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

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JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL very few who devoted his entire life to invention as a profession. His inven¬ tions are the result of almost ceaseless labor and an active imagination. To a flatterer who tried to compliment him on his achievements he replied, “Gen¬ ius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. When he worked he became unconscious of time and place and needed to be told when to eat and sleep. Until 1902. he worked an average of nineteen and a half hours daily. Later he maintained an eighteen hour day. The work of no other man in the field of electrical science has approached the extent and range of his activities which were solely in the direction of devices which stimulated industry more than any other influence in like time. Lincoln, in spite of his poverty and many discouraging factors, placed him¬ self at the head of the greatest nation of the world, through his unceasing toil. He struggled for an education, borrowing books and working long hours to earn money with which to buy them. He struggled for a living, working as a riverman and rail-splitter; and through all these labors came the presidency. His labors did not end here. He toiled for the emancipation of the slaves, struggled against a hostile cabinet for the right to practice his principles of administration, fought against his own conflicting emotions and those of a country in a civil war. In the end he gained honor and glory and what great¬ er honor could there be than to command the respect and reverence of the whole world and have them say, “He was the one who preserved a nation.” In Lincoln’s own words, “No men living are more to be trusted than those who toil against odds—none less inclined to touch aught which they have not earnestly earned.” No man as yet has found a royal road to victory that is worth having. If victory is indeed achieved, it is at the expense of persistent toil—of repeated encounters with opposing forces. Hence I say, let us, the Class of 38, keep ever present in our minds, the motto we have chosen,— “Honor waits at Labor’s gate.” MILTON HOWARD CLASS ESSAY Peace or War? T was one of Washington’s greatest hopes that we should adopt a pol¬ icy of isolation and non-participation in foreign afifairs. Until the gsgSR nineteenth century the United States seemed to have made no striking alterations in its foreign policy. It still preserved the policy of isola- iton, clinging in the main to Washington’s principle that we should not “en¬ tangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest or caprice.” Even the preliminary steps taken to extend American influence into the Pacific failed to excite any degree of public enthusiasm. On the contrary, our interest in Samoa aroused grave concern in the mind of President Cleveland and others. Moreover, even as late as 1897, it was im¬ possible to secure a two-thirds vote of the Senate necessary for the ratification of the treaty to annex Hawaii. In the scramble for empires characteristic of the leading European countries, the United States had not yet displayed in¬ terest. It had always been hard for us to understand the quarreling nations of Europe and their complicated political alliances. Our attitude had always been not to try to understand but to remain aloof. “Let them fight among themselves if they want to,” we said. “Their quarrels do not concern us.” Besides, we were busy cutting down our forests, farming our land and organ¬ izing- a great industrial machine. Until .the Spanish-American War we O O 1 18

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1938 YEAR BOOK science was slight. Yet Edison did more for humanity than any other man in the modern world. W hen asked for a definition of genius Edison gave a reply that would be well for all of us to remember. He declared that “Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.” Although Edison gave much to the development of electricity and was tru¬ ly “the Electrical Wizard” he made one big mistake in this field. He main¬ tained that in practical use, direct current was more valuable than alternating current. It remained for another American, George Westinghouse, to prove that Edison was wrong. Westinghouse, after a great struggle against most of the leading scientists of the day, finally proved that it is better to use al¬ ternating current for the manufacture and distribution of electrical power. Electrical progress in the last decade has been toward bigness and improve¬ ment. Hydro-electric plants of tremendous capacity are being, or have been built. And in this period of expansion that we are passing through now, there is ample room for those who will work, not only for themselves, but for the good of humanity. ALLEN TOWNE CLASS ORATION EOPLE gain honor in many ways. There are those who, by a stroke of genius or fortune, mount the ladder of fame or riches in one bound. It is by no means certain that they will stay at their glittering elevation. Those who do stay, climb step by step. Many men, lured on by the bait of sudden riches, gamble and lose all for the lack of patience. The youth of today must especially learn this lesson. How many have failed because they weren’t willing to toil along slowly but surely, awaiting the de¬ sired results? It is right to want results. We must do so if we want to suc¬ ceed, but we must be patient. In whatever work is chosen, this principle holds true. Patient, earnest, steady toil wins in the end. Mirabeau says, “The will is a mighty factor in determining a young man’s future.” There are three kinds of people, the “wills,” the “won’ts,” and the “can’ts.” The first accomplish everything, the second oppose everything, and the third fail in everything. All men of note have been men of will. Grant, Washington, Napoleon, Disraeli, Pitt, Thurlow, Weed, Cooper, Girard are all names that suggest an extraordinary command of will power. A resolute determination is one half the battle of life; the other half is labor. Horace Mann is the most interesting character in American education. The life work and the eternal influence of this great man gained a power whose momentum has not yet died. He came into this world divinely commissioned to a work, and to his marvelous energy and patience in accomplishing it, this century owes incalculable illumination and aid. Six months after he first saw a Latin book, he enrolled in Brown College and later graduated with honors. He spent ten years in the Massachusetts ' Senate where he did his greatest work in establishing public education. The remaining six years of his life were devoted to labor and sacrifice for the cause of higher education in the West. He expressed tersely, in his last baccalaureate sermon at Antioch College, the creed that every man should have: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” The life of Edison is a great example of labor and its reward. Generally recognized as the greatest of all the world’s inventors, Edison was one of the 17

