West Side High School - Legenda Yearbook (Saginaw, MI)

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rendered a two-to-one decision for Flint. This debate was the closest of the season, and we do not begrudge Flint the victory. Croswell, our next opponent, forfeited the debate to us and, hence, the debate that we planned to have at home was not held. Altogether, we consider that the season was a success. The team deserves a lot of credit, for they spent a great deal of time and effort upon the question. Each individual did the very best possible and ought to have the thanks of the school. In this connection a few words should be said about oratory and declamation. In the subdistrict contest held at East Tawas, April 8th, Arthur Hill was not represented in oratory. Harry Johnston, a Fresh- man of Arthur Hill, won second place in declamation. Our contestant was seriously handicapped in this event. Just prior to April 8th we had been having very warm weather, but on the day of the contest the temperature suddenly dropped ten degrees. The cold wave was accompanied by a heavy rain. Our contestant who was obliged to be out in this rain, being entirely unprepared for it, was drenched and became afflicted with a very severe cold on the very afternoon of the event. Yet in spite of this serious setback he managed to win second place. Six contestants competed for honors in declamation. The success this year in public speaking is commendable, but the best that Arthur Hill is capable of doing, has not been accomplished. Each and every student should feel that it is his duty to do all he can to make a name for Arthur Hill in the activities of this department. ELMA M. BRADFORD. HARRY JOHNSTON

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A Drama In One Act Henry Kehren Scene: House on moor, just outside the walls of Sing Sing Prison. Characters: Father. Son. Convict. Father and son in room. Father: Well, Jim, there is such a report about your moping around the walls of Sing Sing, that I have come up here to see what on earth ails you. What do you mean, anyhow, by building a house out on this barren plain? Son: (in a melancholy manner) I want to watch that prison. Perhaps some one there is watching me. F. : A fine occupation, indeed, for a young man. What on earth brought you up here anyway? You have been acting like a criminal who is afraid of being caught. Remember, I am your father and you can talk to me confidentially. I don ' t want a son of mine to be afraid of me. S. : Do you know what the fifth Commandment is? F. : The fifth Commandment! Well, now let me see — Well, what in the deuce are you worrying about the fifth Commandment for? S. : (turning aside) The fifth Commandment is — Thou shalt not kill. F. : Well, what has that got to do with your moping around Sing Sing? S. : Did you ever break that Commandment? F. : What! Break it? Now, see here, Jim — (alarm from prison) Good heavens, what ' s that? S. : (looking out of window at inn) Only some poor devil who has tried to break the bonds of his slavery, and who ' s being hunted like an animal. They will follow him with savage dogs and drag him back again into that accursed fortress. F. : Look here, Jim, there is something wrong with you. That prison is not a dungeon or fortress, but the greatest protection that society has. S. : Do you call it protection to shut up innocent men from the light of day for a life-time? F. : Innocent men be d d ! Those men in that prison are criminals sent there by the law for their crimes. S. : How do you know they are criminals? Oh, I stand here night after night, and watch that vast building holding in its clutches God knows how many innocent men, and it maddens me to be at liberty. F. : (in disgust) If you are so fond of that prison, why don ' t you rent a room there? S. : I may do that some day. I ' m going to bed. (Exit at m) . F. : (Father strolls over to window, facing prison, and looks out in silence for a moment. Walks over to table and sits down.) I wonder if Jim can have done anything? ' Thou shalt not kill, eh? Perhaps he has plugged somebody in an affair of honor. Ha! Ha! Well, murder more or less never bothered our family. I sowed my wild oats when I was young, and I ' ve always told Jim to do it, too. I never regretted it yet, and I never expect to. (Noise without at door.) (Convict bursts in armed with revolver. The father seeing at once, the striking resemblance between his son and the convict exclaims) :