Bolivar Central School - Gusher Yearbook (Bolivar, NY)

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BOLIVAR HIGH SCHOOL “BLIZZARD” 15 the Republicans were not in favor of useless display. The inauguration was a simple ceremony. The new President walked to the capitol in the company of a few friends and quietly took the oath of office. It was his policy to introduce simplicity into governmental affairs. At Jefferson’s election the fervor which attended the first, the new born sense of American national life had largely worn away. From the open beginning of the constitution-making at Annapolis until the inauguration of Adams, the American people under the governing of Washington were concerned only with the framework upon which tile fabric of their political life was to be wrought. The framework was doubtless of vast and enduring importance. But quite apart from this were the temper and traditions of popular politics, out of which conies the essential nature of pub- lic institutions. In this creative and deeper work Jefferson was engaged during 1801 and 1809. There was an American government, an American nation when Washington left for Mt. Vernon. The government was wel lordered and the nation was dignified, but the people were either still colonial and provincial or rushing in bad temper to crude theories. Twenty-five years later with Jefferson as the political idol the people became profoundly national. Before this many had seen no more than the mean and trivial details and of course the unimaginative minds failed to see the greater and deeper movements of politics. But in Jefferson’s term dawned a great national spirit in their virtues, an exalted love of truth and liberty composure and dignity and the absence of either meanness or bitterness which is for greater than any other treasures. Football, Best of American Games By GEORGE BLISS During the last twenty-five years the game of football has been revolutionized. Fundamentally of course it is the same game but it is no longer a sport requiring more beef and brawn. Mass play is a thing of the past and an open style of football prevails. Altho this style of play is not such a test of strength and endurance as was the olden game it is more thrilling and spectacular. But the players will fight just as hard playing one style of football as the other. Into no other game can a fellow throw all his spirit as he can in football. He forgets everything but the thrill of the game. He gives everything he has and does not realize that he is tired until afterwards. What is there to a game that has such an effect on a youth? Football is a fight and no one forgets one’s self as they do in a fight. The real football player must possess courage and the power to fight. To bo sure he must understand the game but the man who cannot fight is not the man who is seen on the gridiron. An authority on football has said, “It matters not how big you are or how fast you can run. The ideal football player is made up of 60 per cent fight and 40 per cent usable knowledge.” A large stature and fleetness of foot are most valuable assets to a player but with-

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14 BOLIVAR HIGH SCHOOL ‘BLIZZARD” considered an Anti-Federalist. He had great faith and confidence in the wisdom of the masses and wished to give them a large share in the government. Jefferson stated that he was not a Federalist because lie never submitted all his opinions to the creed of any party of men. But he was much farther from that of the Anti-Federalists, lie approved of what was in the new constitution while they didn’t. His experience abroad, in attempting to form commercial treaties, had taught Jefferson the necessity of a closer union of the States for purposes of foreign relationships but his general plan was to make the States one in connection with all foreign affairs, and several ins to everything domestic. Thus when the constitution was published, he found much in it which seemed very unsound and his earliest criticisms were very severe. But within a short time he was looking forward eagerly to its adoption, hoping that a favorable moment would come for correcting what was amiss in it. The only real objections which he retained to the end were, the absence of a bill of rights and the presence of the re-eligibilitv of the President. The former defect was wisely fixed and the other has been practically controlled. In 1789 when Washington became President, the cabinet consisted of only four persons. John Jay was chief justice; Jefferson, secretary of state; Hamilton, secretary of treasury, and Knox, secretary of war. The greater part of the labor fell on Hamilton who encountered the task with magnificent spirit. Every matter of importance had been taken care except the war debts of the States. The States were unable to form any plan for this. Their feeling showed that a serious crisis was menacing the young nation. Hamilton became very anxious, for the fate of the government depended upon his department. Thus he resolved to make use of Jefferson. The time had now come for the selection of a site for the national capital. The Southern States wanted it on the Potomac; the middle and northern States wished it to be farther north. Hamilton desired to have it on the Potomac. The opportunity for a bargain was obvious and temptation to it was irresist-able. So he took Jefferson as his partner to secure it. Although Jefferson knew little concerning the site, by Hamilton’s influence he gained it. Soon, however, Jefferson found himself deeply repenting his share in the transaction. He began to doubt whether assumption was really wise and right and he plainly saw that from a personal point of view he had blundered seriously. For he had greatly aided the influence of one who soon became his most formidable political opponent. The two men soon became so bitter toward each other that they requested Washington to send one of them away. But they were both fine men and filled their positions so well that Washington would not hear of losing either. Finally Jefferson resigned and betook himself to his plantation. Jefferson came to the vice presidency in a cheerful and sanguine temper. He plainly saw that Hamilton was no longer to have control over a united party. In 1801 he was chosen President, the first President to be inaugurated in the city of Washington. The capitol city unlike Philadelphia was new and crude. It. consisted of a few buildings in the midst of the wilderness an dsome of them were unfinished. Brilliant social events were impossible under such conditions and what is more important.

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16 BOLIVAR HIGH SCHOOL BLIZZARD out the ability to fight they are useless. For football is no game for the mollycoddle or cake-eater. It is a game of bruises and hard knocks. But those things are of small moment when compared with the joy obtained from playing. It is a wonderful feeling that you obtain when you tackle an opponent as hard as you can. That crashing and rending of bodies is obtained iu no other sport. Probably there is no other game that is harder to lose than is a game of football. The bitter disappointed feeling that a fellow experiences after the loss of a hard fought game of baseball or basketball is gone over night but the loss of a football game is never so easily forgotten. The reason for this is that in no other sport does an athlete tight as hard for victory as lit1 does in a football game. Therefore there is no other game that furnishes such elation to a team as does a football victory. Football players will talk over a post game time and time again without tiring of the subject. There is another effect that football has on a youth that no other sport has. Beginning two or three days before the game most fellows will think constantly of the coming contest. lie looks forward to it with nervous anticipation. He lies awake nights wondering whether or not they can win. Other sports do not act in that manner on a fellow. Only fleeting thoughts enter his mind in the hours preceding some other athletic contest. A player never worries as to the result of many athletic contests. It is argued by some that football is a dangerous game. To be sure it is not a nice, polite game like croquet. Every player suffers bumps and bruises that are of minor con- sequence. The athlete who never allows the thought to enter his mind that he may be injured is the one who is seldom hurt. But considering the large number that play loot ball it is a very small proportion of these that are seriously injured during the course of a season. But this very small amount of risk that is involved is more than offset by the part football plays as a character builder. It does more to instill sportsmanship in a youth than any other game. As I have said a football game is harder to lose than any other and so it does more to teach a fellow to take defeat smilingly. We are told that courage is one of the greatest virtues possessed by man. Football will do more to develop courage than any other game that I know of. Many a fellow has courage and tight but oft times it lies dormant in him. After he has played on the gridiron in a hard battle this quality will no longer slumber. The value of a game that is such a builder of character as is football can not be placed too high. Besides developing character football is a great benefit to a fellow from a physical standpoint. All the muscles of the body are constantly called into play. It strengthens ones wind and ones power of endurance. Surely there is something to a game that is such a physical aid to a boy. Football has ever been a game of the schools and colleges. They have made it their big game and ail other sports are shelved if they interfere with football. I am not able to say why it is that the game is so highly esteemed in the eyes of the students unless it is that they realize that the players are giving every ounce of strength and fight that they possess for the honor of their school. (Continued on page 31)