Brattleboro Union High School - Colonel Yearbook (Brattleboro, VT)

Page 10 text:

8 ET us go forth and dress the wounds of the warriors, be they friend or foe. So spake Haldoro, the Dane, to the women wl1o were assembled at her home on the eve of the battle in the year 1000 A.D. The women were eager a11d went forth at once to do what they considered was their duty. Of Haldoro herself, it is said that she found the enemy chieftain badly wounded and nursed him back to l1ealth. This incident is the first recorded manifesta- tion ot compassion and mercy i11 war. This 1IlSt1l1Ct, which looks beyond race, creed, and cause, and sees in a wounded sufferer only a soldier to be made less miserable next found expression in the Knight Hospitalers of-the medieval orders and later in the sisters of St. Vincent de Paul, who, in 1654 a11d 1655 we11t to the battlefield of Sedan and Arrasf' Florence Nightingale, who lived during the 19th century, also firmly believed in help- ing those who were unfortunate. She went to a British hospital during the Crimean XVar and revolutionized the care of the wounded. It was not in the actual saving of life, however, nor i11 tl1e lasting reforms in sanitary service that Florence Nightingale rendered her enduring service. Her two epoch-making contributions were first, the establishment of the modern profession of nursing, and second tl1e value of her example in service to the wounded and sick in war. One who followed in Miss Nigl1tingale's footsteps was a young Franco-Swiss, Henri Duna11t. He was born in Geneva in 1828. At the age of 31 years he witnessed the battle of Solferino at Lombardy, Italy. Forty thou- sand men were killed and wounded on that field. Monsieur Dunant desired very much to help them. He gathered together, from the surrounding towns a few women, and with this little band he did what he could to relieve the suffering of the wounded. It was then that Monsieur Dunant realized the in- adequacy of medical service 011 the battle field and in the hospital. In 1862 he pub- lished a magazine entitled A souvenir of Sblferinof' in which he raised a strenuous objection to war and the loss of human life which it involved. I11 conclusion he asked, VVould it not be possible to found and or- ganize ill all civilized countries permanent so- cieties of volunteers which in time of war would render succor to the wounded without distinction of nationalitv? 11 THE DIAL IVY ESSAY NTHE AMERICAN RED CROSSw + ' 4 .... IVY ODE Wfhat majesty your strength portrays, Oh, Ivy, plant of heart's desire, How many most ingenious ways, You find in climbing ever higher. lVhat mighty force inspired you To gain some high a11d worthy end? VV hat just reward will be your due? On what does your great strength depend? Oh, Ivy, may we learn from thee To gain success by patient strength M ay our ambition ever be To reach such lofty heights at length. -IYTARGARET CRAM. Muxir by H ende1l Dix .Wi This question may be called the root of the modern Red Cross System. This pamphlet resulted in immediate ac- tion on the part of the European countries. A conference was held i11 Geneva on Oct. 26, 1863 at which Representatives were present from fourteen European governments and seven philanthropic societies. Resolutions, which recommended the formation of na- tional committees in each country to volun- teer relief in war, were draw11 up and passed. The choice of the insignia-Red Cross-was in deference to the Republic of Switzerland, for the Red Cross Flag is the Swiss Flag with the colors reversed. Another meeting was held at Geneva i11 1804. It was attended by accredited Govern- ment representatives from,-13 European na- tions alld the U. S. The deliberation of this convention resulted in the signing of the famous Articles of Convention now known as the First Treaty of Geneva or the Inter- national Red Cross Treaty. The reason the U. S. did not take active official part in the Diplomatic Convention of 1864 was because the Civil War was occupying all its atten- tion. The primary object of the convention was to give recognition to the principle that the sick and wounded in time of war, the am- bulances alld hospitals i11 which they are placed, and the Medical and auxiliary staff attending them are to be regarded as neutral. The Convention laid down that it is the duty of belligerent to collect and care for the sick or wounded soldiers irrespective of their na- tionality. The Convention also established the Red Cross on a white field as emblem of neutrality. When the Convention adjourned a report was submitted to Secretary of the State Seward. It embodied the aims and text of the Treaty of Geneva. The Government paid 110 heed to it at that time. But the leaders of tl1e Sanitary Co1nmission, a commission which had been organized to better the con- ditions of the people, had seen the inade- quacy of their own organization. They de- voted their powers to infiuence the A1nerica11 GOW'CFl1mCl1t to accede to the Treaty of Geneva. They were the leading spirits in the organization on July 20, 1866 of a so- ciety, The American Association for the Relief of Misery on the Battlefields, to further this end. Its existence and develop- qContinued on page 443

