Canton High School - Monthly Yearbook (Canton, OH)

Page 26 text:

but by patient effort and willing help we have finished the day that dawned for us so gaily. This high school day has been and always will seem a very great part of our livesg for. Every day is a little life and our whole life is but a day repeated. We now behold a new dawn more beautiful than that other one. The Sun of our high school days has gone down into the Vtfest. As we turn our expectant faces to the East, Aurora draws aside the veil of mist and our future life looks radiant before us. XYC are a band of young people full of hope and aspirations, ready to set out on a longer journey than we have ever taken. We do not know what clouds will Hit across our bright morning sky: the moon-tide may be dark with the storms and confiict of life: but. as Apollo's chariot sinks into the XYest, we shall watch the setting sun in peace and quiet. VVe go on to meet new faces and make new friends. One face may speak of hope: an- other, good cheer or kindness, perhaps, even despair, yet each face will have a message for us. Xive also shall have something to give to these new friends and expect to share their pleasures and sorrows. The new faces will become as dear to us as the old ones have been. Klay they find something in us that will be worth while, may the message we bear to them be one of cheery greeting and may they be able to say that the world is better because we have lived. This beautiful legend is told by St. Anthony: Each morning at sunrise a handful of dew floated down from heaven and fell on the Church of St. Mary. The monks walking about the convent gardens, gathered this dew. the tears of Aurora, for they had found it a sovereign remedy for all diseases. Now the gates of Heaven are opened: Apollo is starting on his course across the firnianient. and a new day has begun. NVith our handful of dew, the dew of Hope, which we have gathered in the garden of Youth, we go forth to greet the world. Then come, my friend, forget your foes and leave your fears behind, And wander forth to try your luck, with cheer- ful, quiet mindg For be your future great or small, you'll take what God may give, And all the day your heart shall say, 'Tis luck enough to live. RUTH GEIDLINGER. The Right spirit The right spirit should assert itself every- where.-the right spirit which combines cheerfulness with determination and optimism with willingness3 the right spirit which ad- justs a man's attitude toward life and helps him to make the most of it and to be thankful his tasks are not worse. Hope and courage are embodied in itg patience and confidence are always associated with it: even temper and success are never absent from it. The real citizen of to-day is the active man, the one who has the power to do things, the one who does not look out for himself and for himself alone, but who works willingly and faithfully for his entire community. Canton can boast of a splendid example of this citizen spirit in her Business Men's As- sociation. This organization of progressive business men has offered helpful public sug- gestions, promoted new and better methods, attained excellent results and made a bigger and better Canton. During the few years of its organization it certainly has displayed the qualities of the right spirit. Its workers have been willing and determined, patient through trials, confident of success and courageously

Page 25 text:

S 4 7 . ii , ggjlwiw 'v , ff? i T , wi- ai ' 557 if ' T' if-y i f ll ymmgll g Q Salutatory The early morning with its crimson sky and singing birds inspired the Greeks and Romans of ancient times to originate the beautiful myth of Aurora, the goddess of the dawn. Aurora was the sister of Apollo, the Sun-god, and mother of Lucifer, the morning-star. In the Trojan war, Achilles slew her mortal son, and in the evening she went to his side to weep and lament his death. The heaven became dark with clouds and all nature mourned for the offspring of the Dawn. Aurora remains inconsolableg her tears still flow and may be seen at early morn as the dew-drops on the grass. The poet paints Aurora as a fair virgin who wears a star on her forehead and carries a torch in her hand. Enveloped in her rich cloak of violet hue, she leaves her home before the coming of the day. She touches the moun- tain-tops with rose and saffron and opens the gates of heaven for the chariot of Apollo. The Greeks and Romans were so impressed by the rosy-tinted dawn that they deified it. We do not believe in their myths-yet poets and artists have been moved by the inspiring beauty of the early day since time immemorial. XYho is not revived and refreshed to behold the glories of the night dissolving themselves into the glories of the dawn? The stars go to sleep, and the scenery of the heavens is changed by unseen hands. The sky becomes a soft grayg the gray gradually turns to crim- son and yellowg the sun bursts in a flood of light over the horizon and transforms the dewy tear-drops of flower and tree into rubies and diamonds. Each person goes to his duties with happy anticipation of what the new day may bring. Even though on the previous night Despair may have seemed the master, with the rising sun, Hope is again the mistress of all God's creatures. The winter dawn, with its keen, cold atmos- phere, makes us feel that no task is too dif- ficult for us to accomplish itg while the early summer morn delights our hearts with the beauties and wonders of field and forest and stirs our minds to nobler thoughts. On a june dawn, All the world is making music. The ibrooks tinkle and the breezes whistle. The birds are singing and the frogs in the marshes pipe away bravely. VVhat messages a June dawn has for usl Four years ago was the auspicious dawn- ing of a new day for the class of 1911. On that bright, glorious morning. as we entered upon our high school life, Aurora had the out- look of ouricoming years painted with the gay- est colors of her palette. At times our tasks seemed difhcult and clouds darkened our way,

