair. And gave liim zeal and strength to dare Try again 1 20

Page 26 text:

W is for Wakefield with high school so grand, A is for Athletics for which we all stand. K is for Knowledge which we all love to show, E is for English which we all have to know. F is for Failures of which there are few, I is for Idlers; they are scarce, too. E is for Energy with which we all work, L is for Lessons which we never shirk. D is for Debater, the pride of each heart. And never from memory shall it depart. ELIZABETH FINDLAY, ' 29. LABELS By Majar A. Hamilton Gibbs Labels deals with the reaction of war upon a certain English family. Each member of this family has experienced a different phase of the struggle; consequently, there is little sympathy and understanding among them. Sir Thomas had been knighted for his noble work, and had saved the government money in the exchange. As a result, he had reaped a comfortable fortune for himself. Believ- ing he had experienced the war, he felt he understood. Mater, as the children called her. was much too devoted to her husband to dispute his opinion. Because Tom had been an honorable ob- jector to war, he had been thrown into a prison camp. He was not by any means a coward; consequently he had taken his pun- ishment courageously. For him, there was the great ordeal of facing Society as a disgrace and an outcast from an honorable family. Dick, who had won a captaincy, was the pride of the family. However, he was restless and discontented. It was only through his sister, who had served as a nurse in France, that he found actual sympathy. In spite of tlie breach between Tom and Dick , he re- mained a loyal and devoted brother. Dick and Captain Blaike, an American who later married Dick ' s sister, had decided that the labels were all wrong. They actually felt that they, who had suffered in the fight, were so far advanced from the rest of the civilized world, that it would be quite impos- sible for them to live the normal, matter-of- fact life of others. It was only in Blaike ' s sister, Virginia, that Dick at last found free- dom from himself. PAULINE FINDLAY, ' 27. MADAME CLAIRE A fragile little old lady is Lady Gregory or Madame Claire, as she is called by her grandchildren, Judy and Noel. A most fas- cinating character, a spectator almost, she has lived her life and is now content to watch others live theirs. She has three children and two grandchildren in whom we are greatly interested. Her oldest daughter, Millieent, is married, and spends the greater part of her time seeking a suitable man for Judy to wed. Madame Claire ' s son, Eric, has had the mis- fortune to marry a girl who, deep down in her heart really loves him, but who is jealous of all other men and women who praise Eric. Madame Claire ' s youngest daughter, Connie is the black-sheep of the family. She has been very unfortunate in her matrimonial ex- perience. At Cannes her last husband. Count Chiozzi, is fast gambling away what money Connie has left. There is one other character who must be mentioned, a dear friend of Madame Claire, Stephen de Lisle. He had proposed to her after her husband ' s death, and because she re- fused him, he had gone to southern France in anger. The plot develops around these characters, each one experiencing his own particular joys and sorrows. There is one person in whom everyone confides; her kindness, her human sympathy and understanding, her sense of hu- mor, her optimism and contentment with life, all go to make up that exquisite lady, Madame Claire. MURIAL, EMERY, ' 27. OUT OF THE FOG Out of the fog Upon tlie Great Banks Wliere tlie fishing fleet goes. There suddenly appears A great liner. Which looms Gigantic Over a small vessel. Which is in its path. The liner goes on, And, where the fishing vessel once was. There is nothing But the fog. KOCCO GIAQUINTA, ' 28. 22