Page 9 text:

I 1 LOQUENCE has been defined as being the art of speaking with fluency and elegance. One imagines that this art had its origin away back in the age of the cave dwellers. Its ascent to its proper place in our civilization of today has been due in part to the need for pacifiers and instigators. The person who is able to express himself in a fluent, clear and straightforward manner has had and always will have a decided advan- tage over a less fortunate individual. He is the possessor of the proverbial golden spoon. It would be a difficult task to estimate the degree of infiuence the orator has had in the history of the world, but I can truthfully say that the triumphs of the sword have been rivalled by those of the tongue. Every period or age gives evidence of the miracle wrought by the meritorious power of eloquence, I might say the Unecromantic power. The great nations of Greece and Rome had as a master-spirit, eloquence. Plutarch tells us that Thucydides, when Archidamus, King of Sparta. asked him which was the best wrestler, Pericles or her,-replied: WV hen I throw him, he says he was never down, an.l persuades the very spectators to believe him.' Demosthenes devoted himself to becoming a good public speaker. At the outset his speaking was very poor because he was af- flicted with stuttering. To cure this defect he is supposed to have gone to the seashore and with pebbles in his mouth practiced speaking. It was Demosthenes' belief that Athens was the rightful leader of Greeceg and that King Philip of Macedon, to whom he was in opposition, was a barbarian and not a Greek. The Macedonian monarch saiil of Demosthenes, that had he been there at the time the orator aroused the Athenian popu- lace against him, that he would have been persuaded to take up arms against himself. For thirty years Cicero studied oratory and searched for models of eloquence. Vlfhen Cicero and Demosthenes were silenced, Despotism triumphed in Rome and Greece. Daniel VVebster has said, VVho can doubt that in our own struggle for independence, the majestic eloquence of Chatham, the pro- found reasoning of Burke, the burning satire and irony of Barre, had influence on our fortunes in America? They tended to di- Tldli DIAL IVY OTRATION THE POWER OF ELOQUENCE minish the confidence of the British ministry in their hopes to subject us. There was not a reading man who did not struggle more boldly for his rights when those exhilarating sounds, uttered in the two houses of Parlia- ment, reached him across the seas. The British lfVrits of Assistance were de- nounced by James Otis in Boston in 1761. So forceful was the denouncement that the audience was aroused to the illegality of these VVrits. It may seem incredible to some of us when we hear of the miraculous effects wrought by impetuous speeches. This probably can be attributed to the fact that we have never heard the weighty words or the ringing, passionate voices of the speakers. The question has often been asked, Is oratory a lost art ? As oratory, in the true sense of the word, is the product of national unrest, the day of the fiery orator has been relegated to history. Everyone knows the type of legislation our Congress is concerned with at the present time. Although there is dissension in nearly all matters brought be- fore our legislative bodies, the situation does not call for a great pacifier or instigator. The party spirit has become very strong and individuality is being suppressed in such matters. Due to the fact that the speaker of a political party is responsible for his party pledges he must, of necessity, speak under a restraint. Consequently, he does not express his own personal views on the subject, but those of the particular party he represents. I do not mean to say that oratory is a lost art, because the volume of demand for ora- tory is practically the same as it was in the past, but it calls for a different type. As the mode of civilization changes so does the human viewpoint. Men and women of today are more interested in the presentation