Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

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'IAIVELL 'I'IVEI'.LEDISVH iS IHIS L 9361

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YEAR Book, 1926 7 Jefferson's lifelong endeavor was to enable the people to form this right understanding by educating them, and to this education he de- voted himself tirelessly. This is clearly shown in a letter to Governor Tyler: I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: first, that of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom, second, to divide every country into hundreds, of such size, that all the children of each will be within a central school in it. These little republics would be the main strength of the great one. Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see thatit is to their inter- est to preserve order, and they will pursue them. , The simple inscription on his tomb, at Monticello, sums up in his own language as no orator- can, the character and career of Thomas Jefferson: Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declara- tion of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom and father of the University of Virginia. Political freedom, religious freedom, and the education that makes them possible and safe were the ends for which he strove, the monuments by which he desired to be remembered. Neither power nor honor, office, popularity, nor fame entered into the mighty heart that stirred that mighty soul. On this eventful day of our lives, as we give serious thought to the significance of the Declaration of Independence and its author. let us call to mind the word of Justice Story: Let American Youth never for- get that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils and suf- ferings and blood of their ancestors. The structure has been erected by architects of consummate skill and fidelity, its foundations are solid, its compartments are beautiful as well as useful, its arrangements are full of wisdom and honor, its defences are impregnable from without. It has been reared for immortality, if the work of man may justly aspire to such a title. It may nevertheless perish in an hour by the folly or corruption or negligence of its only keepers, the people. Finally we can but conclude that this is the message which our beloved country gives to us who are graduating in this year of her 150th anniversary. That we renew our faith in the Declaration of Independence, that we keep in mind the lesson taught by the interven- ing years, that in order to have our American Democracy realize its great ideals, and solve the problems that will confront it in the future, we, as future citizens must help develop and maintain throughout the land a citizenry of enlightened, united and self-sacrificing Americans, dedicating to the task if need be, as did the men of 1776, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

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CLASS HISTORY It has been stated by Carlyle, the great English philosopher, that Histories are as perfect as the historian is wise , therefore, dear friends, prepare yourselves for whatever mistakes may occur in the following narration: Ever onward, ever upward has been the goal to which we have pointed the prow of our good ship '26 i. Our voyage is now over. At times the way was rough and uncertain, but now, with every diffi- culty overcome, we have attained the object of that struggle and find it more brilliant and full of promise than we could have imagined. The history of our four eventful years in High School is, no doubt, in many respects like that of other senior classes. When we entered Natick High School, in September, 1922, the event was a great one for alll of us. As Freshmen it promised to be a 'novel experience for us and we entered it with high and lofty ideas. How differently we felt four years ago than we do today, It seemed as though we would never become acquainted with the many rooms, halls and stairs. We regarded our upper-classmen with awe, and won- dered how they could be so unconcerned about where they were to go and what subjects they were to take. It seemed that we would take forever to reach that height, but, I presume, that we were no more out of the ordinary than any other group of green freshmen. Of course, we freshmen thought ourselves quite fine, but I must say, recalling some of the incidents of initiation, that this fine feeling was soon taken out of us by some of our upper-classmen. Our freshman year we made no progress toward class organization. Our main task that year was to become acquainted with both faculty and the new school routine, to steer clear' of the D's and to keep an ever vvatchful eye for any suspicious moves of our upper-classmen. Thus we passed from Freshman to Sophomore. Our Sophomore year we made some progress toward class organization. We held our first class meeting in November and elected Alfred Dumas, as president, Dorothy Blanchard, as vice-president, and William Hopf, as treasurer. Although we organized as a class, nothing of note was accomplished, but you must not lose sight of the fact that we had now attained the great height of a Sophomore and were no longer in that unappreciated class, which we had just left behind. When our Junior year came along, everyone in the class was eager to do his share toward making it a success. This year we made rapid steps toward class organization. We held our first class-meeting in October and placed Walter Kelley on the throne, as presidentg Vera Swenson, as vice-president, Edward Connolly, as treasurer, and Irene Shea, as secretary.