Wells High School - Crimson and Gray Yearbook (Southbridge, MA)

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OCTOBER 1935 LITERATURE MASTER SWIPEY, PEACEMAKER Kathleen- Tilly ' 37 There was nothing nice about Swipey, who had, like Topsy, just growed. He remembered very little about his parents, for since early childhood he had lived with the Big Boss, as crooked a racketeer as ever lived. Big Boss had taken Swipey under his protection during his less prosperous days when he realized that the youngster ' s limber feet and light-fingered hands would be of great value to him in his petty larcenies. Swipey had a regular gang consisting of other dirty urchins such as he, who openly bragged about their pickpocket- ing adventures. One evening as Swipey and Big Boss were talking on a street corner, they saw the new doctor of the district, a young man by the name of Robert Snowden, approaching. ' With a snarl, Big Boss stepped out onto the side- walk, blocking the young man ' s path. Look here, youse, he said disagreeably, ya know who I am? Dr. Snowden evidently did not. I ' m da Big Boss and ya better come across wid one hundred bucks protection money by Friday — or else! The agreeable smile vanished from the doctor ' s face, and Swipey tried in vain to drive away the feeling of admiration he felt for that quack as Snowden replied proudly, I ' m a doctor. Try and get your money! Then he turned abruptly and continued down the street, leaving a greatly astonished pair behind him. Friday came, and there was no sign of any money from young Dr. Bob, as he was now called by those who had immediately become slaves to his merry laugh and gentle eyes. He tried to be friendly and had even played foot- ball with Swipey and his gang one night in the narrow squalid city street. At first the boys had been sullen, but hero worship of the young doctor ' s broad shoulders and six-foot-fitness overcame their prejudice. When Dr. Bob was about to leave, Swipey had said shyly, Doc- tor Bob, ya better pay that hundred bucks or Big Boss ' ll get ya, but his only reply was a carefree laugh, and a smile of thanks. But now it was Saturday, and Big Boss, tipsily assertive, was really angiy. Tucking a .45 revolver into his pocket and yanking Swipey along with him, he said unsteadily, We ' ll get that guy! Swipey had no choice but to follow. When they had gone about half the distance to the doctor ' s house, they suddenly saw a runaway driverless truck careening down the street towards them. The first thing they knew, the truck was upon them, heading straight for a glass show window. Big Boss jumped clear, but Swipey was almost under the wheels when some one grabbed him out of the way. The next instant the air was filled with flying glass, and he recognized his rescuer as Dr. Bob Snowden before he fainted. When he opened his eyes a few moments later, he saw the young doctor twisting a first-

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THE CRIMSON AND GRAY Through the use of homework it is very pos- sible for the teacher to cram so much us, less information into the pupil that he is unable to remember useful facts. After a hard day ' s work at school the pupil hurries joyfully homeward and prepares for an enjoyable evening — untiil he remember his homework. When friends, who cheerfully disregard homework, knock at the door and ask for the son of the house, they are told he can ' t go out, Homework again. And also a word or two concerning the athlete who comes home from practice physi- cally tired. Can he enjoy a peaceful evening at home or at the movies? He cannot! He must study until he is mentally worn out. And so to bed but there is no sleep for the weary who tosses about half-way between sleep and wakefulness reviewing in his mind the test to- morrow, football practice, the book-report due until finally he falls asleep. The next morning, up with a beautiful grouch which gradually grows worse as the day progresses. The wrong thing is said and the pupil finds himself on detention. A per- fect day is ruined. Is homework worth all this? It is not! ! ! ! by himself depends directly on high school education where he has become proficient and accustomed to study. Admittedly the objec- tion might be raised that only a small per- centage of high school pupils expect to attend college. Yet this is silenced when we realize that every student expects to find some kind of employment and to hold down a position of more or less importance after graduation. His chances of holding down are greatly in- creased when his ability to concentrate and to absorb are tuned up as they certainly should be after completing four years of study in high school. As to the athlete and his homework he is naturally handicapped by an extra-curricular duty which may take two or three hours from his after-school day. But that is part of the understood agreement, An athlete does not have to join a sport, If he does join and has the ability to make a team, the extra work is part of a cheerfully accepted condition to his athletic pleasure. After all it is illogical to look at homework as drudgery when we attend high school primarily to attain knowledge — and when knowledge is mainly to be gained by outside work on the part of the student. IN DEFENSE OF HOMEWORK D wight Webster ' 36 If homework were to be eliminated from our high school, when would the work necessary for a high school education be done? Certainly one could not expect to get along with merely the classroom lectures and study periods to prepare recitations for four or five subjects. The sole way out of homework, then, would be to establish a longer school day; and who prefers this to homework? Another angle is that of the student who plans to further his education after leaving high school. In institutions of higher learning a student is more or less on his own, and the benefit he will derive from the school depends entirely on his ability to concentrate and to absorb the text of his lessons. The back- ground and experience of his ability to study A FALL TONIC K. T. ' 37 Do you feel bored to death? Does homework haunt you? And the mere mention of more English make you scream? Then what you need is— FOOTBALL! Of course, not all of us are fortunate enough to be six feet tall and capable of mashing to bits a couple of half backs as an outlet to our feelings about the injustice of the world, but everyone can at least go to the football games. Beg, borrow, or earn ( ! ) the price of a ticket. Once there, you can yell yourself hoarse, forget all your troubles, and have a grand time! Incidentally, you ' ll also be help- ing along the school. But no matter what your reason, GO TO THE FOOTBALL GAMES!

