Holbrook High School - Echo Yearbook (Holbrook, MA)

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THE ECHO 7 Philadelphia in 1834. He conducted this school for a period of one year and then opened a school at Pittsburg. He carried on this school for six or seven years, after which he discon- tinued it and opened a school in Cincinnati. The school which he founded in Cincinnati is still continued under the supervision of his son. In 1839, a commercial school was started in Pittsburg by a Mr. Duff; in 1840 a school was started in Boston by Mr. Comer, and in the same year another school was opened in St. Louis by Mr. Jones. In 1853 the finst commercial school of the famoiTs B v rt rnd Stratton chain was founded in Cleveland. From this time on, the Bryant and Stratton schools increased until there were over fifty scattered around in different cities. In each place a young man was chosen who was suoocsed to have the requisite qualities for conducting a school, and was put in as a local partner. These partners received a percentage of the net profits from the school of which they had charge. In 1866, through dissatisfaction of the partners, the chain was broken and there was formed what was known as “ The National Union of Business Colleges.” Since this time business colleges have been constantly growing. The first business schools were known by several different names, such as ” Commercial College” ‘‘ Merchants College,” “ Mercantile College” and ” Business College.” Mr. H. E. Hibbard of Boston was the first of the private school proprietors to call his institution a ” school.” The first studies that were taught in these bu.siness schools were bookkeeping and pen- manship but later commercial arithmetic, com- mercial law, stenography and typewriting were taught. About this t ' m ' ! oeople were beginning to recogi ' ize the need of commercial instruction in the high school. Parents in ordinary circum- stances felt that they could not afford to send their children through the high school, simply to prepare them for college. They felt that four years of high school training should fit them, to go to work and as a result sent their children to commercial schools instead of high schools. The commercial course was intro- duced in the Central High School of Philadelphia abort 1840, by Alexander Dallas Bache. Other high schools soon followed this example. At first the courses in these high schools were similar to business colleges in that they were short and technical. Later, however, they were broadened. The present aim of the commercial course in the high school is to give the student a broad, general education. Business men are now demanding high school graduates because they need young people in their offices who have had this general education. Pupils who leave school upon completion of the grammar grade and then attend a commercial college for a few months have not the required general knowledge. At the March Town Meeting of 1914, the Town of Holbrook appropriated money to have a business course in the Sumner High School. The studies taken in this course are bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting, penmanship, rapid calculation, soelling, commercial geography, english and introductory science, with french and history as electives. It is the purpose of the course to make the work as much like real office work as possible, giving the puoils a chance to handle business correspondence, some experience in banking, filing and in keeping books. It is also the pur- pose to give the pupils a good general as well as technical education. We wish to thank the School Committee and the citizens of the Town of Holbrook who have so earnestly endeavored to make this course a success. Elizabeth McLaughlin. Essay. The Relation of War to Civilization Enjoying as we do the blessings of peace and not j ' et feeling except in a slight degree any economic loss occasioned by the great war, it is difficult for us Americans to appreciate the dangers which beset the civilization of the world. Because of our geographical isolation and lack

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6 THE ECHO of the whole. The nations also will be obliged to sacrifice often in order to promote the wel- fare of the whole world. Not only does our union of the states furnish an example for the union of the nations but our political philosophy which is based on the equ- ality of opportunity, justice and individual rights may be followed by all countries. Here the individual does not exist for the state, but the state for. the individual. It was the failure to observ’e this principle, so dear to Americans, that brought on the war in Europe. Do you think for a moment that if the people of Europe had been consulted by their respect- ive rulers concerning the war that the frightful carnage which is now going on in Europe would have been possible? The people of Great Britain have practically agreed that this war is the re- sult of a false national doctrine brought about by certain professors, writers and their schools. Hence, if this be true, is it not time that the nations of the earth adopted a new political code based on democratic ideals and principles by which the individual is free to work out his own destiny untrammeled by autocratic power and despotism ? In her dealings with other nations and peoples America is in a favorable position ethically to be an example to the world. During the past half century she has been actuated by the ideal of disinterested service and devotion to humanit- arian purposes in her relations with the oppress- ed peoples of the world. The liberation of the Cubans from the Spanish yoke and the assist- ance and moral support given to various repub- lics in South America are illustrations of what the United States wishes to do for the Mexican people. If the United States intervenes in that un- fortunate republic, it will be only because of the failure of her own leaders to alleviate the suffer- ings of her people by the establishment of a demoeratie form of government. The interest of the United States will be purely that of a neigh- bor. America has also rendered a great service to the nations of the Eastern world. Missionaries have been sent out and large sums of money have been spent yearly to educate the east- ern people. It is because of her unselfishness in this work that the United States has won the hearts of the people of the East. They look up- on her as a friend in whom they can put their trust. Wherein, one may ask. lies the difference be- tw’-cen our country and the nations of Europe. During the long period of national development among the European states each country had its own selfish interests to protect. Each was struggling for existence and supremacy. Ac- cordingly the idea of helpfulness to others was always dormant. On the other hand our coun- try was settled by people in search of political and religious liberty and the very framework of our government was based on the cardinal princi- pleof the brotherhood of man. With this as a birthright is it any wonder that the people of many nations are already looking to the United States as their deliverer? Should we then as a people be doing our duty if we failed to grasp any opportunity to bring the light of democra- cy and the spirit of humanity to the rest of the world ? Lucy G. Chapman. Essay. Commercial Education. Someone has said that commercial education is that form of instruction which both directly and indirectly prepares the future business man for his calling. It is not known definitely who started the first school in which such instruction could be obtained. Mr. R. N. Bartlett, one of the first founders of a commercial school, came to recognize the need of a bu.siness training in the following way; when he was a young man, ready to go into business, he wished to become a bookkeeper. Business houses did not care to take him as an apprentice and he knew of no school where he could get the necessary training. This led him to open a commercial school in

