Malden High School - Maldonian Yearbook (Malden, MA)

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Tree planted in 1921 by the USONA Society. Landscaper Bill Sullivan plants a new tree given by the class of 1976. The plaque expresses the hope that as the tree grows so too will the spirit of freedom and peace. Theme 3

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J hat was then his is now There are two trees on the grounds of the high school, one was planted more than half a century ago, the other this year. The two plagues near those trees are an ironic comment on each other. In 1921, the Usona Society planted a tree and dedicated it to the memory of the boys of Malden High School who fought in the World War,” In 1921, there was no understanding that there would be another war and that they would have to be numbered to distinguish them. In the fall of this year another tree was planted, another plague created, and another prayer lor peace was carved in brass. Two centuries after George Washington warned against entangling ” Alliances” Americans found themselves at the center of the world stage, often attacked, sometimes wounded, almost never at peace. Central America continued to preoccupy us. In October, our marines invaded Grenada. In February we faced a humiliating withdrawl from Beirut. Hunger in the nation, toxic waste dumps, deteriorating school ststems, acid rain, debate over missile deployment in Europe: There were the unresolved concerns of the year. The real mood of the year was a new spirit that could be e expressed in the idea I don ' t want to hear about then. This is now. We want to start to make things new again.” That attitude too, could be found in the places near those two trees planted by long separated generations. 2 Theme

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hat was then his is now In the state and in the city the year was characterized by mixed emotions and mixed signals aoout the direction we were moving in. It was not possible to ignore what seemed to be a deteriorating world situation or a national administration that seemed to have told us we were on our own. We were as troubled as the rest of the nation over hunger, toxic waste, and the nuclear threat but for all of that in many ways things seemed better. Two decades of renewal had changed the face of the city. The pace of development and renewal was often startling. A , new central parking garage was completed promising dramatic change in the heart of the downtown skirted by the new route 60 bypass. The future of the downtown was written clearly in accelerated professional and residential condominium development. Across from the Malden T station the Band of New England was constructing a data processing center that would bring 600 more people to the city every day. Even accident seemed to contribute to dramatic change. A lanuary fire at North Station forced the Lowell line of the Boston and Maine to end at Malden Station. A few saw in this development the potential for change far greater that the city had yet seen. 4 Theme