Greenfield High School - Evergreen / Exponent Yearbook (Greenfield, MA)

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THE EXPONENT 7 ESSAY AND VALEDICTORY The American and the Law The world as yet has never seen a perfect government and probably never will. Many governments have tried and failed and many have pro¬ ceeded under continual opposition, but none has succeeded in creating a completely dominating spirit of lib¬ erty, freedom, and democracy. Of all the forms of government existing at the present time ours is the best —or at least is considered the best. It has provided for the most demo¬ cratic and most completely balanced government ever known. Every func¬ tion that has been given power has been checked so that no ruling body will predominate. Yet even with this most advanced form of govern¬ ment we are not free from disputes and crime. In fact our country has more crime than any other nation in the world. Some ascribe this condition to a super-abundance of laws. Over twenty thousand bills were introduc¬ ed at the last session of congress and before the session was half over, three hundred and eighty-seven of them had been placed on the statute books. The great majority of the people will probably never again hear of any of these laws. To many they seem foolish and uncalled for but they are all necessary for the pro¬ tection of society as are the many other laws now on record which seem only to take up space in the statute books. No one needs to be alarmed at the unusual number of laws which are being passed nor does he need to study each one carefully to avoid breaking it. A knowledge of the most important laws is all that is necessary for a right-minded person. Congress has not and will not make any law which will interfere with any man who quietly minds his own busi¬ ness and does what he knows to be right. The trouble with the American people is that they choose which laws they will respect and obey and they disregard the others instead of obey¬ ing them all and seeking a repeal of those they dislike. This is where the friction comes for no government can function properly without the cooperation of its people. The most dangerous criminals are not those who are driven to breaking the laws because of poverty and disgrace, but those who form wealthy unions to avoid the laws and thereby gain profit for themselves. Several years ago before the United States passed the present pure food laws, manufactu¬ rers of food were doing almost any¬ thing to deceive the people and make profit. Examinations showed that many so-called reliable concerns were putting out food that was not only misrepresented but even poisonous. At the present day there are many combinations of rich men for the sole purpose of breaking the eighteenth amendment. They could easily be prosperous in some honest business but they hope by avoiding this law to increase their wealth. Others make their living by smuggling in Chinese laborers and still others by smuggling in opium which has long since been barred from the country. All these instances tend to prove that the American people choose what laws to obey and what laws to disobey. They are somewhat en¬ couraged in doing this by the fact that criminals are not pursued as vigorously in America as in most countries and also by the fact that there is much chance for leniency. It is not on these principles that the foundation for a firm government is laid. In order to maintain our reputation and bring our government to a greater degree of perfection we must correct these evils. And who can do more in wiping out this in¬ difference than the young generation just entering into civic life? On them in a large measure the future success of our government depends. If they continue to increase the laxity of our law-enforcement, our government may soon face ruin. But if, on the other hand, they wipe out this spirit of disrespect they will have taken a long stride towards establishing a government which will remain throughout the ages. VALEDICTORY Classmates, we have reached the climax of our school days. We are now spending our last weeks to¬ gether. In these four long years we have made many friends whose memories will remain long after studies have been forgotten. But in the future our paths lead in different ways and they seldom, if ever, will cross. So let us enjoy these last few days and in the future may we all live up to the motto of our class, “Press onward to the goal.” RALPH E. DURKEE, ’25. ESSAY AND SALUTATORY Friends and Classmates of the Class of ’25: Spring once more has returned and with it the time when students are graduating throughout the na¬ tion. So I, in behalf of the class of 1925, welcome you to our Class Day exercises. And to you, classmates, I extend a greeting, the friends who for four hard years have struggled together, each striving to reach the goal. We express our sincere grati¬ tude to our principal, teachers, and friends who have ever helped us on and upward, making the path easier and brighter. So at the parting of the ways I say “Salve” with the earnest desire that our motto shall always be “Press on to the Goal”. THE PEACE OF THE WORLD If you were to look up the mean¬ ing of the word “peace” in the dict¬ ionary, you might find “rest”, “con¬ tentment”, and then, too, you might find “freedom from war or disturb¬ ance.” Peace signifies all this and more. It is that to which the farmer looks forward after his day of work in the fields. In the evening he and his family will gather together to en¬ joy each other’s company, to receive pleasure in the peace of life. The earth produces many such people to stimulate the progress of peace. To the mother peace denotes rest after a hard day of work, care