Hobart Senior High School - Memories Yearbook (Hobart, IN)

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1 1 llOHAKT TOWNSHlt THE EPIC of T5he WEST; ITS HERO GLADYS MACKEY. g IIE legend runs that once in a thousand years a literary genius is born. Of this rare type of man the poet stands first, and the greatest poet is the epic writer. The world has produced but six great epics. The blind Homer sang in lofty strain the heroic epic of the Greeks. Virgil echoed in majestic tones the wanderings of the brave Aeneas and the fabled birth of thrice magnificent Rome. Dante por- trayed the universal conflict of the human soul. Tasso chronicled the sad yet glorious record of the crusaders. Our Saxon forefathers sang the martial lays of Beowulf, and lastly, the sweet voiced Milton recited the sorrows of fallen man in the sublime words of “Paradise Lost.’’ These are the great epics of history, but the greatest song remains unsung. There is yet to appear some poet immortal, who shall sing the unparalleled epic of our own beloved America, relating the deeds of our hero, the western pioneer, conqueror of the wilderness, patriot deliverer of the oppressed, inven- tor, scientist, state builder and captain of industry. In every American heart there should be a feeling of intense admiration for the daring hero who wrought out of this vast wilderness, inhabited by savages, our civilized and highly enlightened nation. Is it not right that a greater epic be written relating his deeds, greater and more wonderful deeds than those of all other heroes who have ever blessed mankind ? Let us follow him as he leads the vanguard of our nation’s progress across the continent. When the colonies were in their infancy hordes of immigrants constantly came to this country and ever as they came they pushed farther and farther inland. Little did they I’ealize the vast regions which lay beyond the eastern mountains. It took more than a century for these early settlers to occupy the Atlantic slope, but in the next three quarters of a century they spread from the Alleghenies to where “the Golden Gate lets in the long heaving billows of the Pacific.’’ At first the progress of the pioneer was slow ; life was a constant battle, on every hand he encountered the dreaded red man. The Indians were a poorly governed people, loved cruelty for cruelty’s sake, continually broke faith and became more and more enraged as the pioneer settled the country

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HIGH SCHOOL. “Beware the teacher’s big class book, Beware his stern and scornful look,” This was that class’ last good-bye And from them all escaped a sigh Pit via vi. There in the glare of the electric light They sat on their commencement night, And from the sky serene and far A voice fell like a falling star

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HIGH SCHOOL. 15 and converted the forest into homes. Let us not, in mistaken pity for the Indian, condemn the white man, who eventually conquered, as he must. Again we see our hero as the patriot at Trenton, Valley Forge and Yorktown, fighting for liberty. Later he is at Vicksburg, Gettysburg and Appomattox, determined to preserve the Union. Then, as the inventor, he has brought the forces of nature under the control of man. lie has lightened labor and promoted culture. We see his influence as the scientist removing our limitations and enriching our lives. As the state builder we see him signing the Declaration of Independence, shaping our government, proclaiming freedom, maintaining laws of equity and justice. As the cool-headed captain of industry he di rects and controls the great business concerns of our country. As we call to mind our hero’s varied and wonderful deeds, adventurous ambition, admirable sturdiness, unselfish spirit, masterful inventions, splendid laws and skillful management of finances and industry; who would not wish his deeds immortalized in epic song? We have reviewed the strenuous unwritten epic of the West, lid us praise without stint its deserving hero. Unlike the victorious Achilles he did not possess divine immunity from mortal wounds, but with his great purpose and strong resolve, fought and conquered savage beast and worse than savage man. Nor, like father Aeneas, did he drift about upon protecting waves to found an empire great though perishable, but he forced his way through a seemingly impenetrable forest, overpowered the fierce red race and planted the germs which have developed into the greatest of all governments not soon to reach its zenith and never to decay. Nor did he fight to gain the possession of a doubtful tomb, as did the chivalrous crusader, but by the most wonderful effort carried into a new land the lasting principle of religious freedom. Heracles killed the hundred headed hydra, which was a symbol of disease, but our hero discovered ways to stamp out the great white plague. Heracles showed some engineering skill in his Augean labor, but our hero has banded the East and West with ribs of steel. He has “put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes.” Beowulf gave up his life that he might slaughter the fire-drake which laid waste the land of his people, our hero has used his energy to bring new life to arid plains. To-day we are justly proud that the “aggressive spirit of the West reflects the predominant characteristic of our sterling prototype — -the spirit of deter- mination in progress.” Our hero grasps the situations of life. lie causes the forces of nature to obey him. lie provides religious freedom. lie establishes an ideal government. He is master of all branches of learning. Yes, greater than all epic heroes of the past! “By dint of grim tenacity our hero advanced from eastern mountain to western sea and spurred ever onward by the fierce desires of an eager heart, wrought out in his Titanic struggles, the destinies of a continental nation.”