Worcester High School of Commerce - Caduceus Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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We students, basing our logic on the past history of our nation, bear an optimistic viewpoint of the future, and assure ourselves that our lives will not be so forlorn as our parents have pictured them. It is my duty this afternoon to show our outlook not to be the folly of inexperienced youth, but the result of intelligent study, and thus relieve their minds of that picture with all its unpleasantness. Never was there a truer saying than History repeats itself. From the beginning of the world there have been periods of depression as well as prosperity. The life of our nation offers us a concrete example. We find that at the time previous to its birth, the thirteen colonies consisted of people who had fled European countries due to persecution of one kind or another. As the first permanent settlers in New England were Pilgrims who had fled the religious persecution of England, hereditary as well as personal hatred was carried by the colonists against the same nation which at this time under the tyrannical rule of King George III was exercising a policy of despotism over the colonies. There appeared to be no avenue of escape, as the people were crushed under the heavy taxation program of the monarchy. But we all know what finally happened. The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was the first open display of the colonists ' determmation to have a nation of free people. In 1775 came the outbreak of the Revolutionary War with Paul Revere making his historic ride; and the indomitable will and vigor of a trained individual was revealed in the personage of George Washington, then commander-in-chief of the Continental Army who despite lack of men, munitions and supplies, and that dreadful winter at Valley Forge, managed to outsmart, outgame, and outrun the highly polished British Forces until superior England finally fell in defeat before an army which was retreating during the greater part of the War. Shortly after the close of the war the colonies in possession of a Declaration of Independence and a Constitution elected George Washington as the first President of the United States ; and so we have the beginning of a democratic government only because the colonists would not be denied their just rights. We find our nation from this point developed very rapidly and progressed smoothly until the crisis of 1861, when during the administration of Abraham Lincoln, the Southern States were breaking away from the Union and threatening to dissolve all that had been accomplished by the Spirit of ' 76. Lincoln having been inaugurated March 4, 1861, was forced to declare a Civil War in April 1861 which continued until 1865. The United States was in no condition to wage war against the Confederac) ' and most foreign observers felt the Confederates would be successful, but Lincoln ' s fighting courage drew enthusiastic support from the true Americans, and finally his troops, under the direction of capable generals like Grant and others, decisively defeated the Confederates. The collapse of Lee ' s forces near Richmond on April 9, 1865 closed the South ' s campaign, and the Civil War came to an [27]

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lAWCEP Class Oration, 1956- A Earle a. Stharns THIS IS AMERICA — THIS IS OUR COUNTRY Today, as we appear in this auditorium, our parents see us as the youth of the High School of Commerce — their own sons and daughters — reliable, self-confident, blessed with vigor and knowledge, endowed with a seemingly indomitable will, and possessed of sufficient training to raise our ambitions to a level whereby they may become an initiative and creative force. It is an inspiring sight, indeed, and one that should rei,2;n supreme in their minds. But somewhere in the shadows of their intellect lies another picture, up to this point a negative, undeveloped, a mere seed, remaining in this state for sometime until the realization that their sons and daughters have grown up causes it to develop and blossom forth — showing us as we shall appear tomorrow — the youth of the world — our reliability becommg unsteady under the thrusts of repeated difficulties, our confidence waning because of our failures, our vigor and knowledge proving inadequate to atone for our defeats, our indomitable will becoming pliable after many disappointments, and our ambitions dashed against the rocks of despair when we meet life ' s hardships face to face — a very unpleasant picture indeed. It is only natural that our parents ' love for us and the numerous sacrifices they have made on our behalf cause them to see these two pictures. Today, due to the depressing times and cloudy outlook for the future, the latter picture is more prominent in their minds. Recollections of what they have been through and the thoughts that the same conditions face us can hardly free their minds of disturbing elements. I could do nothing more worthwhile at this moment than to comfort the minds of our parents by reminding them of the pictures that exist today in my mind — pictures as true as history itself — as human as life itself — as dramatic as death itself — pictures which will show that the dreams, hopes, and plans for their children ' s lives should not crumble or be torn asunder upon the mere premonition of national disaster, nor should they be regarded as mere inanities due to the existence of a synthetic photograph fabricated in the min .l through tar-tctched suppositions of conditions in the future. [26]

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OMMEIRCE end. The slaves had been freed by Lincoln who had brought the Union through its severest test and had emerged victorious with the nation even more democratic than before. A short time later the Great Emancipator was assassinated by a half-crazed southern sympathizer. The entire North was plunged into grief, for his death was like the loss of a member of live million tamilies. Andrew Johnson then became President, and our government carried on the work of reconstruction. As more states were admitted to the Union our democracy increased until it became a vital part of our nation — so vital a part that in 1917 under the leader- ship of President Wilson we fought to make the world safe for democraq ' . Although this was not accomplished, the United States revealed itself as determined to promote its own principles of freedom. Oftentimes our government has been criticized tor enter- ing the world conflict for such a trumped-up motive and one so idealistic. Surely we cannot condemn our government lor trying to be idealistic when it is fighting !or common sense legislation. And so we come to our nation today. It is filled with schools that teach Americanism and Democracy to its Youth and not a doctrine of communism or socialism. We find the American Youth of tod.iy contented, for he lives in a nation where there is no religious or racial persecution, where freedom of speech and press is allowed to moral limits, and where opportunity knocks not once, but until it no longer falls on deaf ears. Surely youth cannot be discouraged even in this time of depression lor we are ruled by Franklin D. Roosevelt, a chief executive more democratic than the Democratic Part} ' itself — a President who has kept us out of the League of Nations and the World Court — a President who has refused to take a hand in European affairs but instead has waged a war against the depression — a President who has fought money with money, power with power — who established the NRA and the CCC to take care of the youth of America — who is putting us back on our feet and bringing prosperity into our homes once again — a President who has remembered this is a land and government of the people, by the people, and for the people and has preserved our policy of democracy and our principles of freedom. Surely you cannot v orry about the future of your sons ' and daughters ' lives when they live in a nation such as tliis. THIS IS AMERICA ! ! ! THIS IS OUR COUNTRY ! ! ! [28}