Medina High School - Medinian Yearbook (Medina, OH)

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THE MEDINIAN We want to have a glorious youth to look back upon! A good many of the crinv inals today are boys who have been allowed to roam the streets in large cities, boys who have never learned to play and participate in the harmless pastimes of fishing, roaming the woods, and such boyish hobbies which, unknown, shape the characters of men. Stop to think of the many useful things that have been discovered through play. When the Spaniards came to America they found the natives bouncing rubber balls, and that was the forerunner of our modern automobile tires, raincoats, insulators, hard ' ware products, and thousands of other every day conveniences. Rubber is indispensible. Even electricity was discovered in play. Men used to rub amber for the fun they got out of making it pick up straws. And today, what would we do if we did not have this seemingly essential factor? Nothing beautiful ever came into life without some one first “playing” to produce it. In primitive days the people built the rudest houses, made the ugliest clothing, and fashioned their pottery just so it would hold water. Their dishes were of the crudest and most formless type. But after centuries had passed and the life of man slowed up a little, man began to “play” with pottery, to mold it into graceful lines, to shape it into symbolic forms, to decorate it. Their homes began to change from those of the barest necessity to ones of beauty, pleasing to the eye, and containing those luxuries which were not needed but added to their pleasure. Primitive men also used their voices for strictly utilitarian purposes. They cried for help; shrieked in fear; bellowed with rage. But those were only for useful acts. When life eased a little, men began to “play” with their voices. They began to sing: love songs; folk songs; happy songs of the joys of life. They took time and trained their voices, for their own fun and entertainment, to yield the most beautiful harmony possible. Playing is indispensible with children and getting interested in a hobby, as golf, does a lot to improve an older person’s life, to fill it out and make it more complete. It’s not the sport itself which may be so beneficial but the fun gotten out of it and this is the spirit which should be put into every phase of life — living for the fun of it. The best work is always done for fun. Millet, the great French artist, had to paint signs in order to keep from starving. But this was not his best work. His best was produced when he did not have to worry about financial problems. His master ' pieces, “The Angelus” and “The Gleaners,” were not painted to make money but be- cause the artist got sheer pleasure out of creating them. Even so with authors. They may become hackwriters so that they may live, but when their minds are free from worries and they have the leisure, they write something they want to write for the joy of writing it. This was the mood John Bunyan was in when he wrote his famous “Pilgrim’s Progress.” He said afterwards that he did not write it for his neighbors pleasure but to gratify his own soul. But how will our industrial workers get any joy out of their work — repeating some simple motion thousands of times a day? There is no creation of joy in that. Yet if you catch the spirit of the thing, the spirit which lies within yourself and not in any outside circumstances, you will find joy in your labor. It is your work; why not make the most out of it? Make it play! Don’t stop at bringing fun into your work. Bring it into your home! When you see a family where the members all work and never have any recreation, they are not happy, they are not content, they are dissatisfied because there is something lacking, the essential element to remove the cares of existence — playing. The spirit of play is the crown of work, of home, of life itself. There is great satisfaction in life for he who takes it always in a sporting spirit — - for he who is living for the fun of it. Twenty ■ Two

