Fosdick Masten Park High School - Chronicle Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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I0 THE CHRONICLE r I he Stamina nf the Immigrant Prize Oration in Columbia Oratorical Contest. There are many subjects in regard to which' there exists a great diversity of opinion. One of these is immigration. Since the begin- ning of our national existence, people have assumed three distinct attitudes toward the subject. There are those who oppose all immi- gration, those who advocate the open door policy without any re- striction, and those who believe in moderate restriction. The last course is the one I would recommend for the following reasons: I invite you to consider the experiences of the past as they bear upon our immigration policy--lest we forget. The services that the immigrant has rendered are invaluable. During the Revolutionary war he fought shoulder to shoulder with his more Americanized brothers, to free us from EngIand's despotic power. In the war of 1812 he fought with equal courage and fearlessness to insure the free- dom of the seas. In the Civil war he proved his loyalty and patriot- ism by combating that most undemocratic institution, slavery. We point with pride to the accomplishments of our nation in the past fifty years. The great west has been opened and settled. Who made it possible to develop our great farm lands? Who was it that made it possible to build the railroads which penetrate every part of our domain, our trans-continental railroads, our canals, and all the great public works of every imaginable variety, which have contrib- uted so greatly to the progress, prosperity, and development of this nation. It was the immigrant! What induces the immigrant of today to come to this land of opportunity? Europe and America 1 compare theml The one, old and crafty, the other, young and virileg Europe, bur- dened with the crime of centuriesg America, active with her future, clear of conscience: upon one side the privileged classesg upon the other, reward of merit. Europe, seething, raging with po- litical strifesg America calm, dispassionate, with a government as strong as Gibraltar. One is frantic for warg the other imperturable, admirable in both peace and war. Upon one side, there is despairg upon the other, hope. I-low unlike the two! Europe persecutesg America tolerates. The one in want and misery, sunken in aflilictiong the other in plenty, overflowing with wealth and prosperity. Could there be any other choice than America? What are the arguments lodged against the immigrant today? The immigrant is poorg the immigrant adds nothing to the wealth of the nation at the time of his arrival. It is true that he is poor: but were those who came to this country during the past century rich? Did they bring anything to this country except stout hearts

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THE CHRONICLE 9 llllllllnnnunlIllnnllIllIllIuInnnsInlnnlllnululnunl nnnnu Q Quant Awarha A The Honor Award Committee of lVlasten Park High School, ap- pointed in the spring of 1921, by Dr. Fosdick, has, indeed, accom- plished its purpose in rewarding those who have excelled in the daily routine of lessonsby successfully performing the duties assigned to it. Even though this committee has lost its former chairman through the absence of lVlr. Penniman, its work has been steadily advancing under the guidance of lVlr. Coffran, who was recently appointed to fill that vacancy. On Class Day, 1923, the fruits of the efforts of the committee were apparent, for bronze pins, in addition to the honor certificates, were awarded to fifteen students, whose standings on the Star Roll 'were '95 and over. Lack of funds prevented the presentation of silver and gold pins to those who had attained positions on two and three Star Rolls, respectively. At this time also, special awards of handsome silver medals were made to recognize those who had brought singular honor to lVlasten Park in interscholastic contests along intellectual lines and similar medals were ,presented to certain Seniors who had been neither absent nor tardy during their high school course. On April 16, 1924, the honor studentsonce more had the distinc- tion of being the guests of honor on lVlasten's third Honor Day. The athletes had always had their special days of recognition and Debate, Music, and the countless other activities, which make high school days memorable, had been greeted with applause, so those who had distinguished themselves by their intellectual ability enjoyed the honor not only of occupying the center section of the Maud , but also of hearing their names read from the platform. Many were the thrills when they heard their own name or those of their friends read from the wonderful list! The speaker, Rev. lVlr. Broughton, also con- tributed to the success of the program by his most inspiring address, in which he made a most earnest plea for an all-round development- Nothing to excess, as the Greeks expressed it-and most sincerely urged the students to seek the higher intellectual training offered at college. Extracts from Roosevelt's Letters to His Children also added the weight of influence and then the Spires of Oxford, that charming poem, portraying the invincible spirit of service in the ap- parently careless college boys at Oxford during the war, echoed through the auditorium and a program, thoroughly enjoyed by all was over! The afternoon school, too, was not without its Honor Day. Their speaker, lVlr. Rich, based his theme upon the five dangers to civiliza- tion as recently pointed out by the Pope: Excessive pleasureg Dis- gust with hard work, Hatred: Lack of respect for authority, and lack of interest in spiritual things. The speech provided food for thought for both teachers and pupils. Through the efforts of the Honor Awards Committee Masten Park may some day succeed in establishing an honor society, not unlike the Phi Beta Kappa of the colleges. MARGARET FABER,

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THE CHRONICLE Il and willingness to work, a desire to become useful? Are the immi- grants of today any worse than those who preceded them? They are lgrecisely of the same character. They are of the same flesh and loo . The foremost exponents of the policy advocating a further ex- clusion of the immigrant maintain that a, labor shortage exists in this land, and that the immigrant is taking the place of the American la- borer. It is undeniable that the foreign laborer displaces the Ameri- can workman, but in doing so he assumes the burden of the heaviest work unflinchingly, thereby bettering labor conditions, making wages higher, and hours of labor shorter. Should a labor shortage exist in this country when so much of our great southern and western lands are yet undeveloped? IVIove the ports of entrance, establish them along the coast near to the field of labor. These immigrants cannot go far inland. Their money is exhausted. Is it surprising that they huddle on the East Side, in the dark anarchy-reeking recesses of the large cities, when our government permits them to settle in such places? Carry them to Virginia, Carolina, Iowa and Minnesota, lands which lead to greater opportunities and a place in the sun. Look back with me for a-moment over that horrible period, through which we have just passed. More men were killed, mas- sacred and mutilated and more innocents were made to suffer in that war, than in all the wars the world has ever witnessed. What part did the immigrant play in that awful struggle? Coming from every part of our country and from every class of the community, they fought like men, and died like heroes. Nobody asked .whence they came, they knew their duty, they knew how to obey and how to fight, and counted not the cost. Look at our country's huge service Hag. Read the honor roIl.' Name after name is foreigng names in blue and names in gold. No one dares deny that the foreigners gave freely of their flesh and blood for the preservation of those ideals of freedom and democracy for which America. fought-ideals with which they were hardly acquainted. Yet they sensed the American spirit and gave their last full measure of devotion for the cause of liberty. No one will deny that the Jew, the Pole, the Italian, the Slav is doing his share toward the maintenance of the principles of government in the United States. They unite with their fellow citizens in love, in venera- tion for the flag, and are ready at all times, in common with their fel- low-Americans. , When a man becomes a citizen of the United States, his nation- ality is unimportant. I Ie brings with him such gifts as he pos- sesses, and all of them combined, have brought about that remarkable being, the finest the world has ever known-the composite American. Go to all the cities of the land, visit all the states of the union, note the men and women who have left their mark and impress upon their communities, read the story of their accomplishments and you will find among them immigrants, and the sons and daughters of immi- grants, from every land and every clime. HERMAN TEIBEL,