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

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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

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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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TRUE BLUE 15 ’tis of thee. ” The reason you will understand when you know that their ancestors came from the “tight little Island.” Two are “Canucks” who have wandered over the border and are true Americans. Six are “Yankees” true and simple. Eleven of the twenty-eight are graduates from the English course, ten have finished the General Science course and the re- maining seven completed the Modern Classical course. All have decided to attend schools of higher education. Some intend to grace the pulpit with their eloquence, others will sway audiences and juries with their oratory and arguments, some are going to construct vast engineering works and others charm refined aud- iences with their music. In fact the whole class promises that all shall be “leaders and masters in every walk of life.” The Influence of Poetry. By Nina Nye. The very earliest forms of literature were poetry. These con- sisted of songs or ballads, sung by a class of men called bards, who made it their chief occupation relating the lives and exciting adventures of their ancestors. They did not write these rhymes but composed them as they sang. Homer’s Illiad and Odessy are examples. The earliest forms among the Anglo Saxons had the spirit of war and religion. In fact poetry has been ever connected with religion, which affords occasion for the expression of all hu- man emotions. These early narrative poems and ballads were re- peated and sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Later, poetry was written, and it could then be more easily read and carefully studied. Deeper subjects were treated by Chaucer, Spencer, Shakespeare, Burns, on down to Tennyson. The works of these illustrious writers flow like a living stream, rendering the imaginative products, the richest and most varied of modern times. With Milton we may trace the flight of his daring genius, through the regions of death, chaos. We may follow him farther and bathe our wearied spirits in Elysium, or wander with the heavenly guests through the fragrant groves and bowers of para- dise, listening to the song of earliest birds, and the sound of lulling waters, or reposing with the most innocent and loveliest pair the earth has ever born upon its bosom, beneath the lowering