and worry. Then she may repose her weary body to recuperate for the next long day. We have numerous ima ges before us, many of them word pictures, portraying the peace of the world. Little villages are grouped together among the hills in a restful attitude. In the huge cities, whose skylines are black with smoke, the people hurrying about their daily business suggest the idea that they have no time for hostile matters. And every where we see little children, who are laughing and playing. But is all this true? Did we receive the right im¬ pression? Look again! Two men are coming forth from the village tavern quarreling. On the street corners of the metropolis are groups of men whose looks are dark and sullen. And somewhere a crying child, who has been wounded by a playmate, is calling for his ' .nether. Does all seem so bright and gay? It is as if a great, black cloud has pas-

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Our high school days are over, Sen¬ iors, and the span of life spreads before us into limitless space and unknown future. It is now for us to honor our school by developing the best that is in us. What a serious moment in life is this, when we leave the protecting haven and launch forth into un¬ known waters. At times these wat¬ ers are calm and serene with tiny ripples stirred by a joyous breeze. But sometimes the sun is clouded over and the waters are moved from their innermost depths by turbulent storm in which, unwelcome and un¬ expected as it is, we are forced to brave the waves. Oftentimes we see our friends ov¬ ercome, leaving us to struggle on with a life seemingly void of happi¬ ness and contentment. Yet there is much for which to live. Though all our friends may be gone there is yet our own lives and opportunity for service. Ah! what a world of mean¬ ing in that word! For this we should give our lives, forever rejoicing, not grumbling, over our lot, be it what it may. Op¬ portunity leads to service; service, to love and life. Although we may have lived hand to mouth we have stored up, during these school days, a store of useful knowledge and a wealth of ideals. We are passing from carefree child¬ hood into a serious manhood and womanhood where we are to bear responsibilities. It is left for us to accomplish twice our own duty in life because of the burden which the late war has placed upon our shoulders. Our generation has a double duty in fill¬ ing the gap made by those who gave up their lives in that struggle. Is war worth the sacrifice which it al¬ ways exacts of the participants? Could not disagreements between na¬ tions be settled by arbitration? Do we live up to the principles for which we have fought? If not, for what use are these sacrifices made and to what end? There never has been a war which did not leave in its wake some form of degradation. Among the many decisions we shall have to make, these questions will have to be answered and settled by us, the oncoming generation. It is not too early to begin to think about these things and to formulate our ideas about matters which concern the interest of mankind. A great number of us go on to higher institutions of learning. There we may learn to become better masters of ourselves and to broaden our somewhat scantily equipped minds. May we make the most of all our opportunities, maintain all our ideals, and build up our nation to the highest perfection possible. This is our task. Let us see to it that it is well performed But through it all, may we keep close to our hearts the memories of our classmates, teachers, and school-days, those days which are accounted the happiest of any in life And now to you, future seniors, we wish years of good luck—nay, luck is not the word, for it is by in¬ dividual and common toil that the greatest in life comes. A man is what he makes himself. For fate is not all there is. We may mould our lives, to a certain degree, by our hopes and aspirations So, as we pass out of this school, we leave to your care and trust its reputation and the fulfillment of its motto: “loyalty, honor, and scholarship,” the greatest of which is honor ELIZABETH ALBERTI, ’25 SCHOOL NOTES In spite of the great heat, a large crowd of dancers attended the Junior Prom. Friday evening at the High School Gymnasium. Dancing was held from eight o’clock until one. The heat was oppressive but it did not seem to affect the pleasure seekers. The “gym” was decorated with the purple and white colors of the school, and balloons were tied in bundles and opened while the young people danced. Refreshments were served by the Juniors during the evening. In all, the “Prom” was a huge success and thoroughly en¬ joyed by all. The purple and white band trav¬ elled to Northfield, Saturday morn¬ ing, May 29, and to Bernardston, Saturday afternoon where the mem¬ bers gave a fine account of them¬ selves in their musical performance. Sunday afternoon they went to W est- field where they gained more fame. The band has been to many places this year and has always given a creditable performance. -o- SENIOR NOTES The school year is over. Now we Seniors are about to say good-bye to the school forever. Some of us have done well, and others not so well. However, we have all benefited by our four years here. Those who won honors in their school work surely deserve them. Everett Dur- kee is the valedictorian and Christine Fortin, the Salutatorian. The pro¬ phets are Pauline Seavey and Tim¬ othy Toomey and the class historians are Elizabeth Alberti and Chester Burnham. The Class and Ivy Ora¬ tors are Gardner Davis and Milia Ballou. The class marshal is Dugald Macintyre. The class of 1925 wish¬ es them luck when they leave for other colleges or for their life work. CHARLES WALSH, ’25.

