Bucyrus High School - Bucyrian Yearbook (Bucyrus, OH)

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CLEO J. DE LASHMUTT Philomathean Ragus Girls MUSIC the rustle of the leaves in Summefs hush, When wandering breezes touch them, and the sigh That filters through the forest, or the gush That swells and sinks amid the branches high, lTis all the music of the wind, and we Let fancy float on the Aeolian breatth The right to like or dislike music or a musical composition without giving a reason has long been regarded as CO- existent with human freedom. Music has been a sort of Cinderella of the Arts, sometimes observed, incidentally admired, but generally treated as of no serious importance in the presence of her favored sisters, Paintingr and Poetry. No one, 'who has not at least learned the difference between a pen sketch and a water color painting, presumes to pronounce an opinion on the merit of a picture; so it is with a musical composition-no one should judge a selection unless he has learned the difference between a Massanet production which refreshes the intellect by its appeal to your feet and one of Beethovenk masterpieces Music is rationalized emotion and must be heard to be appreciated, the same as a picture must he Hrst seen to be appreciated. Have you ever stopped to think how music really influences you and what emotions it calls forth? It soothes the sad, encourages the helpless, enlightens the whole world, and causes things to appear in a more beautiful aspects Let us turn to the church on Sunday morning; there are prayers, a sermon and the InusiC-the choir begins to sing. Does not this arouse in you the purest and loftiest of emotions? VVhat emotions are aroused by that martial funeral dirge? An almost suHocating feeling of sadness and sympathy, associating with the mysteries of the Great Beyond. This really is one value of music. In a literal sense it brings all Heaven before our eye, and recalls and discloses eternal truths and relations. . Is not the slow, beautiful wedding march of Lohengrin a sort of sad farewell to the maiden, which however, soon breaks forth into a happy futureeof wedded bliss. Then there is 'the stirring music of the brass band, and of the street piano. All of these play upon our different emotions, but music influences everyone in a way that nothing else can do. However, most people have vague and unsettled ideas as to the expressive power of Music, and in looking for something which does not exist, they fail to hnd that which does. This vagueness arises from three causes; first, ignorance of the true nature of musical expressiveness; second, ignorance of musical history; third, foolish Criticism. Music is an art which expresses moods, and it expresses them with detiniteness, eloquence and inHuence. Many who are ignorant of music try to discern in it the cause of moods, and that is just what music cannot tell us. Bulwer says, llMusic once admitted to the soul becomes a sort of spirit and never dies. It wanders through the halls and galleries of the memory and is often heard again, distinct and living, as when it first displaced the wavelets of the airfT And in the words of Shakespeare, llThe man that hath not music in himself, and is not moved by concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, strategems and spoils. Let no man trust himf, 26

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WHAT CAN WOMAN DO? Each one leaves a record of his deeds in the final history of his race. Could this one thought be impressed upon the mind of every woman, there would follow such a great revolution as would cause this world to stand in amazement when seeing the results that would follow. Next to God, we are indebted to woman for the making of this world. Woman it is that can make this world an Eden if she will, but her intlucnce can also be used for evil. We will now speak of the woman who exerts her influence for good and who seizes every opportunity for making the future better and shedding peace around her. Some one has said gIn all history the strength of any nation is measured by the condition of the women of that nation, and will he throughout all succeeding ages. She may learn any trade for which she has the ability to master. Before the Civil War the majority of occupations were thought not appropriate for women. But when the war talled forth hosts of men from the north and south, the business of the time demanded tens of thousands of women to fill vacant positions. From that time a mighty Change took place favorable for female employment. Among the occupations for women are, music teaching, school teaching, florists, bookkeeping and banking, a work Clean and honorable, suitable for any woman. Among great women who have done much for their country is Dorothy Dix, liThe Angel of the Insane Asylumsf, Through her power of voice and intellect, the people saw that it was their duty to provide asylums for the are of the insane. Above all other positions is one in which she can accomplish most good for God and humanity. She can reign queen of the home. The husband goes out in the world to toil with his hands and brain to provide for the home, and the wife is to weave the results into the richest blessings. Talmadge said, llWoman sits on a throne so high, that if all the thrones 0f the world were placed on top of one another, they would not make for her a foot stoolfl Our great grandfathers thought they were by their votes putting Washington into the presidential Chair. But no, his mother, by the principals she taught him and by the habits she impressed made him president. It is the mothers duty to keep the home pure and happy. Ever since the world began, as long as the homes were kept pure in the nation, the people in the nation were strong in action and noble in thought. How true the old saying is, lVFhe hand that rocks the cradle rules the worldfl The early impressions are the best, and it is during this character forming period that woman can use her influence. Now I ask, does woman in reality rule, and, is it not her duty to act her part well? Look how woman has used her inHuenee against intemperanee, the great foe which destroys happiness, breaks the hearts of wives and mothers and brings poverty to the home. In order however to accomplish anything along this line she must become the highest type of womanhood, a pure Christian woman. The task of the Christian woman is laid before her, but her reward will be received through all eternity. ORPHA O. COE Alpha Zeta Ragus Girls

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VQUEEN VICTORIA No other sovereign of England was better known or held in higher esteem than Queen Victoria. She was the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. From the time of her birth nothing but honor, loyalty and devo- tion were paid to her. Although there were possibilities of her not becoming queen, people always spoke of her as their future sovereign. i When she was about a year old her father died and her mother, although a foreigner and unaccustmned to the ways of English living, remained in England, in order that she might be able to bring up her child according to the laws and customs of the English people, whom some day she might govern. Victoria's study began when she was about four years old. At first she cared nothing for her books but later she took great interest in them. ' When Victoria was eleven years old she was told she would be queen. At this time the king was very sick and at his death the Duke of Clarence would ascend the throne, and Victoria would succeed him. Victoria kept her thoughts to herself and even her mother did not know how much she was dreading a life on the throne. When William IV ascended the throne a bill was passed which provided that she should come to the throne before she was of age but that her mother should rule with her. Victorials time was now all devoted to study and travel for the Duchess believed the best way the future queen was to know her country was to see it. The next year the princess and her mother spent much of their time in their yacht and the king was annoyed, for wherever they went they were greeted, not only with speeches, but with the firing of guns and he insisted that it was not legal and should he stopped as that honor was due to him alone. Victoria was a little over eighteen when she came to the throne and at this time a bill was passed which gave the House of Commons more power than it had ever had, so that the queen had much indirect influence but little direct power. When Victoria was twenty-one she married her cousin, Prince Albert. Victoria brought about a number of reforms, among them the most important ones being, the Postal Reform, the Repeal of Com Laws, Free Trade and the Repeal of Window and Newspaper Tax. Prince Albert died in 1861. In him the nation lost an earnest promoter of educational anal industrial reforms. In 1897, the Queen celebrated her Diamond jubilee and by this act the common people were led to know their ruler better than any other sovereign. Queen Victoria died in 1901, her death being partly due to the grief and anxiety caused by the Boer War. 27 GRACE D. DIMON Philomathean Ragus Girls