Drop your paddles - the party's over". And so began a new era at Brunswick High School on that first day of school in September, 1932. Having just
completed
seven
years of
elementary
education
in a
three-room
school at
Point of
Rocks and
moving to
Brunswick
that
summer, my
twin
brother
and I were
not
prepared
for what
was in
store for
us that
morning.
We hadn't
had the
opportunity
to make
many
friends
and to
learn of
our new
school
traditions.
As we
approached
the high
school at
the crest
of the
hill, much
to our
surprise
was a
welcoming
party to
greet us.
Armed with
paddles, a
line of
seniors
were
urging us
to submit
to the
"Initiation"
for new
students
Time was of the essence - should we submit or run back for our safety and find another route to get inside that building. AND THEN IT HAPPENED! Someone yelled "here comes the new principal" and all eyes were on a clean-cut, young man descending the steps from the south entrance door. As he approached the line of seniors with that famous stern expression, he brought the party to an end forever. A sigh of relief followed - from that moment on, Wilbur Devilbiss was a man to make an indelible impression on all of his students (and faculty) thereafter.
To my memory, there haven't been many like him since.