Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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- 14 THE MAGNET work of railroads. This has been accomplished especially for the con- venience of Dixi Hoyt, expert agriculturalist, and Edna Harris, the leading stock-raiser of that country. One of these routes brought us to India, and I recognized the Taj Mahal of the Emperor of India. What’s this for? To show me Pauline Norton and Christine Russell living in spinsterhood, having both been disappointed in matrimonial attempts, and who have secluded themselves under the pre- tense of being caretakers of the mausoleum. Hongkong, China. Gladys Barry, attended by a Page, is shown as agent for the Oakland car, and both have done a prosperous business among the yellow people. The screen went black and I heard a voice near me. ‘‘ How was it? Are all your questions answered?” : I blinked and rubbed my eyes. It was Cook who had spoken. “Fine,” I replied. ‘‘ Nineteen eighteen has made quite an impression, I should say. But what became of Harvey Thomas and Florence Spencer?” “ The greatest and least of our weighty number? Well, you step along to the next tent and you'll find out.” I did so. Miss Spencer was acting as a midget in the circus and Harvey—could it really be he?—was demonstrating Esther Jewett’s latest chemical compound, ‘‘ Reducine.” Harvey now weighed only one hundred and thirty-six pounds. I remounted my flyer and was’ soon back in Washington to report to the official secretary, Eva Kerr. I had been gone but three hours and I felt well repaid, for now the world would know of the progress of the class of nineteen hundred and eighteen. 7 WILLIAM H. LATIMER. The Value of Sacrifice to a Nation VALEDICTORY i this momentous period of the world’s history we hear much said con- cerning sacrifices. To every individual in every walk of life is con- stantly coming the call to sacrifice, that this great struggle may be brought to a successful termination. And we are led to ask ourselves, ‘What is sacrifice?” In the largest sense, sacrifice is the voluntary giving up, either for the sake of another or for some cause or principle, something that we value highly, the giving of which results in self-deprivation. Al- though it carries something of the giver with it, yet it brings back ten-fold that which beautifies and strengthens character. Sacrifice is inspired and animated by love. It is the love of parents for their children that makes them toil and sacrifice as they do for the welfare

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THE MAGNET 13 are presented to appear in a musical number entitled, “Trips on the Con- solidated. ” At the piano sits Wade Jewett. Now the scene shifts to New Mexico, with Mabel Shannon displaying Boston gowns in attractive colors to the Indians. On the right, the Misses Brown serve as models in millinery. In the background Canzadia Cook takes occasion to demonstrate her latest waltz song, “‘ Here’s to the Swiftest.”’ “ Quite interesting,” I thought. ‘I wonder who else is on the stage.” I was instantly informed. Reno, Nevada: AFTERNOON PROGRAM “ Taking Fences”’ Ella Ashe assisted by Rena McCarthy (All Star Act) “Motorcycle Expert” Hazel Tyler “ Famous French Singer”’ Octave LaClair “ Professional Comedian ”’ Willard Carter “ Skating Artist” Beatrice Harris What brought this group away out here? Oh, yes, here is the solution. Their conductor comes forth to introduce them; he is none other than Raymond St. George. Next, Florida appeared with its large orange groves. Among the trees I saw Alice Kirkpatrick, Eva Richardson, Grace Carter and Ruth King pack- ing crates with the oranges they had raised. Now I always thought Alice meant to be a Latin teacher. The screen became black. It was the end of the first reel. The second appeared two minutes later, entitled, ‘‘ Foreign Facts.” Petrograd, Russia. A mass meeting seemed in session. A bearded man arose and seemed to argue vehemently—yet to the interest and amuse- ment of the assembly. It was Francis Killelea at the same old trade. London. A session of Parliament. Eleanor Flinton and Katherine Dugan, pals of old, are the only women members of the House of Commons. A shift of scene to Oxford, and I beheld Agnes Bemis in a scholarly gown, now head of Pembroke College. Ayr, Scotland. A single small figure is sitting before the birth- place of Robert Burns. She is writing. Now the page on which she is writing is shown. It reads: ‘My Poetical Thoughts in a Poetical Atmos- phere.” It is Charlotte Sawin, now writing for the Scottish Revtew, edited by Helen Connor, whom I see in the companion picture. Gibraltar. In a submarine, just ready to submerge, I see the pilot Dauphinais. Below is printed, ‘‘ Daily News—Carrier to Kongo Free State.’”’ In the passage of the submarine it had occasion to stop at the Canary Islands. An inland picture presented two violinists on opposite sides of a huge-cage of birds of every hue. They ceased playing and faced the camera. Lucy Toolin and Lawson Hiltz, in competition to charm the largest number of birds to his or her side. Quite an Orpheus stunt, wasn’t it? A pause, and I’m now in Siberia. The impossible has been attained! In ten years’ time Everett Richardson has covered that country with a net-

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THE MAGNET 15 of their dear ones. It is the love of country that causes a man to offer the supreme sacrifice of his life in battle. It is the love for his fellow-men that impels the missionary to leave his home and perhaps a brilliant career to give his life in the service of others. In the strengthening and upbuilding of character, sacrifice is of infinite value. Whenever we deprive ourselves of something for a good cause, we unconsciously lay another stone in the foundation of that intangible thing which we call character. Anything that one gains by sacrifice is thereby prized and cherished infinitely more. Does not a college education mean much more to a young man who has had to work hard to pay his expenses and who has sacrificed time and personal pleasure for the acquirement of knowledge, than to one who perhaps has had his diploma handed out to him on a golden platter? The sacrifice of parents for their children is a fine example of true, unselfish sacrifice—unselfish because they ask nothing in return but the love and respect of their children. And then there are countless other sacrifices being made daily in all parts of the world which, though unknown to men and hidden in obscurity, are not lost, for each one sends forth its ray of light for the good of humanity. : “ Think not because no man sees Such things will remain unseen.” Thus we see the value of sacrifice in the developing of character. And the power of a nation lies in the strength of character of its people. The only thing which affects a nation as a whole is war, and so national sacrifice is made primarily through war. We Americans are proud to say that our country has always shed her blood for a principle and great ideals which, when attained, were all the dearer to us on account of the sacrifice that had been made. Do we not have a higher esteem for our liberty and freedom when we remember that our ancestors fought and died for those very things in the Revolutionary War? Think of the hardships undergone by that brave little army of Continental soldiers. Poorly fed, raggedly clothed, and even at times unsupported by their own Congress, they sustained their courage even throughout that terrible winter at Valley Forge, cheered and inspired by the exemplary conduct of their great commander, George Washington. Those men sacrificed dearly for one idea—a principle; and when liberty finally came, the fresh remembrance cof the bloody sacrifice of the Revolution was the means of uniting the exhausted colonies into a weak but single nation. Today we often see the inscription, “ E Pluribus Unum,” one from many, expressing in a simple manner that great event in our country’s history. The sacrifice of both North and South in the Civil War, more recent in our memory, welded another link in the chain of National Unity. Not only was a disgraceful stain removed from our country’s records, but also the hazardous question of State rights was settled forever. ‘“We are now engaged in a great world war, testing whether the Ameri- can nation,’dedicated to democracy, can long endure.” The country is making the greatest sacrifice in its history. The million American soldiers