Elizabeth City High School - Spotlight Yearbook (Elizabeth City, NC)

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AFTER THOUGHTS ON THE CONSTITUTION By KENNETH MUNDEN Winner of second place in State Finals of National Oratorical Contest Bowing in gentlemanly fashion to one another, the powdered, wigged, and knicker- bocker delegates of the Constitution Convention of 1787, picturesquely opened their final and triumphant session. Randolph of Virginia seemed to be the most imposing figure, for in opening the convention, he swayed his auditors by declaring that the government to be established must have for its basis the republican principle. The clock was wound, and the pendulum was to swing back and forth in discussion, until the Constitution of these United States had emerged. ' In turn, representation, slavery, state supremacy, executive, judicial and legislative powers were thrown into the spotlight of controversy and disposed of. Every sentence- every phrase-was weighed. and the speech of Sherman grew into a motto: WE ARE BUILDING FOR POSTERITYV' The days dragged on-each statesman adding or subtracting, according to his personal views, until finally the finished document lay before them in a halo of unprecedented glory. The artisans had shaped their clay wellg the government they had created was one of liberty, it was a government of the people and of the statesg centralized to such an extent that it was able to command the utility of ALL the states if needed. Its form of administration was perfectly balanced: the legislative department was to provide laws: the execu-tive function was to enforce themg the judicial was to interpret the constitution for each of the other two. And when all had signed-when the immortal document had received the last of the illustrious names-there was silence in the great auditorium, as if the composers them- selves could not recognize the immensity of that which they had done. Perhaps their keen eyes were piercing the dim horizon of the future-the future with its skyscrapers that loom into the air to grapple with the forces of nature-the future with its emancipa- tion, socialism, prohibition and woman-suffrage. Perhaps, as the vision focused itself, they were able to look into the heart of 19295 steamships, plowing their course from coast to coast, electric sub-ways, with their hurrying, modernistic passengers, motor cars, radio, television, trans-Atlantic flights, moving pictures, the throbbing, breathing Chicago of a Carl Sandburg, or the decaying, monotonous Gropher Prairie of a Sinclair Lewis--And so they dreamedithat night in September 178'7iwith the parchment lying in austere authority before the assembly. But the populace had become excited, and when the news of a government. of the people, by the people, and for the people was relayed to their ears, the passionate rhythm of liberty beat even louder in their pulses as they flung their joy to the heavens, crying, even as the Roman Plebians had cried when the great Caesar lay in the Senate chamber with a dagger in his heart: Liberty, freedom, tyranny is dead! Run hence, proclaim, cry it about the streets!

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Quai will anim Eraiumrnt We, the dignified and intellectual Senior Class of 1929 do bequeath with sorroWC?J and regret, the following articles: Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item I II III IV V VI VII : VIII : IX X . XI XIII XIII: XIV: XV: To the Seniors of 1930: C19 The Senior privilege. C23 The rooms No. 1 and 2. C31 The right to occupy the front rows on the right side in the auditorium. C43 The privilege of giving yells in chapel. f5J The authority to pester Mr. Hartsell, under condition they do so no more than we did. 161 The dignity of the Class of '29. C71 The Spotlight to do with as they Will. Chapman Nelson leaves to Bobby Lewis, his manly physique. Norman Gregory leaves to A. C. Shannonhouse his golden locks. Albert Kramer bequeaths the privilege of ringing the bell to Beverly White, if he can reach it. Nellie Boyce bequeaths her freckles to Roy Hurdle. Frances Pendleton leaves to some fortunate Junior the title of prettiest girl in the Senior class. Puffy Saunders leaves her beloved pu1finess to Suzanne Melick. Gertrude leaves Tubby to Teen-da or Rennie lit is as yet undecidedl. Pete gives to anybody that will have them: 41? Arabella, C21 Kenneth as a hero, t3J her thirteen puppies. Doris H. bequeaths to Dot T. her reckless driving. Frank Snowden leaves his French to Joe Howard Stevens. Erlien leaves Clay behind for the benefit of E. City Hi. Kenneth M. leaves his knowledge to Leon Ganderson. Carrie M. leaves her definition of a diagnol to Camilla Foreman. Stick leaves to Kathleen H., his Mexican abilities. The above statements, having been agreed to by members of Senior class of '29, We do hereby and gladly affix our seal and signature this 22nd day of May, 1929 A. D. Signed-HARMON PETE TAYLOR-Testator Witnessed by Mr. Payne's Study Hall. A : - .rzzvfvgr-1f7:'r jj' .. j11'3 H 3 ,

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In their preamble, the makers of the Constitution had declared it to be their purpose to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty for themselves and their posterity. And has the Constitution ac- complished these things? Did it provide for a more perfect Union? A glimpse into the soul of America will sufficiently answer. America today is the result of an untiring research in the needs of a well-organized democracy. She has extended her knowledge into all fields-she has become a leader in social and political affairs. Has the Constitution established Justice? Look into the heart of our nation and you will discover that America's judicial system has been woven into the fabric of our very lives. The blind goddess is no longer blind-the scales are no longer uneven-justice is supreme! And domestic tranquility? Ah! America not only has established peace at home, but her citizens have played their role in the development of WORLD PEACE! With Presi- dent McKinley, America made world peace a practical thing-with Woodrow Wilson, she gave to the world the League of Nations-with Secretary Kellogg she challenged the universe! And liberty-equality-democracy? Let us look into the life of America: Far across the hills and prairies and rivers in Oklahoma, an Indian mother sits before her tepee. The light from the campfire flickers and reveals a tiny papoose clutched in her arms. Her eyes are moist as she looks into the face of her child, for she is thinking of the future -the days to come-when her boy shall be a leader among men. In a mountaineer home of Tennessee or Kentucky, a mountaineer mother rocks with grim determination a cradle made of rough pine boards. Her face has been hardened by time, but her eyes are not dullg and they seem to rivet the steel barriers of time as she muses-for she, too, is dreaming of the future exploits of her child. In some Southern city, a negro mammy rocks to and fro in her boisterous manner. Her very countenance seems to beam and the whiteness of her teeth is accented by her dusky complexion. The lullaby which she is singing, rises and sways as she holds her child aloft to view his dimentions and to tell it gleefully, that some day it will be another Booker T. Washington! In a luxurious apartment o-f New York or San Francisco, a society matron stcojs to kiss her baby's cheek before going out to the opera. She too, pauses-and she visions her child a genious, a realist, a captain in life. What is the cry of these mothers? It is a plea for equality in opportunity. It is a cry that increases in volume like the tones of a mighty pipe-organ in a massive cathedral. And the Omnipotent Being, looking down from above, perceives that it is not only the cry of a few, but that it is the VOICE OF AMERICA! America has only begun. For centuries to come she will produce her best-the best- in science, philosophy, art, literature, drama, religion and government. Time shall see the cessation of all strife-when men shall beat their spears into pruning hooks and their shields into plowsharesf' When that day arrives, the Fathers of the Constitution of these United States of America will have succeeded in accomplishing their ideal in democracy of government. This ideal is portrayed in the immortal lines of Longfellow: Sail on, oh, Ship of Stateg Sail on, oh Union, strong and greatg Humanity, with all its fears And all its hopes of future years Is hanging, breathless, on thy fate.