Maynard High School - Screech Owl Yearbook (Maynard, MA)

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6 THE SCREECH OWL added force, beauty, influence, and lustre, flaring higher and higher in the minds of the people, as a thing of beauty and inspiration. The great- est honor ever paid Lincoln is his in- fluence today — the broadest influence of any American. Five qualities were pre-eminent in Lincoln’s personality, namely, patience, honesty, determination, sim- plicity, and kindness. The quality of patience, Lincoln ac- quired as a result of the severe trials and privations he underwent midst his rough boyhood surroundings. De- voting much of his time to working duties around the Lincoln home, he rarely found time to spend on his favorite hobby — books. In later life, this quality was very much in evi- dence in all the trying problems he had to face during the crucial mo- ments of the Civil War. Extreme honesty characterized Lincoln’s every move as President of the greatest republic on earth. Though a life-long enemy of slavery, and supposedlj in opposition to the South, every ruling of his guided by his motto: “Right for the North, right for the South, for the East, for the West, and for the whole country.” Determination, that factor so prev- alent in Lincoln’s ascent from ob- scurity during his earlier years, was also a vital aid in the drive for the accomplishment of the great purpose he ever had in view, — that of banish- ing slavery forever from our country Seemingly beaten many times, by the stiff opposition encountered from the South, Lincoln only set his rigid features more firmly, and waded into the thick of the fray, soon to emerge victorious, with the Union safe from dissolution. For a person holding such an hon- orable position as President of the United States, Lincoln appeared ex- tremely simple, his actions often be- traying him as one of the common people. However, his extreme simplic- ity appealed to the people, and they loved him and admired him for it. Even at the height of his fame, Lin- coln would, when the opportunity pre- sented itself, converse with one of “common” class as readily as he would with the members of his Cabinet. He had risen from the ranks to a lofty position as leader of the nation, but never once did he show any sign of haughtiness or sense of superiority. He had acquired this characteristic of simplicity in his early surround- ings, and from the influence of which, he never got quite free. Perhaps the greatest phase of Lin- coln’s personality was his kindness. Prevalent as this quality was in his younger life, with his frequent acts of generosity and helpfulness, we find it leaping into radiant beauty during the time he was President of our country. During the great Civil War, Presi- dent Lincoln often sent letters of con- dolence to mothers whose sons had made the supreme sacrifice in the great effort to keep the Union intact. His sympathetic nature was a source of constant encouragement to the weak, praise to the brave, sympa- thy to the suffering, and hope for the despairing. Lincoln’s entire life centered around the question of slavery. He acquired an early hatred for this great evil. As a youth, he had occasion to go to New Orleans, where he first saw slaves offered for sale. Lincoln’s sense of justice revolted at the sight, and here it was that he swore his life-long opposition to slav- ery. From that moment on, Lincoln saw the vision of slavery ever before him, as an evil, a great moral wrong, to be exterminated. At a later period of his life, as a lawyer, the matter of slavery had be- come a vital, national question, and Lincoln became more and more ab- sorbed in its intricacies. His debates with Stephen Douglas on the slavery

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TO A DEPARTED FRIEND I Like shadows passing in the night We often meet; a moment, — then We drift apart, our devious paths Perhaps never to be crossed again. But in that moment we exchange A word of trust or friendship’s smile. And drifting onward through life’s course Keep the memory of one fleet while. II Dear bygone friend, you’ll never know. By just your faith what work you wrought. Awakened to a living flame Ambition sleeping, hope forgot. New love of life, new trust in man From cynic doubt you did remake. By faith, though undeserved evoked. But prized the more — for friendship’s sake. S. W., ’30. An Interpretation of the Life and Works of Abraham Lincoln Pausing in contemplation on a life so beautiful and inspiring in its corn- position as that of Lincoln, one is filled with a sense of deep admiration and respect for that martyred hero. Abraham Lincoln exemplified the typical, true, patriotic American, a strong and worthy representative of the common people, who stepped forth from obscurity, with infinite appro- priateness in the darkest moment of our nation’s history, to rescue, and guide it safely past the whirlpools of dissension and political strife that threatened to engulf it. By merely reading an account of the life of Lincoln, one does not, can- not, fully appreciate the truly mag- nificent character of our Nation’s Savior. His place in human history is so large that he rises far superior to mere words. Every phase of his character presents a completeness which which will never be forgotten. Behind the actual facts of his life, lay a personality as fine as the finest, a soul, pure as the purest, and a mas- terly mind, the true sources of his greatness. The personality of Lincoln, com- posed by the blending of countless virtues, has not been dimmed in the minds of men in the years which have passed, but instead, has gathered

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THE SCREECH OWL 7 question gave him national recogni- tion as a speaker. It was not until his second admin- istration as President that Lincoln held extreme views on the subject. Even during his first term, he be- lieved that Southern slave holders should have compensation for their property. However, as time wore on, and both the North and the South remained fixed in their purposes, Lincoln saw but one possible remedy for the situ- ation, that of excluding slavery for- ever. With the Union forces strength- ened, the South soon realized its grave mistake, and it was not long before General Lee’s surrender marked the end of the bloodiest war that mortal eyes had ever looked upon. The nation was not to rejoice long, however. The shroud of sorrow cast its dark shadows over all the world, when Lincoln, in the wake of a stu- pendous victory, was recalled by his Maker. Time passes quickly. Events of that period are for the most part for- gotten, lost in the turmoil and con- fusion of the years which have passed, but still the memory of that beautiful soul lives on, throwing its beaming rays across our lives, serving as an inspiration to all. What does the life of this martyred hero mean to us? Lincoln, in our minds, is seen first in the light of a Savior. It lay with him to save our nation from impending disaster, to make the national edifice more su stantial than before. Without the aid of Lincoln, it is doubtful indeed, if the Union could have been saved, for a man was needed who was a thinker, a leader, possessing the virtues of courage, faithfulness, determination, and a firm belief in the right. Lin- coln possessed these qualities, and to the highest and most unusual degree of perfection, and so he was the ideal man to face so serious a situation. We should strive to imitate the glowing example which he has set for us. It should serve as a stimulating and inspirational agent, whereby we might acquire and practice some of the magnificent qualities which urged Lincoln on to his time-honored deeds. May we hold the image of our Na- tion’s Savior ever before us as a glorious example to aid and encourage us in our effort and desire to live clean, manly, upright, and patriotic lives. George Tucker, ’28. Our First Year The first anniversary of any or- ganization is always a cause for a contemplation of the year’s work. As we realize that the “Screech Owl” is approaching her first milestone, we pause to gaze back at our accomplish- ments since the first meeting. Maynard High had, previous to the advent of the “Screech Owl”, several attempts in the field of journalism. However, none of these remained sufficiently long to make any very great impression in the history of M. H. S. Nevertheless, the students had long expressed a desire to take part in journalistic activity of some kind. Accordingly, Mr. Cole, in the fall of 1926, presented a plan to the Student Council, for the establishment of a school magazine. The council acted favorably and appointed a committee for carrying out this plan. Ruth Wil- son, Sylvia Ahola, Alice Feams, Miss Walsh and Miss Adams made up this committee. After careful consideration, this committee chose the “Screech Owl” as the name of the magazine, and, in consultation with the faculty, ap- pointed the following as members of the staff. Harold Glickman, editor ; Ruth Wil- son, assistant editor ; Leo Mullin, business manager ; Grace Ployart, as-