Arts High School - Vignette Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 14 text:

10 1940 De ba Del= GxAve lee QIN We reserve this page in our Vignette to thank Miss Alice Keehner, the teacher who made this publication possible. Our gratitude to her is even greater for leading us along a high road that she herself had never traveled before. To her, there- fore, we dedicate this book. VANE IRIS i) Sard

Page 13 text:

IN DEFENSE OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION | had at first intended this as a vicious cut at the Elder Generation, in return for the many vi- cious attacks which we, the Younger Generation, have received of them. However, | decided after due consideration that it would be unsportsman- like to do so as they are too old and staggering to stand such impertinence. After some reflection | decided that they are really tenderly pitying us for having to step timorously forward into the hard, cruel world. | undertake, then, to show them that they are wasting their time—to protest against this needless pity. We can take it. In the first place what are they worrying about? | disregard their statements that we lack courage to face the facts’, as drivel. As to the facts in question—what are they? Oh, the world is messy at the moment, yes—but this is not the first time. There have been wars—bloody, grueling, tragic; all of it—since the beginnings of man. But peo- ple shudder at the thought of ''total war'', ''wip- ing out civilization , the “murder of mankind , etc., etc. They said practically the same thing the last time except that they thought there would be no next time. There is a difference right there —we, the Younger Generation, are perfectly con- scious that this war now progressing is not the last, nor the next-to-last-even close to that. We may, like so many others, have to face two wars in our lifetimes, since they come at approximately twenty-year intervals. But observe—we are not weak-kneed with horror; we are not cursing our distant forbears for bringing all this upon our youthful heads; as a matter of fact, though we are conscious of our civil duties, at the moment we are worrying whether the Red Sox can take the oppressing Yankees. We prefer that sort of war. Mothers often see a movie like ‘All Quiet on the Western Front'’ and come home with the idea of throwing their children out the window so that they will escape the horrors of such a war. What a silly, though very human reaction! And what a grim, cruel thought! Naturally, one doesn't take that kind of notion seriously but there are perfect- ly serious ideas of transporting children to Wango- Pango for the same reason. By doing so those parents would deprive their children of all the re- markable opportunities for happiness which lurk ARTS mil elm all over the world. There is so much to live for that taking the risk of being involved in a war, no matter how grim and cruel, is a small hardship. The chances are good of keeping clear entirely. What to live for? Art, music, green fields, base- ball, football, food, books, fishing, business, loaf- ing, radio, work, wives, husbands, children, politics, fighting, cars, travel, social climbing, nonsense, writing, poetry, natural history, mysteries, funny papers, friends, overs, plays, wines—liquors, if you like—mountain climbing, practical joking, movies, boxing—what else? All those things to enjoy— hard work one of the best, with problems to face —it all makes a grand existence. We may have to fight off a terrific national debt—all this is the spice of life! How would we like living in a Utopia? Nothing to life but a bowl of cherries— lucrative jobs, peace, etc? It would be a terrible state of affairs. How much better that we must get out and get under’; that there is a burden for us to shoulder? True, if there were only one of us to carry the burden single-handed, like At- las, then we would have reason. for despair. But there are millions of young, capable shoulders to shoulder that burden. And we all intend to shoulder it. We do not intend to be satisfied with being cogs in a wheel. We may be such cogs but we shall strive for personal gains and outstanding achievements. Teamwork is all very well—it is fine, but there is a strong, unrelenting urge to leave one's mark in the world. There will be few such marks but competition is more likely to produce bigger and harder-to-erase marks. A very select few will make history—not, | hope militaristic his- tory. Even if many of us die unknown—even un- savory, if we have had our small measure of happi- ness and satisfaction, there will be little personal regret at dying in such an unpretentious fashion. | have spoken in an optimistic vein, but will close with a higher note of optimism. It may be true that civilization is preparing to hibernate for a few centuries; it may be true that mankind is running a very bad race; if all this is so, don't wait for us to give it a shove in the backward direc- tion—we will grab it by the suspenders and haul it back to its proper level, God willing. Paul Bacon. S(C{r (NOME 9

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esa CReE ie iOsBEGA SENIOR It's great to be a senior of dear old Arts High But sad | am to realize the years are fleeting by, For | have been so happy here and cannot understand Why there must be an end to things just when one feels so grand. | thought it fine to be a sophomore four short years ago, For | was but a freshman then and was quite filled with woe. And when | was a sophomore | had the fondest dream To be a junior, for, indeed, | held them in esteem. And then a junior—what a thrill—a fourth year student soon... And now that time has come it seems, | sing another tune, A thrill to be a senior, but sad | am ‘tis true Because, Arts High, it means that soon | say farewell to you. Anne Cucciniello. PIS UES) pH rinb SONA OH TOME