Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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THE SPECTATOR Man an? Nature O'er the things of earth in nature Man has somewhat of controlg Year by year his mighty armies New undreamed-of powers enroll. Wind and water, nature's weapons, To his hand have been inclinedg E'en the swift and mystic lightning By his skill has been connned. And the evanescent sunbeam, Goal of every infant's dream, Thru the force of man's persistence, Makes to tlow a living stream That transforms the barren desert: Stately trees in splendor rise, Underneath whose shadows nestle Oases of Paradise. But 'tis not without contention That man thus extends his way: Shattered armies, battered outworks, Mark the progress of the fray. For old nature's powers titanic, On this curious mundane sphere, Wage with man unceasing warfare For the sole dominion here. And the vantage first with nature, Passing slowly unto man, Turning quickly back to nature, ln the end is lost to man. Likewise in domains celestial Are man's sturdiest efforts vaing Tho he smile or tho he grumble, Down will come the fresh'ning rain Or perhaps the feath'ry snowflakes Thru the cold and frosty air Uninvited drop upon him, Clothe him in a mantle fair. Not he alone by heaven is shrouded ln a robe of ,qlist'ning whiteg Deep down under earth's warm cov'ring All the flowers lie hid from sight. Here they pass the dreary winter, Snugly 'neath the frozen sodg Hear their low sweet voices murm'ring, Man, abide the will of God. M.

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l 4 THE SPECTATOR -? 77.7 fr .YY 41--,f As he bent over the corpse to draw the ring from her finger, he saw her slowly rise. Terror-stricken he fled, and she slowly made her way to her home and knocked loudly at the door. The mourning knight was aroused from his sleep by the appearance of his frightened servants, who said his wiie wished admittance. He gazed at them in wonder and said that he would rather believe that his horses were graz- ing out of the attic windows than believe their idle tale. No sooner had he uttered these words than he heard a heavy tramping of hoofs along the stairs overhead, and, thus convinced, rushed to the door and at once bid his wife enter. To commemorate this event he had stone heads carved and placed them at the windows, through which his steeds looked when his newly risen wife was waiting at the door for readmittance to his house and heart. They remain there to-day. The main feature of our drive was, as you might sup- pose, the cathedral, the second highest in the world and the most beautiful and imposing piece of gothic architec- ture ever built. We were inside only afew minutes and saw little of the interior. Over the three front entrances we Gnd representations of various saints and bishops, and above these rise the two great spires. The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1248 and the work contin- ued till 1437. From that time the progress of the construc- tion stopped until 1827, when the restoration began. On Sept. 4, 1842, the foundation stone for its continuation was laid, and twenty-one years later the interior was finished. In 1880 the building was entirely completed, and the inaug- uration took place on the 15th and 16th of October, when the last stone was placed in its position amid impressive ceremonies, in the presence of old Emperor William and nearly all the princes of Germany. Its towers reach an altitude of 511 feet. The nave is 145 feet from Hoof to roof. lt is impossible to gaze on certain parts of either the interior or exterior of this stupendous structure without feeling well-nigh crushed by the overpowering realization of the sublime. After seeing the cathedral we went to the ho- tel and secured a good ship, turning out early the next morning, as we wished to take a trip up the Rhine with a steamer which was to leave at 8:15. G. S., 'o5'.

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6 THE SPECTATOR The Quiet Life' By BLANCHE sr. CLAIR. lGraduatlon Essay. 1904, HE WORLD is slowly returning to a state of sim- plicity. We see this tendency in our homes, where the furniture is of the simplest sort-no longer profusely engraved or gaudily upholstered. But this evolu- tion from the complex to the simple is slow in thoughts and actions, and the world is still in a complex state. We may wonder when we hear the expression old as Niathusalah why the old patriarch lived to a greater age than the man of to-day. The reason is clear when we review the lives of the two. The former lived a simple life near to Nature, the latter lives a complex life away from Nature. ln this commercial and scientihc age, man's duties and needs have increased with his resources. Indeed it would seem that man must live an extremely active life in order to keep up with civili- zation. The daily duties are so numerous and so exact- ing that a man scarcely has time to eat or sleep. The night is consumed in business or social affairs. Meals are quickly eaten, often at the business desk, in order that no time may be lost or taken from work. lndeed it is a rare business man who can rind time to become acquainted with his family. A constant strug- gle for luxuries and privileges is going on. Men are being urged on by their ambitions and inclinations. They strive to obtain the luxuries of life. Their homes and lives are the result of their strenuous efforts. Our worthy President, Mr. Roosevelt, advocates a strenuous life. By strenuous life he no doubt means something noble and heroic-the life of a valiant Rough Rider. By weakling we may assume that he means people whose characters are weak and contemptible. Some men have been detailed by nature as Rough Riders, but the mass of us are destined to a life not strenuous but devoted to the quiet earning of our bread and the per- formance of our social duties. ln the history of civili- zation have not the greatest effects been produced by men whose lives have been quiet and simple? Say all