Canton High School - Monthly Yearbook (Canton, OH)

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reliability and trustworthiness,--and without these qualities he will sooner or later become a derelict on the sea of dishonor and con- tempt. That young man is indeed fortunate whose will power is strong enough for him to resist temptations. The Hght of resistance makes him stronger, and gives him self-con- fidence and poise. This type is much sought after. The world has little patience with the reckless, dissipated and avaricious young fel- low, and he has little to do with the shaping of the world's affairs. As an element of moral fiber religion plays an important part. lt is largely effective in moulding a young man's characterg it inspires a faith in self and in fellowmang it teaches him to look be- yond the material things of this world and strive for something higher and better, it helps him to carry out the Divine plan. Have you ever noticed how much more rapidly the young man advances if he has a cheery disposition, and is friendly and so- ciable wherever he goes? It is only a duty to his fellowman which he performs when he becomes a factor in society. Society de- mands a passport, so to speak, from him who would enter, and here we say frankly and without hesitation that the greatest organiza- tion in existence today which sets the stand- ard for the social measurement of a young man is the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion. Sociability, however, must not be con- founded with society, for of the two, sociabil- ity is essential, while society is purely op- tional. The power and influence of associa- tion can scarcely be over-estimated. It tends to color our views of friendship, makes us broad-minded and causes us to feel that we are each, one of a common brotherhood. Two final characteristics which embody much in a commercial sense are initiative and inertia. In other words, they constitute the young man's executive ability. By initiative, we mean his ability to start or originate something, by inertia, his capacity to keep it going. The young man of this type is as a rule original, persevering, enthusiastic, and has faith in what he works for. Very rarely does he fail to make good. XYhat, now, will our standard of measure- ment do for the young man of the future? Surely he will be the better for it. All pres- ent indications point toward civic and moral improvement. VVe cite, for instance, the re- cent bribery exposures-national in their scope, and the confiscation and destruction of several thousand false weights and measures in New York and Pittsburg. Our modern system of living has helped us to do away with false measures, material and ideal, and this means that the young man of the future will find it difficult to fool his fellowman. Yesterday, our heroes were Achilles, Her- cules, Hector, Alexander and Caesar, today we give the laurels, not to soldiers of battle, but to soldiers of life who have been meas- ured by the units of true manhood. RiXLPIi EDWIN jisssis, 'll. As lthers See Us O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us ! Strange as it may seem, unnatural as it may appear, untruthful as it may sound, there is one thing to which we as Seniors must submit. It is not a species of rotund police authority, nor is it like the sweet, tender solicitude as was imposed by our late overseers, the Fac- ulty. In fact, it's simply this,-we must be seen! This is one of those indisputable facts and audacious truths of which we have so un- mercifully robbed .the school books, and which have been so easy to digest and assimilate. Unlike the deluded ostrich, which buries its silly cranium within a pile of sand to escape detection, many of us go about blissfully ig- norant that we are easily visible, not taking even as many precautions as this misguided hird.

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interest in their surroundings, in nature, in art, in history and in the life of mankind. How few know that elements of great beauty are shut up in the black ground! Separate the sand, and atom by atom the opal may be formed, purify the clay. and the ruby and sapphire appear, treat properly the blackest soot, and the beautiful diamond will be the result. Facts even more wonderful lie hidden in learning, and even greateris thetransform- ation of knowledge into Knowledge for Servicef, RTARIE TQIZAM. A Young Man's Measure lYith the dawn of the Christian era, came a complete change in the standard of measur- ing manhood. Lp to that time valor tool: rank before virtue in public opinion, the vic- tories of the arm were mightier than those of the brain, and many of the greatest heroes of the earlier period were grossly corrupt and immoral. Thus the young man of yesterday was measured more for his physical qualities, strength, size and endurance, but the young man of today must combine both the physical and intellectual to attain' to the excellence of true mauliness. The standard of today is divided into five units of measurement: vigor, intellectual abil- ity, moral fiber, sociability and initiative and inertia. These units are vitally requisite, and. taken both individually and collectively, form the basis for measuring the real young man of today. In this age of strenuous competition and marvelous accomplishment, health and physique take first place among the necessary assets which a young man must possess. Physically speaking, Hthe survival of the lit- test is every day coming into his own, and robbing his less fortunate brother of the great prize he so vainly sought. It is indeed piti- ful to see the ambitious and manly fellow struggle for that which he can never possess -because of physical handicaps. Again, we have the young man who reaches the crest of his climb, loses his footing, and falls to the bottom because of misuse or neglect of his physical being. A keen and active intellect requires a healthy body, just as a plant re- quires sunlight. imagine, if you can, master minds, like those of Caesar, Napoleon, Lin- coln and our modern Roosevelt, sustained by weak and sickly bodies. Luxury and dissi- pation demoralize the mental or inner-man, and disintegrate the outer or physical man, while overwork, induced by the avarice of ambition, will stunt physical development to a marked degree. By living simply and in- troducing athletics and hygiene into his daily life, the young man will have done much to- wards meeting the physical demands the world imposes, and coming up to the mark made by the first unit of measurement. The second unit defines or measures the young man's intellectual abilities, and the old adage, Knowledge is power, is perhaps more true today than ever before. Unparal- leled educational advantages are offered and the young man who does not use them is not considered as progressive or as necessary to the life of his own community as the young man who does. How true it is that if a man writes a better book, preaches a better sermon or makes a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, the world will make a beaten path to his door. So it is with the young man. the college man, the young professional man, or the youthful, but skilled artisan, if his workmanship is superior to that of his fellow- student or competitor, he will be measured accordingly, and you'll End that man on the top. Let us consider moral fiber before passing judgment on the young man. Suppose that he has a splendid physique and great intel- lectual ability, but lacks moral stamina. lVill he succeed? No! for character determines

