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

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THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. 19 SALUTATORY. In behalf of the class of nineteen thirty-one I extend a most cordial welcome to you all. We wish to thank our parents and teachers for their co-operation during the past four years and we desire to express our hap¬ piness at their presence here to-night. THE PHILOSOPHY OF SHAKESPEARE. The title of the foremost writer of English literature of all time is possessed by a man who lived more than three hundred years ago. The fame of that writer, William Shakespeare, has spread through every civilized country and to every generation. The plays of this remarkable dramatist are still read because of their dramatic power, their poetic beauty, and their philosophy, for Shakespeare was a philosopher as well as a dramatist. As a philosopher Shakespeare showed a profound understanding of human nature. He has filled his plays with everlasting truths. He wrote about human ideals and ambitions which are always the same in all ages. The tragedy Julius Caesar is, perhaps, not so popular as others, but, nevertheless, it contains some of the great man’s moral truths. The real hero, Brutus, had worthy ideals which influenced him to murder his friend Caesar. These ideals are now embodied in modern governments. Brutus wanted a democracy and in his own words we read, “I slew my best lover for the good of Rome.” Hence, even though the people of a democracy can¬ not sympathize with the brutal murder of Caesar, they do sympathize with the motives of the noble Brutus. Brutus was loved deeply by his wife Portia. She was a fine type of woman who was at all times loyal to her husband. To give proof of her devotion she said: “I have made strong proof of my constancy. Giving myself a voluntary wound Here, in the thigh: can I bear that with patience. And not my husband’s secrets?” There has been no nobler example of friendship than that between Antonio and Bassanio in Shakespeare’s popular comedy. The Merchant of Venice, Antonio was entirely unselfish, and he even exposed himself to the utmost danger to lend Bassanio money with which to journey to Belmont to woo Portia. Bassanio, in turn, tried his best to save Antonio from Shy- lock’s scheme of revenge. Antonio attempts to console Bassanio with his cheerful farewell words: ' ‘Give me your hand, Bassanio; fare you well! Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you.” The folly of racial prejudice is forcefully exposed in another scene wherein Shylock points out the similarity of Jews and Christians. Fired with indignation over the abuse heaped upon him by the Christians merely because he is of a different religion, Shylock exclaims:

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18 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. But progress has not always been made through the efforts of men united for one purpose. Individuals, alone in their ambitions, actuated by an undying faith in themselves, have brought about the advance of civiliza¬ tion. Kipling in his poem If wrote the following lines to show his attitude toward self-reliance: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you; i|: 5|c 5jc Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it. And—what is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!’’ Self-confidence, according to Kipling, is the making of a man. Without it, world progress would have ceased. For example, anti-slavery leaders did away with a harmful institution because they had confidence in themselves even when others ridiculed them. Nearly all men of genius were scorned, but belief in themselves held them to their tasks. Columbus was believed to be mad when he advanced the theory of the sphericity of the world, but now he is revered as the discoverer of America. Pasteur, one of the greatest men in the field of medicine, did remark¬ able work for mankind by his research in bacteriology. Even though his efforts were ridiculed, he continued experimenting, and thousands have bene¬ fited by his remarkable contributions to the medical world. If Robert Fulton had not trusted in his own ability, he would not have given to the world the steamboat, which has done so much in bringing the continents closer together. Most of us remember that when Lindbergh started out on his memor¬ able flight, he was called “the flying fool.” In spite of this attitude toward him, his flight was successful and aviation advan ced through his efforts. Hundreds of other men could be mentioned who withstood the ridicule of the fickle majority only to win great acclaim by some remarkable feat. To-day we are benefiting by the ingenuity of past ages and by the achievements of outstanding men who have sacrificed time and effort for woild progress. Therefore we should not stand back and gain advantage from other people s toil but should strive to reach the heights so nobly set forth in Carl Sandburg’s poem Prayers of Steel :— “Lay me on an anvil, 0 God. Beat me and hammer me into a crowbar. Let me pry loose old walls. Let me lift and loosen old foundations. Lay me on an anvil, 0 God. Beat me and hammer me into a steel spike. Drive me into the girders that hold a skyscraper together. Take red-hot rivets and fasten me into the central girders. Let me be the great nail holding a skyscraper through blue nights into white stars.” Pauline Smith, ’ 31 .

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20 THE OAK, LILY AND IVY. “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is?” These words always bring forth a feeling of sympathy from readers or audiences. No doubt they always will because of their appeal to the heart of every free man who believes in democracy. Portia’s mercy speech is another well known passage of The Merchant of Venice, and one to be remembered because of its grace and everlasting truth. Portia tried to persuade Shylock to accept money instead of human flesh for his bond, as she reminded him: “The quality of mercy is not strained. It falleth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest. It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” At the end of her speech she begged Shylock to be merciful and spare Antonio. Her womanly loveliness and virtues will ever be remembered. One of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies is Hamlet. This play deals mainly with the misfortunes of Prince Hamlet of Denmark, whose father had been murdered by his uncle. The characteristics of the unfortunate Hamlet are true to life. By turns he is joyful and depressed. He has only one friend, Horatio, in whom he can conflde. All the others are false and artificial. Even his mother fails him. Hamlet’s sweetheart, Ophelia, is so obedient to her father that she disregards Hamlet’s love for her. Her brother, Laertes, is also influenced by his lather. To Laertes, who is about to set out on a journey, Polonius gives a group of maxims: “Give thy thoughts no tongue Nor any unproportion’d thought his act. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment To thine own self. To thine own self be true, And it must follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man.” Whom we, to gam our peace, have sent to peace Than on the torture of the mind to lie In restless ecstasy.” “Better be with the dead. peace