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6 THE CRIMSON AND GRAY aid tourniquet about his arm where the cruel glass had cut an artery. Big Boss, thoroughly sober now, was also bending over him. Swipey ' s confused brain tried to figure out why Big Boss was so white and was he wrong in thinking he saw tears in the Boss ' hard, cynical eyes? You ' ll be 0. K. in a couple of days, big fellow, said Dr. Bob cheerfully. Swipey smiled sweetly and closed his eyes contentedly as he saw Big Boss extend his right hand to Dr. Snowden who shook it earnestly. Then the little ragamuffin closed his eyes peacefully and went to sleep. DID YOU EVER HAVE A DISAPPOINTMENT? Harry Dyer Gilman ' 36 One Friday evening I decided to put off my home work to some other time and took a notion to go to the movies. Up the stairs I shot. I tore off my clothes. Ran to the bath room and dabbed some water on my cheeks and called it a bath. Even this slight delay made me very late My hair! It was like a por- cupine ' s! But who was going to see my hair anyhow? They ' d be dazzled by my suit — my suit! Why where was my suit? I gazed helplessly at the hurricane-struck room. I waded through clothe? to my closet door. 1 opened it. Down came my clothes like snow engulfing me. From the middle of the pile I started to bur- row out. I picked, pawed, and finally tossed my clothes around in frantic despair, but there was no suit to be found. I sat down on the only orderly spot in the room, my bed. I tried to think. At last, looking up from my dusty grimy hands, I saw my suit hanging on the bedpost where I had left it the night be- fore. I put it on hurriedly, skipping a few belt loops, breaking a couple of vest-buttons and undergoing a few other mishaps which I do not remember. I was then ready to go — believe it or not. I pulled open the door and fell pell-mell down the stairs, landing with a hard thud. I dashed for the hall door but missed by two yards after the rug had betrayed me. I fixed my regalia and started off down the street. I reached the corner at quarter-of, and dashed around to the theater but the door wasn ' t open. I tried it. Only a mere squeak came from the nailed hinges. I had nearly torn it apait when a man came up to me. What can I do for you? was his question. I explained to him that I wanted to go to the movies. He stood there laughing heartily. My temper rose like mercury in the hot sun. What are you laughing at? I demanded. So yen want to go to the movies, was his reply. Can ' t you wait until it opens? I stood there all exhausted and gazed at my watch which was keeping Daylight Saving Time on this, the first day of Winter Time. MOUNTAIN CLIMBING IN GERMANY Olivia Story ' 38 Far above the tiny village, Garmish, locat- ed in the southern part of Germany, rose the craggy peak of Zugspitze, highest mountain in the Bavarian Alps, which form a natural border between Germany and Austria. Zug- spitze is about twice as high as Mt. AVashing- ton and reaches a height of approximately 9996 feet, To our group of boys and girls, clad in hiking clothes and carrying packs, climbing this bare-faced crag seemed nearly impossible. There was nothing unusual in the climbing although the trails wound around and around the mountain in spiral paths. How- ever, we had no difficulty in reaching the first cabin and there we spent the night. All the girls crowded into one cabin and the boys in another. These cabins were similar