Commerce High School - Commerce Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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Later, whenever any of Mabel Griggs’ classmates showed surprise at the changed relations between herself and her now devoted friend, Lucy Barrows, Mabel would laugh happily, shake her finger at them warningly, and say, “Don’t ask questions. This is an official friendship and brooks no interference.” The other girls, therefore, never learned exactly what took place in Doctor Thompson’s private office, but Lucy often averred to Mabel that there occurred what was the greatest surgical operation in the world—the removal of “a guilty conscience.” SARAH YOELSON, 1912. Jfcntfjcrtop HOW empty the very name sounds! It conveys an idea of vacancy, frailty and irresponsibility. Yet it furnishes a singularly fitting epithet for some people—indeed, for a great many. These people confront us with their perpetual smile, fine raiment, fluent and eloquent vocabulary and affected grace. Yet are these things an index to a noble character? Is there a mind of intelligence and sincerity in that bedecked head—does that smile convey aught of sympathy and good-will—is the heart beneath that splendid garment beating with love for his fellow-man? True, they make their way in the world and very often with more than ordinary success. An opportune smile, a word at the correct point in the conversation, a nod, a flourish, and their object is attained. But they are not always successful. By their contact with other men—truer, better men—they suddenly become conscious of their own deceptions. The personality of the sincere man casts off and reflects back the sham of Feathertop who sees himself and knows himself to be a conceited, deceiving piece of humanity. He confesses to himself his deception and his utter worthlessness; sometimes begins anew and atones in a measure, but more often he goes to his death unrespected, despondent and unnoticed. On the other hand, many of them continue to delude us, gain their quests and are looked upon by the world at large as respectable, able personages. Are you a Feathertop? 109 FLORA PUTNAM. 1911.

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morning? I cannot believe that you would ever be involved in an affair such as this.” Mabel stood bewildered, not knowing what to think nor what to say. What could the principal be talking about? Surely there was some misunderstanding. “I do not understand you. Dr. Thompson; please explain yourself,” said Mabel, who, however, was pale and trembling, thus seemingly proving herself guilty of, she knew not what offense. The teacher, whom Mabel had not seen heretofore on account of the gloom, now stepped forth and proceeded to tell the astonished girl of a suspicion against her. “A small slip of paper containing the answers to the test, and various text book notes was found on your desk,” said the teacher. “I cannot think that you would make use of unfair means, but the evidence seems to say that you are guilty.” ‘‘Why, I don’t know a thing about this,” cried Mabel, and she stood gazing at her two judges with a bewildered countenance. ‘‘We will further investigate the subject,” said the principal, “but you know the rules of the school, so please hold yourself ready for leaving. A paper found on your desk indicates outside help in examination.” “How did that paper get there?” wondered Mabel. Then she drew a dismal picture of the result. To be sent home in disgrace! What would mother, and Tom, and Jack, and father say? She might be expelled from the school where her mother had graduated, the school they both loved and honored. These thoughts flew through Mabel’s head later, as she gathered her belongings together. With every article she packed, a fresh outburst of tears came. Finally exhausted, she stopped her packing, threw herself on her bed, and cried herself to sleep. Meanwhile Lucy Barrows was in misery. She regretted her deed, but was afraid to confess for fear of being expelled. “Dear Lucy, whatever you do, always be true to yourself and to others,” ran incessantly through her head. Those were the last words her dear mother had said to her before she departed from this earth. “Yes, dear mother, I will go and confess this act,” sobbed Lucy. Whereupon she arose and went with a beating heart before the principal. Lucy confessed the whole, miserable affair, in a sobbing voice, and he, good mar., pitied this motherless girl and forgave her. Mabel was then called in, and Dr. Thompson related the whole affair to her. “None of the girls like me, and all seemed so fond of Mabel, so I was jealous,” sobbed Lucy. When Mabel glanced at the sobbing, penitent girl, the hatred which had at first risen on hearing the story all fled, and instead a rush of love surged into her heart. She took the limp girl into her arms and forgave her. 108

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£f)ougf)ts from £mers(on AFTER reading Emerson’s Self-Reliance, while one may not agree with him in every particular, yet he cannot help becoming imbued with his thoughts.. Emerson clearly shows that man too often has a weak character. He is afraid to exercise his own individuality by giving expression to his own thoughts and opinions, but he “appropriates” those of some individual who had brains enough to have some of his own. Thus, a man shrouds his personality in a cloak of others’ opinions; one cannot penetrate it and know the real man. He who upholds another’s opinion because he is too weak to express his own and stick to it, becomes a man whose very words and actions are not only partly false, but in fact, entirely so. “His every truth is not quite true, for somewhere in the foundation of this truth lies falsehood; and how can we know where to draw the line? His truth is so interwoven with falsehood that we cannot believe one word without at the same moment doubting it. So destructive is this attitude that the man becomes blindly submissive, not to his own will, but to the will of others. Furthermore, this policy stamps its trademark on his face and on his actions, and bowing his head in unwilling submission, he acknowledges himself the slave of his thought usurpers But, on the contrary, if he adheres to his own honest opinion, he strengthens and re-enforces his character. His personality then shines out clearly among the masses, and points to a man whose head is filled with brains instead of with sawdust. A man’s character, viewed from one angle or from another, still shows the same picture. His actions, disconnected and meaningless though they may seem from a narrow view, are, nevertheless, as the path of the great Mississippi—turning slightly here and there in its course, but still holding true to the main direction which leads onward to the sea. Therefore, if we express our own honest convictions of today, regardless of tomorrow or of yesterday, we shall find that unconsciously, they will blend together, and tend toward the same end. But man finds this difficult; he is afraid of being inconsistent. But, since one's honest thought is the result of “boiled down” conviction, is this inconsistency possible? Today's conviction cannot be a stranger to yesterday’s, for born of the same reasoning power the two will naturally blend together. But, somehow, man cannot get this into his head; he cannot dismiss from the present, thoughts of the future or of the past: they creep into it continually and close his eyes to the splendid opportunities which lie at his feet. Emerson’s advice is: Look not forward nor backward, but live and act in the present. If you live in the present now, you will do so in the future. 110 LILLIAN ZAK, 1911.