North Andover High School - Knight Yearbook (North Andover, MA)

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i 9 3 5 YEAR BOOK Oration Knowledge Is Power , and Power Is Success Knowledge is power, and power is success. A nice little phrase, but what does it mean, what do the words really mean? The dictionary tells that knowledge is under¬ standing of truth or fact. Power has many definitions; perhaps it can best be expressed by the single word—ability. Success is the obtaining of one’s wishes. The nucleus of our knowledge we have obtained in our first twelve years of school life in the public schools of North Andover. This is the starting point on our long trip through life. A few of us will go on to institutions of higher education, but some of us will go through life with what we have obtained in this school. Thus, our knowledge in many cases is complete except for what we learn while walking the paths of life. Knowledge is power—we do not ordinarily think of knowledge as leading to power. There are few cases, if any, where power did not come from knowledge. All the im¬ plements of warfare to give power are a product of knowledge. Electric power, water power, steam power, and many other kinds of power are a result of knowledge. Man’s power to paint pictures, make pleasing music, comes from a knowledge of how properly to blend the colors or notes. When we stop and think, we see that knowledge really does lead to power. Many people think of power in the wrong way. They think of it in a destructive way, such as having the power of the dictators in Europe, to crush others and to get wealth and social position for themselves. Then there is the constructive way of think¬ ing of power; the power of a doctor to cure sickness, and the countless other ways of being humane. We, the Class of 1935, have our knowledge and power. We intend to use it as a help rather than a hindrance to society. We intend to go out into the world in a constructive, rather than a destructive, way. Many people think of power as leading to success, but they think of it in only a selfish, greedy way. They think of having the power to get money, thereby success; but power can be applied in many other ways to give success. For example: Madame Curie, the famous discoverer of Radium, had the knowledge which led to her power of dis¬ covery. Her discovery led to her success as a scientist and a benefactor of mankind, since it helps in the cure of that dread disease, cancer. What do we mean by success? The moment most people think of this word they think of wealth, of the great and famous men of today and yesterday. Not every man or woman was made to be wealthy or famous, yet there are millions who are a success without realizing it. They wish simply to be law-abiding citizens and earn enough to support a family. Then they are a success—one may be poor and happy and yet be a greater success than one who is rich and unhappy. Thus, because we have the knowledge, it follows we have the power or ability to do things. If we work hard and concentrate this power toward some one particular end, we shall be successful. Since we intend to be a help rather than a hindrance to society, we will direct our wishes toward some high ideals rather than a low one and make ourselves constructive. Tennyson has expressed our hopes very well in one of his early sonnets which reads: Mine be the strength of spirit, full and free, Like some broad river rushing down alone, With the selfsame impulse wherewith he was thrown From his loud fount upon the echoing lea;— Which with increasing might doth fortune flee By town, and tower, and hill, and cape, and isle, And in the middle of the green salt sea Keeps his blue waters fresh for many a mile. Mine be the power which ever to its sway Will win the wise at once, and by degrees May into uncongenial spirits flow; Ev’n as the warm gulf-stream of Florida Floats far away into the Northern seas The lavish growths of southern Mexico. ARTHUR OLSON. 15

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JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL and to supporting the institution that threatened their investments. The issue was climaxed by the decision of the Supreme Court of the State of Michigan, which stated that the majority of voters in any community could organize and maintain such schools in any way they saw fit. This decision proved to be the necessary authority to begin the development of the vast high school system. The first high schools were intent on training the pupils to meet some practical needs of life. Later, however, a college preparatory curriculum was introduced. Great care was taken in selecting the curricula of the high school, in order that the pupil might benefit as much as possible and that a better articulation between the elementary and secondary units might be realized. In 1893 there were three high school students for each thousand of the entire popu¬ lation. In 1930 this ratio had increased to 36 per thousand of the entire population, or 4,000,000 high school students throughout the country. The average high school has an enrollment of less than one hundred pupils. The number of high schools in Massachusetts has rapidly increased until now there are 240. The high schools in general throughout the country have not yet reached their high ideal. But, they have much, very much to their credit. May it be remembered as stated in the Report of the Committee on Entrance Requirements: “The secondary schools are the schools of the people, and the people have demanded, and in still more effectual ways will demand, that the courses be practical, beneficial, disciplinary.” LEONARD WINDLE. Class History According to the age-old tradition of Johnson High School, on a hot day in Septem¬ ber, a class of smiling, shy, and hopeful girls and boys were initiated into four years of schooling, so like, yet far different from their preceding eight. As we were a class neither above nor below the average, we had our share of difficulties. The first arose on our first day, for, after disregarding at least three bells, we had to be summoned into the school by our principal, herself. “After all,” we argue, “how were we to know that bell wasn’t a doorbell or a telephone?” The readjustment did not take long, however, and the grind began. The first diversion came with November—the Senior-Freshman party. A play, “Miss Eva Neway’s Schoolhouse,” games, contests, dancing, and the Grand March all helped to make the evening extremely successful. All eyes looked forward to the return party, and it was planned for March 17. Incidentally, it was a George Washington Pa rty. Freshmen will be freshmen, and we had a lovely time. However, it was not all happiness for our class, for we lost one of our best mem¬ bers, James F. Costello. The second year of school was no less eventful. Now we were the ones to play jokes on the unsuspecting freshmen. There was but one dance for us this year—the Junior-Sophomore. But there was another cause for excitement, for it was during our Sophomore year that there was organized in our charming school, a detention room. Not much time was required to get used to this new plan—we all tried it out—to be more careful how we passed notes in “spares.” September 6, 1933. This unique class (unique, not in intellectual ability, but in the fact that it was different) goes onward. The class supper, the school exhibition, the awarding of the prize book of the Harvard Club to Thomas A. Ceplikas, history, and more history, comprised the program for the year. We are looking forward. Now we are seniors! The past three years are but memories, somewhat vague. The present and future is what counts! We realize now, the aim of schooling, and we can look forward to greater things. We have had our fun, dances, pictures, honors, but it has not all been fun. We have spent many wearisome and worried hours. We begin to realize what the world about us has in store. The class of 1935 marches on, not with glory alone, but with determination to cope with the cares and responsibilities of our world. 14 ELAINE ELDREDGE.

