Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

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pon the ng oft e dull the lst Md have a and to be ninery, ny oF gt wil end ergs, ys see {0 His ani Hon he ses observed is assertion career ant a his dot quatants ers, Wie ats and he was ot Shoot all vanpaty al uct ei prea a touch ours ie reall’ , stages resol’ tance BE pen hs I t and 58 b ide tee HIGH! SsCHOOik ANNUAIE ee course, another side on which to look—a brighter side. There is an experience obtained which we must have, no matter in what direc- tion we may choose to travel. It is safe to say that no student, however complete his educa- tion may be, will ever obtain this knowledge until he has come face to face with the original. To learn whom to trust, where to find suit- able companions, how to save money, how to win the commendation of those whose good opinion will help to sustain him in his under- takings—these are all lessons. A hard lesson to learn is to make no drafts on the future. He must be able to discriminate between the petty gains of the present and the more substantial (though less alluring) rewards of the future. He will get more real good out of his first year’s course in the world’s education than in any one year he spent in school. Taking all things into consideration, we have never obtained our highest diploma until we are about to step into our graves, until we have undergone that process of evolution through which all forms of life are compelled to pass. By mingling with the world we become more liberal-minded; we see how small a factor each individual is in the world’s civilization. We begin to see how others’ opinions conflict with our own, and why their convictions should be respected. Above all, we realize the necessity for all men carrying out the rule that includes all others: ‘Do unto others as you would they would do unto you.’’ Gy Isls INioy. “OF. Books. ‘The greatest benefactor of the human race is unquestionably the book. It is the means of handing down from generation to generation the manners and customs of every age. Books are the medium through which we are enabled to map out our future course, and, by the knowledge contained in them, to avoid many things that have proven insurmountable obsta- cles in ages past. They are the agents through which great scientists impart to us the knowl- edge they have acquired only by a lifetime of study and application, and were it not for the indestructible pages on which it is written, would be lost or forgetten. Books are the truest friends of man; not those “Who in his sunshine live, When winter comes, are gone.’’ Unlike human beings, they do not, under the so-called garb of friendship, cater to your wants when fortune smiles kindly upon you, and, when overtaken by adversity, repudiate you with scorn. Books are the inseparable companions of a great majority of civilized people. They are companions to which you may turn in moments of despair, and forget for the time all worldly cares. When men become disgusted with humanity and the world in general, and wish to tear themselver away from its evils and vic issitudes, they do not go into solitude with- out their favorite books. Even the ‘‘sceptered hermit, grand, gloomy and peculiar, as he sits upon his throne,’’has strewn about him books of art, science and philosophy. Through the pages of a novel we are brought in contact with great lessons in every-day life and are able to study character as it really exists. There are great treatises on philos- ophy, art, science and government, whose pur- pose is to impart to the student a knowledge of these subjects, gathered together from the writings and observ ations of great men. Students should be very careful as well as particular in the selection of their books, as many of those published at the present day are unfit to read, and are published only by de- signing men for pecuniary advantages. “Books of standard authors, or those that were published in the different literary ages and have survived the attacks of critics; books spoken of with favor by persons. of ‘known literary tastes or of ability to judge of the merits or demerits of a book, should be chosen. iL 1, OMIM, OR.

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16 HIGH SCHOOL ANN U AL. Three out of the seven of the class of ’97 remain in Madera, Lois Wilson, Maggie O’Mara and James O’Mara, who is in the em- ploy of Rosenthal Kutner. George Nicholson has been teaching school in Fresno County the past year. Merle Rush is living in Omaha, Nebraska, attending business college, and taking a course of stenography and typewriting. Irene Slaten is living in Oakland, Calif., at present. George Mordecai has taken his first year’s work at Stanford University this last year. af The Spirit of University Work. From the time a student enters college until he graduates he feels that he is working for himself, to perfect himself for the duties that would devolve upon him. The absence of anyone to goad him on and make him apply himself throws him on his own responsibility. He looks ahead of the present moment and sees and feels that every piece of work he does proves a valuable experience—strengthens him, makes him more able to seize upon and dea with difficult questions and adds to his store of useful information. The knowledge on the part of the student that a course of faithful study at a university will place him in a posi- tion which others have struggled half a life- time to attain, acts as a spur, sometimes too severely. Much to his surprise the student finds that he is quite willing to apply himself to the utmost. Asa general rule he does not view the work he undertakes as a task to be gotten through with as quickly as possible, but as a duty to be performed. Although much of the work is difficult and requires the closest application, it is extremely interesting and the main cause for this interest lies in thoroughness, and the ef- fort to reach the bottom of things. When aun able professor admits that ‘“‘he knows a little about some things in his own line’ one may begin to form an idea of this thoroughness which is the keynote to all uni- versity work. The student is expected to find out for him- self all that is known about a subject, and if possible, more besides. He is expected to spend time and labor sufficient to get the car- dinal points and principles of a subject and as, much detail as possible, and learn it thorough- ly. He is advised occasionally to concentrate his energies upon a few subjects rather than scatter them over many. A university seeks to turn out men who know what they know and know that they know it. A store of knowledge and of facts is held to be a valuable, but not the most valuable, ac- quisition a student has. The habit and ability of thinking for himself, the power of independ- eut research, the faculty of seizing upon the salient points of a problem and disposing of it in a logical way—these are some of the quali- ties a university seeks to instill. Er, No ING, “OF e eee A Student in the Worlds. How natural it is that a student in the last few months of his school career should have a wild desire to be in the busy whirl, and to be even a small part of the world’s machinery, It can be safely said that every boy or girl counts the hours which only too soon will end the happiest period of his life. Pythagorian theories, algebraic enigmas, scientific surmises, Latin conjugations seem to be the only problems to be solved. His ambi- tion is so great that in his imagination he sees himself at some future time the ‘‘observed of all observers.’’ However absurd this assertion may sound, nevertheless it is true. Now let us take our boy on his career and see the change. Taken away from his domi- cile, snatched from the circle of acquaintances, he is thrown in a world of strangers, where everyone is wrapt in his own affairs and sel- fishly considers himself alone. A month or two has elapsed, when his mind wanders back to the time when he was John Smith in the Seniors of the High School and he longs for the old-time feeling of sympathy and companionship. No matter how much the indif- ference and coldness of the worldis preached, the boys will still continue to desire a touch with the world. It is only when the doors of school life are closed behind him that he realizes the loneliness of his position among strangers. Thrown entirely on his own resources, he sometimes feels the need of assistance in meet- ing and overcoming the trials and tests that daily present themselves. While we look on the dark side there is of

