Miami Beach High School - Typhoon Yearbook (Miami Beach, FL)

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WML! ment at the desire of us students to reorganize the world , adults should recognize clearly that we mnrf reorganize itg that the course of social change must be guided by us, the future citizens. UCH open discussion and organized activity need not be confined to the class- room. Probably we need, as much as any other one thing, a few thousand active community organizationsfgroups engaged in community planning and definitely committed to the conduct of open forums, where those disposed to in- form themselves can engage in free discussion of social questions. Out of such groups might emerge less prejudice and partisanship, less dogmatic opinion, and truer understanding of social issues. A further consequence should be an increase of ability to make a wise choice of leaders. The more complicated society becomes, the greater is the reliance which must be placed on leaders, To know the differ- ence between real and mock leaders is an excellent test of breadth of education received. This aim is indeed so challenging as to reach right to the heart of this whole discussion. Are our schools so cloistered and formal that they are turning out groups of civic incompetents unable to think or act on public questions? The citizenship aims specified are not to be treated in education as though they were distinct aspects of life. They all represent inseparable interests of any normal, many-sided individual. The social ideal of citizenship is to guide all members of society toward wide interests and strong, self-directing personalities. Only free men can create a free society, and free men are those who have been loosed from bondage to ignorance, superstition, and fear. -MARIANNA BRONSTON. ED1ToR's NOTE: The above is the winning composition of the Dade County Civitan Essay Contest and was chosen from a group of over four thousand entries. 141 W :fe ,X

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g,...i..,..:,.m-al. itgihe Cgrder Gftangezfh NBOUNDED wishful thinking and an occasional salute to the Hag is not enough to meet the stern challenges and menaces which now threaten our hard-earned democracy. Today we are being subjected to all the ills of a world caught in turbulent waters, and our duty, youth's duty, is to continue that per- sistent task of helping in any legitimate way to formulate an intelligent public opinion upon which good government must depend for support. Greenhorns we may be, but a chance to combat ignorance, civic complacency, selfishness and greed, should not be denied us, There are those in the adult generation who condemn democracy as im- practicable, or as an established failure, and rest their case upon the argument that this aim can never be attained by any considerable percentage of a national popu- lation. They quote the low percentage of the adult population, who are suffi- ciently interested in public affairs to vote, fbut the blind voting on referendum measuresj, the low order of political leadership they esteem, and the undoubted influence of sensational and misleading propaganda. These are damaging argu- ments, but it does not follow that the majority of citizens are incapable of greater civic interest and effort. Perhaps the remedy is more democracy' and more educa- tion, not less. Herein lies a challenge to us, the youth, to give democracy a thorough trial by extending equality of opportunity for education to all citizens and by consciously aiming education at social understanding and effective citizen- ship. Today, we must follow a completely new plan for development of worthy citizenship. An effective citizen should have the inclination to inform himself on public affairs and the knowledge of how to go about it. He should know some- thing of the historical background of current problems so that he can understand the social forces at work and separate truth from fiction in his reasoning. He should recognize that good citizenship begins in his home community and take an intelligent interest in local planning. He should know something of the organi- zation of government and party machinery and be able to make use of such agencies. E MUST recognize, however, that neither social understanding nor effective citizenship can come through knowledge alone. These can be fully de- veloped only by some form of active participation. It is truthfully said of some men that they feimiw, but they do not fnzderr!a11d , Our public school can contribute to actual understanding and activity by treating civic issues frankly. Unwarranted interference by individuals and groups to prevent frank discussion of controversial questions in schools should not be tolerated by the public. Furthermore, the school itself is a civic agency and can be organized as such, emphasizing the growth of our ability in self-government by permitting us freedom to attempt organized activity. Parents can be encouraged to participate freely in school affairs, co-operat- ing with subordinate student undertakings. Far from feeling resentment or amuse- l-i0

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Gotta Jay a toatt To the Jenior graduatefg Gotta ftand and hoaft, And liften to tu!-tutf. Gotta Jay I'nz fad 'Caufe they're graduating, That I feel I0 glad 'Caine of their high rating. Gueff everyone goef through The inifery of a Jpeerh, Standing up and gazing, too, On laughing eyef that feezn to rearh Grahhing at your tongue and pufhing So you fannot fpeah. lVhen you Jtart to talhing, Only found: a gentle Jqueah. oast Then next day the leather lellJ you fuft hour terrihle you were. And that you inuft go thru' Your Jpeerh again with her. Then on that night of agony You ,rtand hefore the frozzfdx And all your pent up nzifery Cornet down in one hig eloud. But. inufh to your ainazeinent, The ioordf hegin to flow AJ evenly ar if you nieant Earh word you raid jutt Jo. And afterwardf your friendf Tell you that you were Jioell, And your leather endf By faying you did well. And fo, thete leffonf teafh It really iJn't had at all To gizre a parting Jpeefh To your Jeniorf in the fall. cghe younger generation? Lgnferrogative Lmrayer lI ere fonf of our Affofherf horn to die On an alien land niidft flth and gore? And did God freate our Lroulr to huy A foreign faufe on a diflant Jhore? lV'hy he fuel for a dirtatoff flame, Or a martyr for another'J ivar? We don? irant ditafter, death and Jhaineg God! jiirt give III peaie .forezzrinoref Arnen. THOMAS LIFSEY ELLEN ANDERSON cghe gaslnlille O tiny flower that hide! all day And throiof your ll7Cl'fllNI6J' for ioindf Ju 'a y, You help to inahe the lropit' night A fairy tale of great delight. You alivayf hide your little faee. Hoping there will he no trare, But oh, Juih haunting perfuinef di Rereal your hiding plafe for you If you inuft raft your inagir Jpell upon a world that doeJn't rare, I hope that I'll he parting hy to LZZFIS7 the wonder in the air. ALBERTA RICHMAN 1 AZ