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8 sed over the sun, or perhaps it is an eclipse. Out from the distance comes that dread monster, “War”. It snatches us and keeps us tight within its grasp so that none may escape. After the first shock we seize our weapons and a long “Reign of Terror” endues. Everywhere war carries devasta¬ tion, disease, and death in its wake. The countrysides that were formerly so prosperous are now ploughed with great holes and trenches, and the little homes, once the pride and de¬ light of their owners, are razed to the earth. The lofty edifices are only heaps of worthless debris. Even the children play no more, but drag their thin, sickly bodies about with fear and dread. Thousands and even millions lie sick and dying. In answer to the world-wide call that “Angel of Peace”, the Red Cross nurse, comes forth. She tries to sooth their strick¬ en souls as well as their wounded bodies. But the stamp of the war is upon them and it is with difficulty that it can be erased. War is stronger than peace. Even when the larger nations are on friend¬ ly terms, some small nations have controversies. There has always been war, ever since God created man. The human being has a rest¬ less spirit, and he is constantly striving to obtain something more. It is contrary to the laws of nature to be satisfied with what one has. Man must have what he goes after whether he obtains it by fair or foul play. From such a circumstance, mayhap there results a killing. But what happens when one nation is jealous of another? War, and the killing of thousands of innocent peo¬ ple just to satisfy man’s greedy de¬ sire. But he is never satisfied; hence we have always had war. It has been said by certain European thinkers that war is the normal condition of things and peace a mere necessary respite. With the development of science the world can not stand another such war as was started in August of the year nineteen hundred and fourteen. It will mean the destruction of the present nations of the earth or per¬ haps the ultimate annihilation of the human race. Any disturbance pro¬ duces something like chaos through¬ out the world. For this reason there has been a universal movement for peace. American Peace Societies and the THE EXPONENT like have been formed to promote the interest of international justice and fraternity. They have a large and influential membership. Similar organizations exist in Europe. The first movement of an inter¬ national character in the direction of bringing about a permanent condi¬ tion of peace between the nations was a conference held in eighteen hundred and ninety-nine at the Hague, Holland, at the suggestion of the Czar of Russia, to consider what could be done in the way of reducing the armaments of the nations and inducing them to settle their differ¬ ences by arbitration instead of war. The most important result of this conference of the nations was the establishment at The Hague of a Permanent International Court of Arbitration, which settled amicably a number of international disputes. A second conference was held at The Hague in nineteen hundred and seven. However, The Hague Tribu¬ nal was unable to settle the larger disputes, and at about the time a third conference was planned, the greatest war in all history broke out. At the peace conference which fol¬ lowed the European war a plan for a League of Nations was incorporated in the treaties of peace with Germany and her allies. But the United States had to make a separate treaty of peace with Germany, as she was not willing to join the League of Nations. There was also a Conference on the Limitation of Armaments at Wash¬ ington in November, nineteen hun¬ dred and twenty-one. But can we be certain that every nation is faithfully carrying out the disarmament propo¬ sition? In addition we have the World Court, but this too the United States is unwilling to use. Conse¬ quently, as none of these methods can be considered very successful, and it is not human nature to have peace, I think war will still exist CHRISTINE FORTIN, ’25. CLASS ORATION THE AMERICAN COLLEGE AND SUCCESS At this time of year boys and girls all over our country are graduating from high school and turning to face the problems of life on a larger scale than ever before. The foremost problem confronting these boys and girls at this period in their careers is whether or not they shall continue their education in a higher institu¬ tion of learning. This is a very im¬ portant problem and the solution of it may make or break many a young man or woman. Whenever the question of a col lege education is brought up there are always those individuals who point to some of our great historical characters such as Abraham Lincoln and say that a college education is not necessary. It is true that a col¬ lege training was not necessary to success in the days of Lincoln, for civilization had not assumed the high degree of development then that it has today. In those olden days few men were fortunate enough to have a college training. Today thousands of young men are graduating every year from colleges all over the country. Hence the standards by which a man’s fitness is judged have advanced tremendously. There are others, however, who ask the question, “Would our great men have accomplished more had a collegiate training been theirs?” It would be more possible to give a sat¬ isfactory answer to this question if it were put: “Is a college education preferable?” It is impossible for us to say what a man would have ac¬ complished had a college training been his, but v e can predict with a degree of certainty what will hap¬ pen in the future to the non-colleg- iate man. We know that in this age of rapid advancement and progress a good education plays an important part in making a man a success or a tailure. In fact, statistics show: That a liberal education mul¬ tiplies the value of a life career over a common school and high school education by 9 1-3. Over a common school educa¬ tion by 215. Over no school education by 817. If you have a common school education your life is worth 3 8-10 times as much to the world as though you had no education. If you have a high school ed¬ ucation, your life is worth 23 times as much as if you had only a common school education and 87 times as much as if you had no education.