Conshohocken High School - Echo Yearbook (Conshohocken, PA)

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Page Twelve THE BLUE and inquired where I could buy some shells for a scatter-gun. Lew direct- ed me to a pawn shop farther down the street. Entering the hock-shop I glanced around and there sitting on a high chair and with a pair of horn- rimmed spectacles perched on his nose was Frank Ramsey. I greeted Yank and asked for mv shells. ank said he couldn't wait upon me because he had fallen arches. I hat was too bad so I went out with- out them. As I was going out I met Rebecca Zook who was going to pawn her jewelry to feed her seven hungry little ones. I inquired as to her health and her husband, the former she said was good and the latter no good and then she began to weep, that was when I left for I could never stand to see a woman cry, it reminded me too much of home. Continuing on my stroll down the street I encountered a small mob mull- ing around an ice wagon. I thought there must have been an accident but it wasn’t. It was Frances King de- livering ice to get in training for next year s basket ball season. Feeling fatigued I went into an ice cream parlor and drank a Hires. Who should be jerking sodas but Katherine Brack. I asked Katherine if she ever about any of our classmates. She said that Johannah Brown was still plug- ging along. “Plugging along, what do vou mean? Oh. she s a telephone operator,’’ said Katherine. Class DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION Education is as old as the human race, for every tribe, however low irs state of civilization, trains its children and youth in the arts and occupations necessary to maintain existence. Nev- ertheless. in all the previous systems of education the individual tvpe was scarcely considered- The vouth wa fitted merely to fill his place in the social system. Our education system, now in use. has been evolved from the systems of Greece and Rome. Greece had two systems: one. a military system whose AND GOLD I then saw a bus and decided to go for a little ride. I got on and there was Louisa Campbell driving and Clara Marks taking tickets. I rode for a half-hour and alighted in the country for I wanted a glass of fresh buttermilk at one of the farms. I knocked at the door and walked in and there stood Sydney Finkelstein. “Hello Finks.” I said, “how's things?” “Oh. said Finks, “I can’t kick, all the chickens and ducks are still doing their duty.” “Sav. said Norman Lawless, the hired man, “Did you hear about Edward Hansell marrying every woman in town for over ten years?” I didn't believe that one till Norm explained that Ed became a minister. I drank my buttermilk and started to hike back to town and on the way I was hailed my Gladys Laverty, who had become a farmerette and was now driving a load of hav. She said I could ride with her if I didn’t mind sitting on top of the hay. I climbed up and was soon on my way to town. hile riding my mind became hazy and I soon felt myself being wafted into the air. I landed with a thump and found myself sitting alone in a large tent. The people had all gone and I was left to my own resources. My job was forgotten as I walked slowly home thinking of the strange events of the day which made this prophecy possible. Sam Kessler '27. Oration sole aim was to make soldiers; the other was known as the liberal svstem of Athens which combined music and literature with physical training; and at the same time, this svstem recog- mzed the inherent rights of the in- dividual and also trained him for citizenship. Now. as a result of the highest deve opment of the Athenian ideal of education, we have the philos- ophy or Aristotle and Plato whose in- fluence upon education and cultural tdeas has continued to the present flay’ During the early years of the re- public. tne Roman system of education was developed entirely in the family.

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THE BLUE AND GOLD Page Eleven and I asked to be put off before a restaurant, so Bill stopped the car and I alighted directly in front of a famous night club, “The Red Dog . I was feeling good and I went inside. I was soon surrounded by many people and bright red lights. I checked my coat and hat with none other than Mary Lee, who was in charge of that department. I felt a hearty slap on my back and confronted a stout individual with a llorid red face. His face was familiar and I recognized Kemery Kieffer. “What arc you doing here? I said “Oh, said Kemery, “I’m a regular fellow all right. Sav I’ve got twe girls whom you know, lets make it a regular party.” ( “Suits me fine, bring on the women. - So Kemery brought out the women who were none other than Eva Pierson and Rose De Haven. We all sat down at a table and we were just in time for the special dance number. The place became darkened and out tripped five beautiful maids. I believe I know these girls,” I re- marked. “Sure you do”, said Kemery, “They are Ethel Heisler, Rebecca Moore Margaret W ebb, Thelma Hallman and Alice Potts. “You haven't seen half of it yet, said Rose, “Wait till you see the strong acrobats in the dance.” Sure enough a panel slipped aside and out stepped Charles Schimpf and Murl Griffiths, swinging 100 pound weights about their heads and throw- ing the girls to and fro. Well, well, how times have changed and to think these two strong men were the smallest in the class.” “Yes,” remarked Eva, “They knew they were weak and they took Earl Leedcrman's course and in two days they were great big men—“and if it wasn’t for the waiter she would still be talking about them. The waiter proved to be Joe Wallace, “Hello Joe,” I cried. Merci, Bcnjoir, S'il vous plait, donnez-moi” or something to that effect. Yea that's just what he said and to think he flunked in French up in old Conshy High. There was a commotion at the dooi and in walked two burly policeman Thomas Celli and George Young. “The place is pinched,” yelled George, everybody file out to the police station.” The police van was toe crowded so I sat up front with the driver and Tom. I glanced at the driver and recognized Dot Griffiths. “Dot ,” I said, in my best fatherly voice, “What made you take this job? “Well,” she said, “I couldn’t find a husband to drive around so I became the first woman van driver. Eventually we reached the station and we had to wait while the magistrate Griffiths, settled two cases. The first case was between Gladys MacMullen and Catherine Campbell They both thought they were married to the same man. Griffy decided it by doing a Solomon. They would toss coins for hubby and the loser should marry somebody else—himself for in- stance. The next case was between Rachel Batty and her husband. “What’s the grounds?” quoted his honor. “My husband is so tight he wears wooden clothes,” said Rachel. “Why only this morning he told me he was going to buy a lumber jacket.” This put his honor in a good humor so he dismissed the rest of his cases so he could play pinocle with his captain, Bill Dunlap. I took off by myself and hunted for a place to sleep. I noticed a good looking boarding house. After knock- ing at the door I was kept waiting for about fifteen minutes. The door opened and who should I see but Dorothy Link with three boys and seven little girls tagging along behind her. I greeted her and asked about our old friends. Dorothy said that all she knew was Polly Di Pallo and Sarah Douglass had joined the Salvation Army. I went to bed and slept soundly Waking up at seven I found the morning paper handy and planced at the first page. There staring me in the face was a picture of David Traill: David Traill Saves Another Life Dave Traill, t he famous life- guard saves Miss Edith Ferrier, the noted operatic star, from a watery grave. Well I was glad to hear that, but no matter how many lives Dave would save would not bring me a clean collar so I strolled down the street to a prosperous looking shop and entered. A clerk came forward and I recognized Lewis Sponar. I purchased my collar

