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

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THE GOBBLER-1948 JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL live on a decent standard? No, we have just let him alone, saying alone, saying aloud or silently, “He has lived in the mud and mire so long, he has accustomed himself to it and would not appreciate any beneficial advances.” We proclaim loud disapproval of his attempts to join our business world, and yet we un- questioningly eat the food he has produced and prepared for our table. Very often we refuse to let him display his talents for entertaining; still we allow him to smooth the wrinkles from our hotel-room bed. We frown on his holding politi¬ cal office, but we called for him to protect us and defend our country. We certainly cannot boast of a truly great democracy when we are suppress¬ ing voters of some parts of the country. Most Negroes in these sections resent very bitterly their denial of the ballot, agreeing with Langston Hughes, a Negro po et, when he said the Negro “must pay taxes but refrain from going to the polls, must patriotically accept conscription to work, fight, and perhaps die, to regain or maintain freedom for people in Europe and Australia when he hasn’t it himself at home.” It is easy to advocate changes, but how to bring these changes about is a difficult proposition. How can we change such long-standing traditionally ac¬ cepted views? Could a law possibly convert these deep-rooted prejudices over¬ night, or must we construct and labor with a long range plan of education— education of the Negro, and education of his oppressor? It is up to this generation, as the leaders of tomorrow, to instruct and lead the coming generation from the worn channel of prejudice, to help them remove that wedge on the other side of the door. We must lead them to a friendly future of co-operation, neighborliness and true democracy shared with their fellow- men regardless of their color. June A. Schmottlach CLASS ESSAY Success J UST what is success? Since in our rapid, twentieth-century life most people judge men by their success, we should understand what is the real meaning of the word Success. For some, the height of success is a huge accumula¬ tion of wealth. How they accumulated it concerns them little. Others believe that high standing in society is a successful goal. Their social preeminence may be achieved to their outward satisfaction, but they can usually remember a long battle which brought their victory. The power over men that comes from politi¬ cal control is a third successful achievement. However, these definitions are only outward signs of success. In my opinion a man is a success who never compromises his ideals, who never loses sight of his goal. He is generous in thought and never imputes unworthy motives to others. He has one ambition or desire in view which makes the ascending path he must travel a rocky, but satisfying one. This goal, however, must be a noble one. Lincoln began his upward climb by the fire of a crude, Kentucky log-cabin. His one consuming thought was to read and learn of life outside his meager back- 19

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THE GOBBLER-1948 JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL greedy nations instead of marching into and seizing control of smaller ones and their profits, the First World War would have been averted. After the peace was declared in 1918, if the United States and the other nations had worked as zealously to perfect the League of Nations and to free it of flaws and weak spots as they did to force Germany to submit to their revenge by imposing upon her their exorbitant demands as victorious nations, the Second World War might have been averted. And if we today think only of the fanfares and bugle calls of battle, we will have started World War III. But if we, along with every other nation, strive to remove all ineffective policies of our peace organization, by being as tireless in our offorts to prevent wars as we are in fighting them, we will have achieved that One World of Wilkie’s with no more thoughts of future conflicts, but only of harmonious peace, prosperity, and true progress. Louise R. Consoli SALUTATORY ESSAY Break That Line! I ET us go back to the beginning of our nation. Certain groups seeking refuge here from discriminations in their own countries brought with them the spirit of faith, hope, persistence, love, co-operation and an eye constantly viewing the fruitful future. However, they also sowed the seeds of hateful preju¬ dice when they set up the slave trade, which incorporated in this country a lowly class of people subjugated to their white masters who cared little for them when they were working, and even less when they were not. A superior attitude was readily, easily, and naturally exercised over them—a superiority that was taught to succeeding generations and inscribed upon their hearts. As the nation expanded, crises after crises arose to determine to what extent this slavery would be carried out. Finally, after the Civil War ended in 1865, slavery was abolished, which meant this dark-skinned race, held in bondage for so long, was now free. Nevertheless, freedom in actual practice was something quite different from a declarative freedom. The free man needed a home for himself and his family, he needed work to support himself, he needed friends to help him, but he searched in vain to fulfill his needs. The door was closed to him everywhere. Slowly, as the years progressed, that door was opened a crack —a crack and no more. A few tried to help him open it wider, but there was an immovable wedge on the other side with no way to reach it. Why do we persist to degrade the Negro? Because he lives in the slovenly holes of the city or town where no one else would live, because he is illiterate, because his appearance is one of filth, tatters, slackness and laziness. Is it also because we are truly afraid to let him come into our sphere of life? We rapidly thrust the Negro into the sea of destitution, but have we even tried to throw in a life line to help him save himself? Have we offered or even allowed him a decent education to overcome his illiteracy and make him a better citizen? Have we given him a chance to do decent work that will enable him to 18

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THE GOBBLER-1948 JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL ground. After years of personal conflict he reached his peak as President of the United States. A man is a success who is patient in adversity, clean of mind and heart, and who has the poise to accept the blinding honors of the world for what they are worth. In the campaign of 1928, on the night of the elections, A1 Smith was sitting by his radio with his family listening to the returns come in. When the returns from the Bronx clearly showed that he was defeated, he jauntily put on his brown derby and led his family upstairs to cut his wife’s birthday cake. He succeeded that night by his calm acceptance of the majority decision of his fellow citizens far more than if he had been elected President. Those who are not averse to play with gusto a humble part are the most successful of all. Emily Dickenson said, “Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed.” I believe she meant “those who ne’er succeed” in the eyes of the world. There is the mother and father who scrimp and slave to give their children what they would like them to have. Who dream dreams not for them¬ selves but for their offspring who, they hope, will accomplish what they them¬ selves were not able to do. This mother and father will not go down in history, but their sacrifices will be engraved forever in the hearts of their children who alone will pay tribute to their memory. The poet Wordsworth drew in lines of stirring beauty the true picture of real success when he told of his ideal man who “Looks forward, persevering to the last, From well to better, daily self-surpassed; Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth Forever, and to noble deeds give birth, Or he must fall to sleep without his fame, And leave a dead, unprofitable name— Finds comfort in himself and in his cause; And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws His breath in confidence of Heaven’s applause— This is the happy Warrior; this is he That every man in arms should wish to be.” Mary-Clare Hickey CLASS ORATION In Ourselves Our Future Lies | HE way in which we react to the teaching of our homes and our schools will determine the future of ourselves and of our country. When we were young J children, our parents began the moulding of our characters. They taught us, first of all, what was right and what was wrong. They taught us to be honest. If we did something wrong and told the truth about it, our punishment would be less severe. They taught us to be efficient in whatever we were doing. For 20