Loretto Academy - Laurel Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

Page 16 text:

 Crossing the lawn that morning, Douglas Spaulding broke a spider web with his face. A single invisible line on the air touched his brow and snapped without a sound. So, with the subtlest of incidents, he knew that this day was going to be different. Ray Bradbury's book is a discovery, an exploring of all things familiar, yet unknown because they are so familiar. Dandelion Wine is full of the magic of a boy's summer, but it’s a magic that some people can’t believe in. Twelve-year-old Doug Spaulding, in the summer of 1928 realizes he's alive—he does the same old things, but it's like doing them the first time. All the old things are fresh and fascinating and new this summer because he is awake and real; and we see and feel them along with Doug. Together with him, we lick yellow Ticon- deroga pencils and write in nickel tablets “DISCOV- ERIES AND REVELATIONS. The first one he discovers is his brother, Tom. Tom is a lover of statistics. One of the funniest scenes in the book is a berry-picking session with Tom sitting calmly in the middle of the woods, eating a deviled ham sand- wich and reciting statistics. . . How many times I brushed my teeth in ten years? Six thousand! Washed my hands: fifteen thousand. Slept: four thousand some- odd times, not counting naps. Ate six hundred peaches, eight hundred apples. Pears: two hundred. I'm not hot for pears. . . Once they have discovered each other, Tom and Doug become great friends. Tom, said Douglas, “just promise me one thing, okay? “It’s a promise. What?” “You may be my brother and maybe I hate you sometimes, but stick around, all right? “You mean you'll let me follow you and the older guys when you go on hikes?” “Well . . . sure . . . even that. What I mean is, The reader rampant shares a little boy's summer secret with leaf'bound students. don't go away, huh? Don't let any cars run over you or fall off a cliff.” “I should say not! Whatta you think I am, any- way? Cause if worst comes to worst, and both of us are real old—say forty or forty-five some day—we can own a gold mine out West and sit there smoking corn silk and growing beards. Growing beards! Boy! Like I say, you stick around and don't let nothing happen. You can depend on me, said Tom. It's not you I worry about, said Douglas. “It's the way God runs the world. Tom thought about this for a moment. He’s all right, Doug, said Tom. “He tries. But the two boys aren't the only characters in the book. Everyone in the book makes some kind of dis- covery. There is accident-prone Elmira Brown, who's certain she's been hexed by Clara Goodwater. Leo Auff- mann's happiness machine teaches him that he can t man- ufacture happiness. And the best happiness machine, the one that runs all the time, is a family. Old Mrs. Bentley learns something the children always knew: that she was always seventy-two, and never a little girl with long yel- low curls. John Huff teaches Doug the best way to say good-bye to a friend. You freeze him playing statue, whisper so long, and run before either of you realizes you're gone. There is also the strange, haunting affair of William Forrester, thirty-one, and Miss Helen Loomis, ninety-two. This is summer, 1928, in Green Town, Illinois. But it is also all summers ever in any town anywhere. Brad- bury has the power to make reality real; be blends ordi- nary things and people into a song of extraordinary won- ders. Stories about small boys growing up in small towns are not unusual; but this one is. If we were to divide the classics on small towns into the separate camps of Mum 10 the UureletM

Page 15 text:

council and movement Christ's work on earth was to unite all men with Himself. This ideal is recorded in the prayer He prayed at the Last Supper—“I do not pray for these only, but also for those who are to believe in men through their work, that they may all be one.” But what He's saying is that there will be some who do not believe and that it’s up to the members of His Mystical Body, who have the beliefs, to unite them Ever since the Reformation, forward-looking Protes- under these beliefs. tant leaders have made attempts at partial reunion. At the end of the nineteen century, missionaries and young student groups, anxious for unity, spread their desire to the leaders of nearly all the churches. The movement became widespread. The Ecumenical Movement is a grow- ing union of various non-Catholic churches. They have combined to secure a larger influence in everything concerning the moral and social con- dition of the people so as to promote the application of the law of Christ in every aspect of human life. Protestants first united so they could plan together before going out to the mission fields—avoid competi- tion by erasing the boundaries of ter- ritories to be evangelized and by preaching the essentials of Christianity” and forget non-essential denominational- ism. They have started a movement toward insistence on practical Christianity”—avoid dogmatic differences and emphasize Christ's teaching on human relations. Since 1948, the chief instrument of the Ecumenical Movement has been the World Council of Churches, a permanent body of 197 churches, which helps them in their efforts toward world-wide reunion. The general body of modern Protestantism is actively engaged in finding ways which will lead to greater organic and doctrinal unity. Pope John XXIII, working to promote unity, has cre- ated the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity—one of the ten advisory boards formed for the Ecumenical Council. The Secretariat states that it has a double pur- PJ se. Its immediate purpose is to enable non-Catholic Christians to follow the work of the Council. The Secre- tariat gives accurate information to non-Catholics about the work of the Council. But its larger and more general end is to aid non- Catholic Christians to find more easily the path to the oneness Christ prayed for. The Secretariat hears and weighs suggestions from the non-Catholic Christians and passes them on, if need be, to the appropriate commission or drafts them for consideration by the Council itself. Cardinal Bca, head of the Secretariat, has referred to the importance which Christian reunion may have on the agenda of the Second Vatican Council. It may pave the way to an eventual assembly of Christian bodies under Roman Catholic Church guidance to discuss unity. Ruling out compromise on dogma, he found room for much clearing up of misunderstandings that have arisen because of the historical circumstances in which declarations were made. He cited Pastor Marc Boegncr’s conviction that those things which unite Protestants and Catholics are greater than the differences. Besides attending meetings, mem- bers and staff have been constantly busy, privately and publicly, prepar- ing and promoting the Council's work for unity. It co-operated with leaders of the World Council of Churches, the Protestants' main body working on ecumenism, in setting up a conference of several days near Geneva in May 1961. Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic theologians explored each other's minds, ex- changed views, and discovered how much they had in common and where and why they differed. The Secre- tariat seeks to give tolerance and freedom of conscience to Protestants so they may be more readily inclined to meet with Catholic leaders. Archbishop Fisher, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said that his visit with Pope John XXIII would have been impossible if the Pope had not created the Secretariat. Protestants have begun a reunion of churches. But this is not enough; the need is for a unity of faith. Unity is not complete unless everyone is united within the Catholic Church—uncompromised. The ecumenical attempts on both sides leave hope for greater understanding. November 1962 9

Page 17 text:

Street, which emphasizes petty provincialism, and Our Town, which emphasizes great hearted life, Dandelion W'lne would rank with Our Town. Perhaps it is because Douglas sees in simplicity that Green Town is so beauti- ful. If cynical Sinclair Lewis looked at the same town, he might see another Gopher Prairie. But Douglas is a boy at home in the place that to him is life; he loves; and his eyes see goodness. The odd thing about this book is that Ray Bradbury is known mainly for his science fiction. And some of Bradbury the science-fiction writer does seep in through Bradbury the novelist. But this only adds to the air of fantasy in reality that permeates the whole book. Imagi- nation, one of the key requirements for any good writer or poet, is pressed down and running over in this cup of dandelion wine. In this golden book, his deep, green sum- mer-garden is a wonderful thing. For people interested in windows, this is an exciting book. For people interested in people and themselves, it is an exciting book. Because now your Ticonderoga pencil is stubby and your nickel notebook is crammed with scrawled wisdom. One sophomore seems to have solved the problem of tell- ing one set of senior twins apart. The first is the intel- ligent one and the other is the brainy one ... or was it vice-versa? I nominate a certain dramatic senior for ballerina of the year. She brings a certain dignity” and coordi- nation to the seventh period dancing class. The sophomores have all the luck! Remember that unannounced fire-drill? They were in gym! You better believe it—Loretto’s Peanuts readers will enjoy this one. We have a poochie in our neighbor- hood who has a “Psychological Snoopy Complex. All day long he stands on his dog house and sighs. To the fourth hour chemistry class: Are you a happy atom? At least one LA student is taking heed of the strictly enforced uniform regulations. One morning she even went so far as to polish her shoes with Dutch Cleanser! Exclusive Christmas presents, hand-made hy the handicapped Sugair Foote Creations U501 Fai mount LO 1-llUU Kansas City, Mo. 2961 E. 28th St, «Jack Genova Investment Go. £outh Qide BANK 383« MAIN STREET VA 1-8200 be Utse 3ur juf Potato Chips Ch£e.se Stu Nu.T.5 GeUt- % O.H. Gerry Optical Co. 4200 Blue Ridge Professional Bldg. 428 Ward Pkwy. Medical Bldg. 4140 W. 71 FL-6-5842 VI-2-1477 JE-1-2734 EN-2-7744 blaze j hair Park i an 1212 w. U7th Va. 1-021 6 THE KNIGHTS Music for All Occasions FOR RESERVATIONS CALL OR WRITE JIM CRUISE JA 3-5399 November 1962 11