Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

Page 17 text:

NORMAL OFFERING 13 But to turn to man-made objects. Beautiful buildings, renowned paintings, jewelry, dress-all are made with balance as one of the underlying principles. Let us apply this natural law to what we ourselves do. How does balance play its part in your life? Do you use it in regard to your time? Do you give each activity its full measure of time and effort? As future teachers you cannot pass over this question with a cursory glance, for it is up to you now to make yourselves fit to mold younger lives. Very likely you all know the girl whose entire time seems to be spent chatting incessantly with her companions on weighty topics such as dress, appearance, and her friends' afairs. Mind, I do not wish to convey the idea that I think dress and ap- pearance a minor consideration for one in the teaching profession, but I do know they have their place and it should not usurp all time. Friends' affairs may be interesting but they do not improve the mind. This frivolous type of girl looks on school as an institution to be endured, hoping to get a degree or at least a recommendation on pure bluff, They regard books as unnecessary burdens to be carried in and out of classes, and turned in at the end of the year, if they are fortunate enough to have none missing. Dancing, chats, light novels-their ideas of living! They follow Epicurean philosophy, tho undoubtedly they would never recognize it by name. O ye of that type, learn what is meant by balance! Again you have all seen the girls who, finding pleasure in study- ing, are oblivious to all else, and forget to mingle socially, little realizing their great blunder in unpreparedness for their future social life. They will find themselves a bit lacking in the future. They have studied. Admitted. They are educated. Denied. For they are one-sided and deriving pleasure from social activities is an uninteresting and unsuccessful experiment to them. As teachers they will of necessity be forced to show their social powers and they have no background. They have studied so much, letting outside affairs pass by, that they are like the man who read a time table so much that, while reading it, he missed the train. Ye of this well- meaning type, wake! What are you going to do? It is up to you. Balance your time for study and for social activities. When you study, study hard. Concentrate every minute, but don't forget the other side-the social life. When you enter the social activities, put all your vim into it f

Page 16 text:

12 NORMAL OFFERING Class Representatives MARION FAHEY GOLDIE COLBURN FLORENCE JAMES RUTH HUNT RUTH REECE MARGARET SCANLON VVALTRUDE COLLINS WILLIAM ALTIER DOROTHY BURDING DOLORES MURPHY MARY DRAKE IRENE NOBLE CATHERINE GRIMSHAW MILDRED RICHARDS MARY LEARY ANN LAWN HARRIET DEACON DORIS SEARELL THEODORE SILVA EDITH ANDERSON Faculty Advisers MISS BEATLEY MISS POPE MISS NYE MR. KELLY MISS PREVOST EDITORIAL. STUDIES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS. One of the greatest laws of the universe and all therein is bal- ance. In nature, man-made objects, and even in our very acts, we see this law repeated again and again. Lovely flowers with their petals nicely arranged, please and fascinate, but should those petals have been promiscuously thrown on a green stem, we should seek elsewhere for our beauty. Verdant, or even naked, trees enslave our admiration, and mockingly scoff at the very elements, for should the sun weary of its work and rest lazily behind the clouds, forgetting to shed its splendor, which so enhances nature's works, or should the winds and storms become raging thieves tearing away their frivolous clothing, they would still stand in their glory stark and bleak against a delicate grey sky, winning- yea--coininanding the love of true artists. But why? Because they are constructed by Mother Nature according to the principles of true art, one of which is balance. How unpleasant it would be to see a tree with branches extending from one side only, with the other side appearing forlorn and dejected. It is true, an unbalanced state does affect one disagreeably.

Page 18 text:

14 NORMAL OFFERING and enjoy yourselves to the very depths. Don't get side-tracked. Balance your activities and let there be a place for both work and play so that in the future you may be well able to meet the intel- lectual and social demands without hesitation and acquit yourselves with merit. M. B. ..i A NOTE OF APPRECIATION The NORMAL OFFERING Board of 1924 takes this opportunity to thank all those who have worked so faithfully to make this book a success. To the Faculty Advisors the Board feels particularly grate- ful, since it was only through their helpful co-operation that much of the work was accomplished. The Art Department, under Miss O'lVIeara, has had a harder task than usual, but through the united eiorts of its members, has finished work of which it might well be proud. Particularly helpful have been the Special Editors and Class Representatives in the manner in which they have handled their part of the work. I PLAYING THE GAME Each year at Normal sees a growing interest in athletics, and the result on the whole life of the school soon becomes apparent. The meaning of true sportmanship is well-learned, and carried over into all fields of activities. No longer is the term restricted' to use on the hockey field or basketball court! We hear it everywhere we go. In class and out, we are learning to play fair. Time was when the connection between athletics and school life in general was vague and undefined, but that time is past. Too after all, isn't all our life with its various phases a game, where Right is struggling to win? Let us think of our course here at school in that light, and give Right a fair chance. Let's continue to Play the Game!