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

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THE GOBBLER-1948 JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL instance, when we helped our parents do odd jobs, we were taught never to leave a part of a task undone. When we left the task, it was completed and all the equipment was put in its proper place. They taught us good manners, a thing which is very essential if we wish to obtain social recognition in later life. As we went on into school, the school continued the teaching of our parents. But we began gradually to have a mind of our own. Either we have the will to learn or we haven’t. The schools teach us to be accurate. It is one thing to have speed, another thing to have accuracy, as we find out in mathematics. How¬ ever, if we do not have the intention of becoming accurate in our work, the school cannot make us accurate. The schools try to build in us a sense of re¬ sponsibility. They give us an assignment and a date at which this assignment is to be handed in. They leave us responsible for completing the assignment on time and they deduct from the mark in proportion to our degree of tardiness in submitting the assignment. Again, however, they can only teach us to be re¬ sponsible. We must learn. In later life, we will reflect the teaching of our parents and of the schools. What kind of job shall we get if we cannot display a well-balanced personality? How long could a secretary hold a job if she did not have the accuracy which was taught to her in school or the manners which were taught to her by her par¬ ents? How far would any workman climb if he did not have some sense of re¬ sponsibility? We would be outcasts of society if we didn’t make use of the man¬ ners taught to us by our parents. Therefore it is ourselves, and ourselves alone, that shall determine our own individual futures. We also have a future that will include all of us together, a future that will determine whether we are to be a free people or a slave peo¬ ple—the future of the United States of America. We, the children of today, are the ones who shall determine whether this nation will remain a democratic nation or be crushed under the claws of the Russian bear! In determining this future, we must have a strong sense of responsibility. Each and every one of us must turn to the teaching of our schools and of our parents, for we are the ones who shall run the government and the business of this country. How can we determine how we should deal with Russia if we do not know how other countries have succeeded in similar conditions of the past? Our schools have taught us this, but have we learned? When we go to the polls to elect the men who will run this country, what kind of men shall we vote for? If we have a strong enough sense of responsibility, we shall have followed each man throug hout his career, and we shall elect the man who will manage the coun¬ try most shrewdly during critical periods. If we have another war, how shall we react if and when we win? Shall we be fair enough in our dealings with other countries so that one nation will not have the power to veto all acts of lasting peace? These problems can be solved only by us. We can make or break this liberty that our ancestors fought so hard to preserve. We can make it by opening our eyes to the advice given to us by the past. We can break it by turning away from our teachings and going blindly into the hands of Joseph Stalin. 21 Philip H.Greenler

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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

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THE GOBBLER-1948 JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS HISTORY RELUCTANTLY we come to the close of our high school days after many m years of sharing the work and fun of all our classmates. Taking class pic- J J tures, selecting class colors, choosing our song, and dedicating our year book all mean a lot to us, but what we really regret is something much finer. As we all go our separate ways in life, we begin to unravel that closely knit bond of friendship which has been created within us through many years of daily rou¬ tine. “In ourselves our future lies,” but fond recollections of our past class days will linger. The glorious day in September of 1944 had at last arrived, and we found our¬ selves falling into the routine of high school life. We, too, at first found the system of bells, rooms and teachers confusing, but we soon accustomed our¬ selves to dear Johnson. We quickly buckled down to studies and all the other problems that go with high school life, and elected our class officers. On Pete White was bestowed the honor of being class president, an honor which he held for the remaining four years. Andy Alvino was our vice-president and Virginia Gaudet, our first secretary-treasurer. Soon October 20th arrived, and the seniors welcomed us at a dance held in our honor. Our freshman boys, following in the footsteps of the seniors, found it difficult to adjust themselves to this new sort of social life. The football team, coached by Mr. Lee, got off to a poor start, but the games drew large crowds of eager frosh. The band, led by Mr. Murray, was also a great moral support. Volley ball made its appearance for the first time with Miss Hunt, a new mem¬ ber of our faculty, as instructor. This year welcomed Miss Virginia Bascom to J. H. S. Early in October we campaigned for the Curtis Company to win a bronze plaque in memory of Johnson’s service men. On May 8th, the war be¬ ing over in Germany, Mr. Hayes quieted us by a serious address on “War and Its Consequences.” We returned in the fall with the experience and the sophistication of sopho¬ mores, casting a scornful glance at the freshmen. This year Joe Guthrie ac¬ cepted the office of vice-president, holding this honor for the remaining three years. Virginia Gaudet was still our very capable secretary-treasurer. Much to our amazement we found the cafeteria remodeled into a kitchen and Room 2 converted into a dining room. At this time Miss Madeline Gillen, Mrs. Natalie Manson, Miss Ruth Callanan, and Miss Betty James came to grace our faculty. This year we welcomed our veterans of World War 2, all of whom proved to be “brains.” A new social feature was added to the J. H. S. social calendar. This was Stunt Night, in which all classes participated. Through the cooperation of our helpful and willing principal, Mr. Hayes, noonday dancing was introduced and provided us with a new form of relaxation. We entered our junior year in September, 1946, with the confidence and dig¬ nity of upper classmen. Bernie Gosselin was secretary-treasurer for her first time. We welcomed Jack Kooistra into our class. He proved to be a great foot- 97