Medina High School - Medinian Yearbook (Medina, OH)

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Senior Department 19 Glass President s Address By Wilbur Arick Ladies and Gentlemen : At this time, when the war crisis is the one subject which claims the atten- tion of all, we think that it is appropriate to let the public know the patriotic ideals and ambitions which are entertained by this graduating class. One of our boys has already enlisted and tonight is thinking of the pleasant times that he is missing; he has given the most convincing proof of his patriotism — all honor to him. Undoubtedly, some of the others will follow his example, but it is only to be expected that the larger portion of the class will remain at home. Upon the boys is thrown the duty of increasing the acreage under plow, of adding to the productiveness of the soil, of cutting off every possible source of waste in the distribution of food stuffs and of devising means for keeping the prices within the reach of everyone. So far I have explained merely what the boys can do, but when war depends not only upon the number but upon the condition of those fighting, I think that the girls have an even end to uphold. Many of them will learn to be Red Cross Nurses and all will assist in the Red Cross work. If the need comes they will be ready to take up a man’s position and do a man’s work. We have reached a stage in the war where it is seen that agriculture is just as essential to victory as men and guns. Not only the belligerents but the whole world is threatened with a severe shortage of all the principal crops and the United States, while not the only, is by far the most productive and avail- able nation for meeting this great deficiency. Everybody knows that England and France are rigidly economizing and that Germany and Austria are facing are facing a famine, but everybody does not know that right here in the United States we shall in all probability have to face for the coming year and maybe for years after, a condition the like of which has not been seen on the North American Continent since its earliest colonization by the white race, except perhaps during the first winter of our Pilgrim Fathers. Therefore, the class of ’17 think that if we are not called upon to aid our country by fighting we can be just as helpful by remaining and helping solve the food problem beside aiding in constructive work. I have a vision of some of our members systematically rebuilding the damaged roads and the wasted countryside, or, as American surgeons and nurses, taking the Hospitals of the Allies into their hands and supplying them with all the necessary articles. Never has there been such a chance for a graduating class to stand by the United States, not only upon the battle field but at home. As President of the class, I wish to thank the Superintendent, the Board of Education and the teachers for preparing us for the part we must play in these times that try men’s souls. They have done their work. It is up to us to do ours.

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IS Ci )t Annual Oral Valera Watt Class Secretary — ’14 Class Play — -Mary Martin “The ring is on my hand And I am happy now.’’ — Pope. Leatha Pauline Wightman Class Play — Mistress of the Pageant “Sober, steadfast and de- mure.” — Milton. Glenn E. Wooldridge Baseball — ’16, ’17 Cadets — ' 14 Class Play — Coifi “I profess not to know how women’s hearts are wooed and won.” — Irving Bryan Case Baseball— T4, ’IS, ’16, ’17 Football — ’16 “A lightsome eye — a sol- dier’s mien.” — Scott. Enlisted in the Hospital Corps, May 10, 1917 Luella Kern, Special Student SPECIAL STUDENTS Florence Leach, ' 16, Art Course Bessie Walker, ’16, Business Course Lydia Bartholomai, Business Course

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20 Cf)e annual Real Patriotism By E. Wynne Boyden, Valedictorian Our Country is now engaged in the greatest war ever fought. No nation ever took up arms for better reasons. A distinguishd college president has called this a Holy War. The United States is the champion of democracy, and will be the Savior of humanity. But it is no slight task at which we have set our hand. The 1917 food crisis is the gravest in the history of the world — famines of other periods are trivial by comparison. People express indignation over rising prices, but most of them refuse to realize that the situation is really serious. They cannot believe that the world is facing a food famine. This war will be decided by bread bullets. Germany’s submarine campaign is no failure ; it is a startling success. The Allies are dangerously near to starvation ; it is up to the United States to feed them. If we do not quickly awake to this fact it is altogether likely that we shall have to face a victorious Germany. But, says someone, it is not as serious as that. Germany cannot last much longer — don’t worry; the storm will soon be over. NONSENSE! There can be no greater danger than to take it for granted that peace is near. There can be no peace until Prussianism is forever abolished. Do you think that our government would make such elaborate preparations for war if there were any possibility of an early peace? The Allied Nations have been fighting nearly three years. In these years they have leraned many things by hard experience. And what do they tell us? — that we must prepare for three years of war at the very least. This is no idle prophecy ; it is the statment of those who, better than all others, must know the real condition of things. I repeat: unless we quickly undertake our manifest duty, it is quite probable that we shall at some time have to face a triumphant Germany. This is a time when every citizen should consider himself enlisted in his country’s service. One of the chief mistakes of Great Britain was her adherence to the slogan “Business as usual.” The nation is at war. Every citizen is at war no one is exempt. Personal interests must be subordinated, or, if neces- sary, sacrificed to national interests. We are not fighting to gratify the selfish desire of a greedy tyrant; we are fighting that “government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” It is a mistaken idea to think that our army and navy can win the war. Statistics show that for every soldier at the front at least five men must be actively engaged at home to keep him there. But in this war especially, women will do a large part of this home work. I think we all agree with President Wilson that it is not alone the army and navy that we must shape for war, but the whole nation. Each person must so conduct his daily life as to make every thought, word, and action, carry the nation nearer to victory. This, it seems to me, is real patriotism. But to be really patriotic is not easy. It is not enough to fly the national flag, encourage recruiting, bear our heavy taxes uncorn-