Emmerich Manual High School - Ivian Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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is MIND AND HANI). would be a speculation as to what the leaves appeared to be whispering to each other. The engineer has given to the world a de- vice of universal usefulness ; the poet a soul- inspiring poem, and the dreamer — nothing. Our greatest achievements (poetic, scien- tific, social and political), have been accom- plished through a love and study of nature and her many forms. Our greatest poets have received their brightest inspirations from nature, but they did not deal with impossible sentimental nonseuse,but rather with the motives, the passions, and a uni- versal study of mankind. Our greatest scientific and mechanical results have been but adopted from nature. Our great social and political advancement but illustrates, though in a small degree, the unity and obedience to law that exists throughout the universe. Thus we see that the men that have done the most for mankind were the most poetic. It is also apparent that the dreamer has not the true poetic instinct. Our great men have not been dreamers, but useful, moving members of an advancing civilization. Nature is a subject for our admiration and love, but only through the medium of useful speculation This great universe, in all its perfection and unity was not created a subject for the play of an idle imagina- tion, but for our elevation and good. Hubert Hildebrakd Rogers, 11 A, English. ADVANCED PHYSICAL LABORATORY. (South Half.

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MIND AND HAND. L7 ADVANCED PHYSICAL LABORATORY. I North Half.) THE POETICAL. THE practical and the poetical are not opposed in their tendencies. It is ab- surd to hold that the thoughts that inspire in us reverence for the Creator and Uis mighty works, can not be turned to our material and moral advantage. Love for the poetical is but an appreciation of beauty and fundamentally a general love of nature. Before proceeding further, however, we must distinguish between the poetical per- son and the dreamer. The poetic person does not love nature less than the dreamer, but result and progression more. In no way can this be better illustrated than through the impressions members from these classes would receive from anything beautiful or poetical. Suppose, for exam pie, that three persons, a poet, an engineer and a dreamer, should view an aged oak. The engineer would note with what firm- ness it was rooted and how sturdily it withstood the blast, and straightway would enter into his mind some application of this principle that for ages to come would stand as a monument to his usefulness. The poet would notice the parasites that clung to its massive trunk, and be inspired to write of our relation to and dependence upon a Su- preme power. The dreamer would gaze as intentlj as the rest, and his only thought

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MIND AND HAND. L9 GEOFFREY CHAUCER. TT SHORT and heavy figure, a genial, jpY fresh-looking face, every lineament ol whieh suggests fun and good humor, and a natural, unobtrusive manner — this is my picture of Chaucer after reading The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. 1 ' The characteristics of his style which gave me these impressions are, its utter simplicity and delightfully confidential tone, its broad and gentle humor which glows brightly in every line, and above all, its child-like gracefulness whieh is so ap- parent. He did not select ideal and abstract sub- jects and soar up into the clouds in an at- tempt to awe or entrance hi s readers. On the contrary, his subjects and his treatment of them are such that one may enjoy and gain the lull benefit of them without leav- ing terra firma. This could not be better illustrated than it is in his prologue where he has taken a character from almost every calling of life, which existed at that time, and described each in a most naive and in- teresting manner. We are not taken by storm with a sudden outbust of sparkling wit for there is nothing flashy or brilliant about Chaucer. But his steady, quiet humor never grows monotonous, and his satire is never biting. Speaking of the Friar, he says : For though a widow had not a sho, So pleasant was his ' In principio, ' That he would have a farthing ' er he went. ' ' COOKING LABORATORY.