Miami Beach High School - Typhoon Yearbook (Miami Beach, FL)

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g,...i..,..:,.m-al. itgihe Cgrder Gftangezfh NBOUNDED wishful thinking and an occasional salute to the Hag is not enough to meet the stern challenges and menaces which now threaten our hard-earned democracy. Today we are being subjected to all the ills of a world caught in turbulent waters, and our duty, youth's duty, is to continue that per- sistent task of helping in any legitimate way to formulate an intelligent public opinion upon which good government must depend for support. Greenhorns we may be, but a chance to combat ignorance, civic complacency, selfishness and greed, should not be denied us, There are those in the adult generation who condemn democracy as im- practicable, or as an established failure, and rest their case upon the argument that this aim can never be attained by any considerable percentage of a national popu- lation. They quote the low percentage of the adult population, who are suffi- ciently interested in public affairs to vote, fbut the blind voting on referendum measuresj, the low order of political leadership they esteem, and the undoubted influence of sensational and misleading propaganda. These are damaging argu- ments, but it does not follow that the majority of citizens are incapable of greater civic interest and effort. Perhaps the remedy is more democracy' and more educa- tion, not less. Herein lies a challenge to us, the youth, to give democracy a thorough trial by extending equality of opportunity for education to all citizens and by consciously aiming education at social understanding and effective citizen- ship. Today, we must follow a completely new plan for development of worthy citizenship. An effective citizen should have the inclination to inform himself on public affairs and the knowledge of how to go about it. He should know some- thing of the historical background of current problems so that he can understand the social forces at work and separate truth from fiction in his reasoning. He should recognize that good citizenship begins in his home community and take an intelligent interest in local planning. He should know something of the organi- zation of government and party machinery and be able to make use of such agencies. E MUST recognize, however, that neither social understanding nor effective citizenship can come through knowledge alone. These can be fully de- veloped only by some form of active participation. It is truthfully said of some men that they feimiw, but they do not fnzderr!a11d , Our public school can contribute to actual understanding and activity by treating civic issues frankly. Unwarranted interference by individuals and groups to prevent frank discussion of controversial questions in schools should not be tolerated by the public. Furthermore, the school itself is a civic agency and can be organized as such, emphasizing the growth of our ability in self-government by permitting us freedom to attempt organized activity. Parents can be encouraged to participate freely in school affairs, co-operat- ing with subordinate student undertakings. Far from feeling resentment or amuse- l-i0

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7, ,.. ,L - 7-,ssl kind of person. This isn't love you feel, but thankfulness-God knows I can't see what you've got to be thankful for. She could not tell him that he would never walk again, because he had naught with which to walk. She could not say that this interval of light would not last. All she could do was to make it a happy interval. She moved as one in a dream, smoothing his red hair and smiling into his laughing eyes. He was happy, the air was fresh, and bird song filled the halls of pain, When I am out of here we will have such fun. We will dance in the gayest places and run through the fresh green fields, hysterically happy children. And always she would smile and say, Yes, yes, we shall be very happy then. And then it came-in the day of a cool wind and blooming flowers, a strange burning in his head-a burning that made him weak-and gave him the feeling of falling from great heights. He called her to him in a voice without happiness-in a voice that was death itself, and she came and rested her cool hand upon his fore- head, and he whispered, Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me. Then there was nothing but blackness. JOAN LEIGH FLEMING Cgjlfucfy 'Tis rumored that people study in Study Hall, and in order to dispel any doubts concerning this subject, we hereby publish a radiator's eye view of the situation. Any similarity' to actual persons is purely accidental. A bell ringsg sounds of a stampede come from the corridor. From the general melee become detached the heroines of this little tale, four seniors of average or tthey like to thinkj more than average intelligence. They greet each other like long-lost friends, although they have parted not two hours ago. These girls take their places next to the radiator with every intention of getting a great deal of work done, but somehow they just can't get down to it. Notes fly back and forth, their owners neglecting to take even slight precautions against discovery. As interest in the topic waxes, they don't even take time to scribble notesg they begin-dare it be said?-they begin to talk. Without realizing it, they become more than slightly audible. A pointed remark from the hatrassed teacher brings these loquacious four guiltily back to earth. With their elusive good inten- tions again remembered, the girls reapply themselves to their studying. This cycle then repeats itself, until the teacher effectively' silences these girls for a few moments by threatening to separate them. But even that threat doesn't hold them for long, despite their good resolutions. Much to the relief of the teacher and those near our four friends, the bell finally rings. As our heroines reluctantly exit together Qfor they really do enjoy Study Hall and like the teacherj, they can't understand why they haven't accom- plished very much during the period. Yes, people study in Study Hall-sometimes. Pieooy SPORBORG 139 ,-1--fs Jag. 4-

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WML! ment at the desire of us students to reorganize the world , adults should recognize clearly that we mnrf reorganize itg that the course of social change must be guided by us, the future citizens. UCH open discussion and organized activity need not be confined to the class- room. Probably we need, as much as any other one thing, a few thousand active community organizationsfgroups engaged in community planning and definitely committed to the conduct of open forums, where those disposed to in- form themselves can engage in free discussion of social questions. Out of such groups might emerge less prejudice and partisanship, less dogmatic opinion, and truer understanding of social issues. A further consequence should be an increase of ability to make a wise choice of leaders. The more complicated society becomes, the greater is the reliance which must be placed on leaders, To know the differ- ence between real and mock leaders is an excellent test of breadth of education received. This aim is indeed so challenging as to reach right to the heart of this whole discussion. Are our schools so cloistered and formal that they are turning out groups of civic incompetents unable to think or act on public questions? The citizenship aims specified are not to be treated in education as though they were distinct aspects of life. They all represent inseparable interests of any normal, many-sided individual. The social ideal of citizenship is to guide all members of society toward wide interests and strong, self-directing personalities. Only free men can create a free society, and free men are those who have been loosed from bondage to ignorance, superstition, and fear. -MARIANNA BRONSTON. ED1ToR's NOTE: The above is the winning composition of the Dade County Civitan Essay Contest and was chosen from a group of over four thousand entries. 141 W :fe ,X