West Philadelphia High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 8 text:

OREWORD NLY too often we may regard the term Fine Arts as dealing with delicate things alone: things fantastic, far-removed from everyday life. ln reality, there are many timesiwhen we are freed from blank weariness or worse only by the work of some great artist, whose contribution to civilization affects, in some manner, an intimate detail of daily living. According to our preferences we may argue about just how many of these Fine Arts there are. The number seven will cover a fairly safe list, but one may claim that there are eight, or nine, or more, while another will say that living is the one Fine Art, including within itself a multitude of lesser arts through which life is expressed. No work of art, however, regardless of its exact nature, can continue without vigor within itself, or without appreciation from outside. Remembering this, we have selected the Fine Arts as the theme of this book, in the hope that by so doing we may be able to increase, among our friends, a sincere interest in all those students who are hoping some day to make their mark in the artistic world. This book is also designed to recognize those former students who have already established their names in varying fields of artistic endeavor. All literature and all dancing, all architecture, sculpture, even all lives, that have endured, must have possessed the common quality of strength, whatever their differences may have been. All, likewise, must have found respect. As the artist attempts to put grace, balance and vision into his work, whence those attributes of vigorous wisdom will flow out to all of us, we should attempt to cultivate a healthy appreciation of that work. Thus we may be sure that the artist will continue to produce for us those things upon which, chiefly, the happiness of human life is built.

Page 7 text:

FEBRUARY, 1936 I ff ' I I .2 ff'- I If SN II I K X ,X I THE RECORD I PUBLISHED BY THE GRADUATING CLASS OF WEST PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA . PENNSYLVANIA

Page 9 text:

DEDICATION N' 015: v xffl ' D I s -' ' y ll. . fs.: .-. 1 'N feffifsf' f . l ' , f V T O THE Fine Arts made accessible to us in our school, and without contact with which our student lives would have been empty and uninteresting, we, the Class of February, l936, gratefully dedicate this book-may it reflect the influence exerted by these age-old Arts: painting, engraving, sculpture, music, literature, architecture, and dancing. ini