Woonsocket High School - Quiver Yearbook (Woonsocket, RI)

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THE HIGH SCHOOL QUIVER 27 If I had only been able to write shorthand at that time I might have helped my classmates out of their difficulty by keeping pace with her. W hen she had finished, we were supposed to know in which divisions of Latin, Algebra, etc., we belonged, but these amazing directions, together with the perfect puzzle of a program on the blackboard, might well have made us exclaim with Cicero, in our despair, “Ubinam gentium sumus?” “Where in the world are we?” Small comfort it was to us, when a Sophomore said sympathetically, “Oh, you’ll get used to it, after awhile 1” But, as “all things come to him who waits,” we waited, and soon became acquainted with High School methods and customs. We soon learned that it was necessary to make a half-dozen trips each day up and down the time-worn stairs in passing from one recitation to another. For a little while, a number of the Freshmen found difficulty in finding the right room at the right time and, while our elders were usually willing to help us, a few took a fiendish delight in sending us to the wrong room. After our first class meeting, at which officers were elected, we felt that we had taken our place as a class in Woonsocket High and began to demonstrate that, although last, we were not least, for in this, our first year, we gave to the athletic teams Hudson, Gladue, Murphy, and White, who have represented the school in different branches of athletics for four years. Frequently our heroes of the diamond and gridiron have been seen moving (with difficulty) in our midst, “wearing the wounds of battle.” In November, 1909, “The Revolving Wedge,” a Thanksgiving comedy, was presented in C. N. D. Hall by the students, and, as Freshmen, we did our share by contributing candy, which sold well. Our recitations were not all of the “grind” nature, for many a smile, which not infrequently expanded into a hearty laugh, crept in between the stately lines of Shakespeare or the thundering declamations of Demosthenes. Shakespeare, in his grave, might have strained a listening ear to learn that “the toad, though ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his hat,” as a Freshman, perfectly at ease in the bliss of his ignorance, expressed it. Father Time sped quickly on his way and, scarcely had we realized it, before the dawn of our Sophomore year had risen over the horizon of our school life. During our second year, we occupied Rooms 7 and 11, the Sophomores in Room 7 serving as a shining example to the Freshmen who could not be crowded into 9 and 10. This year introduced to many of us the intricacies of French, which were not the least of our troubles, for certain poor Sophomores were really to be pitied.

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THE HIGH SCHOOL QUIVER GRADUATES. CLASSICAL M rfork Frances Child Kathryn Helena Rowen Mary Rebecca Kilcline Ruth Helene Warfield Margaret Mary MacDonnell Alice Frances Willey Alice Louise McCaffrey GENERAL Marion Susan Daigneault Harold Freeman David Mijamin Gaskill Lloyd Sealy McFee lames Aloysius Murphy Isabelle Hart Naismith Rodolphe Armidas Gladue Elsie Currier Green Byron Albert Hudson George Ervin Thompson Grace Irene Yahraus Robert Joseph MacDonald COMMERCIAL William J. Dwyer Anna T. Gallagher Florence Ethel Gerry Mae Isabelle Gleason Marion Jenckes Horton Mildred Reynolds Horton Yolande Prairie Leclaire Anna Mary Marlborough Anna May Martin Agnes Claire Murray Marion Ursula O’Donnell Julia Cecelia Ryan Arlo White HISTORY OF THE CLASS OF 1913 In the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and nine, on the tenth day of the ninth month, was enacted on the lower floor of that venerable hall of learning, W. H. S., a scene which brought unbounded amusement to the upper classmen, namely, the invasion of the sacred temple of knowledge by the insignificant, bewildered, no-account Freshmen, the class of 1913. Now, green is a color, restful and pleasing to the eye, but we were so vividly, glaringly green that we must have dazzled the eyes of the Seniors, since they carefully avoided us or, if they deigned to cast upon us a fleeting glance, their noble, intelligent brows were puckered by a scowl. Never before had we realized the truth of the words, “United we stand, divided we fall.” We were so many in numoer that two rooms were necessary to accommodate us. Being thus divided, we fell, and fell piteously. An embarrassed lot we were, seated, some in Room 9, others in Room 10, on that first day. Here we were quietly awaiting developments when, suddenly, Miss Mowry entered, with the announcement that she had some directions to give.

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28 THU HIGH SCHOOL QUIVER They could not tell the difference between having a wife and being hungry and often when our teacher asked, “Quel temps fait-ilr simply wishing to know how the weather was, a few of our numbet, after inflicting terrible scowls upon the innocent clock, finally succeeded in telling her what time it was. Geometry, too, presented its difficulties and brought home to us the fact that there are more ways than one of looking at things. Often when we had succeeded in mastering a proposition according to the position of the figures in the book, our pride suffered a severe shock next day, when we were confronted by a figure on the blackboard so terribly distorted as to be beyond our comprehension. In “Bachelor Hall,” which was presented in our second year, a leading part was taken by Hazel Bethel, a member of our class. A certain seat in the rear of Room 11 acted its part nobly for several months, but finally refused to bear any longer the burden imposed upon it by our beaming David, he of the broad smile, for whom Blackstone is responsible. The seat was promptly repaired. Before long, the Fates had unrolled ten more folds of the scroll of destiny within as many months and, realizing all the word meant, we were Sophomores no longer, for by this time, we felt free to cross the threshold of the temple sacred to Seniors, walk bravely up to Minerva and stand before her with upturned countenances, while she, from her lofty position in her temple or, as it is better known to us, the study hall, beamed down on us her approval and recognized in us her earnest disciples, seeking after wisdom. During the year that had now passed, two girls had joined our class, Alice Willey and Marjorie Child, who are still with us. Lloyd Me Fee did not enter W. H. S. with us, but, recognizing the superiority of the class of ’13, returned to school to cast in his fortunes with us. Juniors! We now began to realize our importance, if not our dignity. We had succeeded in reaching the upper floor and were so far reduced in numbers that we were easily accommodated in one room; but though our numbers were fewer, our spirits were higher. For the first few months we failed, either to set an example for the Sophomores, or to follow the example of the Seniors. However, with the thought that ere long we should be Seniors, with none to question our deeds, we soon assumed our proper place. Not soon shall the remembrance of Room 5 fade from our memory. Many a time have the railroad trains interfered, by their puffing and ringing of bells and whistling, with recitations which were being conducted in this room.