Ranchester High School - Rustler Yearbook (Ranchester, WY)

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“COULD IT HAPPEN HERE?” At this time in the history of our county it behooves us to review its settlement and consider its future. There are still a few here who can remember the pioneer days, the weary struggle across the prairies and the mountains, as told to them by their parents who experienced the terrible hardships. They suffered that we might enjoy, they struggled that life might be easier and more pleasant for us. Let us take stock of what they have bequeathed to us and examine our own conduct, realizing that we are but custodians of the wealth that they have left us. That wealth, in its manifold forms, we must pass on, unimpaired and increased, to those who are to follow us. When we look east or west across the oceans that so mercifully separate America from older civilizations, the shudder of horror at what we see is tempered with a welling flood of thankfulness that there is at least three thousand miles of water between us and Europe or Asia. The dispatches in a recent newspaper illustrate this effectively. One day recently the bombing planes of three nations were in the air, bent on serious business. Those of Spain were on their way to bomb and machine-gun fleeing men, women, and children, those of Japan were seeking out defenseless Chinese civilians to murder them. But the largest plane of all carried the colors of the United States. It was winging its way three thousnad miles to the south, not to drop bombs on defenseless cities, not to machine-gun helpless women and fleeing children, but to carry medical sup- plies to the stricken cities of earthquake-wrecked Chilean provinces, to bring serums to injured people and to carry them out of the devastated areas to hospital beds. At the same time our President was calling upon the people of the United States to deny themselves some luxury and donate the money thus saved to relief work in Chile, not to buy another war bond or support another bombing Yet the civilization of Spain antedates the settlement of the United States. That of Rome, whose flyers are destroying human lives in Spain, as far ante- dates that of our country as that of China and Japan antedates Rome. Our population is composed of elements from Italy, from Spain and from Germany our people are essentially the same. Wherein lies this difference? It must be something that our ancestors created for us here, some priceless possession, the value of which we have not appreciated, its worth unknown to us, its very existence practically forgotten. Our ancestors left us an inheritance of tolerance, of freedom of thought of speech and of action, that is lacking in the older civilizations. We owe it to America to preserve that gift inviolate, even against ourselves. They left us a spirit of self-reliance that has banished fear of other nations, they left us a love of independence that has kept us clear of foreign entanglements. We owe it to those generations which are to come after us to hand down those gifts as untarnished, as clear and dominant in the American spirit as they were when we received them. Yet those gifts are threatened, not from without but from within our nation We are urged to hate the Germans for their beastial treatment of racial minor- ities, when perhaps the majority of the German people are as horrified at such actions as we are. We may well refuse to support the German government by not buying the goods that government exports, we may boycott Japanese eoods because of atrocities in China—but we must not hate the German people or those of Japan. Instead we must feel sorry for them, sorry that they did not have the moral stamina to create a democratic form of government under which such crimes against humanity would be impossible. And we must guard against permitting our own government to fall into the hands of elements who would lead us to similar extremes. u,u i :'VianIyT„Re°pl t,hink impossible that any such government should ever rule the Lnited States, yet it was but a few years ago that there were race riots in our nation s eapitol! There are men and women in this country tJday who would like nothing better than to see a fascist or a communist form of government in the United States, with all that either of them entails- destruc- tion of freedom of speech and the press, conscription of men. money and materials in the name of the state, destruction of private capital and of labor union it the same time. When the people begin to believe ?hat the govertment can do things for them better than they can do them for themselves, thenThtfirst steo fakert 0 B 0 e’ tOWard “ dlctatorship' bc it communist or fascist, hw been (Continued on Page 42)

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“SCHOOLS OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY Many changes have taken place in our schools since the days of the Horn primer; Webster’s blue back speller, and McGuffey readers and Ray’s Third Part of Arithmetic. All, the best to be had in their day, passed with the old type school building. Within the log walls of the early schools, the 3-R’s made up the curriculum. Puncheon floors, backless benches, goose quill pens and the Biblical rod were all a part of the colonial school equipment. The itinerant pedagogue whose chief qualifications were in the 3-R’s and the ability to wield the birch rod served to enlighten the people who were busily engaged in fighting Indians, clearing land, building houses and rearing large families. Times were hard. Men were stern and cared little about education except as it served in the interpretation of theological doctrines or disputes in common law. Frills were for the leisure class of which the New World was almost barren. As time marched on men had more wealth and a greater need for educa- tion. School buildings were improved, school equipment was not only more comfortable, but seats more bearable. Floors that were airtight and smooth took the place of the old puncheon floors. Heat came from an iron stove instead of the huge fireplaces. Steel pens replaced the quills. Teachers were required to have certificates. Education was a little less painful for the mischievous urchin who now had a schoolhouse of frame, brick or stone instead of logs. Now the school buildings are properly constructed, evenly heated and ventilated. Modem schools provide free training for several hundred children varying in age from 6 to 20 years. Teachers with college and university degrees now guide and direct the learning. The 3-R’s have expanded into a diversified curriculum with the idea of making school and learning synonymous with play and happiness as well as preparation for earning a living. The rod has been cast aside long ago. Fear of the teacher has been replaced by the love, faith, and the cooperation of parents, teachers, and children. All are happy and enjoy working and playing together. Yes, playing together, for we now recognize that fact that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Physical develop- ment has become quite important. This is secured through exercise on play- grounds or in a well ventilated gymnasium. Competitive games of an intra- mural nature are encouraged more than contests between schools. Fun, thrills, and school spirit serve as sauce for the often dull facts—history. grammar, math- ematics, etc., while the school bus adds more pleasure because large groups of students can go to ball games, plays, or on tours of an educational nature. To live completely is the aim of modem education. So interested have all become in trying to equip the modem youth for life that local communities, counties, states and the National Government have taxed themselves to make it possible for even the most isolated farm lad or lass to secure training that compares favorably with that of their city cousins. During the recent period of depression our schools have not been forgotten. Many districts have taken the opportunity for securing PWA money to build a new school house or remodel the old. To prevent boys from loafing or idling their time away and perhaps becoming vagabonds or criminals, the government established CCC camps for nearly a quarter million boys. Employment is pro- vided, if possible, for those discharged. Obedience, usefulness, and respect for law and order are instilled. There are many organizations outside the public school that do all they can to provide food clothing, shelter and education for those less fortunate than the great mass of the American people. The National Youth Administration has and now is making it possible for young men and women to work their way through high school and college. With such a background as this, it behooves all to use their time wisely; rS6 ?dvantagf.of the opportunities; to be eternally grateful for the flae that floats over this country, and for this great democratic nation. All should do their very best to be worthy citizens in the greatest nation on earth. It is the greatest because of its schools, which were founded and maintained from the colonial days until now. Hold high the torch of learning so those who follow may have just cause for praising the work being done now. Resume of 1939 Class History as given by Bob Rawlings. May 18, 1939.