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The days of fairy stories and the days of invisible garments-in which we once lived al- most as a reality-are past, and now We have arrived at a place where opinions for good or evil are passed upon us as a direct result of the fact that day after day the populace feast their eager eyes upon us. Nothing will help-we must submit to the obvious. Thus far we have assumed that to be seen is not a pleasing process, but, of course, we dare not state a law in this case for a conclusion on that subject is optional with the individual. Having hinted that the affirmative of this question might be considered, I turn to our young ladies for their sanction. Oh, yes, if we could only see ourselves as others see us! The smiles of amusement and the tears of sorrow would be mingled to- gether, but out of it all would come the great and good lesson which many of us have failed to learn. XYe are blind to those of our de- fects which can be remedied, but our virtues, small as they may be, we pass thru lenses un- til they have become magnified a thousand times. Such is human weakness! Such is Senior vanity! Let us ask ourselves the question,-What thoughts pass through the minds of the under- classmen, for instance, the Freshmen, on ob- serving us? At this point a doubt might arise as to whether or not the Freshmen have enough of this material thru which thoughts could pass, but we assume it as a fact and pro- ceed to the execution. In the first place the Freshman's opinion is simply exalted. 'This being the case, we must be careful lest we speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. One of the first things that he notices, as the Seniors go to and from school, is that these highbrowed recipients of learning are totally devoid of books. No precious folio is pressed to their studious bosoms, nor are their eyes bleare-.l by continuous burning of the midnight elec tricity. This impresses his simple mind,- the above noted,-and he quickly decides that the Seniors know everything and therefore have no use for books. I-Ie, of course, de- cides to do likewise. Observe the tragedy! He bravely and manfully discards his five pon- derous volumes-not counting notebooks and tablet-which, taken collectively, have almost drawn his young frame lopsided in the short space of three or four weeks, and leaves the school room a free-child. But, woe! alas! he has not reckoned for the morrow! His auditory appendage is seized unceremoniously and his wailings are heard throughout the lower halls. His hat, too, after a few days of openmouthed inspection, appears at a very precipitous angle, but the Senioric effect in somewhat lessened by the fact that his grade- school friends proceed to make his life bitter by offering easily understood, sarcastic allu- sions to his occipital enlargement. He has learned a number of lessons since and,- f'For a' that and a' that, Don't laugh at him for a' that, Because each Senior here tonight Was a Freshie once, for a' that. If we poor mortals could see ourselves as the Faculty see us, our eyes would be opened to many more stranger things than I can men- tion tonight. No doubt they look upon us with the greatest favor at this particular mo- ment, but we cannot blame them, considering that we may have some inclination to return the compliment. In the first year they could not miss the chance of amusing themselves, many times at our expense. In the next year we became unruly, and the hand of authority fusually armed with a demerit padj descended heavily upon us. In the third year we were impertinent, and they avoided us. Now things have changed. Now, the Fac- ulty, realizing that three years of dignified reserve have profited them nothing, conclude by reductio ad absu1'dm11, to be at least pleas- ing. They make the effort, but, Oh the irony of fate and the terrible truth! You can't teach an old dog new tricks, neither can he learn them himself. But, after all, there are many sparks of humanity among their num- ber, who look at us with favor, but we hasten to add in the same breath that their frail opinions are usually founded upon the strength