New Britain High School - Beehive Yearbook (New Britain, CT)

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In Thr Qllaaa nf 151211 J' If there should be another flood, For refuge hither fly, Though all the World should be submerged, This leaf would still be dry. Through this adaptation of some well-known verses, I give fair warning to all, and set out to say something about :M SOME OF THE ESSENTIALS OF A DEMOCRACY We went into the World War to make the world safe for democracy. A New England statesman has said that a more important duty is to make democracy safe for the world. Dem- ocracy in school has always been one of our chief considerations. We do well, therefore, every now and then-and particularly at this time, when we are taking account of stock-to ask ourselves what democracy means. What are the essentials of democracy? If the people are to rule, the people must think about their government. In proportion as the people fail to do this, the government fails of being democratic. If enough people are guilty of this neglect, although the form of democracy may remain, we have in reality an oligarchy, a government by a few. These few may claim to be the best peopleg then we call the government an aristocracy. If all the people neglect the government we have anarchy. Every man and every woman who, in a democracy, neglects to give attention to the govern- ment is inviting oligarchy, or aristocracy, or,-possibly, anarchy. When we give attention to our government, the principal thing that concerns us is the question of leadership. A few must lead: the many must follow. But, in a democracy, the many must determine-and with the greatest care-the qualifications for leadership. What should these qualifications be? Unselfishnessg a willingness to sacrifice, a soul engaged in a search for duties rather than for privileges, for opportunities to serve rather than opportunities to gratify personal vanityg a readiness to follow and obey when the common good demands it, and a desire to lay aside all signs of distinction when the occasion for them has passed. If one feels the urge to lead and finds that he can qualify, how shall he proceed? What means may he take to attach himself to his constituency? There is but one way in a democracy, the way of persuasion. This involves a winning personality, the ability to imagine one's self in the other fellow's place: the ability to think straight and clearly, and to express the thought clearlyg the ability to love one's fellows and to show it 5 the ability to love the true, the good, and the beautiful, and to show it. There are other means to which, unfortunately, many are inclined and which always imperil the democracy. The true leader must be ever on his guard to avoid them: to avoid the use of physical force, to avoid taking advantage of a man's dependence upon certain necessities of life, to avoid playing upon man's desire for money and for the comforts and luxuries which money can buy,-to avoid, in short, all kinds of compulsion. Persuasion is the only right way. Thus only can a democratic government be organized and led in the right way. Thus only, do true democratic leaders develop. To those who are carrying out from the school community into the larger community the marks of the school's approval, I cannot say too strongly:-Always remember your govern- ment. Forget your own selfish interests, but never those of your City, your State, and your Country. Take the charge seriously but also happily. The responsibility should be among your most precious cares. Cherish it. Make the consideration of it a matter of sacred duty. And, in good time, you will find that the duty has grown into a most blessed privilege. June 2, 1920. LOUIS P. SLADE. 8

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