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

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THE EXPONENT 7 ACCEPTANCE OF CLASS GIFT In behalf of the school, I accept with pleasure this gift from the grad¬ uating class of 1928. The time has come when your members must sepa¬ rate, either to pursue education or to go down in the valley and work. Scattered though you may be, this token I hold, will ever serve to bind your hearts and minds to G. H. S. in future years. May we hope that when you leave Greenfield High, you will carry on as loyally and honorably as you have in the past four years. Janies Parker ’29 PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Parents, Teachers and Friends: It becomes my duty and privilege, in behalf of the class of 1928, to wel¬ come you to these exercises. Classmates: For four years we have marched along together, and it is hard to re¬ alize that soon we are to drift apart. There is always a great tendency to forget one another, after graduation, but may the friendship and loyalty which we have acquired during our high school days ever bind us to¬ gether. The future opens a different vista to each of us, but wherever we are or whatever we do, let it be our duty and our joy to keep unsullied the honor of our school and of our class. Tames Ballou ’28 ESSAY AND VALEDICTORY Lifters —Not Leaners Always the world has had both lifters and leaners: Lifters to main¬ tain and further civilization; leaners to hinder its progress. In the early days of Christianity had the world lacked lifters—had the Christian martyrs been leaners instead—Christ would have died in vain. Such was not the divine pur¬ pose. Throughout all the centuries daring explorers have ventured into worlds unknown. As their brothers, content to plod the old paths, accept¬ ed the decisions of scientists, so might these bold men have done. But, doubting some scientific principles and formulating new ones in their minds, they pushed on. Every early American colony had its lifters as well as its leaners. For¬ tunately most of the pioneers in our country were so impressed by the splendor of its natural beauty and by the opportunities presented through¬ out its vast extent that they, the lifters, determined to endure the un¬ avoidable sufferings and hardships. As the trying periods of explora¬ tion and colonization drew forth leaders, so did other critical times, not only in our land but also in others. How impossible it would be to mention all the men and women whose names are written in the Hall of Fame! I shall attempt to recall to your minds only a few of them. In time of need Rome had its Cae¬ sar, the American colonies, George Washington, England, its Wellington, and the allied countries. Marshal Foch. However, it is during years of peace that the world makes its great¬ est progress. Homer, the most famous epic poet of all countries, sang his songs after the Trojan War. The Greeks brought to perfection Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory, and the noble figures of the Parthenon in times of peace. Raphael, ranked among the best of painters, has left us the Sistine Madonna which em¬ bodies the highest art. In the cause of science we find Galileo, who first enunciated the correct laws for fall¬ ing bodies, and Pasteur whose work along the lines of bacteriology has been of such inestimable value in ex¬ tending the life of man. In Buck- land, just over the Shelburne Hills, is the home of Mary Lyon, a pioneer in furthering the cultural education of women. Within a few hours’ ride, in the town of Adams, Susan B. An¬ thony, a leader in the woman suf¬ frage movement, was born. An out¬ standing example of a lifter of today is Charles Lindbergh, the hero of a lone transatlantic flight, the messen¬ ger of good-will to the Central and South American countries. His mod¬ est acceptance of the plaudits of the people and his unspoiled simplicity mark him as a model for youth. Before the close of this year the American people will have elected a president. Among the candidates mentioned are two men whose lives are somewhat parallel, Alfred Smith and Herbert Hoover. The former, starting at the age of fifteen from his modest home in the shad.ow of Brooklyn Bridge to help his mother in the upbringing of her fatherless

