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

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1938 YEAR BOOK 3 VALEDICTORY HE peace, the security, the development of our country and world are directly dependent on the subsequent development and knowledge of youth. This is not only true of our present day, but has always been a fact, though not generally realized. When this statement is made, many people are inclined to scoff and say, “What effect can the youth we see around us, the young, the inexperienced, have on so vital and farreaching problems as the security and peace of the world?” These people are correct in their contentions in a very limited sense only. The importance of youth lies not in its years, but in the views, the ideals, the realizations which are awakened within it during its most formative period. Washington, Lincoln, and Edison did not aid greatly to cure the world’s ills during their ’teen years, but the spirit of democracy in Washing¬ ton, the love of mankind in Lincoln, and the ideal to improve the lot of man in Edison, all were instilled and nourished while they were yet in their youth. The growth of these ideals and others during their youth, gave them the in¬ sight and realization which in their later years made them truly great. To realize this, one must then realize that youth must be protected, edu¬ cated, and aided if civilization is to progress, and if progress is to endure. At various times in our history, the public as a whole, through either over¬ developed bigotry or simply because of lack of a clear understanding, would not grant that youth had its major problems. Though this idea seems rather far-fetched today, earlier in our history it was true to a certain degree. Youth was not individualistic then. It was dictated to by staid ideals, steadfast doc¬ trines, was expected to obey them and usually did. These rules usually con¬ sisted of disposing of a son in his father’s business or trade and the marrying off of the daughter to a person of the family’s choice. Thus were youth’s problems of fifty years ago obliterated. Today, however, it is not as simple. Youth has its major problems and now through education and social advance¬ ment, these problems are appreciated as existing. Though this realization was a great step forward, the problem cannot be solved until the people—par¬ ents, friends advisers, understand exactly of what these problems consist. Taken as a whole, they seem rather remote and insignificant since they may be considered non-material, and in this mercenary world non-material things seem relatively unimportant. The obstacles against which youth must battle are: the resentment of a cold, unwelcome population ; the refusal of admit¬ tance to our economic order through the pathways of employment at a re¬ spectable position ; the distrust with which youth is shadowed by those fear¬ ful of youth’s individualism and desire for change; and the battle against a terrifying disillusionment which arises from being roughly shaken from the glowing thoughts of future, nurtured and instilled through approximately twelve years of school protection. A brief explanation of each will perhaps be instrumental in rendering a still more clear understanding. The graduate of today leaves school which has been his haven for many years and goes into a world which is jealous of his knowledge and advancement. His very presence is a sign of evil in the eyes of men who fear they are to be replaced perhaps by the younger, more intel¬ lectual person. Even if this attitude is absent, often the newcomer is repulsed when he offers a suggestion, perhaps a new idea. These repulses frighten him, bewilder him, and he, in turn, to shield himself from the barbs of an un- 21

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JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL armaments? We certainly have no fear of invasion. No nation is powerful enough to invade our country. We do not need a larger navy to protect our possessions for they are not worth the expense war would involve. While huge battleships are built one-third of America remains ill-housed, ill-clothed and ill-fed. American democracy stumbles. Another depression threatens. You cannot feed the hungry or clothe the naked with battleships. You can¬ not win national stability by war. You cannot confirm democracy with hate. American plunges into Europe and Asia will not, unless experience lies, yield gains to the world or to the United States. The one and only thing that will preserve democracy is to practice it here in our country. Why then are we entering the armament race? To help protect the demo¬ cratic countries of France and England against the fascist countries of Italy, Germany, and Japan? Perhaps. However, no European country is our ally nor has been since the last war and no country but one’s own is worth fight¬ ing for. Never again should this country be put into a European war through the desire to back our creditors. No nations, any more, pay their debts. When a country does not pay its debts you cannot take its word on anything. So we may discard any declarations of intentions to help out any other country. We won some things from the World War that were not on the program. For example, we had a complete demonstration of the fallacy of the old tra¬ dition that preparedness prevents war. Preparation will not prevent war. It only creates suspicion and fear among the countries. As a result, everyone speedily joins in the armament race. When nations are armed to the teeth, the militarists are in power. They are impatient with talk of compromise. There is no time for any attempt at a peaceful settlement of disputes. Armies are quickly mobilized. Battleships stand by. Aeroplanes zoom overhead. A shot is fired. And war begins. The only way to prevent war and preserve peace is by cooperation and ar¬ bitration. The chief cause of war seems to be economic in nature. Every na¬ tion needs something which some other nation produces. Not until we have learned to forget national boundaries and make it possible for nations to ex¬ change goods freely will we be able to remove an important cause of war. In¬ ternational machinery, to be efifective, must also consider problems of over¬ population, adjust political difficulties, revise treaties and establish a world system of law and order. This could have been accomplished had the United States joined the League of Nations at the close of the World War. By re¬ maining out of the League, we weakened and discredited it, and now it has failed. It has been successfully flouted by two great aggressor nations. Now which does the world want? Peace or War? If she wants Peace she can have it by accepting Arbitration and Cooperation. If she wants War, she can have it by not accepting Arbitration or Cooperation. Arbitration and Co¬ operation are substitutes for War. To combat the war spirit, a public opinion outlawing war must be created; press propaganda which thwarts public opinion must be curbed ; the horror, not the glory of war must be impressed upon the minds of the people. When we have done this,when we have replaced our hatred and jealousy with love, when we have made peace and happiness, not money and power, our highest aim and our highest ideal—then and then only,— “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. And nation shall not lift sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war any more.” FRANCES DEBROWSKI 20

