George Washington High School - Continental Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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The man whom the king had refused a commission won a few short years later a war from the king and deprived him of considerable revenue and pride. When the war was over, you must have felt as though a great load had been lifted from your shouldersg and then, after all your work, you saw that the nation was not yet formed. With strength and strategy you had freed a land from enemies only to discover that the type of government which had so badly supported you during the war could not support the people in peace either. At the Constitutional Convention you were elected the presiding oflicer. For three long months the fate of a nation-to-be ebbed and flowed around your chair. There were those who wanted a king, others who desired a republic, and even those present who today would be known as com- munists, but finally they struck a balance and an immortal Constitution was born. You went home. You must have thought that at last you could have a little peace, and then you heard the news. Up and down the newly born states it was unani- mously agreed that the first president must be none other than George Washington. There was nothing for you to do but answer the call. All your life you had answered calls, and this was not the time to stop. Eight long years more of public criticism, adulation and praise faced you. For eight years you fought, not a war but a battle to unite the east, the west, the north, and the south, and you succeeded. The nation that stands as the greatest monument to your memory was at last firmly set upon its foundations. And now, the irony of it, you returned home for what was to be the last time because you were to die. December 14, 1799, at 11 o'clock, in the eve- ning of the day and of your life, you died. You were buried in a simple vault within sight of the house that had been your home. The world paused to bow its head in grief to you, and the nation built monuments by its progress and success. This year the nation paused again in commemoration of the two-hundredth anniversary of your birthday. Z

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prominent young ladies but something held them away from you Perhaps they were a bit afraid and a bit in awe of you You met Martha Dand ridge Custis a young and extremely rich widow She made you happy You had no children but your wife brought two from her former marriage 'ind you loved them as your own Ifor the next few years you lived in apparent peace and quiet on your estate You hunted you followed the hounds, you lived the life of a Vlr gmia man of wealth Then you were selected to the House of Burgesses several times in fact and though you said little your presence began to be felt and noticed You were always meant to com mand When Englands colonies decided to revolt you attended the first Continental Congress you attended the second Congress and something mys terious happened Colonel George Washington of Virginia brave but unsuccessful soldier was made General and Commander in Chief of the United Lolonies and your greatest problem was to find the army. You found the army, General Washington, that army that to your chagrin seemed always to be Heeing and that army that at harvest time calmly deserted to go home to harvest the crops. The war must have been heartbreaking to you and your ideals. You who always loved being the proud victor were forced to flee most of the time because your army, Congress, the people, and even your friends could not be depended on. Sometimes you were nearly ready to give up. The night before you captured the Hessians at Trenton, you were desperate. A friend called on you at your head- quarters, and as you talked you wrote on little scraps of paper. One of them fell to the floor. On it was written, 'fVictory or death. The years slipped by: 1775-1776-1777-1778- 1779-1780-17815 and up and down the land your army advanced, retreated, marched, counter- marched, suffered, starved, deserted, but at last it gave you your desire, Victory. Cornwallis sur- rendered his army at Yorktown, October 19, 1781.

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K! THE TOWER Plain I see you Western youths- see you tramping with the fore most?