Jefferson Township High School - Criterion Yearbook (New Paris, OH)

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R E N D E N I S ii H295 525 Ti. 5 T Wfffijg V 11 Q' n . F ' 5, C t ,J 1 T' 4, R L SEATED: Left to Right - Hubert Bottoms, Paul Siehl, Guy Murray, Fred Brandenburg, Byro B n, Harley Ray. STANDING County Superintendent C. R. Coblentz, Superintendent Herschel Sanders. Board of Education F .. 3 ig! f 'Ii' 3 W' 7

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A Big Event of an Efventful Half Century Another year has rolled around since the last issue of the Criterion. This is a big year. The year, l950 , marks the middle of our century. Histori- ans speak of the first half and second half of centuries. Graduating classes this year are in a unique position. The grads were born and received their public education in the first half of this century. They are to graduate in the exact middle of the century, and they will experience all the fruits of adult living down to old age in the last half of the century. Yes, many of our graduates will witness the turn of another century. Be- fore they enter Eternity they will write the year 2000 -- yes, even 2010 and 2020. Seems oddl, doesn't it? Let's take another look at these young people we are sending forth from our high schools. Most of them were born during the days of the great depression which was aggravated by World War I. During their early childhood they heard of bread lines and soup kitchens along with relief work. Hardly were they well established in the elementary school when the ter- rible blight of another World War shadowed their homes, separated their par- ents and frightened their friends. Then as they arrived at Junior High School level the victory came, first V-E Day and later V-I Day. But with these two historical events came another great event of the first half century -- the atom bomb. The Peace they had heard elders talk about seemed flimsy and unreal. Today as they approach May 25, 1950, their graduation date, they have be- come young citizens musing on the outcome of the H-Bomb. What will it mean? Should we wonder that our young graduates might be a little confused and even perplexed by the condition of things in their nation and world ? Sure they are confused! Who isn't.? However, all this confusion and misunderstanding serves as a challenge to our youth. Most of our great changes have come about as a result of pro- ductive thinking under pressure. It has been said aptly that necessity is the mother of invention. History records many great and noble reforms which came as the solution to perplexing problems. Had there never been a Civil War, we might not have had the great Elman- cipation Proclamation. Without the building of the Panama Canal we might not have found the cause of malaria until too late. Therefore with a shrinking world brought about by supersonic flight we will need to live together as a world family enjoying the constructive values of atomic energy. Our graduates this year along with their older friends complet- ing college will have the brunt of ushering in the new era which is due in the last hal-f of the twentieth century if we are to survive. 8