Chester High School - Flamstead Challenge Yearbook (Chester, VT)

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FLAMSTEAD CHALLENGE 17 from some hunters, captures the wolf, and places him in a zoo for everyone to behold. The bird is represented by the flute, the duck by the oboe, the cat by a clarinet playing in a low register, the wolf by the three French horns, and Peter by the strings. Each character has a special theme. These themes are played by the instruments before the performance of the music, so that children can associate them with the characters. There are also the recordings, Tubby the Tuba and Pee-Wee the Piccolo, which have the same purpose in mind. The instruments actually introduce them- selves to us. A story is told about those particular instruments to acquaint chil- dren, especially, with them. For the listener's enjoyment, once again, take Morton Gould's arrangement of Surrey With the Fringe on Top. The percussion section of the orchestra inter- prets the part of a horse jogging along. Then a crack of the whip is effected by the sharp impact of a percussion instrument simply adapted from wooden blocks. Here is another way in which an instrument is effective in playing its role. We should not forget the greatyinspiring church music. Although the organ is most important, the voices of a choir are instruments-in an exact sense of the word. Here is something more important than enjoyment of the music, the instruments-organ or choir or any other-touch us more deeply. An organ prelude and a chorale are what we like to hear, are important in worshipping Godg above all, they give us a real spiritual experience. From the simplest of enjoyment to a great experience-the instrument has carried us all this way. Perhaps the instrument senses its importance in appealing to our fancies, in providing enjoyment of music. An instrument deserves more than recognition as a man-made thing of wood and metall Music itself is a crea- tion of man. Without the instrument, music's deep and wonderful message could not be conveyed. Through Adversity to the Stars THIRD HONOR ESSAY Phyllis Whitcomb We have chosen as our motto, Through Adversity to the Stars. To us this means that we will try to overcome the things that stand in our way and reach our aims, our stars. Each of us has some aim in life-maybe it is high, maybe it seems quite in- significant. If nothing more or less, each of us aims to lead a happy and useful life. Next year some of us are going on to school, some of us are stepping out into the world on our own. In either case we shall meet adversities. Like everyone who has gone 'before us we shall find the going hard at times. Our plans will be upset, our dreams crushed by some unforeseen obstacle, some unexpected crises. To have for the aim of our life just to be able to speak and understand seems very meager to us, who take such powers for granted. Yet this was the case of Helen Keller. When she was 19 months old she was stricken with a fever which left her blind, deaf and dumb. In her autobiography she says, One brief spring, musical with the song of robin and mocking bird, one summer rich in fruit and

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16 FLAMSTEAD CHALLENGE We all know that we would miss our daily paper if we didn't receive one. just think of all the news we can comprehend in just one hour! There are so many advantages of the daily and weekly papers that it is hard to find any fault with them, however, there is one large disadvantage. They may become vehicles for organized propaganda. This would affect the welfare of the American people so much that we must be on the look-out for such an occurrence. Journalism, within the last two hundred and fifty years, has become practi- cally an industry in itself, and reaches more people than any other big business in the world. Today, as never before, the people of the United States are able to grasp the news of the world simply by reading their daily paper. We must all agree that journalism has certainly spread nation-wide! Insirumenially Speaking SALUTATORY ADDRESS Lois Mansur A baton is raised-the conductor points his instruments to action. Imagine that you hear the smooth, swift beginning of a musical composition that suggests a mountain shower. Then a soft tremolo of the bass indicates thunder, and a sharp Hash of lightning, intimated by rapid ascending arpeggios, is followed by a swiftly descending scale. More thunder precedes the return of the little shower. After this, a rainbow is hinted. This composition has been written to give a definite effect. As you listened, you thought of something specific-the thunder, lightning, and rain, and a moo-d has been created. This is true of the music that falls into the impressionistic and expressionistic classes. What is behind the composition? Gf course, it has melody and rhythm, it is written in harmony-but the instruments express the musicg they suggest the picture. Then each one has its role of creating the mood or impression. Some assume the roles of familiar objects, animals, or even humans. One of the outstanding instruments in an orchestra that are personified is the bassoon. It has been called the clown of the orchestra. Perhaps this is because it makes a point of counterpoint with a twinkle in its eye. Of all instruments, I can think of none which presents a more beautiful portrayal of human feelings than the violin. It is no wonder that music has been conceived especially with the idea of bringing out its human quality. A particular symphonic suite with this idea in mind is Scheherazade, by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is based on tales from The Thousand and One Nights, in which a certain Sultan vows to slay each of his wives. Sultana Scheherazade saved her life by telling tales to the Sultan over a period of a thousand and one nights. Throughout the suite, the violin solo appears as the narrator, Scheherazade. Always the stern Sultan is the full orchestra. Scheherazade is a classical work for the listener's pleasure. As a way of contrast, the creation, Peter and the Wolf, has the primary purpose of teaching children to recognize the instruments of the orchestra. Of course it is enjoyedg it has appeal for both children and sophisticated adults. Like Scheherazade, Peter and the Wolf is based on a story. In short, the wolf has gobbled up a duck, and has threatened the safety of the cat and bird. The boy-scout, Peter, with aid

