Ipswich High School - Tiger Yearbook (Ipswich, MA)

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War wreaks havoc in the battling countries and the effects are far-felt; all nations share the ill effects of war. Higher prices and taxes result in losses in business and unemployment. Living standards sink, poverty becomes ram- pant, and the hope of youth is stifled. Youth is likely to lose its head amid the turbulent conditions and become engulfed in the swirl of uncertainty paramount in America today. Youth’s first duty then is to remain sane and confident. It must not be uncertain! It must be surer than ever of itself. The future and happiness of the American democracy rest on today ' s youth. The way in which we respond to present conditions determines the destiny of the country. There are certain duties for today ' s American youth by which each one must prepare to meet the ever-ris- ing challenging conditions of the world, to defend his country and its principles in which he believes. It almost goes without saying that youth must be physically able to per- form the duties expected of it in carry- ing out the demands of national defense. In case of war it is vitally important that youth be physically strong and de- veloped; otherwise how would a coun- try be able to stand up against the for- eign powers that are so strongly empha- sizing and demanding the physical development of their youth today? Our army camps may be depended upon, in part, to develop our boys physically, but that training is not sufficient. To- talitarian powers make much of physi- cal fitness. American young people have got to exhibit the same willingness to sacrifice and practice the same self- denial if they are going to be able to compete with Nazi youth, who, how- ever much we may condemn them, are unselfish and fired with an almost re- ligious fanaticism toward the State. Mental training, on the other hand, is one field where we can secure the ad- vantage over totalitarian countries be- cause liberal education and training to think will in the long run prove super- ior to blind worship of a leader and obedience to him. Fatalism attendant upon war may make youth regard hu- man life as cheap and lead them to a “What’s the use?” attitude. Why study to develop our minds, they may question, just to the point where we might be useful to society and then have our activities cut short by death and destruction in war? This attitude should be overcome. We must not al- low ourselves to relax in our attempts to broaden our education and develop our minds to the utmost degree, whether it be in college or in the school of life, The world is going to need well-train- ed minds to cope with the problems a- rising out of the war and we can best meet these later demands by close appli- cation to study and education now. American youth can, however, con- tribute most valuably to this war-ridden world by furnishing spiritual impetus to the people. Youth must necessarily have a wider view-point, a clearer abil - 30

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year the Red Cross spent over $20,000,- 000. Most of this money was used on aid for Britain. True to its neutral principle the American Red Cross cabled to Germany and asked what she needed. Germany answered that she needed nothing and has not since been asked. For most of us, however, it is both a comforting and an inspiring thought to know that whenever there is a disaster we shall find, alleviating the pain of victims and rebuilding that which is destroyed, that “band of mercy” of which Henri Dunant once fondly dreamed, “The Red Cross.” AMERICAN YOUTH IN THE PRESENT WORLD By Barbara Chapman H OW can the young people of Ameri- ca help to preserve their country and the principles of democracy? This is a vital question im the minds of those in the many graduating classes through- out America. Youth’s job has always been to prepare itself for the heritage given over by its elders, aptly to fit itself to assume the responsibility given over by the preceding generation. To maintain self-support, to take over an increasing share in the government of our country, to work for better social conditions, in short to foster and pro- mote the principles and truths of democ- racy, — to learn these is the fundamental duty of every American youth and has been since the country was founded. We trust that American youth will respond to that call as it has always responded. But in these days of crisis and confusion at home and chaos a - broad, are there not added burdens and duties which youth must shoulder? We are told we must help to preserve de- mocracy. The smug days, when we believed that democracy which we learned about from our first history books had proved its worth and that its privileges had been permantly won, are over, for us as well as for those of maturer years. We realize, now, along with you that these privileges can never be won except at the price of eternal vigilance and sacrifice. The question is what can we as young people do about it. In modern times youth is never asked about the sacrifice. That is de- manded as a matter of course. We have got to be assured, however, that the cause for which we lay down our lives, if necessary, is worth the sacrifice. In this regard we need to clarify our ideas about democracy and restate our atti- tudes toward it. America was formed as a Democratic nation, a government in which all people were to have equal rights. How- ever, democracy is much more than a form of government! It is a way of life or, as Brooks Atkinson says, “men living together with mutual respect for a common destiny.” Youth, therefore, has to face the responsibility of preserv- ing a way of life as well as a political system. 29

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ity to understand and to combat the pernicious instrumental forces behind the wrongs rampant in the present world. The young people of America must believe in their country, that it is a good country, worth working and fighting for; they must be loyal and hopeful and have faith in the future. In youth lies the power of future restoration of order, discipline, and productivity. Courage, hope, resolu- tion, and confidence must continue to come from youth who wish to preserve the democratic principles under which they have been reared. Youth must look beyond the depressing incidents of the day into the unknown future. We know that, among other things, we shall have a legacy of hate as a result of the war. This also we must prepare to combat spiritually. We must look a- head to the kind of world to follow the present chaos; we must have faith in a better one and a vision of a world where all men everywhere are free to live, to think, to work as their desires and abilities dictate, and where nations cooperate for peace. The times are in- deed challenging. Dark days are doubt- less facing us. Just as difficulties, ob- stacles, and sorrows may help to de- velop strength of character in an indi- vidual, however, so American youth as a whole may come out of the troubles of the present chastened and strengthen- ed with a determination that govern- ment “of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” We trust that we may ac- cept this challenge of the future, what- ever it may hold, and vibrate to the confident ring in Emerson’s lines: “So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is God to man, When duty whispers low, ‘Thou must,’ The youth replies, ‘I can! ' 31