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8 THE ECHO of ambition for a world empire, we have never had the need of a large navy and a costly standing anny. But in Europe the situation has been vastly different. Even before the pres- ent war the burden of taxation arising out of the policy of armed peace had become almost unbearable. We can scarcely conceive how im- measurably these burdens arc now being in- creased by the present enormous loss . of life and property. The vital question therefore is, will civilization stand the strain if such con- ditions persist? Will not the breaking point sometime be reached ? Will not the day arrive when an overburdened humanity will either throw off the curse of war or succumb to its baneful effects? It is because of a realization of these questions which present world condi- tions suggest that I have chosen to discuss the relation of war to civilization in its vari- ous stages of development. War is probably the oldest institution in the world. We have but to read the history of all peoples both ancient and modern to learn that fighting has been the principal occupa- tion of men from time immemorial. But prog- ress has been made in warfare as in other things. Prehistoric n.an overcame his adversary single handed seeking no other justification for his action than the expediency h’s own deed afforded. “Then might made right.” Now na- tions seek to justify their entrance into war on moral or humanitarian grounds. This shows that there has been a change from fist right to law right. Although progress has thus been made still nations continue to settle their differences by an appeal to arms. Although there may have been justifiable wars in the past, wars in which the only way of gaining the right seemed to be by fighting for it — such was our own civil war — yet is war as an arbiter always to be relied unon? May not an unrighteous cause be backed by great strength? Any nation though its cause be just maybe conquered by a stronger force used for unjust purposes. Many of the powerful nations of the world in carrying out their desires for expansion have trampled justice underfoot. Can it be said in such cases that war is a test of justice? Is it not rather merely a test of strength ? Whatever our sympathies may be in the present war and however it may end it will be strength and not justice which will decide the issue. Therefore let us reject war as an arbiter and turn to reason. For not un- til nations agree to settle their disputes in this way will right always prevail. There is another phase of war which bears directly on civilization. War is now always wasteful and injurious to the victors as well as the vanquished. Frequently the loss of life and property is equally heavy on either side. As many as four nations in Europe admit that the war has already cost them nearly five billion dollars each and about a million and a half men. Nor docs this measure the total economic loss to the world for the bus- iness of neutral nations is also adversely affect- ed. It is estimated that during the nineteenth century the world has spent forty billion dollars on wars. Is teat the best investment that the nineteenth century could make with forty bill- ion dollars? Some think that the investment was worth while because it is claimed that wars develop courage, bravery and self-sacrifice as no other human institution. But is the courage that kills other men the right kind of courage to develop in a sane civilization? Docs not modem civilization afford much better fields for the exercise of courage and bravery and self-sacrifice which does not mean des- truction of the social order but constmetive social service? The world calls for a new kind of heroes; moral heroes, heroes of science and philosophy, heroes who shall have no brass bands and flags to lead them on. Let us now consider the biological results of warfare. The Darwinian theory teaches us that race development and improvement depends upon “the survival of the Attest.” In early times warfare resulted in the survival of the strongest of therace, for then man met his adver- sary in personal combat and the weak were al- ways overcome by the strong. But in modern warfare it is the unfit that survive and the fit that perish. Modern engines of destruction and the insistance that only the able bodied be sent to the front to be killed make it inevitable. Can this result otherwise than in the physical deterio- ration of mankind ? Statistics show that the