Woonsocket High School - Quiver Yearbook (Woonsocket, RI)

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18 THE QUIVER Does it occur to you what it will mean if this party is successful in its attempts upon established laws and customs of the world? Let me explain. Bolshevism aims at the destruction of the present gov ernment and the adoption of the Soviet form, which practically amounts to the destruction of all government. It means to destroy all religions. Success means the commandeering of all savings bank accounts and national bank deposits along with the repudiation of all government loans. This has been the condition of affairs in Russia for two years, and, although the Reds make repeated prom ises “of peace, bread, and land,” that unfortunate country is still in the throes of terrible strife and unending war. God deliver this country from a similar fate! Remember that this nation was bought, and at numerous times saved, by the blood of ancestors who willingly gave up their lives, the highest possible sacrifice, that we might enjoy freedom, peace and prosperity. Are we going to allow our beautiful, beloved, and dearly bought land to be snatched away by the most corrupt of corruption’s offspring, a band of thieves, yea, murderers, who have nothing but their own ends and the ends of their selfish leaders in view? Let- us hope not. May we be given the strength and determination that will overthrow this ugly monster and so crush it that for evermore we shall be free from its terrible clutches. BURTON WOODWARD, ’20 WINTER MORNINGS A long, long way and a cold way. A road that is drifted deep; The trees that bound it are barren And covered inch deep v’ith sleet. The wild, wild wind is shrilling, The bushes are bending low. The snow is drifting, drifting, Swishing fitfully to and fro. MILDRED L HOYLE, ’21

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THE QUIVER AWAKE, AMERICANS! 17 Fellow citizens, I am taking this opportunity to try to impress upon you the gravity of conditions in this country—conditions which bear upon your industries, rights, liberty, and peace, far more than you have probably suspected. There is in this country today the germ of a corrupt movement, which is growing rapidly and stealthily and bids fair to be one of the greatest evils with which our beloved country has had to contend. I refer to nothing less than the so-called Red movement, an organization founded by the leaders of the present government of Russia, if that can be called a government, which has thrown that country into such chaos and tumult. Through the medium of lawless robbers and irresponsibles, this movement has spread and enlarged by foul means until it has reached such alarming proportions that something must be done, an antidote quickly found, or our government, religion, and home life are in danger of being undermined, toppled over, and crushed under the heel of this new invader. This organization, which began with a small, but resolute, body, has over double its original membership. How is this increase accounted for? First of all, they have established scores of newspapers, printed in nearly every language spoken in this country, in which their deceiving propaganda appears. By creating a spirit of restlessness and a feeling that they, the workmen, are not being given their just deserts, they have caused a large proportion of the strikes and labor troubles which have vexed our country in the past eighteen months. These daring people have spread their doctrines through the country by influencing the ignorant classes, who, without a sufficient knowledge of right or wrong, or a knowledge of what the consequences of Bolshevism are, are susceptible to the outrageous teachings. As a result of the truth of this last statement, the need of educating ourselves in all the phases of these conditions cannot be too emphatically urged. Education is the only efficient weapon with which we can fight the menace. When the people of the world have full knowledge of Bolshevism and what it means to them and to their interests, the march of this organization will be absolutely checked. Do not think that you are tod insignificant to be interested in this war. Now is your chance to throw-water on the fire which would otherwise bring your roof of rights, government, and happiness, down upon your very heads. Have you ever stopped to realize the severity of the situation? Have you tried to ascertain the aims and the goal of the Reds?

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THE QUIVER 19 WHEN THE FIERY CROSS CAME TO OUR VILLAGE I saw the Fiery Cross only once in my lifetime; but I had often heard the old men of the village tell of it and I knew that it was the rail to war. I was only a young girl when I saw it, but I shall never forget the day. It was on the day of Duncan’s funeral. Everyone in the village had gathered at the churchyard to mourn for him. After some time I left the crowd and strolled to the top of a hill which overlooked the surrounding country. As I stood., looking out over the heath, I saw coming from the direction of Achray the figure of a man. He was running so rapidly that it was but an instant till I could see that he carried a queer object in his hand. Why, it was a cross—a cross with bright red streaks, which he was waving on high! For an instant I was utterly bewildered; then, with a pang of fear, I realized that this was Roderick Dhu’s call to arms. Undoubtedly it meant war. I could see that the runner was almost spent and was making directly for the village. I wondered who was destined to go on with the cross. As if in answer to my question, the echoes of the wailing song came to my ears. Of course, Duncan, the bravest and strongest man in our village! And Duncan was dead! I ran down from the hillside, arriving just as the runner burst in upon the crowd. It was as I had surmised. Duncan had been expected to carry on the cross. In the moment of confusion Dun can’s son, a boy scarcely older than myself, stepped forward and took the cross. Within half an hour every man in the village had gone in answer to Roderick’s command, and the women and girls went slowly back to the freshly filled grave and took up the song where it had been so rudely interrupted: “He is gone on the mountain, TTe is lost to the forest —” MARION WALLACE, ’22