Milton Academy - Yearbook (Milton, MA)

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although the thought in the exposition is usually of excellent quality. E. D. '35 sugges'ts that We study and try to imitate Hazlitt's prose style. There are indications that the girls who Write poetry have studied with keen interest the forms of modern poetry. I suspect that the same is true of the authors of stories and descriptions. But in the expository writing one feels that the interest has centered in develop- ment of the thought at the expense of the prose style, although the excellence of the thought deserves more distinguished expression. This lack of perfection of prose style as compared With English School magazines may be due to the fact that American prose, With some marked exceptions, lacks the distinction and elegance of English prose. In reading present day periodicals I often feel that I can tell in the first few' paragraphs whether the author is an American or an Eng- lishman. The English are master craftsmen, using their tool, the English language, with ease, skill, and power. They can make it serve their will. Their prose is clear, forcible, flexible. distinguished. The British feel that a mastery of prose style can best, or perhaps only, be achieved through the long exacting discipline in the classics which the English boys and girls receive in their schools. This may well be true, it surely produces masters of English prose style. But I like to think that there are other ways, and one may be a Willingness to study with an equally exacting discipline the best English prose. and to strive to learn the secrets of its excellence. I have regretted all my life that I was not trained when young in a skilful use of this beauti- ful tool, instead of using it clumsily and with pain, as at this moment. It has occurred to me that it might be interesting to try to ar- range through E. D. '35 an exchange of magazines with one of the English Public Schools, and compare their achievement with ours. We might have the satisfaction of finding our creative talent superior, and could at the same time see the evolutionary stages of their prose style. We might even detect some Hazlitt in the making. What do ' -7 the Magus editors for 1937-38 think of this suggestion. Sarah Storer Goodwin NATURE TRIUMPHANT The buildings are standing in ruin, Slowly decaying with time, While the ivy gently but firmly Chokes them in their prime. In the prime of their sleeping they're strangled F-or all is in silence Without, Except for the Wind in the forests Sweeping around and about. the megus eeee fefeeee i 1i1 i. - i.l.

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Every year the Margaret May Ward Historical Prize is awarded to a member of the First Class wvho writes the best essay. This year the emphasis was placed on research in American History rather than upon literary interest. The prize-Winning essay, by Sarah Brewer, was .a very able speculation on the probable attitude which Hamilton and Jefferson, if they were alive today, would take toward contem- porary problems. The Magus board takes great pleasure in announcing the election of Martha Crocker as next year's Editor-in-chief of the Magus. We wish her and the 1937-1938 Board the best of luck. Mrs. Kingsley Porter entertained the Magus board at Elmwood, the home of James Russell Lowell in Cambridge. After tea she told us about her personal friend, the poet A. E. We had a most delight- ful time and wish to express our great appreciation of Mrs. Porter's kindness. This year we have been very fortunate to have two such excellent critics for the earlier numbers of the Magus. We again thank Mrs. Julia Stackpole and Elizabeth Dewart. We are delighted to present in the June issue an article by Miss Goodwin, significant not only for the Magus, but for all American prose writing. AMERICAN PROSE. STYLE In the March Magus, Elizabeth Dewart KE. D. ,357, writing from England, makes in her Review of that issue an arresting comment. In comparing the Magus with the English Public School magazines, with which she is familiar, she finds the Magus superior in creative talent, the contributions spontaneous and sincere. not laboured fmark the British spellingj. She finds humor, fantasy, serious refiection. But, continuing the comparison, she says. The Magus lacks a certain scholarly finish and a desire for conciseness and perfection in prose style which is .... a pleasure to read in the English Public School mag- azines. . . .I should like to see the essay form more used with a definite attempt at a clear concise prose style. ...Nowadays a good prose style is rare, compelled as we are to read so much th.at is journalese and slangyf' She has here expressed my chief criticism of school writing and school magazines. The authors achieve vividness, show imagination, arouse interest in their descriptive and narrative writing, and in their poetry, but they do not show the same artistic standard in exposition, page fourteen fnagus ,

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The moon rises high o'er the ocean, Her moonbeams gleam calm and cool. The Big Dipper waits in grim silence, For the Gods are using their tool. Their tool is the power of nature That conquers the power of man, For man with his knowledge is vanquished With all his mechanical sham. The tolling bell in the chapel, Faithful through many a year, No longer summons the children But suffers the tread of the deer. For the deer with no man to harm them Steal forth to hunt for their food, And then with much joy and contentment Lie down with their young in the wood. The gnarled trees now loom up darkly To swallow the light of the moon, And to their nests in the pine trees The hawks will sweep down soon. On the ground near the patient ruins Dejected corner stones lie, Their moss-covered dates revealing The glory of Milton gone by. Why challenge the cosmic courage? Why struggle rnan's will to impose? The eternal triumph of nature Dwarfs all that mortal mind knows. Men fell the trees of the forest, They change the course of the stream, They steal the bounty of nature But nature her own will redeem. Barbara Gates '39 WAS IT THE PUNCH? How did I like the dance last night? Oh, it was swell. But honestly, wait till I tell you about the silly dream I had last night-oh I know people don't like to listen to dreams, but this was good, well, it Was A regular satire-you know-one of those things. I must be growing cynical in my old age, or was it too much of that Milton punch? page sixteen FTIGQUS l