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

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THE OAK. EILiY AND IVY Vol. XL. MILFORD, MASS., JUNE, 1924. No. L Published by the Pupils of the Milford High School. Under the Supervision of Miss Marion A. Ryan of the English Department. BOARD OF EDITORS. Editor-in-Chief—Harry Broudy, ’24. Business Manager—Earl Johnson, ’24. Associate Business Managers— Corinne R. Carlson, ’24. Bryant Hill, ’24. ASSOCIATE EDITORS. Mabel Gillman, ’24. Charles Innes, ’24. Frederic Knox, ’24. John Greenough, ’24. Business Management of this Magazine under the Supervision of Miss Mae E. Birmingham of the Commercial Department. Subscription Rates:—For the year, $1.00. Single copies, 15 cents. Address all communications to Oak, Lily and Ivy, Milford, Mass. EDITORIAL. BEING BLASE. Being blase is an unnatural condition. It has to be acquired as does a taste for olives or free verse. Sometimes, unfortunately, it grows on one. It may be the result of laziness, wealth, or severe disappointment in life. When a person is blase, he regards the world with tolerant indifference tinged with contempt. One in this condition will often pay attention to trifles, and ignore matters of weight. He may curse his valet for disarranging a tray, yet he is utterly indifferent to a robbery, a murder, or a war. The unfortunates thus afflicted may be assorted into various classes. First, there is the one who has nothing to do but play. To him the world is a huge sphere of earth inhabited by gentlemen and clods; the former he classes as tire¬ some, the latter as impossible. He frequents the theatre for the purpose of criticism and this criticism is de¬ livered in a refined drawl. He is, however, uninterested in the whole affair. This type is intellectually lazy, never allowing itself to think of anything more weighty than the condition of his hair or quality of his meals. His inherited wealth pre¬ vents his awakening from this revery, while his inherent brains save him from be¬ ing called stupid. The more human type is the one who has been disappointed in life, especial¬ ly in love. Such a disappointment not infrequently converts an active, energetic man into a lethargic, useless specimen of synical humanity. Personal disappoint¬ ment distorts his view of life. He thinks the unkind behavior of his beloved the

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CLASS OF 1924

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18 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. behavior of the sex in general. He loses faith in mankind and usually takes a fling at dissipation. This type, however, can be cured, for the affliction is only temporary. Pain can be forgotten and the better instincts of man cannot lie dormant in def¬ erence to a momentary disappointment. Then we have the intellectual blase. We find this type frequently among the modernists and realists. Those in whom emotions and thought eagerly seek ex¬ pression and find the usual mode inadequate. Their view of life and religion renders virtue as unnecessary and respectability as hypocritical. Knowing that their views are unshared by the majority, they resign themselves to the bonds of convention with that air of disdainful resignation so typical of the blase. Lastly and most amusing is the imitation blase. The genuine blase is some¬ times interesting; the imitation is always ridiculous. In this class belong High school students and college undergraduates. They affect a careless slouch, smoke cigarettes nonchalantly, neglect their scholastic duties, and adopt a knowing smile when referring to wine, women, and song. Now in every case the state of being blase is an unproductive condition. At its best it is a charming carelessness; at its worst, a disgusting laziness. In no case is it admirable. This type cannot succeed in any field of endeavor for the very reason that it does not wish to succeed. It lacks ambition to create or energy to reproduce and is consequently fruitless to the world. Although blase individuals do not realize it, they are retarding the civilization they criticise. Harry Broudy, ’ 24 . SALUTATORY. THE VALUE OF THE POET. In behalf of the class of 1924, I wish to extend to you all a most cordial wel¬ come. We are indeed pleased at the splendid opportunity your presence here to¬ night affords us to show the fruits of our endeavors. With the opportunity granted us by our parents and with the aid of our teachers, we are to-night prepared to per¬ form our duties and fulfill our ambitions. For the assistance and encouragement that have been given us during the past four years, we wish to-night to express our appreciation. Poetry had its origin in the creation of the soul. To outline the development of poetry would be to chronicle the pulse throbs of human emotion since the be¬ ginning of mankind. Long, long ago a savage in a rocky cave looked with love at his mate. He crooned to her and to the world a crude song of devotion. He compared the greatness of his love to the mighty sun and glistening moon. This praise, this glorification was the beginning of poetry. And when a huge boulder crashed through the roof, killing his mate, he grieved and lamented. Again he had translated his feelings into sound and this again was poetry. Thus he sang of love, of death, of war, of glory and of gods, and as he sang, his barbarous companions listened with rapt attention. For the moment, they abandoned their primitive surroundings and were transported to a higher plane by the inspired voice of their bard.