Windsor Locks High School - Herald Yearbook (Windsor Locks, CT)

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22 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD homes. On the streets appear the Indian in his blanket and moccasins selling baskets and beadwork; Mexicans and Americans; the burro with its load of wood, and the Ford. Today the forts are in ruin, the caravan is no longer seen, but still the city is sur¬ rounded by snowcapped mountains and the desert with all its silence and mystery. “Stretches of yellow, glaring sand, Gray dust smarting with alkali, Mesquite huddled on either hand, And a beaming sun-drenched sky. Creak of leather and clank of steel, Khaki village and sun-burned men, Rising clouds when the horses wheel Back to the camp again. Mess and gossip and drill and rest, Night and the white stars thickly sown, Moonrise over the ragged crest, And the coyote’s dreary moan. Hot gray rocks where the lizard runs, Skulking greasers in haggard bands, Swift brown horsemen, the click of guns, And a splash of blood on the sands.” Alice Morse, ’22. -(o)- WHY GO TO COLLEGE? In the period of Reconstruction in which we are now living, the need of big minds to guide the nations of the world stands out as of vital importance. As a result of the World War, all the nations of the earth have been thrown into a state of chaos with armies of unemployed and great busi¬ ness depression in every country. Men with an understanding of the seriousness of the situation are endeavoring to restore order and bring about the return to normal con¬ ditions. Who are these men ? Men from the uneducated classes ? No, they are men with college educations. Why have they been chosen to undertake the momentous task ? Because their education has made them fit. The ability to meet great crises nas been attributed to the results of a col¬ lege education and now I shall attempt, in a small way, to answer the timeworn ques¬ tion, “Why go to college?” Many people go to college with the idea of becoming a financial success upon the completion of their studies. We all wish to be prosperous but we should be prompted by higher ideals than the purely material. ’ One of the first things taught in college is the art of studying. We may all think we know how to study, but how many of us can really absorb the underlying truths of a subject and apply these to our daily prob¬ lems? No one faces the same problems as his neighbor since we were all created dif¬ ferently and each one must work out his own solution by good hard study. Educa¬ tion aims to teach us the best method of attack for those problems, and trains us to master all difficulties. The experience of four years of college life, under its ideal conditions, is a means of character building, and “character is the best diploma” we can carry with us into Life. Vice-president Calvin Coolidge, a graduate of Amherst College, in an address before a meeting of the New England Asso¬ ciation of Colleges and Secondary Schools said. “No one can examine the history of America calmly and candidly, and escape the conclusion that in its main features it has been a success. The foundation and sup¬ port of that success had its main source directly and indirectly, in the learning, the piety, and the reverence which American col¬ leges had been established to promote. They have been the great builders of character.” History is perhaps, the greatest of all studies, in that everything has its historical side. We learn that the people in the ages which are past, labored and suffered to discover Truth. Man realizes today what a privilege it is to live in this wonderful age of accomplishment when, through edu¬ cation and application, he can enlarge on the truths the scientists before him have dis¬ covered, and apply this fund of knowledge to his every-day life. Man lives according to his standards. His duties and responsibilities are increased with his increase of knowledge, but his ability to cope with these new cares is in direct ratio to his knowledge. So, dear classmates, let us cherish the education we have received in our high school course. Let us not be content to stop here, at the very threshold of oppor¬ tunity, but let us strive to go on with our studies, at any personal cost and sacrifice. Then too, we should encourage higher edu¬ cation for those who may come under our jurisdiction in the years that are to come, that they may be better men and better women, trained and equipped to face the keen competition which America must meet in order to keep her preeminent position as “Peeress of the World.” Marion Egan, ’22.

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 21 real pleasure of the World. Books like all true friends are ours forever. And so on through the years has our appreciation for literature been developed. Old age has no terrors for us now, because through reading we can still be transported to any condition or clime to which our fancy directs us; romance, travel, adventure. Every door is opened to us. It is simply the reali¬ zation of the Bible lesson, “Ask and you shall receive” “Seek and you shall find” “Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Teresa Cerri, ’22. -(o)- AN ANCIENT SETTLEMENT Last year people from all parts of the country flocked to Plymouth to celebrate the three-hundredth anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims. Here was the real beginning of our American nation. But his¬ tories deal so much with this point that we forget that other settlements of im¬ portance were made before this. As soon as a path had been found to the “New World,” Spain sent out ship after ship with men to explore, claim and settle the land in the name of their king. Following in the track of Columbus these early explorers landed in Mexico, and mak¬ ing the settlements there, their bases, pushed out in all directions. The rumor which led them to what is now New Mexico and Arizona was that some¬ where in that vast region to the north were seven cities richer in gold and wealth than anything that had yet been discovered. What is the country through w ' hich they passed? A desert, stretching far and wide; peaks often rising to a height of 12,000 feet, lofty plateaus, cut into by deep gorges, flat topped mesas of gorgeous coloring. By day the sun beat down on a parched land; at night the cool winds blew down from the mountains. On the higher elevations there were forests, but on the low, sandy deserts they found sage brush, mesquite and nu¬ merous varieties of cactus. Nearly a whole century before the land¬ ing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth the south¬ western part of our country was being ex¬ plored. In 1540, Coronado led an expedi¬ tion through this territory. Later several more explorations were made and though the search for gold was a failure, having bold, daring natures they braved the hard¬ ships and dangers of an unknown land in their quest. America has been known to white men for a few hundred years, yet occupation by the First American Families dates back to the dim ages. For centuries the Indians in¬ habited this land unmolested, and have left the evidences of their civilization to puzzle the archaeologist. On the ruins of two old Indian villages the foundations of Santa Fe were laid. As nearly all Spanish towns have a plaza, here it forms the center of the town around which the Spaniards built their Mission, the house for the governor and forts. It has had a history marked by hundreds of tragic, thrill¬ ing episodes. It was the center of Spanish and later Mexican government until it be¬ came an important military and trading post, under American supervision. The Indians resented the efforts of the white man to gain a foothold in this country. For a while they seemed peaceable but there was steadily growing an intense hatred against the invasion by the Spaniard. This was brought to a climax in 1680 when the Indians gathered their forces and besieged Santa Fe, killing many, while only a few escaped. Later a force was collected from the Spanish settlements farther south which came upon the Indians and subjugated them. The eighteenth century marked the com¬ mencement of overland traffic by way of the Santa Fe Trail. This had its starting point in Kansas, and across the plains and over the mountains the caravans found their way. They disposed of their goods here and car¬ ried back gold, jewels, hides and other mate¬ rials to the East. Santa Fe itself was a center for this trade. From there other trails led to California opening up this vast territory for development. In spite of fre¬ quent attacks from Indians and highway robbers, this trade continued with growing importance until replaced by the railroads about thirty-five years ago. Santa Fe still cherishes its old traditions. The Governor’s Palace, the scene of so much fighting, still remains, bearing on its walls the marks of many battles. Here, under American occupation, General Lew Wallace made his home while writing “Ben Hur.” There is a mingling of “Old Spain and New America;” the up-to-date city preserves the artistic Mexican and Indian style of archi¬ tecture. Old adobe houses may be seen with their out-of-door ovens as well as modern

