Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

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f—I 1 9 1 Ar ' Junior Class Roll. OFFICERS. Charles Steevens, - - - President James Kirby, - Vice-President Lucile Peterson - - - Secretary Philip Sweet, - Treasurer MEMBERS. Robert Dennis Clay Hayden Philip Sweet James Kirby Margaret Greenawalt Hazel McConnell Margaret Nelson Lucile Peterson Colors—Crimson and Grey. Hilton Nichols Charles Steevens Aimee Bigelow Elva DuBridge Ruth Hansen Pauline Nichols Catherine Peterson Gertrude Smith Flower—Sweet Pea. Motto—Do Others Before You Do Yourself.

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I—I . i q i 7 py TsA The Economic Value of Poetry, By FANNIE LAUVEH. ylf HAT is it worth? This is the chief question of the industrial and commercial world today. The same question is met in our High schools. Studies are being rated in dollars and cents. To connect the commercial world with the world of poetry may at first seem impossible. But in reality it is not. Art, and especially poetry, is the chief means by which the individual may understand his relationship to the commercial activity of today. It is in the power of poetry to raise the individual above himself to a place where he may view things in their own perspective and comprehend the part he is to play in the affairs of life. It is not necessary nor is it always desirable that the poem present some special problem of the industrial world; it will teach us more about commerce and industry by furnishing a point from which we may judge impartially. For teachers of economy we have Chaucer, Milton and Shakespeare. In Chaucer’s “Prologue” we learn more about society than we could ever glean from any present day society column. In Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” we learn of every day conduct. Economic problems are discussed in “The Deserted Village,” “The Cotter’s Satur¬ day Night,” and in Gray’s “Elegy.” “The Northern Farm¬ er” is an excellent discussion of the value of money, and “The Rape of the Lock” hints at the commerce and indus¬ try of the period in which it was written. The industrial and commercial problems presented in the poems mentioned, and there are many others of sim¬ ilar type, may well be compared to the problems of today. The student who has been brought face to face with such questions, will be better fitted to cope with present day industrial and commercial problems. Thank You. We of the Optimatis Staff wish, through this means, to thank all who contributed articles or helped in any way toward making this volume a success. Without this kind¬ ly assistance its pages would have been devoid of many interesting features that are to be found in its contents. Hoping that you will enjoy the present issue the same as the many preceding ones, we again thank you. OPTIMATIS STAFF.

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JUNIOR CLASS FIRST ROW—Aimee Bigelow, Gertrude Smith, Ruth Hansen, Lucy Brown. SECOND ROW—Margaret Nelson, Hazel McConnell, Margaret Greenwalt, Lucille Peterson, Elva Dubridge, Kath¬ erine Peterson, Pauline Nichols. THIRD ROW—Hilton Nichols, Clay Hayden, Janies Kir bey, Robert Dennis, Charles Stevens, Philip Sweet. FIRST ROW—William Clapsaddle, Fred Melby, Joe Fingerhut.