Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

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PAGE TWENTY-TWO THE SASSAMON graduate must do something active and use- ful in the community in which he lives. He should know and realize the good points and also the shortcomings of his town. It is in the ordinary, every-day affairs of gov- ernment that the attention of all good citi- zens is most necessary. It is then that those who constitute the undesirable and objectionable elements get control, for they are always on the watchg and to defeat them it is essential that those and honest government watch, too. The idea spare the time without who desire good should be on the that they cannot detriment to their own affairs is a mistake. The high school graduate must also be educated. He has been given every oppor- tunity for a good foundation-good schools, good teachers, and a willing, helpful public at all times interested solely in his welfare and development. Granted these things, it is our duty to them and to those who fol- low us to make the best of what we have and to profit by our mistakes, so that we can lead our educational institutions to a greater degree of perfection But we cannot do this by shirking or re- fusing to do our part in this development. If we can go to college, we should go. We are not true citizens if we pass the chance by. The greater the education of its chil- dren the greater will be the development and progress of that community, and if we are not interested in that, then we fall down miserably. It is not a matter of choice whether a man shall trouble himself about affairs of government in his community, or con- fine himself to his business, his profession, and his pleasures and leave others to gov- ern-it is a matter of obligation which can- not be avoided by any intelligent man who has any understanding of the government under which he lives. The essestial feature of our government is that the burden rests upon all men, and that no one can devote himself wholly to his business or his pleas- urrs without shirking a duty. Do we not know that government in a democracy can- not be successful unless all take part, ac- cording to their capacity? There is no man free from responsibiilty. The selfish n'en who have special interests at stake are going to take partg the bitter and prej- udiced men whose hearts are filled with hatred are going to take party the corrupt men who want to make something out of the government are also going to take part. Consequently the forces of unsel- tishness, of self control, of public honesty, of justice, of public spirit and love of coun- try must be used against them, and these demand from us every possible contribution of personality and power that we,as future citizens, can give. Therefore, we have a two-fold duty. We must be active and useful and we must avail ourselves to the fullest extent of the chances we have to become educated. But above all, we must stand shoulder to shoul- der, not asking the ancestry or creed of our comrades, but demanding only that they be in very truth Americans and that we all work together heart, hand and head, for the honor and greatness of our country, state, and community. THOMAS E. KELLY CLASS WILL We, the class of 1925 of the Natick High School, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make, constitute, and declare this to be our last will and testament, hereby revoking any and all wills or testamentory writings by us, here- tofore, at any time, made. I. To the faculty we bequeath the mem- ory of the great pleasure of having looked upon our beautiful and intelli- gent faces for four years, and the still greater pleasure of not having to look upon them for four years more. II. We bequeath to Mr. Archibald a de- tective and a few blood-hounds, hoping they will be of some future use. III. To Mr. Collins we bestow an approved umpire to be used when we play Way- land again. IV. To Mr. Larsen we leave a package of Wrigley's gum. V. We bequeath to Miss Morrill another pair of sneakers to replace the ones that were bequeathed to her last year that seem to have been lost. VI. To Miss Ellison the class bestows

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THE SASSAMON PAGE TWENTY-ON E What is this business that is so press- ing?n Why, I am manager of the Matrimonial Bureau and applications are coming in so fast, we haven't enough on the waiting list to fill the wants. I had not been back to the boarding house more than fifteen minutes when up the driveway came Stella Meagher. I thought, of course, she was coming to call on me, but no, she was a saleslady for a large shoe concern. You know, Stella always used to say she never had any shoes, so now she make people buy seven or was trying to eight pairs, as she used to do herself. While Stella was there, along came Rob- erta Parker, doing what she always used to do-trying to make people pay what they owed. She was town tax collector. I hope she has better luck getting taxes, than she did when she was collecting personal write- ups. back at school. Stella and Bobbie had been gone about half an hour, when the door-bell rang again. It was a book agent and, much to my sur- prise, was Lillian Rosenthal. No one could help but buy a book, after being told about it, especially in Lillian's breezy way. There was a town meeting that night, but I was too tired to go, as I had been quite busy, as you know, during the day, and on the morrow I was invited to. visit the circus grounds, and time was growing short, as I was to start on again for Cali- forriia. I did hate to miss the town meet- ing, as I was told Amelia Aitken was town clerk. I presume she is now so used to town meetings, that one could put a wrong nomination before her, and she would re- main calm. It was with great excitement that I start- ed out nert morning for the circus grounds. Why! I hadn't been to the circus since the good old days at Natick. It was adver- tised as a refined circus for refined people, under the personal direction of Katherine Daniels and Dorothy Davies. Their high ideal was to elevate the circus as others had elevated the stage in days gone by. After the show, I just had time to make my train for California, for I was continu- ing my journey that nightg and as I finally stood on the back platform of the observa- tion car, watching, with tears in my eyes. the group of girls, waving their handker- chiefs, and as the train rushed faster and faster toward the Golden Gate, my heart sang, not a mournful farewell, but a gay au rcvoir, for I knew that we should meet again. DOROTHIE PRATT ORATION THE CIVIC DUTY OF A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE Assuming at the outset that in the Unit- ed States all men, young and old, who think at all, realize the importance of citizenship. the first step is, therefore, to define it ac- curately and in so doing we may then enu- merate and briefiy elucidate the various du- ties of a high school graduate. We have, during our four years of high school training, secured a foundation which will enable us to become real, worth-while citizens, the type of citizens which is need- ed in this great democracy of ours, for on the moral character of its citizens depends the future welfare of our country. We must all be good citizens. Merely to live without actually breaking the laws does not constitute good citizenship, ex- contrast to violate the cept in the narrow sense of those who openly or covertly laws which they have helped to make. The citizenship, word good, as applied to means something more positive and affirm- ative than mere passive obedience to sta- tutes, if it has any meaning at all. The good citizen, if he would deserve the title, must be one who performs his duties to the state and who, in due propor- tion, serves his country. A man may not be a bad citiezn--he may pay his taxes and commit no statutory offenses, but if he gives neither service to his country, nor any help to the community in which he lives, he cannot properly be called a good citizen. Assuming, then, that good citizenship necessarily implies service of some sort to the state, the country, or the public, what must be the civic duty demanded from the high school graduate? The high school