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18 FLAMSTEAD CHALLENGE roses, one autumn of gold and crimson sped by and left their gifts at the feet of an eager and delighted child. Then, in the dreary month of February, came the illness which closed my eyes and ears and plunged me into the unconsciousness of a new-born baby. She was like a' little animal as she tugged all day long at her mother's skirts. You ought to put her away, said Helen's uncle, she is mentally defective. Mrs. Keller never gave up hope that there would be a way to help Helen. When Helen was seven years old Anne Sullivan became her teacher. With great patience and courage she taught Helen to read and to speak. Thus Helen Keller penetrated the barriers that stood in her way and reached her personal goal. -- Our own personal goals are swallowed up by a greater goal-you might call it the aim of our generation. Perhaps the greatest purpose of our generation is for all the nations of the world 'to live together in harmony. We know that another war will mean drafting both men and women into the armed forces. Great losses in material things will weigh us down with taxes, our cities will be demolished by 'atomic bombs, much suffering will be incurred, and many lives will be lost. Our personal adversities seem unimportant compared to the obstacles that stand in the way of peace. Is it possible for all the nations of the world to live together tranquilly? Fear and distrust are two seemingly insurmountable obstacles. With each neighbor country searching constantly for improved weap- ons, and planning always for defenses, 'how can the nations feel safe unless they occupy themselves with the same race for armaments? Or is the neighbor country arming? How do we know what to believe, or how can we trust them? One hope for cooperation among the countries of the world lies in the United Nations. The United Nations was not designed to make peace but to keep it. We must not expect too much of this comparatively new organization, but we must have faith in it and support it, if it is to be the fulfillment of our goal. The last war was almost lost at Dunkirk but our cause was saved by the unexpected power of the Royal Air Force, a relatively small group. This motto of ours was also the motto of the Royal Air Force. It may have helped them to achieve what they did. We hope that it will help us not only to arrive at our personal goals but to make the dream of our generation come true-that we may live with the people of other lands in peace. Class History Jean Webb The September of 1945 holds a very special place in the minds of this grad- uating class. That was when we began our four years' journey, a journey which has brought us to this milestone which is even more important. As we look back and recall early memories we find that things have not changed so very much. We had thirty-four members when we began but some have left us and a few have joined our ranks. A much dreaded event took place that fall-none other than the freshman initiation. But didn't we hav 'fliftll With our books in bransacks, skirts upside down and pants wrong-side-out, we enjoyed it more than the seniors to whom we had to bow. That evening, still very rosy after scrubbing off the lipstick with which we were smeared, we appeared at the dance given in our honor.