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JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL Essay Watching Johnson Grow The year 1867 marked the end of a long, hard struggle. Nine year of stress, anxiety, and need were at an end. At that time the school committee of North Andover exultantly announced, “By the liberality of Mr. Moses T. Stevens and Colonel Theron Johnson the town came into possession of a building which is an ornament to the village and an honor to the cause of education.” That building was Johnson High School. We are amused to learn that the magnificent structure of which they spoke was just three fourths the size of this hall. Since 1856 the committee had been asking the town for a high school. Among the natural reasons given for the necessity of such an institution I find one which is both interesting and pertinent to the times. Instead of having men teachers in each of the various schools during the winter term to teach the large unwieldy boys, and changing to women for the spring term when the unruly boys would be working, it was suggested that all the older pupils meet together at a central point, the high school, and be taught by just one man while women teachers would be employed everywhere else. This would be more economical because the average salary for a man was one hundred and twenty-five dollars, but for a women only ninety-five dollars a year. At bit of jealousy is hinted at in their statement that Andover had such a high school. As the town did not take kindly to that suggestion, and the need for a high school was growing increasingly greater, in 1860 the school committee announced another propo¬ sition which made use of the existing buildings. But the struggle was in vain, for with sickening disappointment the commitee learned that the town had voted against it— by eight votes. Another plea was made, somewhat dejectedly, in 1862. Again the town made no response. Imagine the exuberance of the school committee and the appreciation of the entire town when, out of the kindness of their hearts, Mr. Stevens and Mr. Johnson did that which benefited North Andover more than any other single act. Occupying only one room, Johnson High opened in 1867 with nine pupils and one teacher. It had but a three year course and only five subjects were taught. Fresh¬ men of today will think themselves very lucky when they hear that in those days in order to be admitted the prospective students had to pass an oral examination before an entire assembly of teachers, relatives, and friends. The standards of the school were in great contrast to those of today. At that time the school committee wrote that their supreme desire was to produce a boy who could pass the examination to Harvard University. Bible quotations and proverbs were freely quoted in this long ago school. If you were not always quite as industrious as was expected you were advised, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise. In order to make use of all the available room in the school, in 1871 the committee suggested very seriously that several families adopt from two to six children to fill up the space and at the same time perform an act of charity. In 1879 an incident occurred which proved to be of great importance in the history of Johnson High. At this time, for the salary of two hundred dollars, a young lady was appointed assistant principal of the high school. Her name was Miss Annie L. Sargent. Johnson High School’s debt to her is unbounded. The graduating class of 1912 deserved special credit, as do the teachers who guided it. Everyone of the ten members of this admirable group was able to enter a higher school or college. In 1914 the High School principal could announce that out of all the graduates since the birth of the school, sixty-five per cent had gone to higher schools or colleges. The school was growing by leaps and boun ds as is shown by the town reports from 1900 on, which all contain the statement, “The enrollment this year is the greatest in history.” To relieve the intolerable crowding, caused by an enrollment of one hundred and thirty, in 1916 the town generously voted a new addition planned to hold two hundred and seventy-five pupils. Since that time nineteen long years have passed; years which increased the enroll¬ ment to four hundred and thirteen, and the teaching staff to fourteen, an increase of seven. Obviously, with this enrollment the school and its teachers are taxed to capacity. Yet despite whatever handicaps the depression may have brought, the tradition of high scholarship had been maintained. Courageous teachers and ambitious pupils strive to¬ gether to make Johnson High an institution of which the citizens of North Andover may well be proud. 16 ALISON PITKIN.