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JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL friendly world, becomes resentful and cold. Another cut awaits him when he prepares to enter the world of industry. He has been tutored, taught, and in every way possible prepared to take his place in his economic order. Here he finds himself a victim of circumstance—he is an innocent sufiferer of an econ¬ omic breakdown—a depression. All his training of no avail, his ambition trampled, his hopes frustrated. There is no room for him. A further bar¬ rier which stands between youth and its success is the mistrust with which it is surrounded—a barrier which is constructed entirely out of the minds of men. Youth to many, seems to be a synonym for communism, radicalism, so¬ cialism, facism, in fact for every system or idea which would destroy the nat¬ ural order of events. Every innocent change or variation suggested by youth is grossly exaggerated and misunderstood to be a radical desire for absolute change. Until this misunderstanding is withdrawn, one of the greatest hind¬ rances to youth’s progress remains. The last and perhaps the most disheart¬ ening obstacle to youth, is the disillusionment which follows in the wake of the other three. In school, in the home, youth is protected from life’s harder knocks. It is assured that room will be made for him in his chosen field of work when he is prepared. He is encouraged, he has ideals, he has determina¬ tion. This protection plus the present advanced civilization weakens him and makes him more susceptible to the “knocks” of the outside world which are in the form of mistrust, resentment, and coldness. We would not do away with the protection given us; therefore the alternative must be then, to do away with these obstacles. It is hardly necessary to say in conclusion, that there must be a place made for youth, people must place some trust in youth, and youth must be aided to adjust itself to an order made chaotic and discouraged through a depression which it had no share in bringing about, if it is to be the “light” in the dark of this present era, and if it is to succeed against overwhelming odds. Mr. Hayes: You, who have seen us through four tempestuous years of re¬ adjustment and change, have been our guide,, our aider, and abettor. Your unrewarded help, advice, and guidance will make you ever beloved in the hearts of this graduating class of nineteen hundred and thirty-eight, and we hope that we too, may deserve a place in your heart. Faculty of Johnson High School: Your influence and cooperation will nev¬ er be forgotten, and we can only pray that we may justify your faith in us, as successfully as our faith in you has aided us. Parents and Friends: Your encouragement and understanding have been the bulwark of our achievement and our success. You have never failed to inspire us to our best and we can never repay you for your magnificent in¬ fluence. Schoolmates: Tonight we leave in your trust the honor and joy of carry¬ ing on the name of your beloved school. Through our happy association together, we know you will uphold everything we have all held sacred through our gay years together. Classmates: We have tonight, reached the last road which we shall ever travel together! Despite this saddening thought we know we shall never for¬ get the happy hours we have spent together, the obstacles we have overcome together; all this which now seems to have gone so swiftly, which will be but a memory. Though we shall all take different roads of life, no matter how far we may go, we shall ever remember our joyous days at dear, old, Johnson. ANNETTE SILVERSTEIN 22