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1938 YEAR BOOK thought we had succeeded in following George Washington’s advice to avoid any foreign entanglement that might get us into war. From then on we par¬ ticipated in world affairs until the World War. It is an interesting fact, which is often forgotten, that the object of War is to impose Peace. This is the reason why we entered the World War in 1917. When we learned that our ships were being sunk and that American lives were being lost, we were determined that we would have to fight to defend our rights and “to make the world safe for democracy.” This was the Great War to end wars! This was the Great War to preserve peace and “make the world safe for democracy!” Today there are fewer democracies than there were before the war. All around the world war drums beat and soldiers march. Nations launch new warships, build new airplanes, invent new poison gases, buy more guns, train more men. Twenty years ago the World War ended. When it was all over, we made up our minds that we would not let it happen again. But today, again, we are threatened by another war even more destructive and more deadly than the last. Militarists are accustomed to say that “so long as. human nature is what it is” we shall never be able to renounce war, and that “only when we are all saints” will there be any hope of settling our differences by friendly agree¬ ment. We need not be saints. It will be enough if we stop being criminal luna¬ tics. It is insanity for supposedly Christian nations to concentrate all their efficiency, ingenuity and strength on the business of tearing at each other’s throats. At the same time they all call for help and power on the same God—■ through His only Son, the Prince of Peace. Since war is a part of human nature we always have had wars and will continue to have them ; this is the opinion of the militarists. However, at one time, many diseases were considered a part of human nature. Nothing could be done about them, but to die horribly in many cases until modern science found many cures. Maybe there is no cure to prevent war, but I do believe that if everyone who has any feeling in this matter said what he thought and felt and kept on saying it—the sheer power of public opinion would go far to make war impossible. War of defense can be justified but war as a policy is wrong and unjust¬ ified. War of this kind is wrong as cruelty to children is wrong; as slavery, the exploitation of the poor and the corruption of the innocent are wrong. Way is silly. Sometimes a comedian in a theatre will do something so di¬ vinely idiotic and so completely and gorgeously silly, that one sinks back in¬ to one’s seat in helpless laughter. A few minutes later he does it again—and then again. Gradually one ceases to laugh. And so with war. When the band strikes up and the uniformed soldiers singing merry tunes come marching down the street with banners waving in the breeze, the crowd senses a pa¬ triotic spirit. This spirit wavers and disappears ?s does the helpless laugh¬ ter. The continual beat of drums becomes sickening and monotonous. The false atmosphere created by this spirit crashes, and all for the first time see the horror and the stupidity of war. War, therefore, is the ultimate expres¬ sion of man’s wickedness and man’s silliness. There are times when man’s childish silliness for glory which is not glory but horror and disaster is more heartbreaking than his wickedness. The United States is preparing for war whether we like it or not. At least two-thirds of the people do not like it, but that is to no avail. President Roosevelt hates war and covets peace. He has said so, and yet Congress ap¬ propriates more money in order to enlarge our navy. Why the increase in 19