of logical facts than in outbursts which are the product of imagination. The speaker of to- day acts by degrees and with logic, while the ancient orator gave headstrong addresses that were intended to arouse deep elemental passions rather than logical conclusions. Some people are of the opinion that ora- tory's high throne has been usurped by the press. I agree that this has been so in part, but I do not concede the point that oratory is on a lower level than the editorial. It is inevitable that an editorial should not arouse its readers as the words of a truly 7 great speaker arouse an audience. At one time the circulation of the editorial would have been so wide as to reach far beyond the scope of spoken words, but with the inven- tion of the radio and the talkies this has been changed. One of the most important factors in judging a speaker is character. Usually the impression created by a speaker is the result of what he is, though this does not always hold true. To be able to express ideas con- vincingly in words, one must put expressive feeling into them. Therefore, thoughts and feelings of the inner self find expression in the voice and action. The degree of enthusi- asm, sincerity, interest, and sense of propor- tion can be found in the underlying thought of the speech. If a speaker appears to be opprobrious, he has little chance of success. It is an utter impossibility for some peo- ple to put their thoughts into words, but for others it may be natural and may he taken as a matter of course. To speak naturally a person must have self-control and self-con- Fidence. It is absolutely essential that the mind have command over body and voice. To obtain this command one must practice continually and keep ever in mind the funda- mentals. An argus-eyezl individual has a better chance of success in this line than one less observant. An important factor largely determining the heights a speaker can attain, is the way he speaks. His use of the English language must be such that it will enable him to sell his idea to his audience. It has been said. Language is merely a medium for thoughts, emotions, the intelligence of a finely wrought brain, and a good mind will make far more out of a bad medium than a poor mind will make out of the best. Public speaking is being taught in nearly all the high schools in the country, and languages are major subjects. By diligent study it is possible for the student of today to be adept not only in the use of English language, but in foreign languages as welll Obviously it is advantageous for us, as high school graduates, to be able to speak con- fidently before people in all walks of life, for as long as we have human existence the art of public speaking will never become extinct, no matter how many new ideas and discov- eries are brought into our civilization. --BERTHA WHITNEY, '3l.

Page 11 text:

THE .DIAL 9 CLASS HISTORY Freshman Year T one o'colck on the day of September six, nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, one hundred and forty-five of us, the class of '31, flocked through the door of the air- ship B. H. S. for the non-stop flight to the sophomore class. Much to our gratifica- tion, there were no upperclassmen present, and after visiting our various classes, Mr. VViggin told us how to conduct ourselves the next, and all the following days. Our first assembly was held on September 14, and as we marched in we were greeted by loud and boisterous clapping. VVe felt quite honored as heretofore only the Seniors had had that honor. On September 16, the Freshmen Get-To- gether was held For Freshmen Only, where we became acquainted with the fac- ulty and with one another. Everyone had an excellent time. VVe were the first class which was not hazed at W'ells' fountain. Instead it was decided that there would be a pushball con- test on the Island, and a rope pull at Rich- ardson's pond. VVe won the pushball con- test with a score of 2-1, and to show the Sophomores that we were indifferent to hot air and cold water alike, we permitted them to drag us through the pond. The swim- ming was very good. There were plenty of activities in the airship. Jack Dube, Verne Rice, Abbott Robinson, and Oliver Morrisseau represented us on the football team, and Jack Dube was on the basketball team. VVe were also well represented in the band and orchestra by Oscar Ekberg, John Helyar, Paul Lawton, Abbott Robinson, and Stewart Barney. The Freshman Blowout, which was held on October 15, was a great success. Wie felt ourselves really a part of B. H. S. after this event. ' ' About this time we realized that to make our trip successful we needed a pilot and assistants. NVe elected 'iJoe Holiday pilot, with Madeline Chase as his assistant. Evelyn Adam was secretary, and ,lack Dube mau- aged the financial afifairs very successfully, as we were the first Freshman Class in the history of B. H. S. which had paid its dues 10096. Betty Fairbanks and John Tasker represented us on the Student Council. VVe nearly went into a tail spin at Mid- Years, but we recovered, and with no casual- lies. On March 21 the entire airship enjoyed the Latin assembly given in the form of a Roman circus in which many of us partici- pated. Bill Cox and Put Helyar op- posed each other in a gladitorial combat. 