Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts - Mohawk Yearbook (North Adams, MA)

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SHWUH HIEWHY A Svnim' Luulis Hzwk LTHOUGH distance and time will cast a faint mist over remembrances there will be some name, or perhaps a chance meeting, a familiar tune, or even a remembered giggle and then one of the eleven of the Class of '45 will look back - Four short years of laughter, work, struggle and fun will pass in re-view- Out of the mist rise twenty-three trembling freshmen entering the portals of S.T.C., well supplied with enough material to take the intelligence and academic tests placed before them. Those were scarcely over when the seemingly over- whelming prospect of the freshman initiation was upon them. Each green tender- foot found herself marching through the halls as questionable examples of beauty. But their chance to show initiative and ability as well as their opportunity to reciprocate for the initiation soon appeared on the horizon. On October 29th came the hilarious Halloween party with the gym decorated in a harmonious array of cornstalks, pumpkins, and colored paper and the tunnel most gruesomely equipped. As this first phase of college life flew by, came the big splurge on which the treasury was completely exhausted. The S.S. - 45, a nautical ad- venture complete with even the gangplank, was considered The dance of the year. After a too brief pause the passing parade of 42-43 continues with only thirteen of the original participants. The first episode in this review of the high spirited sophomores was the initiation of the newly arrived sprouts at S.T.C. The highlight of this year was the entrancing Fall Fantasy , which turned out to be every student's fondest memory. In March rugged individuals as in a fairy tale turned from industrious UQ students into producers of a hilarious and some- what gigantic minstrel production with the colored endmen providing much of the fun - But that pleasant adventure, too, passed into the distance and with it the memories of the sophomore year. 28

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Education has developed in much the same way, it has reflected the basic philosophy of the people. Its development has been channelled along certain lines in keeping with the prevailing philosophy. The Athenians admired a beautiful body and a well-developed and fertile mind and they educated their young men in such a way as to develop well-rounded individuals. The Romans wanted a politically minded citizenry and they educated for that purpose. Dur- ing the Middle Ages emphasis was placed upon religion, upon the life after death and as a result of this emphasis education was of a decidedly religious character. Today, in the United States, we stress the rights of the individual and what is perhaps more important we stress the duties and responsibilities of the individual in a democratic society. Our schools, in keeping with our philosophy, also stress these rights and privileges, these duties and responsibilities. In the course of history wars have inflicted their deadly destructive forces upon man and all his aspirations, leaving them quite barren, leaving them drained of much of their freshness, buoyancy, and go-forwardness, leaving them apparent- ly lifeless as the blasts of winter leave the ivy brown and brittle and lifeless. If we look at the world today we can see just such a destructive force at work. How can man educate the youth for the future when at present all his energies and even his life are being sacrificed to the so-called God of War? How can the youths themselves be educated when they find so much of upheaval and destruction in their lives, when their energies have so little chance for expression in the constructive and the positive? We might well ask ourselves, how can man endure the hardships and uncertainties of war? How can he withstand the blight and ravages of war? Blighted as the ivy appears it still holds the very essence of life within its veins. Blighted as man seems, he still holds within himself the very essence of life and hope and the desire for a better world. Yes, wars may seem to stop man for a time, he may even seem to go backward taking with him all his educational advances. But there inevitably comes a time as certainly as spring follows winter when man will again go forward, aspiring ever upward and outward, purged by the blasts of war of much that was destructive and detrimental. Yes, as the ivy clings tenaciously to its wall so education clings tenaciously to its basic foundation in the good and in the hope of life. Etta Burglmrdt 2 7

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Our parade now continues and we see our third year passing before us. The center of attention was shifted to a new site. Mark Hopkins School was the chosen locality. Voices, faint whispers at first, rose to loud shouts inquiring as to registers, lesson-plans and other novel terms-but with trepidation we took our turns at teaching and hoped for the best. Sky-scrapers mingled with mountains, for in compliance with the project method a highly enjoyable excursion to New York took place in connection with a sociology course and under the direction of Miss Boyden. The town had never been toured so fast. However, it must be admitted that the sociological values ran a close second to the social values. This part of the parade will perhaps always stand out most clearly. A re-view within a re-view- - -The occasion was the 50th anniversary depicting life of former college days given for the benefit of those who lived them. And with this event another episode has passed. The grand finale of our passing parade comes slowly into focus. But how can it be reviewed-so short and yet so crammed with important activity, with only eleven to undertake the work of hundreds. . .Advancing into the foreground is one of the biggest successes of the year, The Senior Medicine Show. Has anyone ever found out who Dr. Glouscester was? Another laugh of the year was the senior version of the Christmas Mummers play. It couldn't be more originally done. The big event which none will ever forget was the production of the year- book - Again it is proved that the Class of '45 can work together to produce the best. So the years pass in misty re-view but not more quickly than they did in reality. Our passing parade has ended. Reluctantly our college days have left us and now the time has come when we shall always have to look back for our college fun. jean Seneca! 29