Hudson High School - True Blue Yearbook (Hudson, WI)

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() TRUE BLUE known, and the Puritan movement springs from it as a side light. The Puritans banished from England, went first to Holland, then to America, a step to be justified, for they had been compelled to worship according to the King’s dictation. Preparing to obey God rather than man, they suffered many privations in the new country; to be in constant dread, both for their homes and government. But worse than even these, was the fear that they could not live up to their high ideals of life. The The fact that they did live up to them amid so much suffering, makes their heroism seem the greater. The Puritans were not heroes and heroines simply because they were stout hearted, but because they were stout hearted for an ideal religious liberty. Ex- cept for their belief in witchcraft, and for their intolerance of other’s opinions, they were distinguished for their common sense. The Puritan used reason to explain the sacred text, holding every one responsible for his own opinions. This latter element has made America the leader in the civilized world of today. The highest happiness was to serve the Lord, and gave to life a grand and holy ideal. Puritanism as form of government, failed, but the spirit could not die, and helped to give America its present ideals. Their se- riousness of mind is also a part of our National character. Will we be remembered two hundred and fifty years hence for devotion to ideals? The Civil War is one example of giving life for a great cause; and there are many others which we do not see clearly now. We are steadily working upward toward a more beautiful ideal of God, not thinking of him as a despot, but as our Friend and Guide. This is a spirit of Puritanism and let us strive to have more of it. Synopsis of “The Drama” By Bessie Bell. Bessie Bell discussed the evolution of the drama, bringing out the fact that literature is not manufactured but grows and is a representation of real and imaginative life. The drama is a great object lesson and in early times was in

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TRUK HLUK 0 The Companionship of Book. By Kitty Johnson. Kitty Johnson, in her essay shows us what good books may do for us. Human beings crave for companionship, a feeling which is shared also by beasts and birds. We may not always have our friends with us to comfort us; but there are always books. We should choose only valuable books which are now within the reach of every one. Some of us may have the pleasure of talking to a poet, who paints nature for us; or to a historian, who tells us how to profit by the experience of the past; or to a senator or president, whose words are unimportant, yet we covet such chances and neglect our books. Travel is broadening, but few of us have the opportunity; but by means of books we may see not only the present grandeur of kings, but also the civilization of ages. In early times the scholars taught their pupils orally. The masses remained in ignorance for centuries for books could be produced only by copying with a pen. Hence the noble ideas of the few scholars rarely reached beyond the sound of their voices. Books like friends should be well chosen for both influence character. If we cultivate the habit of good reading in youth, we will appreciate it in old age. Who is more to be pitied than one who, during life, has not come in contact with the great thoughts of great men? How would we regard a man wTho refused to enter into an inheritance produc- ed at great sacrifice and toil? Milton says, “A good book is the life blood of a master spirit. Do you refuse to be the heirs of the world’s master spirits?” Come and join this brotherhood of literature lovers, it will bring you all that is noble in life; all that is elevating. The Puritan Character. By Gertrude Otis. In Gertrude Otis’ Essay she shows us the early Puritan ideals which are the same as we strive for today. The Reformation is the greatest movement the world has ever

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TRUE BLUE nearly all countries religious in its teaching and portrayed truths which moulded human character. The Greeks and Hindoos alone produced the drama originally and independently of foreign inlluences hence the modern drama is a direct progeny of the Greek stage. Two conditions arc necessary for the production of a great and national drama—a period of intense activity or excitement and a public that appreciates works of art. This is proven by a study of Grecian history and of the Elizabethan age. The earliest dramatic representations were of Bible scenes. These for a long time in the hands of the priests were performed in the churches then in the churchyards and finally in the streets. The Guilds took charge of them on scaffolds of three stages thus representing heaven, earth and hell. The next slip was the erection of theaters and the introduc- tion of scenery in this manner passing from a religious service to one of the most popular amusements of the day. The two divisions of the drama—comedy and tradgedy, deal respectively with the lighter scenes of life and with its deepest problems. The American drama has always shown a great dependence upon former times and models since even after beautiful scenic effects have been placed upon the stage, it still retains the old style of plot. A dramatist to be successful must amuse and interest his audience. Censorship of the drama would take away many of the objec- tionable features found in some of the existing dramas and render them sources of culture and education to many people. Taste is rising to meet the dramatist as more and better plays are being put upon the stage every day. Two Queens of England. By Bertha Herum. Bertha Herum in her Essay “Two Queens of England” com- pared the lives, character and reigns of Victoria and Elizabeth. The motherless, secluded and poverty stricken childhood of