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THE SASSAMON PAGE TWENTY-THREE many thanks for the help she has given during the Senior Play and other activ- ities. VII. To Miss Sweet we leave a supply of Morris chairs, that she may distribute them to those who suffer from an early attack of Spring fever. VIII. We bequeath to Miss Coulter The Book on how to make pupils follow di- rections. IX. To the Freshman Class we bequeath our great intellectual supremacy upon the condition that there be a 10094 en- rolment on the honor roll for the first month. X. We bestow upon the Sophomore Class some of our vast wealth, so that the Seniors may have the honor of being invited to their prom. XI. To the Junior Class we bequeath all the dignity and honor that should be- come them in their future position as Seniors, our laws of unity, and a book, entitled Get Rich Quick. XII. The hair sheared from the heads of the female members of our class, we give to this school for the purpose of making a new mat for the front door. XIII. Yump Wilson's gentle ways with the women we leave to Bobbie Donovan. XIV. To Florence Frost we bequeath Ar- line Gallant's ambition to be a hairdress- er. XV. To Hank Connolly we bequeath a new volume of Wise Cracks. XVI. To Sheik Bowker we bequeath one bottle of Slikum. XVII. We leave to Billie Hopf a book, en- titled How to Grow, written by Dink McGowan. V XVIII. Jim McFee leaves to Vic Rogers his remedy for getting over bashfulness. XIX. Joe Byrne leaves his position as cap- tain of football to our star athlete, Ted Dumas. XX. A pair of dancing pumps, much in need of repairs as a result of constant usage ,belonging to Sara Gibbons, we be- stow upon Dot Damon. XXI. Roger Russell's ambition to be a constant conqueror of the captivating sex we leave to Eliot McSwan. XXII. Evelyn Lord leaves the captaincy of the famous basket-ball team of '25 to Vera Swenson. XXIII. Dunk Bowen bequeaths his knack of permanent waving to Red Kelly. XXIV. We bequeath to Helen McMahon, Dorothy Hayes' gift of gab. XXXV. Edith Buckler leaves a little of her bashfulness to Mabel Stone. XXVI. To Paul Hughes we bequeath Skinny Richardson's love for plaid stockings. XXVII. Theresa Murphy leaves her henna rinse to Irene Shea. XXVIII. To Bren Graham we be- queath an alarm clock, to arouse him on cold, wintry mornings. XXIX. Goldie Halperin bequeaths a little of her robust plumpness to Isabel John- son. XXX. Winnie McGee leaves her nifty hair cuts to Penelope Church. XXXI. Ralph French's original manner of combing his hair is bestowed upon John Hanafin. XXXII. Mac McGowan's devotion for Wellesley we bequeath to Brud Mur- phy. XXXIII. Tom Kelly's Kuppenheimer style of attire is left to Tubber Disney. XXXIV. Walter Grady's ambition to be- come Chief of Police in his home town is left to Edward Bransfield. We hereby constitute and appoint our trustworthy teachers, Mr. White and Mr. Gardner, to be co-excutors of this. our last Will and Testament. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hand and seal, this twentieth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five. DOT KLEIN, Class of 1925 Witnesses EDWARD KYTE WALTER KELLY ROBERT MALONEY