Phillips High School - Mirror Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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Tub Mirror scene individable.” In life our roles may differ according to our talent and ability. Some of us will be cast as stars; others as supports. Whatever they be, let us act well our parts, remembering that he who has put forth his total strength in fit action, has the richest return of wisdom. Damon Thomas CHARACTER—OPPORTl MTV—SUCCESS How often these mystic words are heard in this modern world. They ring from the rostrum in sober advice, they float on the air in persuasive tone to music and mirth, they dance to alluring accompaniment across the pages of magazines. To us who are about to enter the new realm of manhood and womanhood, they have a special meaning, for it is to us that they arc directed. At one time not so long ago the word character meant reputation, while Carlyle uses it to mean disposition—Burns, he says, is a man of buoyant humor of character. Perhaps Burns himself gives a better definition than exemplification in saying a man of good character is one “of independent mind—with pith of sense and pride of worth.’ For those of us, however, who have seen many a man take the buffets “of these ill-fated times,” Shakespeare more nearly approaches our conception of character in Horatio—“A man that fortune’s buffets and rewards hast ta'cn with equal thanks;— whose blood and judgment arc so well commingl'd, that they arc not a pipe for fortune's finger to sound what stop she please.” To us of today a man of character has unquestionable honesty, and unfailing loyalty and faith—“a man that is not passion’s slave.” With this ideal let us further develop our understanding and talents, deepen our sympathies, strengthen our couiagc and faith, and as we grow in our appreciation of God and man, we will make ourselves really fitted for the great opportunities that arc open. Opportunity too has a richer, deeper meaning for us. True it is an age old axiom that “opportunity knocks but once”, and even then only on the doors of the favored few, but it is the glory of modern America that here this is not true. To rich and poor, young and old, artist and artisan opportunity comes, and in various guises. The schools, for instance, arc no longer institutions for the wealthy class, hut through state support have been opened to all. Indeed, the wealthy few. by means of foundations and endowments, help the less fortunate mam to gain a wider and more thorough education. Nor are the schools the only means of education. Churches, libraries, radio, movies, all arc accessible to the common man. With this wider range of educational opportunity, man finds careers opening up before him that were never before possible. When ambition whispers low. 1 would. the youth replies.. “1 can.” Radio, aviation, engineering, agriculture, medicine, business, politics, all have made great strides, and are yet advancing. Of these piobably the most fertile field is politics. We can hardly realize today, in our democratic country, how restricted were [22]

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The Mirror WISDOM An old legend says that Athene, goddess of wisdom, sprang from the head of Jupiter, radiant in beauty and wearing the full armor of a warrior. She represented the finest ideals of the Greek race—learning and wisdom, justice, righteous warfare and all those qualities of men and nations which make for the development of civilization. On the other hand, the author of the book of Proverbs says that wisdom dwells with prudence and finds out knowledge of witty inventions; speaks of excellent and right things. By wisdom kings reign and princes decree justice. Thus we sec that wisdom concerns science, morality, and government. Like all great and worthy things in this world, wisdom has many imitators. In modern times especially the shallow cleverness of the 'wise guv is often mistaken for the deep thinking of the sage. There arc those who consider the “wise crack” of the proverbial oracles at Delphi. The popular phrase get wise to this has often been thought the advice of a great seer. F.ven these impostors give the idea that wisdom is valuable and like all things rare, difficult to attain. Since “no man is wise b chance,” how can we got this treasure that is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and the revenue of which is better than choice silver? How but by study? Through books we can glean all the lore of past ages. As Emerson reminds us, the great influence in the spirit of the scholar is the mind of the pa t—in whatever form, whether of literature, of art, of institutions, that mind is inscribed, and books arc the best type of the infllucnce of the past. Of course, there is a portion of reading quite indispensable to a wise man. History and exact science he must learn by reading. 