Benton Township High School - Scenic Yearbook (South Bloomingville, OH)

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THE SALUTATORY Challenge Of Our Day To the Board of Education, to the faculty of Benton Scenic Local School, to our par- ents, relatives, and friends, I extend the greetings of the class of 1950 We have completed the work prescribed in the curriculum of our school. We have met here tonight to mark a period of progress in our education. We do not consider that we have in any sense completed our education with this graduation. We have only com- pleted a portion of that formal training which our state provides for its youth in prepara- tion for better citizenship, and for a good life. We are alert to the fact that this day brings to youth all over the world a challenge' such as no other group of young people have faced. Whether the problems we are to meet are those of maintaining peace throughout the world, of providing a better national econ- omy, of providing new and more effective machinery, of improved soil conservation and better crop production or merely those of personal adjustment, these problems are ours and of all the other boys and girls our age all over the world. A well known educator recently made this statement in a public address, Leaders Of Men, Leaders In Ideas And Principles Are Not Emerging, And The Need Grows More Desperate. Can we of this graduating class meet the challenge of this need for leaders? The same speaker said, In Politics And ln Social Relations There ls A Clamoring For A Constructive, Dynamic Program Presented With Logic, Force, And Conviction. Can we of today's class meet this challenge by organizing a program which will pre- vent a situation whereby nearly ninety million children are allowed to live in the filth of caves and war shattered buildings with bodies shrunken and faces old from lack of food, while in other parts of the world, food is wasted by the tons? Can we of today's class help to organize a program of social welfare which will re- pudiate an indifference to the fact that we are a country spending eight and one half times as much for jewelry as for the mental health of its people? Can we of today's class untangle the snarls in world political relationships to the ex tent that some kind of world union or government can exist? Yes, these are only a few of the problems which challenge us today. The pages of history are covered with accounts of other young people who grew up to meet the challenge of their time, Columbus in his attempt to prove his ideas of the shape of the earth and to find a new route for trade: Washington at Valley Forge, Thomas Jefferson and Horace Mann in their programs for public education, Lincoln in his Emancipation Proclamation, Daniel Boone and John C. Fremont in forging through the wilderness, Marcus Whitman in his missionary work with the Indians, and many others. We may not individually stand out as these great leaders I have just mentioned, but we each have an obligation to meet our challenges just as these great leaders did, in the best way that we can. We can each lend our minds, our energies, and our prayers toward the problems ahead, toward achieving a better world, a world safe for little child- ren, a world where the aged are cared for and are busy and happy, a world where the col- or of skin or the accent in speech is not a passport to success in the adventure of living. ---Maxine Johnson--- ---June Unger--- 9

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The public school is an effort to enable every child born under our flag to do four things well: 1. To become an individual in his own name and right. He wants to be separate, distinct, and different from every other individual. He does not desire to be merely one of the group, or a specimen of a kind, but an entity which has a value within itself. Such an individual is steadfast and will not change his outlook as does the weathercock, with every puff of the wind. Z. To become a self determined individual. If he succeeds in this he will be able to carry his own economic load, to sustain his own moral attitude and vote his own tick- et. The old apprentice system put the individual in a groove from which he could not es- cape., except by almost superhuman effort. The public high school sets the youth on a plane of opportunity. Within the limits of his ability, he can determine for himself the direction his life will take. On that level he can free himself from economic slavery. 3. To become a co-operative individual. Co-operation implies equality. Without equality there can be no co-operation and society becomes stratified and one group sits astride the neck of another. In America we have been looking toward a different kind of a civilization, one predicated upon the Declaration of Independence, and we have set up the public school to sustain it. 4. To become a participating individual. Democracy means participation: our whole governmental fabric rests upon that basis. Every citizen has his part. This is, in brief, what Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson said the school would do for a free people. This, too, is the philosophy which has pushed it forward and caused the Amer- ican people to pour out their money in almost unlimited millions. In all past civilizations the course of rise and decay has followed a simple, regular order. First, there has been struggle, then a rise, then decay, and finally, destruction at the hands of cruder and more rugged peoples. Such would have been the destiny of Amer- ica too, but for the two major forces controlling American lifeg namely Our democratic form of government and our determination to provide universal and equal opportunity for education. Under our democratic government every farmer's boy may see in Lincoln the con- crete proof that he may aspire to any level of eminence for which he is qualified and can properly train and prepare himself: in Rockefeller a similar proof that it is not unrea- sonable for him to aspire to power and material wealth. These are only examples that show the stiznulating opportunity offered by a demo- cratic system of education. The disproportionately large numbers of leaders and men of ability in American life of the past who have risen from less fortunate surroundings prove that training and edu- cational opportunity must be provided for all equally, so that the problems imposed by present day civilization may be met with the full force of all the intelligence of the whole nation equipped with the best known training. Nothing less will suffice to hold the tide of American civilization at flood. The story of education in America is a story of real importance to all young people who are being graduated from our free high schools. The promise of the constitution has been fulfilled by furnishing to all equal opportunity for education. We believe the permanence of our political institution, the soundness of our moral, ethical and religious principles and our material prosperity are dependent upon this equal opportunity. Let There Be No Moratorium In Education. --Norma Hart- - 8

