Barry Locke, half-back

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About this book

Fifteen-year-old Barry Locke arrives in a Connecticut village expecting a place in school life and finds his plans already unsettled. His friend Clyde Allen has arranged other company in the dormitory, leaving Barry to lodge at Mrs. Lyle's house. Barry takes the disappointment with good humor, though the walk from the station reveals differences between his own outlook and Clyde's. Ralph Henry Barbour builds this football story around a boy whose friendliness comes with a strong sense of obligation.

That obligation becomes harder to manage when Barry considers leaving the team. In a conversation with Peaches, excuses about strenuous play and Latin lessons give way to the question of Clyde's influence. Barry explains that Clyde once saved his life while they were swimming in Maine. For readers who enjoy school stories, the appeal lies in this tension between gratitude, friendship, and the freedom to make a decision for oneself.