Eau Claire High School - Beaver Tales Yearbook (Eau Claire, MI)

Page 26 text:

Salutatory “Prosper i ty’’ JUANITA GOINS What can be a better recommendation to any community, state or nation than to have it said that it is prosperous. If the community is prosperous, we know there are people—real people—behind it all. So it is with the state or nation, as all of the greatest and best things always originate with the people, not the country as a whole. Classmates, we, who are graduating, have a keen responsibility upon our shoulders. It is in us the people have placed their trust, hoping that we will rise to the occasion and do our duty, whatever it may be. The United States, at the present time is in a very pleasant condition compared with the less fortunate European countries, but we have our problems to contend with —and serious ones too. The great wave of prosperity which has swept over our coun- try is in a large sense accountable for so much unrest and discontent, resulting in strikes. Along with high prices go correspondingly high wages, so that the people as a whole really have little to complain about. Perhaps it is not right to say all the people, because farmers, teachers and a few others have not been raised accordingly, but a better time is coming for them, as soon as their real worth is recognized by the public, for who plays a more important part in the development and sustenance of a nation than the teachers and farmers ? Not only in this country is our capital in demand, but abroad as well. There is much building and reconstruction work going on, both in Europe and the United States, and all this requires capital. Foreign countries must feel that we are prosperous or they would not place so much dependence in us, and our own people must have some- thing of the same feeling, in order to attempt the things which they have. This great work of reconstruction is not going to be finished in a year, and our capable readers of today cannot always be with us. New' men will have to rise to meet the responsibility It is the graduates of today who will be called upon to carry on this work, so we should strive to give the best that is in us. The results of prosperity are not always for the best. It is shown by actual fact that the National government is spending four times as much as it did before the war. State and city are following the same example, and it is needless to say how many in- dividuals are doing the same. What is to be done? The people seem to forget that al- though the cannon has ceased to roar and the majority of our boys are back to their homes, we still have battles to fight. People should take advantage of past history and profit by it. All of the great panics came after a period of great prosperity and in- flation. Can we not save ourselves from falling into the same pit? We need a better and more proper appreciation of the common everyday things of life. There is more needless spending and a greater tendency to speculation than ever before. Does it look as if America could afford it? With the cooperation of our more experienced friends, those to whom we are deeply indebted for their help and sincere regard, during our school days, we, who are about to venture into the vast unknown, will be able to do our bit toward bettering conditions and to master more successfully, the work which is ret before us. Twenty-four

Page 25 text:

“The Trail of Democracy” between these castes. A class distinction, something like this, only more liberal, has always been known even in our democratic country. Just as the Civil War factored so greatly in the elimination of racial castes, so the late war with Germany has been in- strumental in breaking down this other barrier to social equality. Where previously there had been only ill-feeling and bitter rivalry there is now a better sense of equality. The war seems to have opened the eyes of many people so that they can see the good points in others as well as in themselves. But after all this has not come about through war alone. What was gradually being accomplished without the intervention of the War has only been hastened by it. The real, underlying cause of this change has been the intellectual development brought about by the democratic principles taught in the schools. And in this democratic edu- cation, America has led. It was stated in the Ordinance of 1787 that “Religion, mor- ality and education being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” Then to prove that this was really meant it was provided that one section from every township in this Northwest Territory should be set aside for educational pur- poses. And as said, the public schools had to be made good enough that wealthy people would send their children to them rather than to private institutions. So they were made good enough and the wealthy people did send their children to these public schools. Thus all classes of children have been educated together in the schools of America. They have been taught the same principles, by the same teachers in the same school rooms. Why then should they not feel that they are only equal? Thus stands the situation today. Much has been accomplished, but much is yet to be done. Classmates, the future is up to us. In the past, men have handled trying situa- tions successfully. They are doing it today. In the near future, we must meet these situations. We must solve these problems, the solution of which will mean either the advance or decline of democracy. Can we take up the work and carry it through suc- cessfully? It is for that we have prepared and must continue to prepare. We must be ready to meet whatever problems may arise. Then we shall keep the ball rolling toward its goal, and the Trail of Democracy will not be interrupted. Twenty-three

Page 27 text:

Oration “Forward, America’’ Through what a crisis the past few years have brought us! From the balcony of the court of equity we witnessed the judge of “might makes right” pronounce the death sentence on democracy. But woe it was to Germany, there was a higher court to which the case of “Democracy or Autocracy” could be carried, where a judge of higher ideals resided, and where the jurors consisted of the people and not of chosen noblemen This court was the battlefield of the great war. The judge was the Almighty who reigns above, and the jurors were the brave soldiers who fought in the trenches, the sailors that battled on sea, the Red Cross nurses who cared for the wounded, the Y. M C. A., Salvation Army, and various religious orders who lightened the hearts of the fatigued, and the great majority that kept the mammoth machinery of preparation running like clock-work. It was all these that downed autocracy and said that democ- racy should not be put to death. The fight has long since ceased, but this does not mean that our work is done; it is merely commenced. Democracy has only once more been rescued from its toppling posture. It must now be steered unmolested down the long winding road of the future We must not let our grip slacken; and we must pave before it a road of higher ideals. The war has stimulated us with a desire to strive for more advanced standards of reality. Let us not let this desire smou'.der. Meeting it squarely is a great respons- ibility and we must fit ourselves for it. But as James Russell Lowell says: “Earth gets its price for what earth gives us; At the devil’s booth are all things sold, Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold. So it is with success. We pay a price and a dear one, but are we not repaid by that feeling of satisfaction, when at last we do accomplish some planned achievement? Is it realized that we are living in a day when more and better opportunities are waiting for each industrious young American ? The day is close at hand when in this great world of progress every man who has obtained the much needed bulk of all-around business knowledge will be able to step up and obtain the position he proves to be fitted for, no matter how poor his dress or meager his capital. While on the other hand the man of rich attire and what has been “influential wealth” will not be able to procure the position if he cannot meet the intellectual test set for him. It is then that this great nation of ours will advance with the most magnificent leaps and bounds towards the goal of higher democratic ideas, stronger cooperation and one-hundred per cent efficiency than ever before. And it will be then that every line of science and industry will cast off its inefficient members and demand interested men and women who are capable of managing and successfully coping with the difficult problems before them. The most vital consideration for the attainment of this stipulation is the practical though broad education consisting of the training of the hand, heart, and mind. This does not mean the devouring of text books as in years gone by, but it means the actual work of knowledge into practical use. And it is the man that is so trained that wilt be capable of taking the work in hand and standing by it to the finish. He will be a man equally developed physically mentally, morally, and socially. He will not only advance business principles but home environments as well. And without ideal homes this nation, or any other nation would be as unsuccessful in its aims as the French government was tn the settling of North America. So let us now build a solid foundation for the great responsibilities of tomorrow And in years to come may the pages of history show a great advancement in the so- cial, moral and intellectual ideals over those upon which this continent was founded and may “opportunity” and the “spirit of independence” be reflected more brightly from her name,—America. —Ruth La Plant. Twenty-five