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Class History On September 3, 1946, under the Superintendency of Fred Good, a smiling and bright group of boys and girls entered Benton High School. We were quite Green Freshies and in a very few days realized we had much to learn during our four years of high school. Our class consisted of: Anas Wine, Dana Rheinscheld, Maxine Johnson, June Unger, Nora Hart, Florence Eveland, Lowell Huffman, Donald Lockard, Derrill Weaver, George Culp, John Hoy, and Elmer Martin, Elmer joined our group late in the year. In the beginning of the year we learned the importance of organization and leader- ship and proceeded to elect the following class officers: Nora, President: June, Vice- President: Florence, Secretary, and Maxine, Treasurer. George became a member of the basketball team which made us very happy. June and Florence made good with their violins, and Maxine made us proud with her baritone. All the girls participated in the Christmas Cantata at Union Furnace, December 15th, and Laurelville, December 17th. We accepted a part in the Spring Festival which was held at Rockbridge in May. ln the fall of 1947 after a much needed and enjoyable vacation, we assembled as Sophomores, under Fred Good as Superintendent. This year we elected Florence, Presi- entg Anas, Vice-President: and Maxine, Secretary-Treasurer. We were sorry to lose four of our beloved classmates. John withdrew because of ill health, Dana sought employment, Derrill and Elmer moved away. But we were delight- ed over the addition of two charming new members to our class, Vyonne Amerine and Jean Amerine. We were gratified by the addition of a very efficient teacher to the teaching staff, Miss Sayre, who taught English and History. During this Sophomore year Anas and Florence were chosen cheerleaders: June and Maxine accepted parts in the Senior Class play entitled, Henpecked Henry. Play practice periods after school were enjoyable events with occasional interludes accom- panied by hot soup and crackers. June, Maxine, and Florence entered orchestra. The girls of our class participated in the Christmas Cantata presented at South Bloomingville, December 14th, and the Spring Festival which was held at Murray City in May. Mr. Good gave us the privilege of selling tablets, pencils, notebook filler, etc. as a means of earning money for our class fund. At the close of the year we had a balance of 318.00 in the Laurelville Bank. In the fall of 1948 we returned to school as jubilant Juniors. Our superintendent was Fred Good. Again our class had decreased. Florence decided to change her name to Mrs. Neil Brown, Donald moved away, and Lowell quit school to seek employment. Officers elected this yearawerez Maxine, President: Anas, Vice-Presidentg June, Secretary: and Nora, Treasurer. A representative from Herff-Jones Company interview- ed us early in the year and we purchased our class rings. - November 19th, we gave our class play, Mystery At Midnight. After the tax was deducted the sale of tickets amounted to 52255. Our activities in music included the Christmas Cantata presented at Union Furnace, December 19th, and Rockbridge, December Zlstg the Spring Festival which was presented at Murray City in May, and rendition of baritone solos by Maxine at various school pro- grams. Mr. Good gave all classes permission to sell candy bars and chewing gum as a means of earning money, each class had approximately nine weeks. We continued selling pencils tablets, etc. and by the end of the year our Treasurer had given Mr. Good 5160.00 to de- posit in the bank at Laurelville. Honorable Seniorsl At last we had reached the top. The year for which we had all been working and waiting. Our class numbered six this year. We lost Jean to Richland High School due to a new state ruling. Frederick Good was again superintendent. 10