Meriden High School - Annual Yearbook (Meriden, CT)

Page 15 text:

We all re-member' how Demostherres Once, after his first speech, which caused him shame, Stole sadly home in silence to appease His wounded spi-rits and his bitter pain. T hen forming new resolves to try again And overcome those faults which mar address, He persevered, until at last became An orator, and that is why Success His efforts crowned, and Fortune helped him to progress Those works of music, whose harmonious strains Delight the ear and ,bid the soul rejoice, Are but the echoes of untiring pains. And constancy repaid by Fame's sweet voice, Those works of art We hold so rare, so choice, Created perfect by a master's skill, Bespeak endeavor, also that the source Attainment has, its energy and will Which never fail one's ardent wishes to fulfill. From such as these a lesson we may take And learn the worth ot zeal and constancy, Rememb'ring a beginning will not make An ending worthy, without fervency. As life seemed full of play in infancy, So in our riper years we feel 'tis true, And know that one must have persistency To prosper in the things which he would do, For without this results are valueless and few. Then'0nward! Upward! let our motto be, Let all the breezes waft it's merits o'er Q The distant lands and far outstretching sea. .Let every tongue resound its praises, for s worthy of them. Forget it not, nor Let it fall into oblivion. But keep it living fresh and new the more, Until the coming of that golden dawn Wdose shining light shall give it everlasting morn. 'Ti

Page 14 text:

lntroductory. None of our more important transactions escape record in some one of many forms-if not in great biographies and archives, yet, at least, in our own memories and the memories ofthose around us. Statisticians are disturbed, not only by want of data, but by want of accessible data, and scattered records are often worthless because their existence is not known to those in need of them, and it is not so much for the purpose of pre- senting originality as for a compilation, aggregation and preservation of illustrated matters of interest to members, graduates and friends of the Meriden High School, that the ANNUAL appears, asking kindly co-opera- tion, and dares to hope for a life prolonged beyond the time of its first appearance. While, as already stated, the ANNUAL does not boast of originality, yet it is only fair to state that all its illustrations, drawings and negatives have been made expressly for this occasion. Many difficulties have attended the publication of the initial number, and we trust that a kindly forbear- ance from too severe criticism will be extended, and those noticing errors in names, addresses, clubs, etc., are requested to ,make such corrections in a volume kept at the Young Men's Christian Association for that purpose. We gratefully acknowledge the kindly co-operation of the Faculty, Acting School Visitor, Mr. james P. Breese, Mr. Sherman F. Johnson and Mr. C. C. W. Peck. The assistance of the Meriden Gravure Co., who have done the entire engraving and printing of the book, and their wide experience in illus- trated school and college publications have made the Meriden High School ANNUAL a realized possibility. - The skill of Mr. Voorhees, the photographer, has given fine negatives, despite the restlessness of school students and the wind at this season. But notwithstanding our own efforts and the co-operation of friends, had not the many advertisers taken so liberal a stand for our ANNUAL it would never have brought even its simple introduction to your notice, and we will all, if we take any pleasure in the ANNUAL, do ourselves a favor and our advertisers justice by patronizing them, and let us occasionally men- tion to them that we have seen their cards in the Meriden High School ANNUAL. '

Page 16 text:

Such noble words as these in time of need Woiild often save the erring from their doom, While they in turn would bless us for the deed That kept them from a life of grief and gloom. , In lives like these we ever find the room For admonitions and kind thoughts as well, And do not need gruff manners to assume, Because to them the right means we would tell - By which their free and careless ways they may expel So Onward! Upward! they begin to climb The ladder of success and fame once more, And learn that endless vigor pays each time, As did that spider in those days of yore. The spider which we always find a bore, And think a very dangerous, useless thing, Once taught a man, as none had done before, The profits which persistence e'er can bring, i And that you will recall, was Robert Bruce, the King. Likewise on history's pages we may read Of men, whose lives were for the greater part Enhanced,,because of longings to succeed In labors that would stir the bravest heart. And who can tell what might have been their lot lvffithout the zeal which filled their very soul, W'hich spurred them on tonoble deeds, and what Will live as victory does on honor's scroll, And never die, so long as on the years may roll. lVhen Caesar started out for British soil, Out o'er the waters darkened by the night, And knowing of the perils and the toil, Why kept he on till Britain came in sight? VVhat was it that sustained him in the iight For entrance to this crude and rugged land And saved him from his otherwise sadiplight? 'Twas zeal, that spirit for a victory, and The thought of honor which did rouse his sturdy band