Manchester High School - Somanhis Yearbook (Manchester, CT)

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«4 SOMANHIDIS EVENTS 19 American steel in the form of bullets and bayonet, or shaping that same steel into ships for the great navy that made it possible for us to win our victory. Art has in these various ways helped to make the world a safe place to live in. It has helped to destroy the most contemptible and stupendous dream that ever stalked forth from the nethermost caverns of human imagination. We have wrestled with that dream and overcome it. We have our own vision of human rights with justice as a master, and everywhere room for the free flower- ing of all that makes life worth living. For this high ideal many have sacrificed their lives, and art, I think, has done her best. Leonard H. Johnson, °19. K X £HAG SPIRE OF FRANCE INCE the invasion of France by the Hun in that memorable August of 1914, ) the unconquerable spirit of France has won the admiration of the world. Although France has made bitter sacrifices during the recent war, never- theless her spirit has been indomitable. And what is the French spirit? It is an inborn love of liberty, an unyielding courage to bear suffering without com- plaint and, under all vicissitudes, a manifestation of cheerfulness. They have proven themselves a people with a soul above suffering, and i t is with this quality and their veneration for their own glory in arms that France was resolved upon the defeat of Germany. Though unprepared, she thoroughly understood the task set before her and did not rest until it was accomplished. Frivolity gave place to seriousness of thought and action. She became a bigger France, a more powerful France, a France ready to make sacrifice but resolved upon Victory. At the outset of the war the armies of invasion overran France spreading ruin and desolation over that fertile and peaceful country. Although gallantly defended by every ounce of strength that she then possessed, the loss of life, and the destruction of homes were appalling. Was the spirit of France broken then’ No, girding together the remnants of their battered forces, the French made one supreme effort at the battle of the Marne, and hurled back the in- vaders now broken and dispirited. Thus Paris, the heart of the nation, was saved, and new life and hope was given to the French army, and, above all, the world-wide cause of Democracy was saved. The spirit of France was again displayed at Verdun when for six months the flower of the German army with forty years of preparation, backed up with all the genius of German science and deviltry was successfully withstood. It was the spirit of France which turned the tide and gave birth to that immortal epigram, “Thou shalt not pass.’ This spirit was not confined to the noble defenders of France alone, but extended through all grades of social life. Every French patriot was inspired with the desire to do or die. The sacrifices of the French women are symbolic of this quality. They have proven themselves a thousand Joan of Arcs. They offered themselves as laborers in the factories and on the farms. It was largely due to the efforts of

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18 SOMANHIS EVENTS those whose dear ones go to meet an unknown fate, need to be comforted and cheered by the thought, that, in war there are fine companionships; there are hours to think of home, there is time for music and laughter, and there is time for recreation and reaction. We hear all too much, perhaps, of the horrors of war. Let us gladly turn our mind to wit and humor. The humor is to be found where one would least expect to find it. Man is a peculiar animal; he laughs so that he will n ot weep with exasperation. Look over the pictures of Bairnsfather and see how the Tommies make the best of all sorts of inconveniences and afford unconscious amusement to thousands of unknown comrades. Then there are the cartoons that show the attitude our enemy took at various times throughout those momentus days of the great struggle. Thousands of cartoonists did their best in this work. The foremost of these was Louis Raemaekers, the famous Dutch cartoonist, whose works are probably familiar to most Americans. Although half German himself, he makes Kaiserdom and Prussianism the chief enemies of his pen. But in his illustrations he brings out more vividly than any other artist the horror and cruelty, the thirst and hunger of war itself. At this point I wish to discuss the art of camouflaging. The men engaged in this fascinating pursuit are the camoufleurs or artists who fight the enemy with their brushes. Deceptive coloration is the principle at the basis of this war art. Camouflage has been applied to conceal guns, roads, trains, outposts, spies, ete. Among many instances showing the extent to which deceptive coloration may be used, the hiding of a village street was very striking. It was desired to pass sol- diers from one part of the front to another, past the end of a viliage street which was within sight of the German glasses and also within easy range of their guns. To do this the artists painted a picture of that street on a very large piece of muslin and hung it up at the end of the street under cover of darkness. The next morning the Germans saw an empty street but behind that sheet, thousands of soldiers marched to safety. Probably as important as any other branch of art in the world war was the part that posters played. The American artists have produced a new type of pictures. All over our great nation our artists have spoken the thing for which there are no words to men, women, and children, who see with the eye better than they hear with the ear. When we look back at the posters that have been made how simple they are! How true in what they say! No in- telligent man will question the vital power of inspiring pictures. Call them cartoons, posters, or what you will; they have stirred the souls of men, and mobilized the forces of justice and patriotism against the world’s greatest enemy, “Kultur.” The orator no matter how gifted, knows that the real thrill of his words is limited to the range of his voice. But the picture that catches your eye and points out a truth, or sounds a call to patriotic service knows no limitations. The posters which you and I have seen during the last two years have conveyed a meaning to us and to everyone in our nation. They did more than that; those pictures that called to us for steadfast loyalty and heroic sacrifice also carried courage to our boys at the front. Those pictures put fresh life and courage into every man who fought for that flag, whether he was fighting with good

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20 SOMANHIS EVENTS the women that the crops which fed the soldiers at the front were harvested. In short, they have engaged in every kind of work possible for them to under- take and have succeeded admirably. In many cases the overwork and the over- strain proved too great, and they gave their lives for the cause of France. Anxiety, the heaviest of all their burdens, they bore courageously. They de- iighted in the sweet work of doing good and their hearts were just as staunch as those of their loved ones with whom they had parted. This fact may be well illustrated by a story told of a French officer who was obliged to announce to a poor old lady the death of her son.. Trying to calm the grief-stricken mother the officer told her that she must remember that her son died saving France. ‘‘Ah!” she replied, “only tell me Monsieur L’ officier that we shall save France and I shall weep no more.” This touching story goes to show that even the supreme sacrifice was willingly made if it were only done in supporting the noble cause. Nevertheless, under this heavy veil of optimism a certain seriousness existed and exists even today. The French realize what the disaster of war has cost them. In approximately every home there is sorrow. They know only too well what the deaths of those valiant soldiers mean to the nation in the future. They mourn and weep for them, but console themeslves with the knowledge that they died for France. Now that France has emerged victoriously from this great war it is the sincere hope of all civilized countries that she will attain her former prosperity and be the beacon light for the cause of justice and democracy throughout the world. Helen F. Kelleher, ’19. K OUR NATIONAL SPORT ATTER-R-R-UP!” | The ring of the umpire’s voice echoes around the Bh field. The crowd gathers closer, anxiously awaiting w hat come next. The masked man behind the bat bends low, his eyes on the pitcher, while the pitcher with great precision fingers the ball and sizes up the man at the bat. This latter stands impatiently awaiting the throw. Some of the men on the field are hurling encouraging remarks at the pitcher, while others, support the batter in their enthusiasm. Everyone, spectator and player, is much excited and watches with amazing interest the movements of the players. “Play Ball’— yells the umpire. Swift as a streak of lightning the ball whizzes from the pitcher, the batter tries to hit it and fails, for the greedy hands of the masked catcher hold it fast. “One strike!” bawls the umpire. There is no need to describe the game any further, for there is no one who does not know baseball and who has not seen, if not participated in, a game. But when baseball started about sixty years or so ago, the game looked very different. A newspaper in 1859 reports a game that was played at Hoboken, N. J. So much was thought of it at the time that a two page picture of the game was printed also. In those days, something unusual, like a Fourth of July celebra- tion, had to take place, as a cause for a game. The reason for this game was to entertain some Englishmen of high rank who were visiting here.