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THE BLUE AND G ) A) Page 'riiirtcen The father was responsible for the training of his sons, and he was cen- sored if his duty was not well per- formed. The education consisted of training in moral, civic, and religious duties. The mother was equally re- sponsible for training the girls in household duties and domestic virtues. It is interesting to know that in Rome woman was on a h gher plane than any other nation and her influence was correspondingly greater, while m Greece the education of women was confined to training in domestic du- ties. Perhaps it is from there that we received that well known sayin g. Woman’s Place is in the Home.’ Religious ideals and narrow mind- edness occupied Euporpc for a long time. Especially during the 16th and 17th centuries there were periods of intense religious strife. Let us now see what change has occurred with the dawning of democracy. According to Lincoln’s definition— Democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people, and is the form in which they either directly or thru representatives arc su- preme. Ever since the rise of popu- lar education in the last century and its development thereafter, the spread of democratic institutions has been significant. Democracy has furnished a new basis for universal education, although this change is not noticeable until the 19th century. Then it was that in the United States laws were passed which provided for the de- velopment of public elementary schools. And by this way, the poor man’s son was enabled to receive an education along with the son of financiers. Today we are celebrating the cen- tennial anniversary of the Society for the Promotion of Public Schools which was organized in 1S27. 'I his ‘ocietv maintained a vigorous educational campaign extending for a period of several years. Yearly it printed mem- orials to the legislature, setting forth the fact that thousands of children of school age were growing up in ignor- ance, but arguments for public schools for all children without distinction, were, as we might say, lost in ruins. The famous law in 193+ was passed which made wards, townships and boroughs as school districts and au- thorized them to levy local school tax- es. And so has our educational system progressed until the present day when we have our public schools, private schools, and colleges. Hut this could only be accomplished in a democracy because a democracy is more than a form of government; it is a primarily a mode of associated living, of con- joint communicated experience. A government resting upon popular suffrage cannot be successful unless those who elect and those who obey their governors are educated. And now I have attempted to out- line for you the enormous change or development that took place in ele- mentary education. Yet, this change looms even greater whan we consider that most of the actual changes took place during the 19th century, from fifteen to eighteen hundred the ele- mentary school changed very little. Its equipment was so meager, its teachers so poorly prepared and its methods so wasteful that students of good elementary schools of the pres- ent day coul learn in 2 or 'A years all that was accomplished in the IHth century in the entire elementary school course. And all this is flue to the ideal of democracy. For argument sake, let us contrast a country which has democracy in- fluencing its education with a sov- ereignty ruled over by a monarch. Contrast the pitiful condition in Russian school system with the ideal- istic. universal system of the United States, In Russia under a monarch1 rule, it was better for him to have his subjects uneducated so he could run his kingdom alone. In other words allow me to illustrate this point by President Coolidge’s words, If good men are overlooked by the people for office then, surely, bad men will fill their places.” In Russia the people are uneducated and therefore do not know enough to have their best men in office. But a condition like the above docs not exist in the United States because the majority of the people arc educated and realize what a burden ignorance is. Of course, there arc always exceptions to the general rule. In closing allow me to bring before you the recent tendencies in vocation- al civic, individual, and scientific education; first, the introduction into the elementary school of industrial and prevocational courses organized as definite preparat'on for specific vo-