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

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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 Until this misunderstanding is withdrawn, one of the greatest hind¬ rances to youth’s progress remains.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

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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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1938 YEAR BOOK CLASS HISTORY 131 - $J£«3SS UST an ordinary sunny September morning to the average citizen but to many anxious boys and girls it marked the beginning of a new life. The long awaited first day of high school had arrived. The first day wasn’t bad, lasting only about half an hour. Too bad every day wasn’t like that. The next day we were introduced to books, bells, teachers, and upperclassmen. Naturally the upperclassmen looked down on us, especially the lordly soph¬ omores, who had had a whole year’s experience. We were expected to get lost and to talk in spares, which we very obligingly did. At our first class meeting, after being warned to keep quiet, a dozen times, we elected Tommy Sullivan president, Buddy Barwell vice-president, Frances Campbell secre¬ tary, and Hazel Blanch treasurer. The seniors welcomed us with a dance, but before the dance some of the seniors got together and decided to be kind to their proteges by teaching them to dance. After many feet had been trampled on, we managed to strut around and we were ready for the party. We were not disappointed and an enjoyable evening was had by all. Natur¬ ally we returned the dance. We did ourselves proud at that dance and showed the seniors that we too could put over a successful party. At Stunt Night we again showed the upperclassmen what we could do by walking off with the prize. Our amateur night got ’em. Some of us went out for sports, and the rest of us did our parts cheering them on. Of course we did a little studying, too. By the end of that year the teachers declared that we were the worst class that had ever entered the sacred portals of Johnson High. No longer as freshmen, but as full fledged sophomores we returned to school in the fall of 1935. Again we were in high spirits and found it impossible to behave, especially with the new teachers. For our officers that year we elect¬ ed Tommy Sullivan president, Buddy Barwell vice-president, Barbara Hains- worth secretary, and Frances Campbell treasurer. We united with the juniors to enjoy a combined dance, and balloons and broomsticks aided us in having a good time. We weren’t so lucky at Stunt Night. The sophomores and the seniors were tied and we lost in the draw. No fault of ours, just bad luck. Again sports and studies took up quite a bit of our time and our reputation as naughty pupils was carried on with flying colors. Our junior year and the important question to be decided on was rings. When we at last possessed them we would be next in importance to the sen¬ iors. That settled we turned to a semi-public dance which we put over with a bang. We combined with the sophomores for a sophomore-junior dance which was very successful. At Stunt Night our boys gave a style show and showed us girls what the well dressed young lady was wearing. The boys were excellent models and succeeded in winning Stunt Night for us though it was difficult to pick the most beautiful member of our enviable group. As spring approached everyone began to talk about the class supper. At last the important night arrived and we listened breathlessly to, the will, prophecy and the history. To the surprise of everyone present the mischievous junior class acted like ladies and gentlemen. To gain experience some of us attend¬ ed graduation. Some of us juniors came in for rewards. Martha Curran Kvon the chemistry prize and Buddy Howard won the Harvard prize. Some of the juniors who were elected for important positions in sports were Tommy Sul¬ livan, football captain; Freddy Coram, bask etball captain; and Russell Don¬ nelly, baseball captain. Tommy Sullivan again was our president and Buddy 23