Norfolk High School - Milestone Yearbook (Norfolk, NE)

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THE MILESTONE. 19 important consideration that can engage the human mind. It underlies all others. It will be contended that the problem of the soul and its future destiny must necessarily be of infinitely greater importance than those of this worid But it is evident that the destiny of the immortal soul is decided to a considerable degree by conditions that environ this life of the mortal body. Can it be said that a life of poverty and ignorance, of constant struggle against hunger and cold, is equally as conducive to piety as conditions that contribute to a life of comfort? Must it not be admitted that millions of those who live in Christian countries are forced, through bad economic conditions, to live lives that are low and degrading, that compel them to cultivate or ( ven understand the higher aspirations of the human mind? But we have testimony from both the materalistic and Christian schools of philosophy. One is that the economic conditions of a people correspond, with absolute exactness, to their social and intellectual conditions. For instance, we cannot imagine the human race attaining any high degree of civilization before the discovery of the art of producing fire. Before such discovery men subsisted upon fruits, nuts and raw flesh; their homes were caves in the mountains, or other crude kinds of shelter. With the discovery of fire the art of cooking began, men changed their abodes from the darkness of the dismal cave to the light of day. Architecture assumed proportion which never would have been attained without the aid of artificial heat. Its dis- covery must have marked an epoch in the history of mankind The change from bone and stone tools to bronze and later to iron, must have made an enormous change in the economic conditions, that found expression in a corresponding improvement in the social and intellectual improvement of the race. When we contrast savage with the civilized races of the present we are at once struck with the difference in their mode of living. The Indian ryot and the Egyptian fellah still plow the ground, as their ancestors did thousands of years ago, with the crotch of a tree drawn by an ox. Their intellectual conditions show little change Coming home to our own time and people, we discover a great diversity of conditions. Poverty and vice, poverty and ignorance, poverty and low degraded ideals are inseperable. I am of course speaking of the average. Once in a while a few, specially gifted with great will power, energy and perhaps genius, will raise themselves from depths to fame, but these are exceptions. The evidence is conclusive; that the existence of poverty among large masses of people is incompatible with the attainment of any high ideal of moral or intellectual elevation. It may be said that no problem concerning the welfare of the people or humanity can adequately be solved until the conditions of men are more nearly equalized Is it- true that nature is niggard; incapable of furnishing her children with means necessary for a wholesome and complete life i Has earth lost its old time fertility or has the population so pressed on

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IS THE MILESTONE. to any distinction or gained any reputation and become truly great, who were not enthusiastic? With what great enthusiasm was Columbus inspired! Consider the disheartening difficulties and vexatious delays, the doubts of the skeptical, the sneers of the learned, the cavils of the cautious, and the opposition, or at least the indifference of nearly all! And then the dangers of the unexplored ocean! Is it by any means probable he would have persevered, had he not possessed the earnest enthusiasm which was characteristic of the great discoverer! Think of the conflict with Spain now! There hasn't been such a great excitement in the senate for thirty years, as within the last two or three months. The senators became so enthusiastic over the subject that they could hardly await the time when the president should declare war. What is it that compels so many of our boys to leave their homes, their parents, sisters and brothers, their sweethearts, to go to war? Is it not their enthusiastic love of their country? They are so enthusiastic that they forget the dangers they will encounter. They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their country. During the Revolutionary War, a British officer visited with Fiances Marion. After partaking of a meal which consisted of baked potatoes, salt and water, the British officer said to Marion: How is it that your soldiers are satisfied with such simple meals? Our soldiers have much better meals than yours, still they are never content.” Marion replied: “Our soldiers are fighting for their liberty!” The British officer said In would resign: he did not care to tight such brave soldiers. These soldiers were enthusiastic enough to endure all the hardships, just, to attain their rights to see their country free. The Declaration of Independence would not have been signed so readily, had not some of the speakers been so enthusiastic. Patrick Henry, in his speech, said: (live me liberty or give me death!” The earnestness or enthusiasm of the speakers carried the day. Charles Dickens said: “There is no substitute for thoroughgoing, ardent and sincere earnestness.” What was it that induced Harriet Beecher Stowe to write her great book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin?” Day after day she saw and heard how cruelly some of the slaves were treated. Her enthusiasm to help the slaves became so great, that she began to write her book, hoping that she would move people to sympathize with the negroes, thus helping them to obtain their freedom or at least to be treated more like human beings. You all know what good this book has done for the negroes. So it is in everyday life, the enthusiastic people rise to the top of the ladder, while those who do not care, remain where they are. or slowly descend. In the school it is also true. The earnest, enthusiastic pupils gain the highest ranks. They are the leaders of their classes. and. as they step into the larger school of life, they never cease to advance. Kmerson justly said: “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.” Economy Essential to Progress. NELLIE VIOLET DINGMAN. The labor problem is the most

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20 THE MILESTONE. subsistence that there is no longer a plate on nature’s board for anew comer, who comes to an unbidden feast? No! nature is not niggard, nor has the fertility of the soil lessened, nor has the population so increased that the land is insufficient to furnish all with an ample sustenance. Besides science has enabled us to increase the fertility of the soil. There is land in abundance to support, in plenty, fifty times the present population of the earth. It is said that the soil of England densely as we think that country populated, is capable of maintaining a population of two hundred million, while our country could support in plenty the entire population of the earth. Aristotle declared that slavery was necessary because only through the poverty of great masses of people was it possible that a few could have leisure and seek knowledge and thereby promote human advancement and intellectual and moral growth. Is this the same reason that would justify poverty in our day? No, for science and invention, steam and electricity, have increased the productive power of labor, more than one hundred fold since Aristotle’s time. If heshould revisit the earth and was informed that one man could now produce as much as a hundred could in his time would he not say. “Then poverty is no more?” In the primitive ages the superior savage captured and ate his adversary From this state man has advanced; he consumes only the things which he produces. Man began to acquire political rights, he commenced to have some voice in shaping the conditions that environed him “Economy is the poor man’s mint.” “Labor with what zeal we will, Somethin still remains undone. Somethin uncompleted still, Waits the rising of the sun.” Comforts in heaven; and we are on earth, where nothing lives but crosses, care and grief. ®[f§ Queens, Crowned and Uncrowned. L. LUIKART. It has always been a rule with every village, town, state and nation to make one person ruler. Menez, the first ruler of the people and the strongest of all the Egyptians, founded and built the nation over which he ruled. A king is supposed to be a person of great strength and ability, yet many kings have ascended the throne who were incapable of ruling a nation, but these generally have, by their subjects, been forced to abdicate Men of strong minds have need of a stronger mind to govern them. Of all kings recorded in history only those of good and strong character have had glorious reigns. The same is true of queens. England has prospered and become a strong nation as much through the aid of her queens as of her kings. Queen Elizabeth was a good ruler for England. Her reign of forty-four years was more profitable than any for years before. She has been called vain and frivolous, yet hs a queen she was strong and self-possessed. and her period was one of advancement. England has never had a better ruler than Queen Victoria. She lots strengthened the nation far more than any of the preceding rulers. She has educated and