Waltham High School - Mirror Yearbook (Waltham, MA)

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THE MIRROR 95 VAL ED I CTO RY ALFRED CECIL SMART. Ladies and Gentlemen: As we come to these exercises tonight, the last public affair of our high school course, we have the distinction of being the first war class to graduate. It was during our last year at the grammar school that the declaration of war between the European powers electrified the Whole world. The turmoil went on dur- ing our high school course until finally Uncle Sam entered the struggle. Then, things be- gan to change all around us and assumed a military aspect. Training camps were estab- lished in every section of the country and boys were marching away daily, some even from our own high school. With great anxiety we lived through the dark days until the tide gradually turned. The Germans were conquered! And now as We are graduating, peace is about to be declared. Everything has- been upset by the recent conflict and is now in the process of recon- struction. Belgium and northern France have been hopelessly shattered. This devastated area includes many mines, mercantile centers, and much of the best agricultural land. Homes, factories and industries must be rebuilt and de- veloped. Every day cripples are coming back from the field who must be refitted and re-ed- ucated for further employment of some sort. Most of the large factories have been turning out War material for the last four years and have been going full blast, night and day to help rush through the production of the war necessities. Women and young girls have been employed in the places of men gone to the front. All these establishments must now be ad- justed to the normal basis and return to the manufacture of their peace-time products. This reconstruction work is a difficult oper- ation and requires some of the spirit shown by the nations during the war. When the safe- ty of the world was menaced by the ambitions of the European War Lord, the nations 'if- fected directly and indirectly, laid aside their petty jealousies and quarrels, united and fought side by side, in the firm belief that right would ultimately conquer wrong. They realized that each one alone could not cope with the situation and that it was useless to try. People did likewise. Selfishness was put aside and everybody devoted his energies to winning the war. Relief organizations sprang up everywhere and the work was pushed along with amazing speed. There was a stronger feeling of self-sacrifice than the world had ever beforefknown. ln fact, self-sacrifice seemed to be the by-word of almost every household. Every drive for Liberty Loans, for the Red Cross, for the Salvation Army was liberally oversubscribed. War-time restrictions were ac- cepted as a matter of course. Jealousy vanished even from national politics. The people knew that the better a government they had to direct their affairs, the sooner the war would be won and over. This unselfish spirit was one of the main factors in winning the war. Now that the carnage is over and the com- mon danger has been removed, the world seems to be falling back into its former state. Wrangles have again started up between the nations as is evidenced at the Peace Table. Nu- merous difliculties in the making of the peace terms must inevitably be encountered, but what is unnecessary is the renewing of the troubles interrupted by the war. V The Chinese and Japanese situation is an illustration of this condition. These two coun- tries were disputing over Korea for a number of yearsg then co-operated during the warg and at present are quarreling again. Now is a good time to settle such controversies while all the leading statesmen of the world are sit- ting together in congress. ln olden times when Greece was threatened with a Persian invasion, Athens and Sparta and the other large cities united to prepare for the defense of their country. They successfully times, drove back the foreign invaders three but when they were no longer in danger of the Persians, they fell to squabbling among them- selves again for the supremacy of Greece. They when weakened themselves so much that llfacedonia invaded their territory, they were unable to put up a stiff resistance and were conquered. This instance is being repeated to- day. There is no danger of our being conquer-

