Brodhead High School - Red B Yearbook (Brodhead, WI)

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We have by and large achieved the American goal of equal and enlightened education for all Americans. But now it seems our way of life will be faced with extinction unless we can share the same oppor- tunity with all peoples of the world. To do this we must make certain that our education is always based on truth and always superior to any offered under any other system of government. Let us now consider in what ways our own educational institutions are meeting this challenge. There are at least three present trends to make the school of more benefit to the citizens of tomorrow. The first is a tendency toward a more diversified curriculum in high school to serve the student who will go no farther in his education. The second is development of community schools more readily adjustable to the needs of the student. The third is the turning of the schools to the out-of-doors to help city children dis- cover the secrets and rewards of woodland and meadow. Always there is talk of the mistakes of the schools and We admit our educational institutions may not yet be perfect. Thank goodness We live in a country where we are free to criticize and complain-for only thus can we mend errors and weaknesses! In the present age the critics must remember the schools share the responsibility of child education with the movies, radio, television, news- papers, magazines, and sad to say, the comic book. To those quick to criticize the school, We say remember that schools reflect the society they serve. To reform our schools we must first reform ourselves. We must meet the challenge of the times for to fail in the schools will also surely mean to fail our democratic way of life. If society clearly defines the new duties it wishes the schools to take on, and if it steadfastly supports them not only with money but also with faith, our schools will surely justify that faith in the future as they have in the past. -Marty Peterson. PEACE WITH FREEDOM CO-SALUTATORY The one and only possible formula for peace was discovered by the Founding Fathers when they indited and implemented the American Declaration of Independence. Down through the years this document has been a thrilling message of hope for mankind. As we read this for- mula for peace we are inspired to rededicate our lives to the perpetua- tion of freedom for all mankind. The men who wrote our Declaration of Independence were think- ing of the individuals who were seeking liberty, happiness and peace in America. They had learned from experience that the God-given liberty of the individual citizen soon disappears if governments and men are unrestricted. The result of this experience was that the Declaration of Independence charged the new government with the duty of protecting the personal rights and inforcing the personal duties of men. In these days of great trial and world crises one often hears pleas for world peace. Everyone wants an end to the wars, suffering, and strife that plague the world. We all want an end to cold wars and in- ternational quarrels. We are tired of bickering between countries and we want friendly and peaceful relationships between nations instead of jealousy. We all want these improved conditions, but we differ in our X

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so firmly established! Daniel Webster said, God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always willing to guard and defend it. The Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, or any other legal document, or a thousand freedom trains filled with historical documents and traveling from city to city can not guarantee that this way of life will be passed on to our children . . . that is our responsibility. The future of America can only be secured if we re-affirm the beliefs of our forefathers-that real security and self-reliance are inseparable. -Beverly Fairman. HOPE THROUGH EDUCATION CO-SALUTATORY e The United States, the oldest republic in the world, has the oldest public school system. We all know that public education began in co- lonial America. Education has always been highly regarded in America because of its promise to bring to reality the American dream of the ideal society and the good life for all. Now our American ideals and dreams face the threat of usurpation by an opposing ideology. We are well aware of how Communism is spread by deliberate manipulation of educational institutions. To judge the ability of our schools to withstand infiltration by a false ideology we may do well to look back in order that we may look forward the better. Henry Steele Commanger, noted Columbia University historian, lists four major gifts from our schools to the American way of life. The first of these gifts was the creation of an enlightened citizenry --an absolute necessity for successful self-government. The success of this gift can be attested to by a look at the presidents we have elected. Certainly mediocre presidents have been selected, but never a wicked or a dangerous one. Our leaders may have carried the Big Stick upon occasion but never have they lowered an iron curtain between millions of peoples and the outside world. We have faced ever recurring differ- ences and problems, but through compromise we have avoided revolu- tions and continuous political crises. The second of these gifts was the development of a national unity. The early colonists, because of diverse backgrounds, seemed to have a greater number of differences than points of agreement. Somehow they learned to work together and soon found more and more common in- terests and common goals to unite them. Since then our schools have held the key in carrying on the goal of striving for an imperishable na- tional unity to carry our country through each new crisis it must face. Third of these gifts was Americanization. Millions of immigrants have entered our country throughout the years. In our schools these people and their children have learned our language, history, customs, and ideals. Thus were they assimilated into our way of life and in a short time came to feel they, too, were Americans. ' And the fourth and greatest of these gifts our schools have given was the drive for a continual striving for the goal of equal opportunity for all. Our society, profoundly varied in racial background, in religious faiths, in social and economic backgrounds, has had to combat the forces of riotous privilege and disastrous division. These forces have been con- tinuously battled in the schoolroom where children have lived and learned in equality. Throughout the years the education of all its chil- dren has been the foremost concern of its citizens.

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ideas on how to obtain them. Some people favor an appeasement policy whereby we would give in to countries that opposed us. But this type of policy would not bring us lasting peace, it would only prolong the day when we would have to stand up and fight for our belief in freedom. So, an appeasement policy certainly would not solve the problems that con- front us. But there is another way to achieve peace. We can obtain world peace and mutual understanding between all nations, if the citizens of all nations of the world live in freedom and can have a voice in their governments. But if every major nation in the world does not have a representative government through which its citizens can express their opinions there will continue to be strife between countries. Here in our own nation, school children are promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They are told of equalization of oppor- tunities. They are taught to expect something for themselves. They should be taught to safeguard these privileges for others. They are taught that democracy has been set up for the benefit of each of them individually. And so it has. Butthey have not been told often enough that its benefits can be gained most fully only through giving these bene- fits to others. The state bestows on us the rights of citizenship and guards these rights. In America our state is its citizens. It is we who bestow those rights and guard them. It is this gift and this guardianship that are the privilege of the citizens of a democracy. The freedoms granted in our democracy are our responsibility. They are the responsibility of each individual citizen. We know that to grant civic privleges to those who would destroy the Bill of Rights is to endanger the rights of all Ameri- cans. Today it is both a responsibility and a privilege to deny rights to those who would take them from us. We know, furthermore, that to place unlimited responsibility in the hands of one man, or a small group of men, is to lose all freedom. We must each of us, therefore shoulder a share of the responsibility by going to the polls on election day. Each citizen registers his judgment as problems affect him. If the majority benefits, the problem is settled favorably, if not, unfavorably. To be in- telligent about public issues is to understand them as they affect all citi- zensg not simply as they affect you. It is your responsibility to vote for your fellow citizens, as you would wish them to vote for you. It is your privilege to ensure for your fellow citizens the rights and freedoms guaranteed by our Constitutiong it is your responsibility to ex- ercise your citizenship at the polls to protect the freedom of the citizens. If democracy is to survive it must be made to work. There may be those in our land who doubt if democracy can work for all men. The choice is between the privilege and responsibility of working for your fellow countrymen, and the loss of all privilege and responsibility. We must exercise our citizenship so that our freedoms may not be taken from us. Besides having our democratic principles and system to use in our work for world peace and freedom, we also have vast natural resources, a well-trained and well-equipped army, a large reserve of young men from which to draw in case of an emergency, the largest and best navy in the world, and a large air force ready to carry atomic and hydrogen bombs which we have stockpiled. All of this might and power is, per- haps, one of our greatest implements with which to work for world peace. Also we have allies who would help us in the event of any ag- gression toward us or any other 'free nation of the world. Any would-be aggressor would certainly think twice before attempting to antagonize such power.