Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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to find the way through present- day depression. Thus it is all over the world. And yet when we turn to our eld- ers for guidance and advice, we find them comparing us with youth in the good old days — the days when a school master ruled supreme in his little red school house and shuddered at finding individuality and creativeness in youth. Sir Arthur Eddington is quoted as saying, “It may be that the human race is no better than it was two thousand years ago, but it is differ- ent and that in itself is a good thing.” Life in this so-called ma- chine age is different. A rapid de- velopment is shown in the schools. A greater freedom is found in the schoolroom and youth is allowed to nuench its thirst for knowledge. Teachers find it advisable to des- cend to the level of their pupils and to find .glory in training them for participation in life as a social be- ing. Oft in the chronicles of history one finds that the policy of great rulers in governing their people has been to suppress and to keep them in blissful ignorance. But in so do- ing discovery, invention, and crea- tion have been suppressed as well as revolt. Youth has its dreams, its visions, and its ambitions which cannot be put down. We seek through education to understand our present-day civilization and the part which each person plays in the world. Moreover, present-day youth is still at heart religious. However, a great deal of truth and wisdom lies in the words of Doctor Alfred Stearns, beloved principal of Phil- lips-Andover Academy and a noted champion of youth, who has writ- ten, “We must bear in mind that there is a distinct difference be- tween active religious interest and being still at heart religious. The latter is the natural endowment with which we are all blessed by our Creator. For the former we ourselves are chiefly responsible ; and if the youth of the present day has lost its religious interest, it is because of the conditions and influ- ences by which it has been sur- rounded, and for these we of an older generation must bear the blame.” If youth seems pleasure-mad, restless, and strange in its mode of living, you, our elders, must take into consideration the conditions which youth did not create but which it nevertheless must over- come. Always mankind condemns that which it does not understand. Youth is sending forth a challenge for sympathy, understanding, and above all — confidence. Confidence such as Giovanni Gentile, the dis- tinguished educator and philoso- pher, showed in an address given in Italy some years ago. He pleaded with his countrymen for higher moral standards and nobler living. His pleas having been met with much doubt and cynicism, he cried with great intensity of feeling, “I am not speaking to the older gen- eration. The mind of the older generation has broken down. I make mv appeal to youth, and youth will hear and answer me.” He was right. Youth has not failed him. Youth is ever seeking the bright and pure side of life even if it cloaks its feelings. And so, as the years go on, may we walk the straight and narrow path with- out becoming narrow minded. For the present let us the remember the words of a modern poet — 28

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born but residents for many years did much to carry on the traditions of the Ipswich art colony. Mr. Henry Kenyon was one of these. He studied in Paris with Mr. Dow and also exhibited his work in the Paris Salon. When he returned to America after having spent a few years in France and Italy, he was attracted to Ipswich and settled here. Mr. Kenyon’s beautiful oil paintings of landscape and sky when once seen are never forgotten. Another artist of this same group is Mr. John W. Mansfield. After four years of study at Paris in L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he came to Ipswich. Every native of this town should be familiar with Mr. Mans- field’s beautiful paintings of Ips- wich marshes and dunes. Residing in Ipswich for several years has been an artist of nation- wide distinction, Theodore Wendel, who likewise studied in Paris and later in Florence and Venice. He has received many prizes and med- als for his fine work. We should indeed consider ourselves fortunate in being able to see an exhibit of his work last summer. Mr. Francis H. Richardson is also of this group. He also studied abroad and received honorable men- tion when exhibiting in the Paris Salon. Miss Elsie Heard, a native daughter of a distinguished Ips- wich family, took up the study of the fine arts, and has done admir- able work as a painter of portraits. Although the Ipswich art colony has diminished since Professor Dow’s time, we still have a few ar- tists who carry on the old tradition. Among the contemporarv artists dwelling in Ipswich are Professor Kimball, a lover of music as well as painting; Mrs. Baylor, a painter of still life ; Mrs. Consuelo Hills, sculptress; Mr. Leon Bracker, a na- tionally-known illustrator; and Mr. Mark Hayes, a recent graduate of Manning High, who took a prize in a Boston competition. Now it is for us, of this genera- tion, to carry on the work so well begun, to observe the beauty which surrounds us, and to love and cre- ate the beautiful ! “NON SCHOLAE SED VITAE DISCIMUS” Gladys Durham “Non Scholae Sed Vitae Disci- mus” — we learn not for school but for life. These years spent in study have been but a background for life. The ability to express oneself comes through the study of lan- guages. History and civics enable one to understand present-day con- ditions. Mathematics is provocative of concentration and mental disci- pline. Athletics and social activi- ties as well are important in that they train youth to cope with what- ever emergencies and situations that may arise throughout life. One learns how to judge his fellow men and to recognize leaders who can be depended upon. Youth of today, perhaps more than ever before, is awake to its responsibilities and the importance of playing worthwhile parts in the age-old game of living successfully. And so, tonight, we, the class of 1931, have come to the turning point of our lives, reaching a crisis which will decide whether or not all the golden dreams of childhood are to be realized. We find our- selves faced with the obligation of carrying on and of realizing not only our own visions, but also those of former generations. It is for us 27

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“ Tis time this fallen world should rise ; Let Youth the sacred work begin! What nobler task, What fairer prize Than earth to save and heaven to win?” CLASS DAY PARTS CLASS HISTORY By Frank Machaj In September of the year 1927 the graduates of the Junior High Schools of Ipswich and Rowley started on their career in Manning to obtain a high school diploma. The first few days were character- ized by much uncertainty. We were given programs to fill out about which we knew very little, espe- cially the locations of the various rooms, but with the help of the fac- ulty we found our rooms satisfac- torily, if late. The freshmen felt very dignified because the faculty placed “Miss” before the girls’ names and called the boys by their last names. As we ha d not a few beauties in our class from Rowley, it was customary to see a few up- perclassmen in the so-called “attic” during every recess. After a few weeks we became accustomed to our classmates and new surround- ings, and everything went along smoothly. Before we had been in school very long, the class decided that it was absolutely essential to elect of- ficers to direct our activities during our first year. The class elected Gladys Durham, President; Robert Mansfield, Vice President; Norman Ewing, Secretary, and Harris Shea, Treasurer, for the class officers. The daily grind of the freshmen year consisted in climbing three flights of stairs to the top floor where the freshmen class was lo- cated. The only event ef impor- tance during the year was a social at which the freshmen were given an opportunity to show the upper- classmen their dancing ability. We sailed along the rough sea to the sophomore class which was sit- uated across the hall from the sen- ior class. It was an honor to be on the same floor with the noble sen- iors and a relief to climb only one flight of stairs daily. Before very long we held a class meeting and elected for our class officers Gladys Durham, President; Harris Shea, Vice President; Norman Ewing, Secretary, and Marion Ford, Treas- urer. We began the sophomore year very systematically, lording it ovei; the freshmen and enjoying their discomfiture in strange surround- ings. The event which gave the class as sophomores a figure in the eyes of the whole school was the assem- bly play of Room V. This was a pretentious tableau of Ipswich in several scenes. The first was danc- ing at a country festival on which the Puritans looked with much dis- favor. Then there was a town meeting followed by a service in church and a parley with the In- dians. The most interesting part was when the Pilgrim army marched across the stage armed with wooden guns and waving flags. Kent was a great success as Miles Standish, waving his sword above his head and giving orders. After sailing along smoothly for a year, those that were fortunate enough to obtain the reouired num- ber of points were admitted to the junior class. Upon first entering the junior year the majority of us were just getting down to business and think- 29