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6 THE EXPONENT APPRECIATION OF MRS. BURKE I wonder if there is a girl in G. H. S. who, sometime during the cher¬ ished four years spent within its walls, hasn’t said to her friends, “Isn’t Mrs. Burke just a dear?” That is the very feeling within the hearts of all of the girls. No matter what our troubles are, Mrs. Burke is always glad to hear them and console us, or help us to make our decisions. In some way she manages to think of just the nicest things to say at just the right time. Every morning she is there in the locker rooms to greet each of us separately with a most cheering smile. If we have an ache or a pain we always know to whom to go for relief—In short, she is none other than a “School Mother” to each and every one of us. Mrs. Burke, we wish to let you know a little of the appreciation in the hearts of the girls of “Twenty- Eight,”—you have been a most im¬ portant factor in making our four years spent here happier. E. H. ’28 THE FUTURE Now that our school days in old G. H. S. are over, a sense of empti¬ ness and loneliness creeps over us, leaving us like wanderers who have come to the edge of the cliff by the sea. With us, though, it is the sea of life that we face; it is for us and us alone to decide whether we shall embark courageously on that greatest of all seas or whether we shall hesi¬ tate and finally turn our faces land¬ ward. Life is but a short day at most and during that time we all play a great game of chance. In our course there are innumerable shoals and reefs that are ever waiting to wreck our good ship “Ambition”. Whether or not we dock in Port Success de¬ pends entirely on our skill as pilots and the seaworthiness of our ship. Therefore, since our journeys for the most part are to be long and rough, see to it that your chosen ship is sea¬ worthy, that it is provisioned well with hope and courage, and last and most important of all, be certain that you are qualified to be a pilot for that particular voyage. 1928 BIDS FAREWELL TO DEAR OLD GREENFIELD HIGH We, the class of ’28, after four short years of work and pleasure, are to go down in the pages of his¬ tory like our predecessors. Some of the underclassmen, parti¬ cularly the freshmen, seem to think that we are over-joyed at the pros¬ pect of not coming back next fall and that graduation brings about much happiness. Ah! no, it is just the opposite. It is very hard to understand the real meaning of the situation until our own graduation arrives. It is true, however, that the past week has been one round of parties and banquets, but our joys have never faltered. Graduation has come and gone. Some of us are to go out into the world while others, more for¬ tunate, are to continue their educa¬ tion. We, the class of ’28, will rarely assemble together again and it is with this in mind that we today bid fare¬ well to Mr. Smith, our devoted prin¬ cipal, the faculty who have so faith¬ fully guided us on our way, and our beloved schoolmates. M. B. ’28 FAREWELL, SENIORS! The portals of G. H. S. have open¬ ed to let another senior body take its place among the alumni. The class of ’28 has always given its best whether in the classroom or on the field, and G. HI S. is mighty proud of them. The school won’t seem quite the same next fall without their sober mien in Senior Alley. But whether they continue their search for knowledge or take a place in the busy whirl of life, rest assured that G. H. S. and its student body is behind them with the best wishes for success. J. P. ’29 PRESENTATION OF CLASS GIFT Each year it has been a custom for the graduating classes of G. H. S. to leave a gift to the school. In be¬ half of the Class of 1928, I take great pleasure in presenting this sum of money to complete the fund start¬ ed by the Class of 1927 for a new state flag to be placed in the audi¬ torium. E. C. ’28 James Ballou ’28

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8 THE EXPONENT family, has proved himself such a lifter that today one of the leading political parties of the country con¬ siders him as its possible choice for the highest office in the land. Her¬ bert Hoover, unlike the self-educated governor of the state of New York, has had the advantage of a collej education. But, like Alfred Smith, he passed his early years in meagre circumstances and worked his way through college despite many ob¬ stacles. The lives of these two men show that from the ranks of the hum¬ ble and poor are recruited the men of ideals, the lifters, whose names live throughout the ages. Everyone has an inherent tenden¬ cy to be independent of others, to think and do things for himself. If developed this inclination becomes the characteristic of a lifter. To ful¬ fill one ' s part as a lifter in this world it is not necessary “to reach the heights by great men reached and kept.” Not to everyone is given the strength of mind and body required to go forth to battle against the armies of the enemy, the powers of the land, the sea, and the air, to paint elevating pictures, to write inspiring works, or to mould statues of life¬ like beauty. The names of many with almost unsurmountable physical difficulties are found on the register of the truly great. Helen Keller is a living example of one who is help¬ ing the world through sheer will power to be a better, happier place in which to live. And, after all, has not every man or woman who has been truly a lifter, not a leaner, made this world the better for having lived? Valedictory Classmates—At the close of our grammar school course you and I had for our motto “Lifters, Not Lean- ers . How much appreciation we had for our superintendent, our school board, and our townspeople when we entered this building—then just completed! Due to their com¬ bined efforts and financial generosity wc, the youth of Greenfield, had been given every opportunity to work amidst elevating surroundings. For our principal and his staff, who have worked unsparingly with us for four years, who have had an ever present desire to send us forth as “Lifters, not Leaners, our hearts are filled with gratitude. But gratitude. Classmates, is not enough. We must show our bene¬ factors the success of their efforts. Some of us will make a mark that all the world can see and praise. To everyone of us, in his own niche, is given the opportunity to make a mark that those nearest and dearest to him can recognize and appreciate. To everyone of us, in his own sphere, will come the opportunity to be a lifter, not a leaner. Julia Bulman ' 28 SALUTATORY To our parents and relatives, to our friends, and to the faculty, we, the Class of 1928, extend a sincere greeting on the occasion of our Class Day exercises. We have come to the end of our four high school years. Much gratitude and many thanks are due to the people of Greenfield, who have made it possible for us to obtain our education in such a fine building. To the teachers we are indebted for their kindness and patience. Now comes the parting of the ways. Each one of us will go forth to tempt the luck of the outside world, and to find his fortune there. We expect that this class will send forth artists, scientists, surgeons, aviators, business men, and other sorts of fine outstand¬ ing men and women. Especially we look for great statesmen who will aid us toward international peace and toward a closer friendship and alli¬ ance between The Two Americas The first relationship of the United States with the Central American and South American republics began with the Monroe Doctrine, which was issued in 1823. The Monroe Doc¬ trine was a message of James Monroe to Congress, expressing these two im¬ portant points: First, that the Amer¬ ican Cont inents were henceforth closed to colonization by any Europe¬ an power; and second, that any inter¬ ference with any republic in America recognized by us would be regarded as the manifestation of an unfriend¬ ly disposition toward the United States. This doctrine had no use in the early days except for the pre¬ vention of the European powers from