'iBill was proclaimed the winner and was presented with a laurel wreath. Some of the girls participated in the girls' foot race, which is an important event in the circus. The operetta, The Pirate's Daughter, was presented on April 19 and 20, many of us taking part. Scholastically we had a fair record, with an average of about 1896 on the Honor Roll each marking period, Ruth Staples, Doris Rhodes, and Mary Nims were on the Maxi- mum Honor Roll several times. In June we made a very successful land- ing at the Sophomore hangar, the whole trip being almost free from molestation. -KATIIINRINE JORDAN Sophomore Year W'e the class of 1931 returned to B. H. S. in the fall of 1928 numbering one hundred and nineteen, twenty-eight less than the year before: This was our sophomore year and no time was lost in distinguishing ourselves from the Freshies. The first big event of the new year was the annual Sophomore-Freshman rope pull. It was held at Richardson's ice pond and to keep up the class prestige we foundeit neces- sary to give the new members of the High School a muddy bath. The call of the gridiron found many of the boys from our class out for football. Among those were: ,Tack Dube, Verne Rice, Abbott Robinson, Oliver Morrisseau. and Raymond Koski. Jack Dube, and Verne Rice participated in the hrst game of the season. The class was well represented in the musical side of our school life with ten in the baud, the same number in the orchestra, fifteen in the Girls' Glee Club, and eight in the Boys' Glee Club. The two elected to uphold our rights in the Student Council were Frances Dunlevy and Jack Dube. About the same time the following class ofiicers were appointed to guide our ship of state through the coming year, president, Jack Dube: vice-president, Lillian jones: secretary, Madeline Chaseg treasurer, John Taskerg assistant treasurer, Alice Grant. Jack Dube was successful in obtaining a berth on the varsity basketball team, while other boys from our class made the second and third teams. The girls' class basketball team gave a good account of itself during the year with several successful encounters. Edward Fenton appeared in the school play, while Bill Cox was chosen to serve on the advertising connnittee. Mary Nims also served on the business committee. The annual Soph-Senior party was held with the following on the connnittee: Jack Dube, Frances Dunlevy, D. Farnham, K. Jordan, H. Xhiilliam Cox, P. Cram, and Ruth VVhite. Several others helped and every one seemed to enjoy the party. Vtfe hope they did anyway. Not only did we enter and excel in all social and athletic activities but our scholas- tic standing was well upheld. Those being on the General Honor Roll for the year were as follows: Evelyn Adams, K. Cham- berlain, M. Cram, L. Eddy, K. Jordan, H. Lepp, V. MacArthur, E. Perry, V. Prouty, E. Putnam, D. Rhodes, T. Russell, B. Vifhitney and L. VVhitney. Mary Nims was on the Maximum Honor Roll for the year. Although these are not all of the events that took place in our Sophomore year I believe the main ones have been mentioned. Our History does not' end here as it will soon be proved. --RONALD S1nsoN junior Year It was with high spirits that we started on the second half of our high school career. At our first class meeting we elected VVil- liam Ferriter to the chief executive's chair Frances Dunlevy captured the title of vice- president. To Edward Fenton was entrusted the keeping of the Junior class's money, while Viola Hertzberg kept the minutes. The Junior class was well represented in the various activities throughout the year. In the high school play, The House of the Flashing Light, we had four brilliant actors, who did splendid work. They were Ruth VVhite, Evelyn Perry, john Helyar and Verne Rice. It gave them a good foundation for their work in the Senior Year. VV e had a fine debating team this year. It was composed of Madeline Chase, Doris Rhodes, VVilliam Ferriter and Ronald Sib- tContinued on page 451