Brilliant High School - Blue Devil Yearbook (Brilliant, OH)

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Z-Xgrirnlinrv anh Elia 1 ffvrta iipnn Gliuiliz-Minn GRICULTURE is one of the oldest sciences in the world. Long before history was written, in wl1at is known as the Old Stone Age, people raised crops, as their rude implements and pictures carved in stone in- dicate. Egypt, we are told in Bible history, raised not only enough corn for its own people, but supplied the surrounding country with grain. liecause of this pursuit Egypt became the first in rank of the civilized nations of antiquity. And because of the decline of this profession, due to the fact that the agricultural class was held inferior to the other classes, Egypt, under the reign of Necho, fell under the power of llabylon. another nation which owed its prowess to the fact that she too was an agricultural country. Egypt had greater fertility, but it was restricted to narrow boundaries: liabylon had wider domains and a larger ann more warlike population, and consequently waxed great while the declining ener- gies of the Egyptians wasted to feeblencss and extinction. The Romans at first were farmers. No other ancient people were so strongly attached to the rural life. Throughout the whole history of the King- dom, Republic and Empire the old rustic disposition asserted itself among the Roman people. The most dissolute of the emperors retained the ancient instinc- tive preferencc for country residences. Citizens, poets. statesmen-all looked forward with pleasure to an escape from the broils and heat of the city to a cooler, quieter life in some remote spot by the Alban or Sabine Hills. As the Republic of Rome assumed imperial proportions, there was esti- mated to be within the city half a million of idlers. These represented all classes of society-from the Patrician fop to the ragged loafer, from the granddaughter and nieces of the Emperor to the courtesians of poverty This vast throng hur-- ried from end to end of the city, seeking for something that should amuse or per- haps satisfy the unappeasable hunger of the idle. Perhaps no other city of the world has ever presented so vast a throng of protitless humanity-such a sea with its tides and storms. In the old 'hardy Rome of the early Republic the slaves were not numer- ous. The ancient Roman, even of the highest rank. was himself a laborer. Wfar, however, brought in its captives, and servile labor was substituted for free. Wfith this extra force in the field, our former freemen increased the rush to the city, and there both by day and by night wickedness and crime brought forth their progeny. The moral standard of ancient Rome began to recede and with it comes the physical degeneracy: so that when Attila and his band of barbarous invaders came in from the North. Rome fell a victim to her agricultural neigh- bor: her crops were ravaged and her villages burned, and in a very short time this once most powerful nation faded into a mere shadow of her former strength. Again let us cite the overtiowing of Spain by the iilohammedans in the eighth century., These newcomers were respectable, law-abiding citizens, who built homes and took up farming. Agriculture was their fort. The effect these

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and failures, who would solace themselves with the delusion that they cherish a more tender conscience than their prosperous fellow-men? Wie will find wher- ever we go the worship of Umaterial success. Its temples rise on every side. This is no mere fancy, the evidence can be found in whatever way we turn. Cities are run 'iwide-open, with all that that phrase implies of vice and shame, because it helps business and swells the stream of revenue. Rivals in business light Teach other with all the cunning and ferocity that they can muster up. They pay absolutely no attention to the Golden Rule: their Golilen Rule is Do others before they have a chance to do you. If truth does not tit in. they just tell a little lie and consider it perfectly all right. Everywhere 'illusiness is Business. Apparently ethics and business have no connection whatever. lVhen the business man has won a competency, what then? Surely he will soon be waving again the Hag of high ideals, and hearken back once more to the spirit of the Golden Rule. But we do not realize how hard this will beg old habits are hard to break, and so, gold and the power it brings is the Idol, and greed is the dominant principle. The Scriptures say, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. And so these sacrifices are laid upon the altars of the goddess, and the gold is gathered in. Surely this is not the rule of Christ? No! lt is simply modern philosophyg they seem to think: Be strong and masterful, be honest as you can, and 'Succeed !' Perhaps many of you think this makes all men ambitious rascals, but this is not so. All those within the temples are not worshipers. In the crowd you will find many goodly persons: those who thinkg yes, those who know they will win success. but not through tricking and vice. They will not bow down to gain success at the price of their ideals. To them the temples are shrines of honor and sacred trust. Golden Rule Jones of Toledo was one of these. VVoodrow Wlilson is another. The moralist need not despair. VVe have still many citizens who arc mczz. But let us not deceive ourselves, although we may regret the facts, they arc here. If we look the situation squarely in the face, we are forced to admit that the men of high ideals are not in the majority. 'What is to be done? How shall this theory, Success at any cost, be abated. Q Wlhatevcr change comes, must come through the realization by individual men and women that ideals are distinctly worth while, and if the nation is to pro- gress morally. as well as materially, it is of vital moment that our future leaders understand this truth, W'here can this best be taught? There is no better place than our present day schools. These schools can, and are teachers of High ldealsf' Throughout the land the fight for purer govermnent is being led by edu- cated men. fln every comnuinity they belong to the moral aristocrats. They are those in whom idols have not displaced ideals.. Let us then learn to believe. yes. learn to know, that the pocketbook is not the symbol of our national devotion, nor the dollar-mark the seal of our greatness.

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new people 'had on Spain can be readily seen, for that nation rapidly rose from almost obscurity to the most powerful kingdom of Europe. lint when, in 1492, King Ferdinand drove them from his domains that country began rapidly to decline. Even our own glorious United States of America, though yet a young nation, has risen to a place among the Hrst of the powers of the world, simply because she has given attention to the agricultural problems that confronted her people. And today the government is doing all in its'power. through the public school, to encourage the agricultural movement, and to check the rush to the city. XX-'hy this movement? lt is simply because the nation sees what has taken place when other nations have neglected this phase of their advancement, and, fearing that history might repeat itself, she is trying to guard against any calam- ity of this nature. Thus we see that agriculture has developed nations because it has devel- oped the physical and moral side ofits citizens. The citizen of the rural com- munity is less apt to become a victim to the contamination of vile associates: and the youth raised in such an atmosphere is preparing himself for a patriotic serv- ice. for upon him the future of our country depends. s Mar aah lgnhlir tlbpininnv E NEED cast but a casual glance at the literature of today to know that this is an age of war, and not of peace. All Europe is eugagezl in one of the greatest conflicts that ever faced mankind. Peace ad- vocates had come with their cries of peace: men of wisdom had proclaimed that the world was too far advanced in civilization to ever aeain engage in su'h a deadly conflict. c be be B Q llut why such prophecies? They have come to naught, and the spirit of patriotism and loyalty burns brighter in the hearts of the people of these warring countries than does their desire for peace. XV e claim for ourselves a civilization far' in advance of that of any previous timeg we claim for ourselves an age of progressiveness, and yet we wonder if we are progressive. XVhen we look about us and see all the achievements of a past civilization shattered at their very base. we cannot but stop and think that we are receding into an age of barbarism. XVho has decried war? X-V ho has invoked this calamity upon the innocent and freedom-loving people? Is it the desire of the people themselves, or is itthe desire of some higher official in his eagerness for power? Ask the progressive business man, the mother, and the little ones their opinion of war and all will undoubtedly tell you that it is not their choice. but the choice of their country. There are times when war is justitiableg there are times when it is not. , - ' VVhen some nation tries to impose upon the libertyvand freedom of an- other, why should not the citizens rise in arms? Or when the ruling authority