Edison High School - Wizard Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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CHIVALRY—the word is almost obsolete. the ideal nearly forgotten. How fortunate that you should wish to recall it! Once I stood among the ruins of King Arthur's Castle, standing high on its crag, facing the far-reaching western sea. It was easy for me to rear again the dim rich city, roof by roof, tower by tower. to people the mighty hall with knights—Lancelot. Gawain. Parsifal, and ladies. Guinevere. Elaine. Lynette. Days are gone and these are but shadows now; but a ringing challenge was sent out to all the ages, down to this latest time. Gareth cried impatient. Follow the deer? Follow the Christ, the King. Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King— Else, wherefore born? Have you the manhood to take up this challenge? A gentleman is not vulgar: a gentleman will not lie; a gentleman will not be a coward before bullying wrong: a gentleman is not ashamed of the Christ, the King. And she who holds the banner of chivalry high is always woman. My earnest wish for you in this new advance at Edison is that there is a group of boys and girls that dare lift high this white banner: and that they will say together. We can. if I do. W. F. Webster. THE historic age of chivalry and knighthood has passed. No longer are people thrilled by romantic deeds with spear and sword. All the blazonry and panoply has been cast aside as ages have advanced and new conceptions of civilization have been born: and yet all these ideas, emotions, and ideals of a brave and honorable people are but the primitive feelings of any race. That they may be called chivalry in one age and courtesy in another docs not affect the essential character and quality of the deed. It is our obligation to see that this instinctive reaching after a glorified idealism is not stifled by the multifold complications of a material age. Today we have everything that science can create or money can buy. Not only in the palaces and mansions of the rich, but in the most humble homes, there is evidence of material prosperity and. more important than all. the development of a new and better taste. How different from the age of chivalry: in what different form does the appeal of humanity, of helplessness, of distress come today from the way it came seven hundred years ago. The distinguishing characteristics of chivalry in all ages, and under all conditions, are disinterested courtesy, bravery, magnanimity, and honor. It is quite as essential that these quali- 16

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WE ALL wear armor and carry shields—some fight: others, armadillo-like. depend upon greaves, helmet, and cuirass: some go with visors closed: others wear their helmets open and their surcoats on their breasts. The hosts of evil, ignorance, and vice are drawn up like the Philistines in the valley. They are defying our homes, our nation, and our God. Where are you found? Are you. Don Quixote-like, manfully jousting windmills? Are you. Hamlet-like. debating in the background: or are you a David, who will go out and fight the Goliath that dares Defy the living God’'? Measure yourselves, choose your leader carefully, examine his coat-of-arms. and read the device upon his shield. Bind on your armor and enter the lists ready to fight bravely in that age-old struggle of light against darkness. The training in Edison should help you choose wisely, but you must advance and make the choice. My hope today is that, as you look through this year's Wizard, you will be fired with the magic spirit of youthful zeal that will make you a true and noble Knight of Edison. May you choose wisely as you set out upon your quest so that in time you will return crowned with the chaplet of victory fairly won in honest fight, a true son of Edison, a faithful member of your community, and a loyal citizen of America. 15

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ties be built up today as under other more warlike civilizations. It is quite important that the school, the home, the church, the market place, and every center of social contact give its bit in working for these ideals. Perhaps we are not less brave today than the knights on their pilgrimages and crusades: perhaps we still have an innate sense of honor that will not die; yet I sometimes feel that we give too little thought to acts and words of courtesy and too little consideration to the feelings of those less fortunate than ourselves. We can afford to be more courteous and less curt, more magnanimous and less patronizing, and we can make our bravery and our honor function in a material world as they did in a romantic one. That type of humor is ill considered which ridicules “the finer things of life ' if these finer things are really sincere. The world today has no sympathy with flowery phrases and rhetorical flights, but it has much sympathy, yet. with a character that is really kind and friendly, with the leadership that is just and noble, and with those habits of thought and speech and action that show the gentler side of human nature. L. N. McWhorter. YOUNG friends, as you set out to achieve the great adventure of life you are assured of your knighthood for you have been created a little lower than the angels” and are “crowned with glory and honor.” You are now in the springtime of life surrounded by singing birds and bright flowers. You must choose your path for your success or failure depends upon your choice. You must choose between many things—truth or falsehood: folly or wisdom; indolence or industry; cowardice or valor. There are choices all along the way. You will get out of life whatever you put into it—no more and no less. Great deeds are all accomplished by hard endeavor. At the end of the path may you find honest work, a home with those you love, some way that you may serve the world, for you cannot live by yourself. The amount you do for others determines whether or not you find the Grail. Ruth Fitch Cole. Ahlstrom. Ralph History Ballou, Stella C. L. P. Barnard. Marie Beedle, Hazel Geography History Benner, Jefferson Biology Botany Ber. Adelaide English Blaisdell. Helen English Braden. Della C. L. P. Brice. Jeanette Librarian FACULTY Brockway, Helen Art Bruce, Rena Art Design Buckle, Laurel History Burke. Marie Rehabilitation Carlson. George Drawing Case. Maud Algebra Chalgren, Dorothy English Challman. Esther English Curran, Hugh Commercial Law Civics Denison. Evelyn Office Training Typewriting Dick. Gladys Cooking Dodge, Henrietta Sewing Donovan, Katherine History Door, Blanche English Dunn. Anna English Edson, Dorothy English Elwell. Ruth English Erb. Nellie Problems Economics 17