Westmont Hilltop Senior High School - Phoenician Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF BASKET BALL Few people know of the origin of the World’s Fastest Growing Game, Basket Ball, yet thousands are attracted to its halls each season. Since its origin in 1891, its popularity has grown to such an extent that it now ranks as one of the three leading sports of America. It was invented by Dr. James Naismith, instruc- tor of the Y. M. C. A. training school at Springfield, Mass. There was no similar game up to that time and the credit for inventing a game to take the place of outdoor sports in winter months belongs solely to him. It was in 1891, when Dr. Naismith had charge of a physical training class that his students became tired of the regular grind of gymnastic work. Some new game had to be invented which would make the gym work worth while. Dr. Naismith brought the question up before the faculty but nothing definite was decided. Depending upon his own genius, he endeavored to invent a game similar to Football. After numerous failures, he finally worked out a set of thirteen rules, which are the basis of Basket Ball rules today. The only new feature that has been added is the free throw. His project of having more than a few players in action at one time was finally realized. He was also forced to avoid another condition that had been a strong argument against Football—roughness. An- other perplexing problem which he again faced and met was the kind of goals to be used. At first spots on the wall were used as goals but as soon as a few windows were broken, this plan had to be aban- doned. Then the ball was dropped on painted circles on the floor, but this soon proved unsatisfac- tory and was discontinued because the opposing player could easily block the ball. Later the ball was thrown at peach baskets turned upside down. Another change was made by placing the baskets rightside up. When the students and factulty of the Spring- field Gymnasium made their inspection they were surprised to find peach baskets suspended from vari- ous points around the balcony. Dr. Naismith’s idea was laughed at, but this ridicule was short lived. Soon the Springfield people crowded the gvm to see the new game that Dr. Naismith had invented. As the idea spread, the sport bscame commer- cialized. Teams from different sections began plan- ning inter-scholastic games until now almost any school, no matter how small, is moved by the spirit of Basket Ball. In the first year of the game, nine players were used. This was reduced, however, to five the follow- ing year. In this stage of its development, the player who was large, strong, and fast had the advantage. Today it is a game of science, although the player who has additional height, weight, and speed is playing at an advantage. WILLIAM HINKEL, ’24. HIS FIRST DATE Bill had a big night ahead of him. He had been preparing and dreaming of it for nearly a week. To- night was the big night. He was to go out with his girl. He had met her in school. Peg was about eighteen. She was a pleasant and fun-loving girl. All the fellows seemed wild about her.

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least two hours before going to bed, and then the pencil will never fail you. But mark my words, if you do not do this it will lose its power.” She arose lightly and flew out of the window, and Margretta fell asleep. When Margretta awoke the next morning her first thought was of the magic pencil. She placed it carefully in her pocket. ‘‘Perhaps I was dreaming,” she said to herself, ‘‘But I will try it at school today and find out.” This was the day for the monthly examinations and when Margretta began to write she found that her pencil wrote the answers without her thinking of them. She was through long before the rest of the pupils and neatly folded her papers and laid them on the teacher’s desk. The teacher was greatly surprised when she examined the papers and did not find an error. “Why, Margretta,” she said, “I certainly am surprised. I will write a letter to your mother im- mediately and tell her how you are improving.” Margretta was very proud when she walked home that night with the letter in her pocket and her precious pencil in her hand. As soon as the evening meal was over and the lights were lighted, she took her books and studied diligently for two hours. This she did every even- ing. sometimes becoming so absorbed in her work that she studied longer. Every day her lessons were written correctly. ller parents became very proud of her, but she never told them of the Magic Pencil, which she guarded carefully, putting it under her pillow every night, and carrying it in her pocket during the day. But after a few months she became careless. Some evenings she would study only a short time and other evenings, not at all. At last she became so careless that she did not study at all. This was just before the final examinations, and those who did not make passing marks were not promoted. When the day of the examinations came, Marg- retta wrote with the Magic Pencil, but its power had gone, because she had not obeyed the fairy. She did not know that now it was an ordinary pencil, and wrote her examinations without looking to see what she was writing. When she finished, she folded her papers as usual and laid them on the teacher’s desk. The teacher looked at them and gasped. She quickly phoned to Margretta’s mother and said that she believed that Margretta was ill. The papers looked something like this: Columbus discovered the square root of 8467. A strait is a narrow neck of land joining the stomach to a verb. The function of the heart is to discover the Pacific Ocean in 1492. In 1777 the Panama Canal was built by the Minute Men. When Margretta reached home she told her mother the whole story between sobs. “I was so happy when my lessons were good and you were all proud of me, but my pencil is not magic any more.” “Don’t let that worry you, said her mother, “Just do as the fairy told you to do and you will find that all pencils are magic ones.” And Margretta found that this was so. KATHALEEN ALBERT, ’27.

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Bill seldom went with the girls, he never cared much for them. He had dressed several hours be- fore the time set for the meeting. He wore a new Palm Beach suit, a very brilliantly colored tie, new shoes, silk socks with clocks, a white English broad- cloth shirt and a new Stetson hat that was really becoming. After he had finished dressing, he hur- riedly went to his room to put on the finishing touches. . . It was six-thirty and the date was set for eight- thirty. He walked nervously up and down his room, glancing at his watch every few minutes. It was seven-thirty and Bill could not wait any longer. After carefully adjusting his hat he went out. He walked to the corner of Main and Franklin streets. He still had an hour to wait. Walking to the house in which Peg lived, he found the down- stairs brilliantly lighted, and one room upstairs lighted. Looking at the upstairs light, he wished that it would go out and Peg would come down. The minutes seemed like hours. He became tired of standing and sat on the wainscoting under the win- dow of a house across the street, planning what he and Peg were going to talk about during the even- ing. Bill was just settled when he felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. He looked up and saw a policeman, who smiled indulgently at Bill and said, “Say, Buddy, you’re sitting on wet paint.” Bill jumped up horror-stricken, and looked at his suit. Sure enough, there were two long streaks of white paint on his coat tail. The paint didn’t show so much. He ran to the corner and looked at the town clock. It was eight o’clock. “Surely it must be later than that.” He loafed around a little while longer and then went to Peg’s house. Just as he arrived there, the town clock struck eight-thirty. Peg was there to meet him. “Let’s go to the Cambria Theater, Peg. “Allright.” . . When they arrived at the theater, Bill asked the ticket-seller for two first-floor tickets. He reached for his money but could not find it. He told Peg what the trouble was and she suggested that they go to the street fair. They went to the fair and Bill took a ten-cent chance on a Ford Coupe. He forgot all about the chance and enjoyed the evening with Peg. When the time came to award the auto. Bill heard the an- nouncer call his number. He proudly stepped for- ward and claimed the car, while the crowd ap- plauded. Peg was very happy over Bill’s fortune, and they were both happy over the fortunate out- come of Bill’s First Date. ELIZABETH KONDOR, ’26. HOW THE JUVENILE COURT HELPED MICKEY Mickey Dugan, the terror of the neighborhood, was slowly walking down Ash alley, his eyes fixed on the ground as though he were looking for some- thing, although he was not. In fact, he had nothing to look for. He was in trouble; yes, trouble seemed hovering about him. ready to devour him which-ever way he turned. He needed a friend; he knew he needed a friend, but who would be the friend of Mickey Dugan, the meanest boy in the neighborhood. Just then he raised his eyes from the ground, in time to see a man’s hat fly from his head and come straight for the place where Mickey was standing. He saw its owner leave the main sidewalk and start in pursuit of the hat. Mickey also noticed a great big mud puddle in the path of the hat. He laughed