After Hiawatha (1957)

On a green slope, at a lane's end,
Where the cattle once grazed meekly,
Stands a building proud and stately,
Stands a building light and airy,
And its name is Saint Nich-o-las.
And it calls its boys to learning,
Day by day its boys are learning,
How to use the plane and hacksaw,
Use of colon, stop, and comma,
How to break a rod by heating,
How to bend and take a beating.
How the Romans captured Carthage,
How to prove triangles equal,
How to bear the school orchestra,
Blast of trumpet, screech of fiddle.
Listen to the words of wisdom,
From the sweetly smiling tutors.
How to tackle and play forward,
How to run through mud and thicket,
How to swallow cauliflower.
What forbearance have the tutors,
We salute them, brave task-masters!

D. ROOT, IB