Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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MIRAGE 11 holding parades on that day. Tt was first made a legal holiday in 1887, but now many of the states observe it legally. And now, although, we think of Thanksgiving as an American holiday, we find that a Thanksgiving Day has existed for many years. Indeed in the Book of Judges we read of how the Canaanites, after they had gathered their harvests, had a day for feasting and praising God; from that a similar day mav be traced through all the following ages. We can, nevertheless, justly claim those feast days of the Puritans as the foundation of our American Thanksgiving Day. Dur- ing the first year of their life in this country they had had discour- aging times, but they now had shelter and enough food and thought it their duty to thank God for it. After the year, 1621, when the first proclamation was issued by Governor Bradford, other governors followed his example. In 1789, Washington, as president, issued a proclamation and ocher presidents occasionally followed. But it was not till 1864, when President Lincoln appointed the fourth Thursday in November, as an annual Thanksgiving Day that it could be called a national holiday. The thing for the American people to guard, is that we do not keep it merely as a feast day forgetting the true thanks, which we owe to God. Last of all we come to the great day of all Christian nations, when we celebrate the coming of the Christ to this earth as a little babe. It was many years ago in the little eastern town of Bethlehem, that the King of Men and Son of God was born. As it was his habit to take the best of things which were in the world and remould them to higher uses, we find this day closely linked with the festal days of pagan nations, days when there were feastings and gifts, houses hung with evergreens and a striving for almost universal happiness. Tho Christians adopted these beautiful old usages merely changing the spirit. Gradually there have been new features entering in and now we have a very important character to the children—the Santa Claus. We have been accustomed to exchange gifts with friends and to endeavor to make it a day of true happiness. Through it all we shouid make it our aim to center our minds, at least, for a time during the day, on the true purpose and spirit of the day. When we are willing to forget self and consider the needs and desire of others and are willing “to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world,— stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger even than death— and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem over nineteen hundred years ago, is the image and brightness of Eternal Love”— then we are truly keeping Christmas.

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10 MIRAGE well as the others needed their labor? And if we think of these lives at all we can not help seeing their virtues beaming forth. They showed by their faitn and trust that the only sure and strong founda- tion for either an individual or a nation is reliance on the strength and power of God. If we observe these days as true Americans should, we shall certainly feel their influence and go forth better citizens. At the close of the Civil War there was no rejoicing over the defenseless men, women and children; and no boastful conqueror wearing a wreath of laurel as in olden times. Broadly contrasted with such a scene think of that picture of General Grant at Appomatox standing with his hands behind him, firmly refusing the precious sword of General Lee. Never was such a great war fought and never such a noble one. Each force seemed to be fighting for what it thought right. Neither do the commanders, good and noble, as they were, receive all the glories. But on the thirtieth of May, each year, we recall the many sacrifices and the grave of every man and boy who sacrificed his life for his country, is, if possible marked by some remembrance. We are sure of this much, that as long as a Union or Confederate veteran remains alive, Decoration Day will have the power to appeal to all the patriotism that there may oe within us. And now we approach the great day of Americans, the anniver- sary of our independence. It was in Philadelphia, on July 4, 1776, that the final Declaration of Independence was signed. John Adams, one of the signers, prophesied that in coming generations the day would be celebrated as an anniversary festival and gave us a famous quotation as to its celebration. He said, “It ought to be commemor- ated as a day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bon fires and illuminations from one end of the cont:nent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” As we think of these words, we come to the conclusion that we have kept very well the latter part of them; but the danger is that we have forgotten the first part and thus have a day degenerating rather then uplifting to our minds and hearts and lessening instead of strengthening our patriotic spirit. But as we look back on that Declaration we find it standing out as one of the grandest monuments in the progress of human freedom. On the first Monday in September, we celebrate a day for the working men, who have come to have such a great part in American life. It was inaugurated by the Knights of Labor of New York,

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12 MIRAGE tEIje ifooi-IBall After Whittier. (By Webb Vorys) Blessings on thee, little man, Rough-shod boy with face of tan; With thy padded pantaloons, And thy hoarsely shouted tunes, With thy red lips redder still; Where some “rough” has tried to kill, Yet, with sunshine in thy face, As thou tak’st again thy place; From my heart I give thee joy, I was once a foot-ball boy. Prince thou art—no learned grace, Can aspire to take thy place; Let base learning call in vain, Thou hast glory to attain, Thou hast gains, which must be run, Thou hast games, which must be won, Outward glory, inward joy, Blessings on thee Foot-Ball Boy. Oh, great joy for little pain, Oh, the honors that you gain, Health that mocks the doctor’s rules, Knowledge never learned in schools; Of the runs around the end, Of the goal you must defend, Straight buck, cross buck, forward pass, Plays now scattered—now en masse; How to block and how to fall, How to carry on the ball; Where the signals quickly call, When and where to use your skill, When you make a doctor bill; Which is weakest in the fray, Where to send another play; Where you can make one more gain And in joy forget all pain; When to call aloud for time, ’Ere you buck across the line, Making plays without a name, Till all other sports seem tame; For eschewing book and task; Rule books answer all you ask; Pride of victory now beams,— From your heart a letter gleams, Part and parcel of your joy, Blessings on thee Foot-Ball Boy.