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THE MEDINIAN full benefit of the discovery of our weakness and our folly. These obstacles will be necessary spurs to our development. Our success will be measured not only by our achievements but by our unsure purposes and unfulfilled aspirations as well. In our Class Prophecy many occupations have been listed as the future work of the members of this class. Some of these may be a bit fanciful and high sounding, but why should we not have a high aim and work to do our best in the little things in order to at last reach our goal? Our school day associations with our classmates, teachers, and friends have often formed friendships which we hope will continue to be in existence throughout the days after we have bid the school and all its holds, good ' bye. We trust that they will think well of us, and remember us as a class which did its level best to uphold the fine traditions and standards of Medina High School. In speaking for the class I am sure ' that I am correct in saying that we think the whole high school is very, very fine. Although after we leave here we may form dearer friendships, we will always hold in our hearts little remembrances of our school mates and teachers. The third and last best thing, but of course not the least, is life. It is a paradox of life that by hoarding love and happiness we lose them, and that only by giving them away can we keep them for ourselves. The more we share, the more we possess. We, of course, find in other people weaknesses and sins, but our best means of curing these are through a wide and sympathetic understanding. We are quick to notice obstacles, grudges, and affronts. Are we equally as quick to recognize the kindly inflm ences that speed us on our ways? The truth is we are each of us a debtor to life and as honest men we should do all we can to discharge the obligation. It is necessary that we must put something back into life for the next person, something good and fine, not bad. We all like the good sport — the one who plays fair and courteously and with every ounce of energy even when the game is going against him. Throughout scholl our teachers have been aiding us to fit ourselves to face life, in which as Browning says in his poem, “Rabbi Ben Ezra” — “Man is the clay; life, the wheel, and God, the Potter, who shapes us according to his wishes.” We now bid you fare ' well, with maybe a bit of sadness but we know that you and we are glad to have succeeded this far. So let’s be happy for it is the commence ' ment and not the ending. Living for the Fun of It By Alice Ec er (Second Honor Student) When we have become older and some one was suddenly to ask us,“ What was the thing about your early home life that made the deepest impression on your memory, and perhaps, your character?” What would be the result? The answers would be of many varieties. Some might answer some event con ' cerning their animal pets, others of family celebrations where each person did his utmost to make the other person have a good time, and in consequence, had a most enjoyable time himself. There would be numerous others, but I think the main reply would be some factor of simple life that would not be too serious. A few generations ago the children were brought up with the strictest rule against anything which resembled “play,” for their elders said, “Those who play when they’re young will play when they’re old.” This is exactly what most of us are aim ' ing at today, but with the provision that we get the most out of our “play.” TwentyOne

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THE MEDINIAN The Class Prophecy By Fran Averill Once upon a spring day dreary, While I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious problem of the day before, Soon I nodded; Finally napping: I found that Tony Moore and I were launched on an extensive tour. We were traveling East. In Central New York State, our attention was called to a very expem sive and modernly equipped farm, owned and operated by Norman Effinger and Gerald Porter. Our stay in New York City was especially interesting, because we found that so many of our friends were located in the great Metropolis. The night we arrived, we immediately purchased tickets for the opera, “Tosca,” for we had been informed, ahead of time, that Thelma Adams and Eldred Perrin were billed as having leading roles. After the Opera we went to an exclusive night club where we found Irene Wirkner and Helena Weber as proprietors. Among the number of entertainers were the O ' Mar Twins, Tom and Joe Englert, who gave several warm dances. The next morning, about eleven, we visited the studio of John Abbot and Madeleine Palmer, where we found Pearl Smith and Irene Cain posing for the artists. The studio was most exquisitely decorated and, upon inquiry, we found that the work was done by Alice Ecker and Thursa Mersing. In the afternoon we strolled down to the musical studio of Joe Gage and Harold Spahr. On the street we heard a press boy shouting “Extra! Extra! Merle Auble de ' feats Willie Hoppie for Billiard Championship!” That evening we visited some lighter entertainment, the Ziegfield Follies. In the Butterfly Chorus we found Rosella Wyman as Madam Butterfly. Under her direction were Virginia G under, Helen Butdorff, Bea Bowman, Nora Bennett, Marcella Aylard, Lillian Kimmich, Gertrude Gnesser, and Martha Stoyke. The next morning we set sail for Europe on the Leviathan. I went down to radio a message, through Bing Lutz,, Chief Radio Operator on the liner. We had a pleasant trip and, when we were landing, Tony and I saw Helen Cro- foot and Luretta Lutz, boarding the ship for America. We went to London and looked up Irma Nichols and Jeannette Wait, whom we found were securing their degree in English Dramatics, in a private school there. Jeannette told Tony and me a few bits of interesting news; that Miriam Snyder had moved to Scotland and had become a happy housewife; that Helen Hanshue and Elmer Frye were studying to be authors and that Mavis Wilcox was training to swim the English Channel. We went over to Paris by boat and immediately visited the Money Exchange where, to our surprise, we found Bob Rowe, as the head man, and his chief secretary, Irene Jakab. T wenty-Three