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

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THE GOBBLER 19 4 1 of fact, it took him all summer, fall, winter and half of the next spring to fight it out before Lee surrendered. But when the odds were against him, did he say, “I’d better wait until Sherman gets back?” Did he say, “I’d better give the whole thing up?” No! “I will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer!” And so we see again where success has been brought about by the constancy of purpose. Therefore, friends and classmates, let us benefit by the examples of those great men who have gone before us. So let us, the Class of 1941, in setting out into the broad expanse of life, always keep this motto of ours next to our hearts and remember that “The Secret of Success is Constancy of Purpose.” JOHN j. GREENLER VALEDICTORY EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY N a world storm-tossed by the passions of war, greed, jealousy, and intoler- ance, in a world filled with changing governments and political unrest, it is no wonder that we of America begin to fear for the fate of democracy. The radi¬ ant beam of freedom for the individual has been extinguished in first one country and then another, until today there is but one powerful lance of light to battle the hordes — the government of the United States. However, it is not well for us in America to value this form of rule lightly or to take the attitude that the older order must change and yield place to the new, and that if democracy fails, a new and perhaps better type of government will take its place. Rather, it is for us to make a self-examination as one great country did not so long ago, find our weaknesses, and eradicate them so that when peace returns we may light the path to a new and better civilization based on our improved use of democ¬ racy. We all know that the virtues of a democracy are innumerable, but there are some which shine out above all the others. One is the value it places on the dignity and worth of man. This and the value it places on the human soul are the true tests of a government. Communism and fascism are notorious for the little esteem they place on these elements in human life. In those forms of government, man is the instru¬ ment of the state, in sharp contrast to the democratic system in which the govern¬ ment is the agent of the people. Other highlights of democratic rule are the civil liberties which the American citi¬ zen has. The Founding Fathers embodied them in the Constitution and in the Bill of Rights, in which the emphasis is placed on the individual. For him they guaranteed freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly, protection against unreasonable searches or seizures, equal justice under law and equal voice in the conduct of the government. A third distinguishing factor is the equality of opportunity which has made such a poignant appeal to the foreigner and to the native. In a country with the ideals of ours, each man is made to feel he has a place in the world and that he has the chance to rise as high as he is able — to make himself secure. All these rights and privileges are the individual’s. They stand in our Constitution to help evoke the best in man. However, if the country places the highest value on man, a corresponding duty or responsibility devolves upon him. He is expected to 28

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19 4 1 THE GOBBLER through all sorts of mishaps until finally, hy their perseverance and constancy of pur¬ pose, they achieved that thing which few men or women can claim, the thing called success. Back in the days of the Revolution, after the first shot had been fired at Lexington Green and the Battle of Bunker Hill had taken place, the colonists were not thinking of gaining their complete independence. They wanted only fair treatment by the English Parliament, and by the King. But early in 1776 an Englishman, living in Philadelphia, named Thomas Paine published a pamphlet entitled “Common Sense.” In it he pointed out to the colonies by common sense and logic that it was practically impossible to get a fair truce from England. He also stated that the time was now ripe to dissolve all ties between England and the Colonies and to gain their complete independence. This feeling grew until on July 4, 1776, they legally declared them¬ selves free and independent, just as they were born to be. Now they had something to fight for. Now they had a purpose for which to wage those seven long years of war. Now they had something far more important than a transitory truce to fight for. Now their freedom was at stake. Their purpose at Dorchester Heights, at the Battle of Trenton, during the icy winter at Valley Forge and with all the other strug¬ gles was ultimately the same. It was to gain their freedom from England. Were it not for their constancy of purpose, would we not, very likely, be still under the paw of the British lion ? Another example where doggedness of purpose has carried a man on to the pin¬ nacle of success is in the case of Joseph Conrad. He was born in Poland in 1857 and did not know a word of English until 1884 when he was made a British subject. Ten years later, he was recognised as one of the most accomplished geniuses not in Polish literature, but in English literature. Without a doubt it was his constancy of purpose that helped him start without a word of English and reach this height within the short space of ten years. One of the best examples that I know of a person gaining success by forever cling¬ ing to the purpose which he started out with is Ulysses S. Grant. In the Vicksburg campaign he could see that by capturing Vicksburg he could split the Confederacy in two. He started in December, 1862, by sending Sherman down the Mississippi to take the place by assault. Sherman’s forces, ignorant of the strength of the fortifica¬ tions at Vicksburg, were hurled back like waves from the side of a cliff. When this failed, he tried to get in back of the garrison. He attempted this four times by means of changing the course of the Mississippi, digging canals, and hauling his immense gunboats through creeks which previously had scarcely been navigable by rowboats. An ordinary man would have been floored by these defeats; but not Grant. He saw that the ultimate victory of the North over the South lay in splitting the South in two, and this was the way to do it. Toward the end of April, 1863, he conceived a plan. The Union gunboats, in the dead of night, proceeded down the river and joined in battle with the shore batteries. The transports, meantime, under cover of smoke and darkness, slipped by the stronghold. Since Grant at last had his army below Vicks¬ burg, he now began to surround the place. After a long siege, plus the capture of Jackson, he finally succeeded in overcoming the stronghold. Time after time he had failed, only to take up the problem anew. Surely it was his dogged perseverance and constancy of purpose that helped him take Vicksburg. We see him again at the Battle of the Wilderness, now given full command of the Union armies. The battle had progressed for three awful days. The scene was one of the most bloody slaughters in the war. Lee, with a perfect knowledge of the ground, had the advantage over Grant, who was unfamiliar with the land. Despite this, Grant telegraphed back, “I will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.” As a matter 27

