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

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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-

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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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8 THE SCREECH OWL sistant business manager; Ernest Holt, alumni editor; Ruth Foster, literary editor ; Edward Fearns, Waino Sjoblom, Jane Boicourt, assist- ants ; Margaret Moore, French editor ; Lawrence Lerer, assistant ; Phyllis Naylor, John Horan, joke editor; Walter Carbone, art editor; Irma Ryssy, assistant ; Sylvia Ahola, Annie Lehto, exchange editors ; Tyko Siipola, Henry Grandell, Florence Wilcox, Ruth Moynihan, athletic editors. Miss Walsh acted as faculty advisor. Before the first issue, Ruth Foster resigned as literary editor, and Tyyne Lahti was chosen in her place. After an immense amount of work for every member of the staff, since none were experienced, the first issue appeared on February 25, 1927. Needless to say, our first attempt was far from perfect. After the magazine was published, we found a large number of defects. However, since this was our first try, we did not become discouraged, but bent our efforts toward improving the maga- zine for the second publication. Previous to the second appearance, several new members were added to the staff. Walter Carbone was elected science editor, with William Niskanen as his assistant. Hazel Priest was chosen commercial editor, while Helen Salo and Ellen Jaakola were appointed typists. Our second issue was much larger and was a great improvement over the first. In spite of this improvement, several changes were still necessary. Since the last edition of the “Screech Owl” was to appear just be- fore graduation, it was decided to make this a “Senior Number.” This edition had a great many special features, with two full page plates, special individual write-ups, year-book style, as well as a review of the school year activities. During the summer, the members of the staff were disappointed to hear that Miss Walsh was not to return in the fall. Miss Walsh was the main factor in starting and helping the “Screech Owl” and every member of the staff appreciated her work. When school began, last fall, the remaining members of the staff met and chose Leo Mullin, Editor and Miss Thompson, Faculty Advisor. They met and appointed a staff, as follows. Leo Mullin, editor ; Sylvia Ahola, as- sistant editor; Maurice White, Sam- uel Gilman, business managers ; John Horan, circulation manager; Bernard Green, publicity manager ; Edward Fearns, literary editor; Helmi Hiip- pakka. Salmi Wirkkanen, Jane Boi- court and Catherine Coughlin, assist- ants ; William Niskanen, Francis Led- gard, Lawrence Lerer, Jeannette Johnston, Hulda Hill, department edi- tors; Wilho Frigard, joke editor; Samuel Bachrach, Helen Nee, athletic editors; Florence Wilcox, alumni editor. In October, our first issue for this year appeared. Maintaining the most rigid economy practicable, the busi- ness department was able to build up a strong surplus fund for the year’s work. During the fall, the staff considered the advisability of converting our magazine into a newspaper. However, it was decided to retain the “Screech Owl” in magazine form, improving it along those lines. On our second issue, several much needed improvements and enlarge- ments were made, under the compe- tent direction of our able advisor. Miss Thompson. All of the depart- ments were consolidated into a strong literary department, and the members of these departments were added to the literary staff. This has reduced waste space to a minimum and results in a better magazine. As we approached our first birth- day, the members felt that an anni- versary number would be extremely appropriate. We now look forward to a better “Screech Owl”. Profiting by our mis-