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HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL. Uncalendared Herees. ae “The world goes round, the sun sets on despair, The morrow makes it hope; Each little life Thinks the great axle of the Universe Turns on its fate, and finds impertinence In joy and grief conflicting with tts own. Yet fate is woven with unnoted threads; Each life is centered in the life of all And from the meanest root some fibre runs Which chance or destiny may intertwine With those that feed a force or guiding thought, To rule the world; so goes the world around.” “To be wholly unconscious of rights and claims,’’ says Carlyle, ‘‘is to be a hero. Ina valient suffering for others, not in a slothful making others suffer for us, does true noble- ness ever lie.”’ Many heroes then we have, many who are “wholly unconscious of rights and claims.”’ With many heroes, with great deeds upon which the fame of these brave ones rest, we are already familiar, is there not an “innumerable company’’ of uncalendared heroes whose valiant deeds are none the less heroic because unre- corded? The brilliant achievements of Admiral Dewey at Manila have won the applause of an admir- ing nation. He is justly entitled to the eulo- gies pronounced and the honors conferred upon him for his daring, coolness and bravery. The names of Sampson and Schley are upon all lips, and minor engagements have familiarized us with the names of subordinate officers who are possessed of the same intrepid and daring spirit. But under the command of these men, mak- ing possible their brilliant achievements, are hundreds of the brave (rank and file) whose names were not heralded in the dispatches. There are gunners standing at their posts with a superb courage and an invincible determina- tion that knows no defeat. Amid the din and smoke of battle, amid the bursting missiles of destruction, are brave sailors moving to and fro in the faithful discharge of duty. Down below are the engineers, stokers and oilers, working amid conditions almost unbear- able, contributing their part to the efficiency of the ship’s action and the success of the engage- ment. One naval correspondent says that among the heroes on a battleship none have more onerous a position, and none more danger- ous than the stokers who tend the furnaces and pass the coal. As the battle goes on there are many who win praise for bravery in action, but to the stoker and engineer there is only furious heat and hourly peril. All honor then, not only to the brave leaders who receive the plaudits of a nation, but also to those, lower in rank, with- out whom the most skillful and daring com- mander would be powerless. The service of the obscure finds illustration not only in the achievements of war but also in the pursuits of life. Much of the real work of the world is done by obscure men and women. ‘Ihe merchant autocrat, whose trans- actions reach over the world and whose finan- cial success raises him to a position of wealth and influence, is indebted to his faithful sub- ordinates, who carry out his directions to the letter. Frances Willard’s unrivalled success as a temperance worker was due, in large measure, to the faithful execution of her plans in all parts of the land by unrewarded, unknown women possessed of an heroic spirit to at- tempt all things for God and the right. The minister of state, whose policy is her- alded abroad in the newspapers, is indebted for the information upon which his policy is based to officials in various localities, each of whom is busy in his special work. ‘These officials may be unknown beyond a very limited circle, but they have been patiently at work gleaning and collecting the facts, mastering tne intrica- cies of the situation, and furnishing to their chiefs the results of their laborious toil. Have you heard the story of the lad who pumped the church organ? How he thrust his head from behind the curtains and refused to pump any longer until the organist said, We will play this piece over.’’ Possibly he —— way was | Po iets hono have were okt with | “Som taine sion yout hetoe A iNg, tho di Tes lack of cri 0 At By