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19 4 1 THE GOBBLER use his freedom not only for himself, but also for his fellowman. The government requires co-operation from each person ; for example, if a majority makes a decision, then the minority is expected to fall in line with the others, although it can still cling to its opinion. It is in this regard that education is most necessary to democracy. It is by means of education of one kind that the dictators of Europe have become such potent powers, for they have trained the minds of the young to revere the total state. By the same means we should train the minds of our youth to revere democ¬ racy. Beulah Amidon says, “Mightier than armies with banners, the quiet, undra- matic forces of education are the safeguards of freedom, tolerance, and human growth.” So it is our duty to inculcate in the minds of Americans, both by example and teaching, true loyalty and devotion to the American ideals, that posterity may have what we inherited from our ancestors. Since education is said to be the harmonious development of human personality, it has within its scope the physical and spiritual aspects of man’s nature as well as the development of man’s mental faculties. It is the building of character, the making of an intelligent electorate on which democracy is so dependent. In our schools we have physical education which is not of a military type. We have the mechanical arts or liberal arts courses for different types of ability. These in themselves do not educate entirely or prepare a citizen for democracy. He must have a cultural training. As one great educator has said, the person must be able to create as well as absorb facts, and he recommends that this ability be acquired through the medium of literature. Bv reading great books and the works of the ancients, one can imitate the virtues of those savants. As to the spiritual side of man’s nature, it seems to me that in a country where God is recognized in the law of the land, we ought to reason, as did Washington, who said, “Whatever may he conceded to the influence of refined edu¬ cation on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” If we are to say that democracy is the best form of government, then we will have to prove it to its enemies with concrete evidence. We must show that it can cope with changing conditions and prove we are capable of self-government. Our leaders must have a keen sense of responsibility. We have to show that efficiency can be accomplished by a united people. Naturally, democracy has its weaknesses, as any system in the hands of man has, for man is not infallible. We, however, should lay hare and then rectify these weaknesses. Thus, you can see that there is a decided need for education for democracy. Those great qualities of responsibility, co-operation, and obedience must be cultivated in youth. Stories concerning the downfall of France point to the irresponsible leaders as the cause of its betrayal. When democracy is made a living thing and, when each and every one places his whole-hearted faith in it, then this government of the people, for the people, and by the people shall not perish from the earth, hut will be defended by a spirit so vividly expressed by John Bunyan, “Who would true valour see Let him come hither, One here will constant be Come Wind, Come Weather.” Tonight the Class of 1941 is spending its last few hours together. Graduation is a day of parting — a day when the new paths of a larger life will he thrown open to us. In many respects graduation day is a sad day ; hut it should also he a glorious day. It means that the time has come when we shall realize our ambitions, for, after a few 29