Billerica Memorial High School - BMHS Yearbook (Billerica, MA)

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On a Noble American An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man. The Piictican public school, introduced one hundred years ago, bears out the truth of tinis statement, for in that institution is reflected “the character of the great ploneer of American education, Horace Mann. Paramount in his character were self-sacrifice and con- plete surrender to a cause... Contrary to the advice of his friends, prompted only by altruism, he gave up a promising law career to accept the secretaryship of the newly-created Massachusetts Board of Education. From an occupation which offered merely great pecuniary returns, he turned away his footsteps to slave fora creat idenal--free education for everyone--an ideal which he accormlished after twelve years of pnp ing against the indifference and hostility of the public and the lack of sympatiy of the legislature. As strongly ingrained in Mr. Mann's charicter ac self- sacrifice was truthfulness. He wags the bee of truth, and hé would have it at all cost. “Zducation is to inspire the love of geathit he maintained, “as the supremest good, and to clariry the vision of the intellect to discern 1%, Patience was one of his cardinal attributes. During his years of teaching, he graciously suffered the errors and ignorance of his pupils, and always had a kind and sympa- thetic word for. tnhcm.

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ee te 8 SE RON Ore ee cee ee ee o. = - sideration, the charactcr of a wreat scholar whose reflec- ofive aie results in inaction. Hamlet's inaction is the cause of 211 the bloodshed in the pvlay. Hanloet typifies the writers, bookmen, and men of sedentary life who cannot do be- cause they see so many ways of doing. A final value in the study of literature, closely re- lated to the insight it gives into sijnificant types of hu- man character, is the knowledge it gives of the way people in different lands interpret the world cbout them. Colonel F. E. Lavrence, in his Revolt In The Desert, describes his exploits among barbarous, uncivilized Arabs, who were antag= onistic to the Inglish efforts to bring modern ways of liv- ing and modern industrial methods into ‘the wilds of the Sa- hera. The Arabs did not think that the plundering | of small tovms or of tradirg caravans was wrong, since that was their only lucrative occupation in the wastes of the desert. Books, then, are an inexhaustible source of delight, of inspiration, and of informetion. They bring beavty into our lives; they acquaint us with the ideas and ideals that heve influenced the world; they give us a better knowledge of hu- man nature,and they familiarize us with the customs and tra- ditions of other lands. Dreams, bool:s, are each a vorld, cnd boolts, we know, Are a substential world, both »ire enc ;.ood. Rouna these, with tendrils strcoag es flesh and bliod, Our pastiise and our hap; iness will -rov. John Andrew Condon, Ir. wn

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Closely allicd with his paticnco was hi's loving nature. He understood children and loved tiem for the chastity and bliss of their untried souls. He said of the ‘ere thou- sand pupils in Massachusetts, They are my children, present to my mind evory day. I never lie down to sleep, nor rise from it, without thinking of them. They live in my heart. I desire te give them the substentianl blessing of deeds and sacrifices rather than thc empty one of words and forms. Mr. Mann was industrious. He believed that, just as food is produced to be eaten, just as houses are built for shelter, and just es highways are cons trtenan to be trav- . Olcd, so our rmscles and nerves are divincly instituted for work. His kindness overflowed him. His ‘advice, rathscr than Spare the rod and spoil the child, was, Punishment should never be inflictzd exccpt in the cases cf the extrensst ne= ccssity; while the exncrimont of syrnatky, conficense, per- suesion, oncouragenent, sio.ld te repeated, forever and ever, Mr, Mann was wholly unselfish. To,.the very end of his lits, he placed the interest of otnees ) avove rave ewe wel- fare. Aftcr a long illness, informe. that he nad only three hours to live, he satd, ZI have then something to do. He was told thet any disturbance would shorter his lifc, out he rcauestcd that hic studerits be culled. group formed by his bedsids. Half ising from his pillow, ne took cech one See