Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

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IC ISSVIXWQN: 1937 America. Knowing that an exceptional man was necessary to Carry through the work of educational reform, Horace Mann was invited to become its secretary. On accepting the appointment Mann said: Henceforth, so long as I hold this office, I devote myself to the supreniest welfare of mankind upon earth, I have faith in the improvability of the race-in their acceler- ating improvabilityf' In order to do his work thoroughly Mann gave up all of his private activities. He made a complete survey of educational conditions, collect- ing data from all souroesg he gave many lectures, held conventions alld each year he made up annual reports which stated educational needs so forcefully that they were real all over the world and are still used by workers in the educational field. While on the Board, Mann eliminated the idea of pauper-schools. He made common schools entir-ely free. He instituted state supervision so that everyone would get practically the same training. He did away with sectarianism. Finally he at- tacked the problem of obtaining efficient teach-ers for the public schools. He in- fluenced the legislature to establish the first public normal school in America at Lexington, and later organized several others. As an educator Mr. Mann worked un- oeasingiy. He was never satisfied. No sooner had he made an effort or completed a task, then he was tormented by a sense of inadequacy to the demands of the oc- casion. He took more than his share OI the work upon his none too strong shoul- ders. He felt that the role of educator was the highest possible position in the world. Affter twelve years of exhaustive and fruit- ful service as Secretary of the Board he accepted an election to Congress on the anti-slavery sid-e in 1848. His idea was. that a man must be free before he can be educated so he was really championing his and hoping for larger-scale own cause educational reforms by holding a position in the Federal Governlment. After a brilliant Congressional career he became President of Antioch College, a new co-educational normal scnool in Ohio. In 1859 while laboring to make this ex- perimental school a. success Horace Mann the Great Pioneer in American Educa- tion passed away. This Centennial Celebration serves to remind us of the real value of such a great man. His wide influence is most easily seen when we learn that in every state of the Union there is at least one memorial to Horace Mann. We owe everything which we cherish in the schools of today to Horace Mann who said: Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. HELEN MANGLE THE ISLE OF HAPPINESS Some think of life as a bridge That srans eternity, I like to think of it as A trip on an unknown sea. Now we are leaving the harbor And 'the breakwaterls sheltering form. And setting out on the sea of life With all its roughness and storm. Let us hope that our trip in smooth water And our minor worries and cares Mlill have strengthened us for the larger ones Life holds, with all its snares. Lighthouses, bells, and buoys, Mark all the hidden shoals Of jealously, anger, and hate That turn us from o11r goals. With the help of our parents and friends Our course should be straight and true So no matter where our journey ends Our errors will be few. When our last eight bells has sounded, And A-ll is well echoes soar May we all have dropped our anchor On that dim and distant shore. BARBARA MAE FENTON PAGE FIFTEEN

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fzc : 1937 vation? I believe that our training has been practical. No-t only the classics and finer arts have had their places but also courses in Economics, Civil Service, Science and Social Studies. All of these prepare us for good citizenship and the ability to understand alld .to get along with others. This is extremely important, for to one who has not been able to do so, the term success may never be applied, as the les- sons learned through contacts with others will prove invaluable in -the future. Right now we are on an upward busi- ness trend. Will we again reach the dizzy heights of 1929 followed by a disastrous let-down at the expense of the common man? If we are prepared to meet this question successfully. our education has been practical no matter what our scho- lastic standing has been in school. At this moment a disastrous and cruel war is being waged. It is not certain whether or not another World War will be fought. If this is averted by peaceful methods, such as by arbitration, a great victory will be scored for civilization. These are a few of the many problems that we are almost certain to face. If we are successful in meeting these problems, another great victory for universal educa- tion will have been written on the book of life. It is this liberal education which we have been pursuing for twelve years, and now each one of us is ready to choose his own course. A few of ns will have the privilege and opportunity of pursuing a higher education in certain chosen fields. The fundamental training we have already received will help us immensely in at- tempting a more advanced field of learn- ing. A larger group of us will be forced into an economic world which is not prepared to make use of the abilities of the millions of us who comprise the worldwide class of 1937. Our education will be taxed to the utmost to make a place for ourselves in this ever-changing life. Several of us will join the large group which has made married life one of the most. desirable c-ompanionships that exists. Here asain a great demand is made upon PAGE FOVRTEEN our education, for the demands that arise in home life are the most exacting. It is with the deepest gratitude that the class of 1937 wishes to thank the parents, teachers, and townspeople who have made our education possible. It is our sincere hope that a few if not all of us will in some way, in the future, be able to repay you for the confidence you have placed in us by providing a good foundation from which we are able to build our careers. Now, our test, towards which We have been working for twelve years, has just begun. GEORGE WILLiAMS HORACE MANN The graduating class of 1937 is very fortunate in being able to have a part in the centennial celebration in honor of the Massachusetts Board of Education and its first secretary, Horace Mann. Mr. Mann was born in Franklin, Massa- chusetts on the fourth day or May in Seventeen hundred and ninety-six. His father, who was a poor farmer, could not give his children educational advantages. but he did intensify their respect and love for knowledge. After many years of privation and hard- ship at home with very little education, he prepared himself in six months to enter the sophomore class at Brown University. He graduated at the head of the clas-s. We must remember that Horace Manng Until the age of fifteen, had never been to school more than eight or ten weeks ln a year. Mann tuto1'ed for some time at the University and then turned to law. He attend-ed the law school of Judge James Gould, the most famous law school in America. Honesty and willing service coupled with his moral, social, and men- tal gifts made him an outstanding law- yer. In 1827 Mann was elected to the Massa- chusetts House of Representatives. A few years later he was elected to the Senate and finally he became President of that important body. It was while serving in this capacity that, in 1837, the first real state board of education was created in

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