Medina High School - Medinian Yearbook (Medina, OH)

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VALEDICTORY By Sara Hammer schmidt A Sage once said, “Let me write a people’s songs and I care not who makes its laws.” Laws seem necessary for civilization but civilization means a getting away from the physical and ugly as much as possible toward the spiritual and beautiful — corn sistent with the preservation and perfection of the race. A complete civilization must take account of art and beauty as much as of morality and intellectual development. By art we mean the Fine Arts — one of which is Music. To what extent has the United States taken account of Music, and what are the underlying causes for its slow develop ' ment? The rise and progress of the musical art in the United States is a story of assimila ' tion rather than creation. The American people have no common background, racial elements, or geographical environment on which folk music could be reared. The fea ' tures of our art show that they come from “the melting pot.” There is, however, an Americanism that is the result of the intermingling of all nationalities. It is the spirit of the pioneer that sent our forefathers westward — the spirit of a new country. This must be found in our music before we can claim a national idiom. The colonists brought their music with them, but they were confronted with too many stern necessities to think of music as anything but an item in a religious service or a means of relaxation. Music in the dawn of American statehood was subservient to the church; psalms and hymns were the only tunes allowed in New England, where music as a trade was forbidden. Spiritual tunes were gradually accepted. Music in the South served merely as entertainment. But nothing — that lives — stands still; there must be constant change and growth or decay sets in. So there was an era of attempted improvement in music. Our first musical uplift came with the advent of the singing master and the church organist. Owing to the efforts of a few organists in New England, by the beginning of the nine ' teenth century music had become firmly fixed in the life of the American people; but the art was still in its infancy. The first real American music was made during the last part of the eighteenth century in spite of the interruption of the Revolution. Out of a few singing schools came choral societies, devoted to the study of oratorios. Festivals and national music clubs soon developed and encouraged the cause of music. Thus concert life of the United States took on a serious aspect and led to orchestras. At present, we have at least three orchestras equal to those anywhere, and one has the reputation of being the finest in the world. Hundreds of theaters provided excell ' ent orchestras until the recent invasion of sound pictures. However, high schools and colleges have been stimulated into the development of bands and orchestras. In fact, one of the most significant signs in the United States is the remarkable development of musical activity in the educational system. More attention is paid to music in our public schools than in any country of Europe. A t ft i ! A N Thirty 1

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MEDINIAN ’37 She became the community mother and advisor and, in the absence of a pastor, officiated at the funeral of a child. A little girl met with an accident and it was found that one of her fingers would have to be amputated. The child naturally dreaded the ordeal. The teacher promised the child a real doll if she would go through the operation. To her amazement, the little girl asked for a doll with red hair! This was a difficult request to fill in that community. However, after a few days spent in searching the surrounding towns, a red ' haired doll was finally found. The child was so thrilled that she braved the operation without a whimper, holding the doll tightly during the ordeal. By this time, the news of the woman’s great work had seeped out to surrounding communities. As a climax to her attainments she staged a big Christmas party for the many children of the locality. People outside of that area became interested and sent gifts to help make the party a huge success. As a result of her unselfish efforts, this young teacher achieved real success and at the same time rendered true service to hundreds of people. Another example of worthwhile success is taken from the life of a colored boy who was traded for a horse. He was a slave child with no knowledge of his parents or the date of his birth. Early in life, this boy developed a genius for making something out of nothing. From peanuts he made nearly three hundred useful products including cheese, candy, coffee, pickles, shaving lotion, and even axle grease. From wood shavings he made sym thetic marble. From the sweet potato he made more than one hundred products such as starch, vinegar, ink, dyes, and molasses. Experts say he has done more than any other living man to renew agriculture in the South. As a further evidence of his versatility, he became a painter, teacher, and skilled musician. This colored slave boy is known today as the noted scientist Doctor Carver, of Tuskegee Institute. When asked the secret of his own achievements he replied, “When you do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.’’ And so, worthwhile success brings happiness and satisfaction, not only to people who succeed but also to those who benefit by the services rendered. As a worthy objective in life let us, the class of 1937, strive for worthwhile sue ' cess exemplified in service to humanity. MOTTO- “Launched, But 7 [ot Anchored.’’ COLORS— Crimson and Silver. FLOWER — Red Rose. Twenty-Nine

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MEDINIAN ’37 Other factors contributing to the general education of our people are the grow ' ing musical libraries ' , foundation schools for the training of talented students, the development of radio, and mechanical devices for recording music. America should in time be music conscious. Opera has not yet been naturalized and has not found a firm foothold in the United States as a whole. America is a new country without a history vanishing into myth or legend, so American opera can have little native basis, but a few good operas have been produced based on Indian stories. Waldo S. Pratt said, ‘The art of music has become what it is, not by the miracu ' lous work of a few great composers but by the momentum of large mental movements in nations, periods, and classes of men. “And if we look back we will see the truth of this statement. When religion was the chief interest — hymns; during the Revolution- patriotic and natonal songs; during the Civil War — songs influenced by negro music; in the post ' war period — ballads; with the turn of the century and a new era — “rag ' time, 1 ' Sousa’s marches, and “jazz,” with a hint of the negro folk song. Popular music always had and always will have its place in the lives of people who have had no special study of the art of music. Since reconciliation has been sought by both the cultured and the unprofessional multitudes, music has reached its modern world ' wide significance with the level of com- mon intelligence and feeling raised so that the unmusical may become musical and the musical more artistic. Owing to political and religious conditions and geographical position, music has had a hard struggle for recognition. Fate has been kind, and all three obstacles have given way — religious conflicts have subsided — the distance from art centers of Europe is no longer important — and the country’s great wealth is assisting in the development of native talent and musical production. Between the Civil War and World War, rapid strides were taken due to the ad ' vance and material prosperity, immigration of musical foreigners, and improved commu ' nication and industrial appliances. In spite of this rapid progress, America still lacks the spirit necessary and looks to Europe for her opera singers and conductors. A strong musical interest has been created, but relative to the magnitude of our civilization, our musical culture is still in the making. But criticism should not be the slave of history in measuring the present by the past and notwithstanding our deficiencies much has been accomplished and the outlook is ever growing brighter. In every phase, America has shown that she can produce as great talent as any country of Europe. We know that music is growing whether we understand it or not, and the good is handed on to’ the next generation even though much “falls by the wayside.’’ So, let us say that musical art will be the delight and the inspiration of all people, and that like our class — music in America is — Launched But i Anchored. Thirty-One