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

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TRUE BLUE 13 because of the energy and vigor of the people who used it. They at one time controlled the civilized world, and when the Empire fell the language remained. Next in turn came the French lan- guage, which was so well adapted for polite communication. How- ever, the English language is fast supplanting the French. The spread of the English language, like that of the Latin, is due to the nature of the people who use it. The two languages which in the future are going to battle for supremacy are the Russian and the English. Both the English speaking people and those who speak Russian, are people of energy and rigor. English is better adapted for a World language than Russian. Every language in its infancy is complicated, and has many inflections and various forms. As a language growrs in age it becomes more simple and drops superficial endings. This was more true before the age of printing. It is almost impossible to lop off unnecessary forms now. Printing has practically crystali- zed languages in their present form. Russian is one of the most complicated of languages, very difficult to acquire, while English is easy of acquisition by word of mouth. English spelling is, how- ever, extremely confusing, and from the written page it is very difficult to learn. The hope of French becoming the World lan- guage was shattered when Clive seized India, and Wolf defeated Montcalm. At the present rate of increase in a short time civilized people speaking English and Russian will far outnumber those speaking any other language. It cannot be expected that the population of the United States will continue to increase so phenomenally, for its astonishing increase has been due to large immigration of peo- ple speaking a different language. This cannot continue. On the other hand the building of the Siberian railroad is open- ing an outlet for the overflow of population of Russia, and many from other lands are pouring into the newly opened territory. Doubtless the outpouring of Germans hitherto directed chiefly toward the United States will be directed towards South Africa. The English speaking people have divided into two branches, the British Empire and the United States. The latter branch is going to play a prominent part in spreading the English language over the world. It is our duty then to keep it pure and vigorous.

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12 TRUE BLUE Developement of Languages By Clarence Johnson. In the beginning of the seventeenth century French was the language of diplomacy. It was the language that educated men of differing languages were most apt to be able to converse in. To- day the French is fast losing its prestage and English is the language that is superseding it. It is not so much the fitness of a language that gives it world wide acceptance as it is the vigor and energy of the people using it. Earlier in the history of the world it was the Latin tongue that found wide acceptance because the Romans were a conquering na- tion. It was the energy of the French that gave their language wide acceptance. In the coming centuries the contest of languages will be be- tween the English and Russians. The number of people speaking Russian is underestimated and the increase in the population of that country is not realized by Americans. The Siberian railroad has opened up a vast area and population is pouring in. The English language is fortunate in that it is a simple lan- guage gramatically. It has dropped the complications of construc- tion which young languages have. This makes it easy to acquire by word of mouth. This language is unfortunate in one thing and that is its spelling. Tnis is being gradually reformed. If it is to be reformed it will be the task of the Americans to do it for the English people are too conservative. Russian is still prim alive in its forms and grammar and will find it hard to reform since printing has been invented. Printing tends to crystallize a language in its present form. In making English the language of diplomacy the world over the Americans will have no small part. The Progress of the Languages. By Clarence E. Johnson. Clarence Johnson, in his essay, worked out the progress the English language had been making toward becoming a World lan- guage. He pointed out that Latin at one time was the language of diplomatic communication between civilized Nations. This was

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14 TRUE RLUE Class Statistics. By Olga Hanson. ■ Miss Olga Hanson presented the class statistics lest some- thing might escape the notice of those present at the exercises. The class is composed of 28 brilliant members, 18 girls and 10 boys. We have heard “The Stoics” mentioned as an ancient people. Like them the class of 1902 is ancient, being in the ag- gregate 512 years old. Although the girls feel no older than the boys yet they can count 385 years while the boys are comparative- ly young with 117 years. In making progress it is always well to have a high standing and the class of 1902 can boast of a higher altitude than any previous class graduated from the Hudson High school. The class rises to the dizzy height of 152 feet and as in most things the girls out reach the boys by 39 feet. Not only does this class tower above all others but it also has the greatest sta- bility and weight of any class. When once started on the road to success its momentum will surely overcome all resistance. The weight of the whole class is 3599 pounds. Again the girls lead with a weight of 2199 pounds avoirdupois against 1400 pounds on the boys side of the ledger. To show that the class is not out of proportion it can boast of covering 35 feet on the road to success. Of this the girls cover 21 feet while the boys spread themselves over only 14 feet. The class is quite cosmopolitan. Two girls are of Irish descent and though they are true Americans they still re- tain their Celtic wit and alertness inherited from their ancestors. Doubtless much of the enterprise of the class is duo to the large percentage of Viking blood coursing through the veins of one fourth of the class claiming Scandinavian descent. Three of these Scandinavians get their courage and valor from their Norwegian forefathers. Two inherit virtues from both Danish and Norwe- gian ancestors, one the commendable traits of pure Dani sh blood, while another traces his descent to the fair land of Sweden. One member of the class claimsPennslyvanian descentand all are proud of his persistent qualities. Four descend from the land of the Heather and Thistle. No one need be surprised to hear them break forth at any time and sing, Ye Scotts wha hae wi’ Wallace bled. Two members persist in humming “Die Wacht am Rhein.” Four are apt to sing “God save the King” instead of “My Country