Decatur High School - Azure and Maize Yearbook (Decatur, MI)

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7 N za-'L k. r both our lfreshman and Sophomore vears we won first I-,IWC in the local Declamatory contests and one first place in the countv contest. During our .lunior and Senior years we won all places in the local Oratorical contests, except one second, and received one second and one third place in the sub-district contests. Klem- bers of our class also helped make all the points in athletics on held days that have been made by members of the D. H. S. in the last seven years. uve feel that this goes to show that we have learned the lesson that our High School education should not be entirelv from books. but that we should and have prepared ourselves to meet the world as it is. Classmates. we now close the chapter, School llav-S , in life's book and after it write the word l inis , The halcvoii davs of student life are over. XYe are rbout to enter a new life. To morrow we step into a new world amid new opportunities. .-Xt the present time the world is engaged in the greatest and final struggle for democracy. The outcome of the present war will determine the destinies of nations. The triumph of Germany :-nd the Central Powers means that international relations will hereafter be dominated by the principles of monarchy and mili- tary ascendency. The triumph of the Allies means the triumph of' democracy and the reconsruction of the world. With so much at stake our country cannot run :' ny risk. We must put forth our strongest efforts. lf' tliis war should be long. our country will need an army of trained men and women. .-Xnyone can fight in the trenches. but it takes educated men for officers and engin- eers. The demand for scientific men will be enormous. The first call of the .-Xllies was for l2,000 engineers and skilled men to re- pair the railroads of France, England and Russia and thousands more will be needed soon. XYhen the war is over tl'ere will be made upon us such demands for men and women of kvowledge and training as have never before come to any country. There will be a need for a much higher average of general intelligence for citizenship than has been necessary until now. The world will have to be rebuilt and American men and women must assume a large part of the task. XYe must play a more important part in all inter- national affairs than we have in the past. Not only must we feed our own industrial population but also the largest part of XX est- ern and Central Europe. XYe must readjust our industrial, social and civic life and institutions. We must increase our produc- tion to pay our large war debts and carry on all the enterprises for the general welfare of the world. China and Russia. with their new democracies and their new developments which will come as a result. will need and ask our help in many ways. EPS- lancl, France, Italy and the Central Powers will all be going through a process of reconstruction and we should be .I'6ZlCl?'.Y-.5 give them every possible help. Their colleges and .LINIVCVSIUCS are almost enipty. Their educated men. whose wOrk 15 fl9Cf?SSf11'f' 3.4.55-. ,. .V i lf, W, V -. -'F' ' I is - L,-as , ' N . . 'itat 1 I if - ' 15:29 -A T-1 2 . ' . V Q5 gr -1.---,. ,ig k c , '1 35:-,grx -, 1 J -7: 'ii