Jolly Eighth Journal – Plaistow New Hampshire Historical Society

We are always pleased to receive new acquisitions. This year we had a call from the secretary at the Timberlane school superintendent’s office to let us know they had received a package from British Colombia. Richard Sherwood, who is the son of the late Richard M. Sherwood who attended Pollard School in the 1940s, sent his father’s copy of The Jolly Eighth Journal, a mimeographed booklet published by the eighth grade class,1941 of Pollard Grammar School. He wanted to share it with the present and future generations of Plaistow. The 13 page booklet covers several topics including the class will, book reports and a sketch of the classroom layout. The entire Jolly Eighth Journal is on display at the museum, so please stop by to look through it. In this exhibit, we have their report on a bus trip to Boston and the sites they visited, authored by several class members.

A Bus Ride (Barbara Fulmore) When the bus which was to take thr seventh and eighth grades to Boston arrived,a swarm of girls and boys met it halfway up the street. When we were finally seated we found that the boys had all the back seats and the girls were sittingthree in a seat, but no one minded being crowded. Before we left we were count-ed to make sure that no one was being left behind in Plaistow. We became quiteused to being counted as the day went on. We couldn’t risk leaving anyone in Boston. With three of our star singers; Marguerite, Bernadine, and Cecile to lead us, we sang most of the way to Bunker Hill. What we lacked in quality was supplied in quantity and we at least enjoyed our music. After a very busy day the bus started home. We stopped for supper at a small eating house. I think our mothers would have been amazed at the amount of food we consumed that day. Even though we were seated differently than when we began the trip in the morning, we made just as much noise. After traveling through Lowell, Methuen and Haverhill, we finally reached ourown town of Plaistow. Everyone agreed that the Boston trip was a BIG success.

Bunker Hill Monument (Ruth Cornell) We had come all the way from Plaistow, N. H. to Boston, Mass. Our first stop was at Bunker Hill to see and to climb the monument. We were very excited and just as eager to get to the top. When we reached the 294th step we were not so eager but we were quite out of breath. We went up a circular stairway at the top of which we discovered a shaft that went down to the ground. Looking down made one dizzy and think, “I must have climbed nearly a mile.” In the tower room was a small cannon hanging upon the wall. Looking out from the barred windows one could see veryfar over the city. It was much easier to go down the stairs than it had been to climb them.

Faneuil Hall Market (Raymond Doyon) It seemed to me as we went through Faneuil Hall Market that we saw all kinds ofvegetables, fruits, fish, and meats there are. There were heads of many kinds of animals nailed above us as we went through the main part of the building. As we walked past one booth I heard a man say to his friend, “Is this your family, George?” The other replied, “I wish it were.” Every one seemed to be interested in our group and many asked us where we lived.

Customhouse Tower (Marguerite Dupras) I had always liked elevators until Saturday. In going up the first eighteen floors of Customhouse Tower I not only lost my liking for elevators, but I felt as though I were losing my breakfast as well. We had to change elevators and the second one was much better than the first. When we got to the top we walked around the tower on the platform which surrounds it. From the top of the tower we could see cars parked on many roofs, ships anchored in the harbour, and planes in the sky. While we were watching we saw two planes go down the runway, face the wind and take off. Another interesting thing about the tower was the big red searchlight which had a bulb larger than any that we had ever seen before. Shortly after this, having seen all we wanted to, we went down on the elevators, got on the busand rode on to Franklin Park where we ate lunch.

Franklin Park (Richard Huntress) The first thing we did upon reaching Franklin Park was to eat lunch. When we had finished Miss Crombie told us that we could go anywhere in the park we wanted to until two o’clock. I went to see the monkeys first of all. There was one big one who layon the floor with his hand under his chin. He looked disgusted with the whole world. Then I went to the building where the lions and tigers are kept. Some were pacing back and forth and the others were lying around. I saw the elephants which were very large. All of them had chains fastened on their legs and attached to stakes. It was nearing two o’clock so Jimmy, Edward and I decided to have a sodabefore going to the bus. While we were at the fountain we heard a man say that a shower was coming. We hurried to the bus and got there just as it started to rain. And did it rain!

The Museum of Natural History ( Richard Sherwood) As we entered the Museum we saw, directly in front of us, a scene of thesea shore with stuffed sea gulls in the foreground. We looked at rock and mineral samples which were in a room to the side of the building. Suddenly one of us discovered a complicated machine in a nook by the stairs. A guide told us how to operate it. First we saw precious gems under ordinary light and then the ultra-violet light was turned on. How the beautiful colors of the gems shown and sparkled in the new light! In order to enter the main room upstairs we had to pass through the jaw bones of a whale which were many feet long. Overhead was suspended a whale skeleton which was over forty-five feet in length. The guide told us that whales grow over twice that size. In the side rooms were many different kinds of fish and birds. All around the main room were scenes of various animals in their natural surroundings. They were so real one could imagine that they were alive. In one side room were a complete fox family and on the other side was a beaver’s house which had been reconstructed. This was one of the most interesting places we visited, I think.

Harvard Museum (W.B.) In the afternoon we went to Harvard Museum. We started at the center where the famous collection of glassflowers is kept. Then we went to the rooms where they stuffed animals and I became separated from the rest of the group and consequently, I saw more as I could walk faster alone. I was able to keep ahead of one man who was closing the room for the night. I was early out of the animal exhibits and also the exhibits of rock formations. When I came back to the group it was time to leave.