Lacon High School - Tickler Yearbook (Lacon, IL)

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it An ornamental street lighting system was recently installed in the down- town streets, which adds much to the appearance of the business section when the shadow of night comes down, and artificial light becomes necessary. And Lacon has a progressive school, evidence of which is furnished by the publication of this little volume. As this article is written, the people are preparing to vote on the annulment of the old special charter, under which the school district was originally organized, and the adoption of this proposition will put the district under the general school law and make possible the estab- lishment of a Community High School. reaching out farther from the center. and making possible a still more efficient school. The membership of the pres- ent board is without exception favorable to this change, and it is likely to carry with little opposition. Lacon has a peculiarly clean and up-standing class of youngsters, budding men and women, who will insure a period of progress and development for the coming generation, and as the mature citizens of today are finally compelled to lay down their civic duties because of advancing years, and turn them over to the boys and girls now enroute to maturity through the pathway of the Lacon schools, these civic duties will be ably handled and properly cared for by those upon whom they will devolve. Of course, there is an occasional black sheep in the flock, a few drones in the hive, such as any community has to contend with, but on the whole the personnel of the pupils of the l.acon school is one to be proud of. So far as the writer has been able to observe, the pupils of the l.acon schools are polite, respectful to their elders, clean, ambitious and active, and those attributes, properly encouraged, directed and rewarded, will make for the citizenship of the right kindg so that, in the years to come, Lacon, now a most satisfactory community in which to make a home. will be still better. NELSON D. HARKEN. J

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A AC on Hrs H S cnoon. THE POETRY OF LACON THE PROSE

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' A oNHrGnScuoon. THE TREE OF LACON ,X1l overwrouglit with branch-like traceries ln which there is religion and the mute Persuasion of unkindled melodies. A -SlIlCl.l,liY. From the dim aeons of early history to the present year our little city has nestled within a great fraternity. a brotherhood of trees, On this sloping' glade our ancestors found beautiful groves of nature's rearing, and they cared for the trees, and planted others that their children and their childrens children might live in communion with tiod's first temples. What a divine heritage is ours! Surely if any division of mankind belong to the plebeian rank 'tis those people who see nothing' but material gifts in the trees about them. So much firewood, so much timber for homes and barns and fences. They are like the sordid-minded parents who compute the value of their children in terms of the ineagre pittances which they earn in the mill. llow narrow their outlook upon this beautiful world! lint there are in l.acon people who ask other things of their trees. XYe ask for companionship and friendliness, for inspiration and vision. A sort of virtue seems to come from our brothers, the trees. Lacon is a city of tree-lovers. XYC love the trees that have come to us and lived with us, those that have stretched their arms protectingly over our homes and silently woven themselves into the tenderest associations of our lives. Our homes are surrounded with poetry, religion, gospelling' glooms. The old roof-trees have become members of our families and we watch over them, as we do the rest of the family, to protect them from the ills that trees are heir to. When Nature pours forth her cordials from the vials of .Xpril and May we carry on beneath intricate shades and emerald canopies. XYe are re- minded of the Sunrise of that great tree-lover. Sidney Lanier: Ye lispers, whisperers. singers in storms, Ye consciences murmuring faiths under forms, Ye ministers meet for each passion that grievcs, liriendly, sisterly, sweetheart leaves, Oh, rain me down from your darks that contain me XYisdoms ye winnow from winds that pain me,- '19 9.1