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 23 “FRITZ,” REGIMENTAL MASCOT OF THE SEVENTEENTH INFANTRY. It was in the year of 1911, before the people of the United States ever knew what the 18th Amendment to the Constitution was, that the 17th U. S. Infantry, was ordered from Fort McPherson, Georgia, to the manouver camp at San Antonio, Texas. The camp of the regiment was situated where the Quartermaster Storehouses are on Wilson Street. The old Cafes were patronized then to a great extent along Hood Street and many an old battle was pulled off on Rattle Snake Hill. The Regiment arrived March 19th, 1911, and it was on the 27th of March that the Regimental Mascot was born. His mother was killed a few days after, being run over by a truck, and Sergeant George W. Clayton, then 1st Sergeant of Company “G” 17th Infantry, picked up this dog, raised him and called him “Fritz.” From that time he has been with the 17th Infantry. He got to be quite a dog and accompanied the regiment on its marches to Leon Springs. When the regiment fired on the Range, Fritz was there and barked when he heard the rifles being fired. The Regiment was then ordered back to its station after being here for nine months and Fritz left his home state, The Lone Star. 1914 found the 17th again on the border, stationed at Eagle Pass and Fritz had already grown pretty big and was quite a scrapper. He had a number of fights here and came home sometimes pretty well chewed up. It was here that he was awarded his Mexican Border Medal. The 17th went into Mexico and Fritz was left in Eagle Pass until the Regiment came out and went with the regiment to Chickamauga Park and Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia. During the years of 1917 and 1918, the 17th was split into sections and were stationed at Springfield, Massachusetts, Camp Sevier, S. C. and Chickamauga Park, Georgia. Fritz was located at Camp Sevier, Georgia. Then the Regiment was ordered to Camp Meade, Maryland, and it was here that the mascot was honorably discharged for the second time and reenlisted for third hitch. He was awarded the Victory Medal, the three silver chevrons, and the Victory button was issued to him at a later date. Sergeant Clayton then became the 1st Sergeant of the Supply Company afterwards termed the Service Co., later the Head¬ quarters Service Co., and Fritz came along. He went absent 13 days and came home all chewed up. At first he wouldn’t come back to the Company. He stayed with the Regi¬ mental Sergeant Major on account of his knowing that he did wrong and knew he would get punishment. He was tried and sentenced and as this was his first offence he was sentenced to be tied to the front porch for 30 days. He accompanied the regiment to its sta¬ tion at Laredo, Texas, and made the hike from Laredo to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. He will soon be discharged and is spending his leisure time on the front porch sunning himself. Regular old crab. Gives every one a growl who comes along. His record: 10 years, 11 months and 10 days service (continuous) with the 17th In¬ fantry, giving him his well earned title,. Regimental Mascot. Rated Dog 1 cl and draws 20% for over 10 years service. He has the Victory medal, the Mexican Border Medal and the Victory Button. Also three silver chevrons. He has the entire sayso in the orderly room. He is entitled to a complete set of equip¬ ment. Bunk, mattress, sheets, pillowcases, Infantry, on the Company Clerk’s chair, to him and gets anything he wants. Any one desiring to see the old boy can find him reigning supreme in the Orderly Room of the Headquarters-Service Co., 17th blankets. Has his chow and water carried A. C. Miglioria, ’18. -(o)- SENIOR NOTES After some consideration we realized that we had players enough to organize a base¬ ball team. We had a meeting and elected our Manager and our Captain and soon be¬ gan to play fast teams. Our team showed the fight and the spirit that has always existed among the former players of the W. L. H. S. The Line-Up was as follows: F. O’Leary, Piaggi Catcher Leary, C. O’Leary Pitcher J. O’Leary Short Stop Rohrlick 1st Base Pastore, Lashway 2nd Base McCullough 3rd Base Pickles, Conroy Left Field Wadsworth, Barry Center Field Ricci ' Right Field The Senior Class held a banquet at Hotel Bond, in Hartford, June 10th. All the mem¬ bers who attended made it a very enjoyable occasion.