'I o make judgment by them however is the humor of the scholar. Studies should perfect nature and be perfected by experience. But we do not have to go entirely through the bitter school of experience. In this scientific age no mention need be made of the use of observation. Everyone knows that we prove things now by induction: the forecasting of the weather; the gathering of political returns before elections. Of the compiling of facts there is no end: yet, unless selected, ordered, and interpreted by judgment, they arc hut a conglomeration of data. Unless his facts were classified so that he could easily use them, the scientist could not work. The business man would be inefficient if he could not keep his files in order. The able scientist and the efficient business man were weighed in the balance and found wanting—in wisdom. For judgment itself is dependent upon a higher power, imagination, without which it is almost impossible to judge aright. A man to be greatly wise must imagine intensely and comprehensively, for it is imagination that awakens and enlarges the mind by rendering it receptive to a thousand unapprehended thoughts. If poetry has made us imaginative, if histories have made us wise, and mathematics subtile, our study at Phillips has cultivated in us this enabler of judgement, this purifier of wit, cnricher of memories, and enlarger of imagination, learning. Classmates, here is the stage on which we have enacted the drama of our school life Instead of ending in tragedy, this play has ended happily. After the comedy is finished, we enter into the world that is but a larger stage, for all the world is a stage and men and women merely players.” As Polonius would say, there is comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, tragical-comical, historical-comical, [21]

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The Mirror the people in other years. Today even man and woman has the right to vote and the privilege of serving in public office. Recently the people of America gave evidence that they whole-heartedly approve an administration eager to give the unfortunate man a chance, whether his condition came of war, depression or deprivation. to achieve the success he desires. The ideas of success too. have changed greatly in the course of the centuries. Every Elizabethan wished to be a courtly cavalier: every Puritan wished to enter the clergy. The modern idea, however, is neither so selfish nor so restricted. To modern man, Milton is an excellent example of true success. His heroic life expresses the modern ideal—to serve mankind, no matter the cost, in the field for which he is best fitted. Here, fellow graduates, is our challenge: in aiding mankind, to prevent the loss of what has been gained, and to ever go forward. In such service will come our opportunity for success. Character, opportunity, success—but the greatest of these is character; to do with skill and valor for the interests of all, to he a friend to mankind. Willis Hood statistics: paradoxical precision Friends, 1 hate to inflict any more pain on you after the agonizing weeks of study you have gone through this semester, hut as your statistician. I am going to ask that you devote your entire mint! to the following revelation. Do you know what a statistician is? Answer yc or no? No! —She is one who labors,—suffering tortures and excruciating agonies, to secure the material printed in the annual that is seldom read. But this year she has as her inspiration the wonder class of 1937. Now 1 beg of you, as a reward for the 7,869.472,000 seconds spent, listen and appreciate our class. Have you realized the beauty of our goodly possessions? The exquisite lands of Eiland. Wales and Brittain, closely guarded by “blue-haired deities”? VYc have a beautiful Wood-all filled with Bowers of Rose(s)nblum, rippling Brooks banked with swaying Reids and inhabited bv Salmon. A Crane stands close by while a Lyon roars at a safe distance. In Brittain lives a Knight from the house of Lancaster with a Sharpc-Edgc(d) sword. Not far away i the home of McDuff and McGill with their gay bagpipes. Indeed, we have a model Utopia; two of the executive officers being Damon Thomas and Ruth Bell, A very talented model artist paints in our midst. Her name is rather pointed, Ann in fact; she's a Speir. Many of Ruby 1 own son s fans find themselves giddy and dizzy trying to follow her model fingers over the piano keys. Marguerite Wilkinson has said “Poetry is simply the sharing of life in patterns of rhythmical words,” anil well do we believe it when we read the poetry of Olive Bclicw. Not only does the Senior Class have a model Utopia, but an ethereal Arcadia, for, as you know, the two lie close together. In this land of romance, milk and honey, the girls observing Tom Lyons as the great lover find their hearts quaking and their blood congealing. And such a violinist! Strains of dreamy heartbreaking music float from the uppermost balcony. Oh, well, she's a Garrett! What would romance be [23]