Weber State University - Acorn Yearbook (Ogden, UT)

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The Acorn—Page 7 How long I slept J know not, but I was suddenly awakened by weird sounds of the rustling of dry bones and a voice like the moaning of the winds. I looked around, all was dark, every sound of festivity had died away. 1 listened, and the moaning shaped itself into the words: 1-Doomed! doomed! to pace these dreary halls! No rest! No rest! for my weary limbs, till some mortal give ear to my story.” As these last words fell upon my terrified soul, there appeared in the dim light of the doorway a skeleton. It moved toward me, and I screamed, but that scream echoing through the empty halls only told one that I was alone with this fearful guest. “Peace, mortal, and no harm shall come to thee, but thou must stay and hear my story, for I have long sought thee.” “Centuries ago, there lived in a great forest which covered this land, a city of giants. They were very superstitious and dared not disobey anything their wizards and witches told them to do. In the centre of the forest they built a large castle, and in this castle witchcraft had full sway. It happened, one day, that one of these giants wandered faraway from his home and learned of the schools in civilized countries. lie went home and told his people the little he knew of those schools, and they immediately decided to build one in their land. They built a grand academy, but knew nothing of Domestic Arts, Ath- letics, or manual training, but only of blackboards and desks. These giants were queer shaped people, very tall, and very thin. Some had long legs and short waists, others short legs and long waists. The seats of this school were built accordingly: a high seat and a low desk for the long-legged short- waisted one, and a low seat and high desk for the short-legged long waisted one. The children in this land, who were about the size of men now, were not allowed to write on the blackboards, for the teachers were afraid that their pupils would become brighter than they, if the samejadvantages were allowed them; and for this reason the blackboards were built high, and were convenient only for the grown giants. The witches were very displeased with this Academy, for they feared that the people might be taught witchcraft in this school and they would no longer come for information. When they heard that one of their number had consented to teach witchcraft, they all gathered together to determine what could be done. They decided to weave spells that could never be broken over the different class rooms, and interfer with the students’ learning.

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coast. He sees coining toward him, the white specks that were in the dis- tance. Their sails are torn, and the ships seem to be having a hard time to withstand the tempest; and the sailors, in despair, are letting them drift along at t he mercy of the raging sea Cries of anguish are heard as the ships part, and let their captains sink in discouragement. Now that the opposite coast is in sight, he gains courage, and puts forth all his energy to reach it in safety. Then lie sees others dashed against the rock bound coasts of dishonesty, intemperance and shame, just as they are about to win the goal. Spurred on by this terrible sight, he does all in his power to guard against their fate, and trusting in the strength of his ship and in the rules of land and sea; he enters the mouth of the harbor. Here is another difficulty to overcome. Through the dense fog of ex- treme old age he cannot see his way. and therefore must have a pilot to guide him safely to the wharf. As he steps out on to the land, he turns once more to look at his faithful ship. He sees it weather-beaten and weakened by the storms of life: hut well loaded with experience in the trials of the voyage. Let us then, heed the warnings of older sailors on this great sea. and make our ships strong enough to withstand the storms that they will have to meet. SKELETON’S STORY. There has been one feature of the Domestic Arts Social, which has not been related to the students, either for reason of the nervous attacks I have had since that night, or my timidity in posing as a writer or speaker. But even though it does reflect a little discredit on me for sleeping during such a time of jollity. I feel it my duty to explain, before school closes, what 1 learned of the life of our skeleton and the origin of our school. Growing tired of the ear-splitting sounds of the Brass Band, as they played Yankee Doodle, and of waiting for my companions who were entangled in the spider-web, being unable to go home until the spell was broken at midnight. I wandered upstairs to Room K, and took a seat in the corner near the heater—T will leave you to guess the result.

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Tht .honi—Page iS In Room K, where the last stage of the art of witchcraft was taught they made the atmosphere one of drowsiness, so the pupils minds would be- come blank and they would forget everything they had ever learned, and be- come dull and stupid. In the Laboratory B where the charms were taught which could only be accomplished where there was no ether, they caused the Professor to have terrible nightmares, and ali the horrible creatures he saw would con- tinually warn him under pain of death, never to open the windows so the ether could escape The history of witchcraft was taught in Room M. In this class the students were injured by falls caused by those evil-plotting witches Every once and a while one of the scholars who were learning quite rapidly, would stumble over or fall from a seat and be disabled so that he could not resume his study. As morning draws nigh, T must tell the rest some other time But perhaps you are curious to know something of me and why 1 know all this. I wasoneof the wizards who taught in this school, and for doing so was locked by the others in the little room off Room B There I starved to death and years after my bones were picked up and wired together. Now you have heard part of my story, you are perhaps interested enough to be willing to listen to the rest some other time In the meantime I must go back to mv dismal closet, thereto remain forever. “Let such teach others who themselves excel.’’ Florence Woolley. ‘07.