Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-04-23
Jimmie's Test

Jimmie Dale was weakling who
had suffered many tortures because of
his condition Altho fifteen years old,
he was never taken for more than
ten. He was an inch less than five
feet tall and weighed ninety pounds.
Jimmie was an object of ridicule to
his classmates, the younger class
making fun of him and the older
boys openly slandering and stunning
him. Such life was not happy ole
and Jimmie enyied any boy, whether
friend or foe, who had large, healthy
body.
But Jimmie's mind was not affected
in the least. He easily finished his
early schooling and yearningly
watched his schoolmates go on TO
make names for themselves and to BE
somebody.
"Why was HE SO handicapped?
Why couldn't ne be something in the
world too?"
One day Jimmie found book that
made him take heart. 1t told of
Theodore Roosevelt and how he had
made his small, unhealthy body a
strong, robust one. 1t also told of
another man similarity handicapped
who had. taken a course of physical
training and had become miniature
giant. When he had finished the
course, he had been able to pick up
two men weighing one hundred fifty
pounds each, and with them on his
back, trot mile.
Jimmie marveled at this but at the
same time decided to take the course.
A room in his home was fitted up
and Jimmie began his training He
made rapid progress and for three
long years he steadily followed in
structions to the minutest detail. At
the end of that time he was five
inches taller, weighed one hundred
twenty-seven pounds and had a per-
fectly developed body. His strength
was unbelievable coming from so
small a person as he.
When results were all he could ever
hope for, he decided to go to Say
brook Institute to complete his edu-
cation. He arrived there the same
day many other boys did and before
night he found that initiation plans
we're in the air.
One boy came to Jimmie as he was
selecting book and said:
Here is your bean ticket. You
must produce this at supper time or
you won't get any BEANS"
He handed Jimmie a large, red
ticket on which Beans was printed
in great black letters. Jimmie depos-
tied the ticket in his waste basket
and was greatly amused at supper
that night to see several of his fellow
Freshmen pass up their plates with
their bright colored bean tickets On
them. Even the teachers joined in
the merriment which this joke always
created if done successfully.
Another part of the Initiation pro-
gram was the ducking. About half a
mile from the school grounds was a
lake, one shore of which was rocky
and high. Dead Mans Rock was the
highest one, and the Seniors found
great pleasure in pushing their new
comrades off this rock into the eight
feet of water below. After this they
were informed that they were men,
bers of good standing in the school.
The day after his arrival being Sat-
urday, Jimmie was in the woods dis
covering the hooks and alleys of ma
lures best manufacture. His wan
behring's brought him out on the shore
OF the lake directly opposite Dead
Mans Rock. He could see boys on
the rock and one little fellow was
being made ready for his ducking.
On the day of his arrival, Jimmie
had been introduced to a Senior
called Bully Roche. Bully was one of
the overbearing rulers who held the