Westwood High School - Chipmunk Yearbook (Westwood, CA)

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Pajre Twenty-eijrht THE CHIPMUNK There was a young, first-class man on the team who was not on it for his pleasure. The others didn’t know anything about him but that he was honest and all for West Point. After the coach had cheered the team just before the last quarter, they went on the field. “Signals!” The ball was passed. Down the field went Williams, right beside the man with the ball. A man on the An- napolis team got the man with the ball, but just before he went down, he passed it to Williams. This changed things a bit. Ahead of Williams was the enemy. His head swam and his heart was sick. He couldn’t make it! But he must! Through the line he plunged! He felt a sharp pain in his neck, the field turned around and around, but he didn’t go down. He cleared the line. He was staggering, but he went as fast as he could for the goal- post. Slower and slow'er he went. Every muscle was protesting, and the other team was right behind him. After what seemed a long time he saw a white and black post on each side of him, fell on the ball, and knew no more. When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by twenty-one fel- lows in football uniform and many others who were not in uniform. A young man in white was talking to the coach, who stood near, and said, “He’s a gritty little chap! When a man with a twisted neck will make a record run like that, there’s more to him than you think Williams grinned and said, “Say, Doc, I had to do it.” Russell Hutchinson ’31. FOOTBALL Can you hear the thumping ball, and big bodies’ thudding fall As they pound that hundred yards of fierce-fought turf— Feel the dull ache of defeat, taste the wine of vict’ry sweet, As they surge, retreat, and batter like the surf? Like to those who held the pass under stern Leonidas, Are the teams which fight against unequal odds— As upon a battlefield, swift to charge and slow to yield, While the outcome’s on the knees of grinning gods. Ah, youth! Oh, ecstasy and thrills! The cheering rises to the hills, When an unexpected touchdown turns the game— With mingled brains and brawn these lads fight till strength is gone: Here’s high strategy and drama; here is fame! Coaches, players, rooters, friends know uncertainty that rends As the precious moment swiftly tick away; From the agonized suspense, and unbridled vehemence, It’s a limp, exhausted throng that leaves the fray. Anonymous.

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THE CHIPMUNK Page Twenty-seven PRIZE JUNIOR HTGH SCHOOL STORY A FAMILY MYSTERY (As told by a chimney) Here I stand alone except for another chimney. I will tell you a story about a family I once knew. Four years ago a family dwelt in this house. They were the hap- piest family I ever met, but that isn’t my story. Dick came home from school and flashed a beautiful diamond in front of Nell’s eyes. “Oh!” said Nell, “Where did you get it?” “I slipped it off from Lester Van Dyke’s finger while he was studying, and he didn’t know it,” replied Dick. ou had better let me take it and keep it for you; I’m afraid you’ll lose it,” said Nell. Dick laughed and replied, “Don’t worry, Nell; I won’t lose it.” Dick was building a fire, and the ring slipped off from his finger. He looked everywhere for the ring. I saw the ring. It was under one of the bricks that formed my base. I tried to tell them, but they only thought it was the wind whist- ling down the chimney. Carpenters were called and boards were torn up, but the ring was not found. Lester Van Dyke was not so engrossed in his studies as Dick thought. He had seen Dick slip the ring off from his finger. When Dick told him he had lost the ring, Lester was furious. He told Dick that he would keep it quiet and no one should know if he would pay Lester seven hundred dollars. Lester did not tell the truth. Dick was shunned by all his friends. It was told that Dick had stolen the ring and sold it. Dick went away and worked to pay it back. He now has it all paid. But this did not make up for the three and a half years of misery nor for the loss of his good name. I heard Nell say she was going to be here, when I had grown old and ready to fall down. I see her coming. I am leaving. It does not worry me as I am dying for a good cause. Nell sees the ring. She has it. I am going. Goodbye. I might add that Dick took the ring back to Lester Van Dyke. He paid Dick back in full and gave him the most of his good name back. Lenora Sorrells '32. DUTY TO THE TEAM It was in the football game between Annapolis and West Point. The score stood at five to three in favor of Annapolis.

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THE CHIPMUNK Page Twenty-nine A NIGHTMARE Jane sat in the living room, moodily staring into the fire which cheerfully burned in the huge red brick fireplace. What shall I do?” she mused, growing more despondent than ever, as she reflected on the previous departure of her family to spend the day with a relative. “Of course”, she ejaculated with a fresh outburst of indignation, “it had to be I that remained at home, and today of all days!” “To be sure,” she hesitatingly admitted to herself, “there are my lessons, hateful things, which I ought to do—but, and she dwindled off into the series of mumbling statements, and continued her distracted gaze. Suddenly Jane straightened. Was it possible? “No, I'm only dreaming,” she breathed. She looked again, and there, standing atop of a burning coal, was a queer little man dressed in a flaming red suit. “Follow me,” were his only words, and before Jane was fully aware of this strange experience, she found herself following this un- known personage throughout winding halls, which appeared to her as part of an immense castle. Presently the couple approached a small room, but before either of them were able to gain entrance, there emerged from the door, a tall, thin, shallow-faced, uninteresting individual dressed in a fashionable black suit of evening clothes. Suddenly, he saw Jane, and with a long, accusing finger, he point- ed at her and screeched in a clear distinct voice, “Oh-ho-young lady. So you have been neglecting me lately. Oh what won’t I do! Oh!”—and he ended with a dismal wail. So astonished was Jane, that she remain- ed speechless, eyeing the stranger with an uncontrollable fear. Presently her eyes noted that the word “English” was written in bold white letters across the front of a large black derby worn by this strange personage. At this point Jane’s observation was interrupted by the appearance of three more such beings, labeled “Algebra”, “Spanish”, and “History.” It grew suddenly dim, except for a flickering light now and then, which only tended to increase the fear of poor Jane. Soon she was aware that grimacing faces were peering at her throughout the im- pending gloom. With a screach of terror, June turned to flee from these joykillers, and found herself going down, down and down to unknown depths. Desperately, she attempted to stop her fatal flight, but to no avail, for suddenly she landed with a terific crash on the brown rug in front of the fireplace. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes. Why—where were those gruesome figures, English, Algebra, Spanish and History? Gone? Oh no, there they were, all four, peacefully lying on the library table, waiting to be mastered. Fern Dixon ’29.