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94 THE MIRROR . been found that the teacher's' energy is saved, and her efficiency raised, by limiting her field of work. The practise of some junior high schools having two teachers in the first year, three in the second, and full departmental teaching in the third, seems to be a great step towards a gradual transition from the one teacher plan of the grammar school, to the departmental plan of the high. Still another change, to be brought about by this plan, is the earlier introduction of certain subjects, especially modern languages. It is now iunanimously agreed among educators that the seventh grade is a better place to begin the study of a language, than is the first year of high school. Thus, Latin, French, Spanish, and German will have a place in the studies of this new institution. This argument for start- ing languages earlier in .life is conclusively proved to us every day, by the foreign immi- grant family, for the small child is carrying on a conversation in English longbefore the parents can utter even a few broken sentences. It is probable that you have already asked the question, Why can't we simply take our schools as they are, andintroduce the new studies there, without beginning an entirely new institution P This is easily answered, for in every department of life it is found easier to create a new institution than to reform the old one which is so hampered by set ideas and old traditions. As in all plans, however, there are some dis- advantages. Of these, there seem to be but three that deserve serious consideration :- The first is that the establishment of a junior high school will make it necessary for the pupils to travel greater distances to school. This is of course a local argument and has greater force in some communities than in oth- ers. Conditions in Waltham make it unneces- sary to ,consider seriously this problem. The large building which will be started this year on the site of the present North Grammar will be strictly a junior high school. Thus, pupils who would attend the North Grammar in grades seven and eight will go to the same place under the junior high plan. The South Grammar could also be converted into a jun- ior high school if its primary buildings were enlarged, so as to retain the pupils up to and including the sixth grade. The adoption of the junior high school plan would relieve the High School by taking over the hrst year stu- dents, and it may prove the most feasible way of making the present High School building serve out its term of usefulness. The second objection raised against the junior high school is that under this plan there is too early and too marked a differen- tiation in the work of the pupils. For the issue of this question, however, we can only wait, for the schools have not been in operation long enough for us to reach any definite conclu- sions. The third objection is that the reorganiza- tion of the school system and the establishment of the junior high would mean increased cost to the tax-payer. Several schools have claimed a decreased cost, because under this plan there is a great falling off in the number of repeat- ing pupils. Qn the whole, however, testimony seems to show that the junior high schools do cost a little more but that they are well worth lt. But when education is the one sure method of combating Bolshevism, and is the only sup- port which keeps the human race from falling back to the ways of our cave men ancestors, why consider a slight increase in cost? The country as a whole spent more for war pur- poses in a week than is spent on education in a year. Thus, as the junior high school, in its wider scope, will solve many of the problems of reconstruction, let us give it our fullest sup- port and prove that modern maxim, Give the children half a chance and the whole world will stand amazed at the result.

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96 THE MIRROR ed by a foreign power, still the lesson is there to be learned just the same.iThe people and the politicians have aroused their jealousies again. They saw the value of co-operation during times of stress, they seem unable to stay united during times of peace. If this condition of affairs continues, peace will be delayed until the damage and suffer- ing caused by Germany will be somewhat for- gotten. This will enable her to sue for easy terms. It has often been said that one of Amer- ica's faults is that she forgets too easily. Ger- many thinks that America will soon forget about the War and will start international trade with her again. America must not over- look the havoc wrought by the Germans. She must hold them strictly responsible for it. Ger- many must be set up as an example to other nations, thereby helping to abolish warfare for all time. This inability of the nations to agree will delay not only peace, but also the reconstruc- tion. In order that this task of reorganiza- tion be accomplished, it is necessary that there be no lets or hindrances in the labors of re- building. The opportunity is here for every- body tp lend a helping hand. Seize it and prove that we can be soldiers of peace as well as soldiers of war. Several dominant traits of American manhood have been brought out during the last few years. Let us make them stand out still more. Carry on the war spir- it-the determination to see the thing through. Carpe Diem -Seize the Qpportunity--is our class motto. It is a good one for every per- son to follow. In later years the results of our efforts will plainly show whether America can avail herself of an opportunity when it pre- sents itself. And so-as I say farewell-I say also to you all Carpe Diem. CLASS GFFICERS SENIOR 1919 HERBERT STARR, President HELEN SMITH, Vice-Pres. FRANCIS DUNN, Ser. and Treas. FRANK GAVOLIA, .ffudifor JUNIOR 19210 WALDO MILLER, President INIARGARET KELTY, Vice-Pres. JAMES SMITH, Ser. and Treas. EDWARD BARNICLE, Auditor SOPHOIWIORE 1921 CURTIS FRENCH, Prexidezzt PATRICIA COLLIGAN, Vice-Pres. CORA CHASE, Ser. and Treas. RUSSELL VVEN TXIVORTH, Auditor