Emerson High School - Emersonian Yearbook (Gary, IN)

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We stand in a hallway, dark with night. Before, Ambition’s day glows bright; Behind, the lamp of Memory gleams, Flashing to us on radiant beams From friends, from teachers, from principal. The hopeful message; “Invincible Art thou in life. ’ ’ From the darkness then, The voice of the Doubter: “But What, or When, How, Where and Why?” Need we ask “When?” ’Tis now, today, not distant “then,” Far in the Future. The Present holds That force, that strength that surely moulds Our coming lives. So, now we need And find, that “What.” A noble deed A great success, a conquered fear, A followed hope, a grand career, An overwhelming of the wrong. Uplifting right that’s struggled long, Causing the weak to pause and say: ‘God bless the strength that’s used that way.” But “How?” For twelve short, joy-filled years We’ve studied on, o’er coming fears Doing our work with main and might, Trying our hardest to help the right. We shall go through life, as we’ve gone through school Controlling our lives by the Christian rule: As He to us, to others show The ' kindness that makes our own hearts glow. This rule enforce wherer’e by Fate Our fortunes fixed, we patient wait The slow, approaching gladsome day When earned success has come our way, As come it will. What else could hap To classmates reared in Emerson’s lap? And that is “Where.” Our school has taught, By many historical battles fought, By English essays studied long, By Latin phrases, throng on throng, To work, to play, to live, to love. And so, as God from Heaven above Watches the race, we will repay To our Alma Mater, each happy day We’ve spent with her. And that is “Why” The night is chased away by light: We look out now, with clearer sight To life which stretches far before, Out thru the school-room’s open door. Work we shall, with a mighty will; Some others’ days with blessings fill, Until, throughout our glad, free land, O People shall point with honoring hand To the High School pin, with eleven there Plain on the H. A glorious pair Success, and G. H. S. When life is done, • The battle o’er, the course full run, With peaceful hearts, will say with Paul; “We have kept the faith-God’s will be all.” Z. G. April 10, 1911. w

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Ross D. Netherton, Physical Training.

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ADDRESS Fellow Members of the Class of 1911: For two years you have elected me your President, and no matter what position I may hold in future years I cannot be more highly honored. It now becomes my sad duty to speak a final word to you. We have arrived at a very important crisis in our lives. We are able to look back in review of our years in school, enjoy the memories of sweet associations and pleasant duties and to look forward into the future which seems so favorable and inviting now. Before we enter upon life’s conflict, every one for himself, before the grand, yet stern old teacher Experience begins her term of instruction, I would leave with you this thought, the necessity of the conservation of energy, which is the problem of the day. America is said to be exceedingly wasteful of her resources; and why is it? Simply because we, as a nation, do not look forward into the future and consider how we are to sustain ourselves, when our resources have reached their limit. The great forests of wood and lumber are rapidly disappearing, the mountains are being denuded and the water supply is fast fail¬ ing in the great rivers, because the waterfall now rushes precipitately from the naked hills and is soon lost in the sea. There is a great struggle now going on in favor of forest reservation and if the people can have their way against un¬ scrupulous corporations this fair land, blessed with all the riches of nature which are favorable to a happy existence, may re¬ cover what she has lost and increase her resources for the millions who are yet to come. Our resources as individuals, have not yet been dissipated by wasteful habits, by an extravagance of energy upon un¬ worthy objects, by indulgence of passions and appetites; our training under teachers, who have to a great extent attained their splendid ideals will surely hold us true to our best interests. “England expects every man to do his duty,” said Admiral Nelson, as he led his ships against the enemy. Our Alma Mater, pronounces her blessing upon us as she sends us forth to higher institutions of learning, or out into the world to make our way among our fellow men. She has a right to expect every one of us to do his duty. The story is told of Abraham Lincoln that on one occasion a delegation called on him and at the end of the conference one of the delegates said, “I hope, Mr. Lincoln, that God is on our side,” to which, Mr. Lincoln replied, “that does not con¬ cern me.” The startled delegate responded, “What! it does not concern you to have God on our side?” “No,” replied Mr. Lincoln; “what concerns me, is that we shall be on God’s side.” Today we are on the side of learning, of refined morals, of a splendid civilization of high ideals, on the side of God we trust and believe, and when the declining years of life shall come, shall we not have the pleasure of looking upon a splendid memorial which we have erected to the cause which we today represent. Ralph Payne Smith, President Class of 1911.