Andrew Lewis High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Salem, VA)

Page 8 text:

wo hundred years ago, the United States of America was merely an idealistic concept in the minds of a few prominent men. These men envisioned the formation of a nation standing for equality and democracy, freedom and justice, hope and promise. Our country was born when, on July 4,1776, fifty-six of these men put these ideals down on paper and com¬ posed the guidelines and objectives found in the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. Through this seemingly simple act, these few men created a new nation, the United States of America.

Page 10 text:

The two centuries that have passed since 1776 have been filled with changes in the U.S.A. States have been added, Presidents elected, wars fought. Transportation has evolved from carriages and schooners to trains, ocean liners, and airplanes. Communication has become a complicated network of telephone lines and television antennas. Dress styles have changed hundreds of times with lengths rising slowly over the years only to fall again. The “frontier” of our country has shifted from the once seemingless endless stretch of vacant land in the West to the ocean and the moon. The government of our nation has made many alterations too — some good and some bad. The origi nal confederation of states has long since become a federation. New laws have been passed and amendments to the Constitution have been made. Voting qualifications have been varied to include first Negroes, then women, and now, eighteen-year old citizens. The list of changes, inventions, and accomplishments that have taken place in the U.S. is endless. They have occurred in every area of life, from government to art, medicine to music, education to dress styles. Some have affected only our country; most have affected the entire world. The U.S. has changed from thirteen vulnerable states struggling to survive into a vast and powerful, advanced country . . . We ' ve Come a Long Way! 6