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

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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

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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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THE EXPONENT 9 making further colonies in the New World. The Cleveland restatement came in 1895. Venezuela and Great Britain had been disputing the boundary be¬ tween Venezuela and British Guiana for sixty years. Now Venezuela was complaining of the rapacity of the powerful England and was begging our State Department for aid. Again and again we implored England to arbitrate, but in vain, for England replied that the dispute was not an affair of ours. However, the Ameri¬ can people thought that the Monroe Doctrine was our affair. We believed in the maintenance of the doctrine, which stated that the American Con¬ tinents were closed to further Euro¬ pean colonization. It was not until a suggestion of war reached England that the obdurate Lord Salisbury con¬ sented to arbitration. An interest in the Latin-American republics was revived by President Roosevelt’s extension of the Monroe Doctrine. Santo Domingo had be¬ come bankrupt through a series of revolutions. France, Italy, and Bel¬ gium threatened to collect by force the debts owed them unless the United States would guarantee the financial management of the republic. By the consent of the president of Santo Domingo, President Roosevelt negotiated a treaty, making the United States receiver for the re¬ public. By the efficient management of the United States the insolvency of Santo Domingo disappeared and her credit was reestablished. The most recent Latin-American affair is our intervention in Nicara¬ gua. The United States intervened mainly at the request of Nicaragua. We had formerly helped Cuba and Managua to set up governments and to hold elections. Now Nicaragua came with a request that we should aid her with the elections. The Sixth Pan-American Confer¬ ence has been held at Havana, Cuba, during the past winter. It settled two important questions and came to an understanding on a third problem. The first is the settlement of an air service between the two Americas: the second, a decision on the subject of immigration. A few of the Latin- American states proDosed that the United States should have free immi¬ gration. Much to the surprise of our delegates, Argentina allied herself with us, declaring that immigration was not a Pan-American affair but a domestic problem. The third prob¬ lem and the greatest concerns the doubt which arose among the Latin- American states as to our right in intervening in financial and political situations, and as to whether we were over-stepping the Monroe Doctrine. We must regard the South American standpoint, before we can continue and be able to justify ourselves in these acts. Felipe Berreda, Professor of Pan- American History in the University of San Marcos, Lima, Peru, wrote an interesting and exceedingly frank article in the Current History of March, 1928. The article stated the point of view of some of the South- Americans, although it does not seem possible that this could be the feeling of the entire group of republics. Both North and South America stress the words “European interference”, but in an entirely different sense. It is believed in South America that the Monroe Doctrine, as Monroe himself issued it, meant the protection of the two Americas against European in- v asion. Monroeism formerly meant continental freedom and civilization. Indeed, Monroeism and Pan-Ameri¬ canism were once complements to each other, but have grown to be an¬ tagonistic. Felipe Barreda says: “Pan-Americanism means freedom for all time from all danger of poli¬ tical or economic imperialism or slavery, not international guardian¬ ship or dictation. Pan-Americanism with which the old and genuine Mon¬ roe Doctrine is in perfect accord, cannot exist with Monroeism as it is interpreted today. To save Pan- Americanism from total destruction these suggestions are made: (1) The United States must return to the original and undistorted doctrine enunciated by President Monroe. (2) All the nations which form the Pan-American Union must adopt the principle of no political interference between themselves on any excuse whatever. They also must adopt the principle of no military enforcement of agreements or contracts, dealing with matters which do not fall within the scone of international law. (3) Every international conflict between two or more American states must be