Milford High School - Oak Lily and Ivy Yearbook (Milford, MA)

Page 21 text:

THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. 17 since a novel has so strong a moral influence on human life because of its great popularity. The novel is not only valuable because it serves as a recreation, but it is also valuable because of other benefits derived from it. The reader of the novel understands clearly the vast changes that have taken place since the very earliest centuries, and is enabled to observe the progress in civilization. Then again the novels of Dickens and Thackery have served to bring about many social reforms and have enabled people to see the dark side of life without actually experiencing it. These facts show the great importance of the novel. Now let us turn our attention to its origin. It was not until 1740 that the novel as we know it took literary form, but very near to its discovery was Daniel Defoe, the author of “Robinson Crusoe,” His story of “Robinson Crusoe” began by sketching the boyhood of a rogue who had run away to sea. In his story he humanizes adventure. His story may be classed as one of incident, as it merely states one incident after another with very little attempt at characterization or plot. Nevertheless it has its lesson, and a very worthy one, which is: “Be patient, be industrious, be honest and you will at last be rewarded for your labor.” In spite of the fact that some people wish to call “Robinson Crusoe” the first novel, it must be regarded as a tale of adventure, adventure away from the haunts of everyday life rather than life as we know it. It lacks character analysis and a well-constructed plot. The first novel owes its beginning to an accident. Samuel Richardson, a London printer, was invited in 1740 by a publisher “to prepare a volume of letters which might serve as models to country readers.” Richardson thought over the matter and he believed it would be very interesting if he connected his letters in such a way so as to form a love story and point out a moral. The result was “Pamela or “Virtue Rewarded.” Samuel Richardson himself was a common printer, very industrious, up¬ right and honorable in all his dealings. His kindness and generosity alone would have made him a favorite, had he not gained such prominence in literary circles. As Sir Walter Scott remarked, “It may be safely said that Richardson did more good every week of his life than Fielding was ever able to do through¬ out his whole life.” Richardson’s one fault was his great vanity, which was ex¬ cited by his popularity both at home and abroad. He was so vain that he would not engage in conversation with anyone who had not read his works. Had he been a man of firmer character, he probably would have restrained this childish display of conceit which sometimes caused him a great deal of embarrassment. An interesting anecdote told concerning his self-appreciation is as fol¬ lows :—- One day he was at dinner at a country house with a large company. A gentleman just returned from Paris, willing to please Mr. Richardson, men¬ tioned a flattering circumstance—that he had seen his “Clarissa” lying on the table of the King’s brother. Richardson, observing that part of the company were talking to one another and consequently did not hear the remark, affected then not to attend to it. But later, when there was a general silence, he thought that the flattery might be fully heard and so he addressed himself to the gentle¬ man, “I think. Sir, you were saying something about,” - pausing in a high flutter of expectation. The gentleman, provoked at his vanity, resolved not to please him, and with a sly air of indifference answered, to Richardson’s morti¬ fication, “A mere trifle, Sir, not worth repeating!” This is the character of the man who wrote our first novel and is commonly named as “The Father of the English Novel.” His first novel “Pamela” has been called a “flower—one of those flowers which only blossom in a virgin im¬ agination, at the dawn of original invention whose’ charm and freshness surpass

Page 20 text:

