Western Oregon University - Yearbook (Monmouth, OR)

Page 11 text:

Us THE NORM Q3 Mum tlbnr QD. N. Sv. little Glame Ein Ee NCE upon a time, a long, long time ago, before even you or I were born, perhaps, there was a beautiful young girl attending this school. She was as lovely as the Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella, and was called The Princess by her fellow students who loved her well. One day when the sun was shining bright, the birds were twittering and sing- ing gairly, the girl went for a long walk. A path ran beside the road and under some large fir and poplar trees for a mile or more north from the village, which was known as Lovers' Lane. This was a favorite walk among the students and the one chosen by the girl. She walked along slowly. A small bridge known as Proposal Bridge was just before her. She was wondering if she should cross the bridge or turn home- ward, and had decided to go home, as it was late in the evening, when she heard a clanking of chains, and upon turning to look, she beheld a man approaching on a bicycle. He rode to her side, dismounted, doffed his cap, smiled, and said pleasantly, How charming to find you hereg you know you are to go for a ride with me? The girl glanced about, then looked up to him and asked, Where? Oh, right out on this road, where else would l wish to take you? he answered knowingly. The girl pondered. She looked wistfully back at the school, then out on the long stretch of road before her. The man gazed at her scrutinizingly. Then, I will go, she said simply. The man's face brightened as he led her from the path to the road and gently placed her before him on the bicycle. As he did so, he remarked with an air of authority, This is your last walk out this path. When evening came the girl was missed by her friends. No one knew where she might be found. Two persons had seen her going out towards Lovers' Lane, but no one had seen her return. The news that the girl could not be found spread rapidly as evening deepened. ' Anxiety crept into the minds of the Faculty and students. Several search parties were formed by the students, but their search was unsuccessful. The following day she was still missing. The search was continued, the girl's relatives were notified, but no trace of her could be found. The days grew into weeks, the weeks into months, and then the discussion of her disappearance gradually ceased, as other things of importance filled the minds of the studentsg but it was by no means forgotten by them. As the months grew into years this incident still remained a mystery and was related with great and numerous variations to the new students of each year. 10

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C, THE NORM D FRANK BRUMBAUGH. . . HELEN HALL ........ ELLEN MCDONALD. .. LAURA BELL ......... GERTRUDE POLLOW .... GLADYS PEARSON ..... INA ELMLUND. ..... . RAYMOND CORNWELL .... CLAUD A. AREHART .... CYNTHIA BAIRD .... ARTHUR BURKHEAD .... Ehitnra Stall' . . .Editor-in-Chief .Assistant Editor . . . . .Classes . . . .Societies .....................Literature Alumni, Y. W. C. A., Dormitory ...........Music ..........Artist . . . . What's Doing .jokes and Verse Business Manager Tl

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5 THE NORM D At first no girl would, under any circumstances whatever, even think of walking out this road. A mystery seemed to shroud the place, but as time passed this wore away and Lovers' Lane again became a favorite walking place. After school hours and on Sundays, one could walk out that way and meet numbers of happy-faced students enjoying the shade of the overhanging boughs and the old novelty of crossing Proposal Bridge. But this privilege is enjoyed no more. At the beginning of this school year, a young girl entered the office to register and asked to have a private interview with the President. After she was shown into his office, she handed him a message, which she said had been entrusted to her by her great-grandmother to be delivered to the President of the school. The President thanked her and she was dismissed. After several meetings of the Faculty and Student Council, a special bulletin was posted, which stated that the Council had deemed it wise to fix the city limits as the boundary for students walking to the north and east of town. One may walk now only to the edge of town, where the large white sign boards mark the city limits, and before him lie the beauties of this favorite haunt, but no longer can he stroll out the shady path, or cross old Proposal Bridge. Everyone soon knew that the message which had been handed to the President that first day of school was the solution of a dual tragedy: the disap- pearance of The Princess at Lovers' Lane and the restriction made upon present students. I did not hear just exactly what the message said, but it told how this girl had been taken by the man, how she had been made a willing captive by him. She thought it her duty to warn the President, that, if he wished to keep the girls at school for the purpose of educating future youth, and wished for their welfare in this profession, not to let them walk out this road, as the same fate might befall them as had befallen her. The Faculty and Council considered it, that there truly was a possibility of another such loss, that of the number of charming young girls and the danger of the road east of town. Hence the rule was made. lf one watches, he may see a few girls walk slowly out to the large white sign board, gaze with eagerness out the forbidden path, then turn and walk back. Submissively, they choose the walks south and west of town. -D. P. ll