Page 27 text:

have forged ahead. It required labor to enlist the interest and support of the city and se- cure recognition from the public. Surely, this is a fine example of the right spirit dis- played by ,our own citizens. History teaches us that organized efforts attain results. How often, indeed, is it true that man is inclined to be selfish, to work for himself alone, when unselfishness is one of the greatest exponents of the right spirit. lYhen men unite for a cause and work with- out friction, their united efforts show rr greater tendency towards success than any individual efforts could produce. Every great social. mental, or spiritual movement has shown us this. The American Revolution, through the concentrated efforts of a few colonial leaders and the spirit displayed by our forefathers, cost the British a victory. XYe have to-day the best government among all nations and this has been brought about by the spirit of '76, our richest inheritance from our Revolutionary fathers. Party spirit, it is claimed, is largely responsible for many of our present national troubles. Still men should belong to some one party, should be aware of prevailing conditions, and strive to work for the harmony of that party. Party rule and principle, though a necessity at times, must on many occasions be laid aside for the higher principles of man. The future should be considered as well as the present. The thought that an office may be his reward often causes a man to forget what kind of a public servant he is supporting. The right spirit, however, would compel us to forget personal advancement and to take a broad view of political activities as they may affect future generations. The Church now comes in for a great deal of credit. It is the greatest of all modern institutions. It leads men aright through its teachings of honesty, justice, kindness, and helpfulness. llere in our own city it has been taking a big step toward the moral and spiritual improvement of many who have re- fused to answer its call. Through the re- alization of strength in organization, It has brought about a union of denominations that are preparing a great revival for next year, which will make a better and cleaner Canton. This is the right spirit in religion. We now come to a point where man must realize that although evil prevails in many quarters, the spirit of honesty, of justice- the right spirit-is far overshadowing it. For a while it may have seemed that the right spirit was idle and dormant, but now it is up and moving. Every existence has become an aim, and at the head of the mighty ranks of the nations the prevailing spirit moves. Imagination paints the picture for us, we have but to follow. lfVe see it looming ahead, a commanding figure, clothed in the whiteness of purity, at the top of the Mountain of Life. As we look it beckons us on and upwards. Men push forward, eagerly endeavoring to reach the summit, and though there are times when they lose sight of the figure, times when bowlders loom ahead or a turn in the path causes the travelers to change their course for a while, the spirit, however, still beckons, still asserts its irresistible influence. Now the path changes, abruptly it leads men down- ward and away from the crest: now the detour becomes puzzling, but the ranks have grown thicker and the army continues to go on. Now a cloud appears and enshrouds the fig- ure, but suddenly the sun drives away the mist and again the powerful influence of that commanding spirit is felt and man continues to advance. Thus it is, no matter what the object may be-dignifying citizenship, po- litical rule, or the church-the prevailing spirit is ever present to bring out the best there is in us-to beckon us on. HERBERT E. HUNIiER. English Orator