16 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. weaknesses and strong qualities are sought out and when detected are in the one case overcome, if possible; in the second, strengthened. That is the mission of the High school and its workers,—to find out for the pupil the peculiarities of his nature and develop his fine points, removing or overcoming the weaker character¬ istics. This duty is so efficiently carried out that to-day the graduate of the High school is himself efficient in that his fine qualities are appreciated and developed, his special abilities are increased and enhanced and the deficiencies in his make-up are removed so far as possible. We are living in an age when efficiency means everything, and in turning out efficient young men and women the High school is assuring the efficient manage¬ ment and administration of the future of the community to which it belongs. Through its annual production of trained young men and women the High school is of inestimable value and benefit to a community. Every year there is a deluge of young men and women who seek admission to the various colleges and univer¬ sities. By far the majority of these applicants are graduates of High Schools who seek higher education than that acquired in the secondary schools in order to be of more value to themselves and to their respective communities. It is evident that every graduate sent out by our High school is prepared, if he has done his duty, to take his place in the business world, or to go further in school, and be fitted for the professions. That is the real and truly great benefit that a community derives from its High school. George O’Sullivan, 1923. SALUTATORY THE BEGINNING OF THE NOVEL. As a member of the class of 1923, I wish to extend to you all a most cordial welcome. It is indeed a pleasure to have you present to-night to show you that the untiring efforts of parents and teachers in our behalf have not been fruitless. Aided by parents and teachers, we have successfully completed our course in Milford High School and are ready to take up the duties of life and strive with all our strength to attain the goal of success. In our efforts to succeed we shall think with frequent gratitude of the assistance of all who have aided us to obtain our ends. THE BEGINNING OF THE NOVEL. The beginning of the twentieth century witnessed the predominance of the novel in literature. When the average reader mentions a good book, we immedi¬ ately surmise that it is a novel. There is no other form of literature more ap¬ preciated and enjoyed by the common mass of people than the novel. It is only one of the many forms of literature and the youngest of them all, yet it has sur¬ passed all others in popularity. It took two centuries to bring about its perfection, but at this moment the novel is supreme. The novel is best defined as a “narrative of human life under stress of emotion.” It is a story in which scenes, characters, and events are such as they would be in real life. There are two essentials in the creation of a good novel,—well drawn characters and a well constructed plot. The worst novel is the novel that tries to picture real life and then misrepresents it. This false view is very harmful

Page 22 text:

18 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. all that the maturity of art and genius can afterwards cultivate or arrange.” No novel has a more direct opening than “Pamela”; the attention of the reader is instantly captured. In the first paragraph, which follows, both the heroine and villain are introduced. “Dear Father and Mother:—I have great trouble and some comfort to acquaint you with. The trouble is that my good lady died of the illness I men¬ tioned to you, and left us all much grieved for the loss of her; for she was a dear good lady, and kind to all her servants. Much I feared, that as I was taken by her ladyship to wait upon her person, I should be quite destitute again, and forced to return to you, who have enough to do to maintain yourselves; and, as my lady’s goodness had put me to write and cast accounts, and qualified me above my degree, it was not every family that could have found a place that your poor Pamela was fit for; but God, whose graciousness to us we have so often experi¬ enced, put it into my good lady’s heart on her death-bed, just an hour before she expired, to recommend to my young master all her servants, one by one; and when it came to my turn to be recommended (for I was sobbing and crying at her pillow), she could only say, ‘My dear son!’—and so broke off a little; and then recovering—‘Remember my poor Pamela.’ And these were some of her last words! Oh, how my eyes run—don’t wonder to see the paper so blotted. Your dutiful daughter, Pamela Andrews.” Thus Pamela, the poor innocent country girl and maidservant, is placed in the power of “Mr. B.,” the young squire, headstrong and dissipated. She resists every temptation he places before her and with great difficulty defends herself against his attacks. One day the young squire, very angry at what he believes her pretended in¬ nocence, regardless of his mother’s last wish, orders her to go back to her parents in the country. Pamela, happy in the thought of being with her beloved parents once again, prepares at once to depart. But the young squire, who is really in love with Pamela but too proud to admit it, plans to have her brought to his Lincolnshire estate instead of to her own home. So Pamela joyully starts her journey homeward only to find that she has been the victim of a foul plot and is lured to his Lincolnshire estate instead of being allowed to return to her beloved parents. The girl grieves very much, realizing that he wishes to destroy her for she knows that he will never wed a mere servant girl. She feels certain of his wickedness when she learns the evil character of her keeper, Mrs. Jewkes, whose treatment causes her a great deal of unhappiness. Very wretched and with no hope of escape, Pamela decides to ask aid of a Mr. Williams who is a frequent visitor at Lincolnshire. By secret letters she forms a plan of escape, but at the last moment her plans are frustrated and she is once again in the power of Mrs. Jewkes. Realizing now her plight, she decides to send some letters to her parents by Mr. Williams. He consents to be her messenger, but the very night she entrusts her letters to him he is robbed of them. At first she grieves because he received several injuries in trying to retain them, but finally she learns that the robbery was plotted between Mrs. Jewkes and him and she becomes very angry. Now she realizes that she is indeed friendless and alone. . To add to her grief news is received of the expected arrival of Mr. B., which unhappy tidings cause her to make several unsuccessful attempts to escape. Finally Mr. B. arrives, Pamela pleads with him to spare her and to allow her to escape. At first he remains firm, but finally his pride is conquered and he decides to marry Pamela, even though she be a servant girl.