Norway High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Norway, ME)

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THE CAD UCEUS 27 PAUL ROBESON, NEGRO The book, Paul Robeson, Negro, in- spires one with an overwhelming desire to meet Paul Robeson, to hear him sing, and to see his friendly, engaging grin. You want to talk with this giant Negro. You wish that you might have been there when Rutgers University overcame the Navy football team with a score of fourteen to zero. You wish that you might have seen Paul Robeson, Rutgers' end, carrying the team through to victory. A great athlete in all sports. Robey was well loved by the faculty as well as by the student body. You would have enjoyed seeing the face of Paul 's beloved father when Paul received the Phi Beta Kappa key in his Junior year and when he was selected by Walter Camp as end for his annual all-American football team. You fervently desire that you might have seen Paul in 1925 in London. It was the11 that he played The Emperor Jones,', Eugene O'Neill's famous play. You also would have liked to see him as Jim Harris in All God 's Chilluns Got Wl1lgS.7, You would give your favorite set of Shakes- peare to see him in Show Boat. In fact, there is nothing Paul Robeson has done that you would not like to see. Woven into the story of Paul Robeson is the story of the Negro. You realize the struggle the Negro has to gain the rights which the Constitution gives him. Per- haps you have wanted to visit Harlem. Your motive was probably a passing curios- ity to see how the Negro lives. Now you want to visit it to meet the many intellect- ual and accomplished Negroes who live there. You would like to know more of the race that produced the famous and lovable Paul Robeson. You will think Paul Robeson is perfect, just as his wife thinks he is perfect. Paul Robeson can be described only in superla- tives. His voice is said to be the most beautiful in the world, rich, haunting, with complete control. He has brought the songs of his race to the world as no other person has done. He is known and loved by millions of people, both white and black, because he is just himself, a magnetic per- sonality-Paul Robeson, Negro. -Ruth Greenleaf '41, NORTHWEST PASSAGE I believe 'tNorthwest Passage is one of the most interesting and well written books I have ever read. There are very Iew chapters that do not hold your interest. The only fault I found in reading the book is that one should really spend long periods of time on it at once, as it is not easy to get the right meaning if you read it by snatches. Langdon Towne, the chief character, is se11t to Harvard. Through some fault of his friends, Hank Marriner and Cap Kutf, he was dismissed before he had fl!1lSll6ll his education. This very much displeased his father and mother. Under these circum- stances he was unwelcome at home, which made him turn to the country. He did backbreaking work in the beating sun the larger part of the summer. His first action, when he returned from his unpleasantly spent summer, was to call 011 Elizabeth Browne, a dear friend to him. He was heartily welcomed by the Reverend and Mrs. Browne. When asked WIIZLL he intended to make his life work, he replied that his highest ambition was to become an artist. A quietness fell over the room as suddenly as does the dusk blot out the day- light. The Brownes were very much against the idea of Langdon 's wasting his time on a career as useless as that oi an artist, consequently, there was quite a bit of argument following this outburst and

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26 THE CADUCEUS usg it is the responsibility of the individ- ual to govern himself accordingly. Why should we hesitate to grasp the torch and There is one vital quality nec- success-o11e factor which may carry on 'Z essary to mean the difference between making pur- chases in the market of vain regrets or sweeping on with the tide of inspiration- that quality is faith. Faith in ourselves and our beliefs is vital, success without faith is beyond my power of conception. Yet, as we are compelled day after day to recognize the corrupt and confused state of the world in which we live, we wonder at the hypocrisy of it all. As idealists, we should consider this a challengeg hfere is the opportunity to show the world that youth can conquer all. That is happy, untried youth ready to reform the world and everyk one in it. The odds are too many, the opportun- ities, too vague. The beauty of faith ceas- es to be the shining thing it once was and tarnishes with age. Consequently, we be- come cautious and do not trust so implicitly as we once did. The spark of youth 's flame becomes feebler, and we suffer fear and doubt, our self-confidence is shaken. We are not quitters! All we ask is a fair chance to try for our goals, but we need a really fair chance. Slowly, almost unconsciously, we surround ourselves by a hard shell that few can penetrate and from which we seldom emerge because of the un- admitted fear of more disappointments and disillusions. Where are those inspiring ideals? Have they been completely dashed on the rocks of hopelessness? I cannot believe that one entirely loses the hopes and aspirations of youth, Like seeds, however, they will re- main dormant unless they receive the nec- essary stimulation to procure reaction. It would be unfair to say that any specific condition is responsible for tl1is state of af- fairs. Perhaps we need more self-confi- dence or someone to have faith in us. May- be we lack the necessary incentive to in- spire our ambitions and set fire tothe kindling of our careers. Our goal is success-but what is success? Everyone has his own definition, but few of us have it formulated i11 a single se11- tence on the tip of our tongues. Our en- vironment forms a background for our va- rious impressions, and it is the little words and deeds of others that decide the nature of our characters. More or less fortunate- ly for us, however, nature has provided each individual with a mind of his own, and one result is a varying capacity for happiness. When Tyler was running for president in 1840, his opponents made the statement, Tyler would be satished with a log cabin and a barrel of cider. Of course, Tyler 's aspirations were, in reality, considerably greater, but the log cabin and barrel of cider plus faith, hope and charity would make a great many people happier than becoming president. There is a cer- tain class of people who maintain that con- tented people are unambitious. It appears to me, that they are not broad enough to understand the virtue of being patient and giving thanks for what one has without losing sight of a very definite goal. VVe are ready to work with strong, sincere ef- fort-toward success-that success which is happiness, and happiness is the result of making others happy. -B. Bachelder '40. Lost in The dreadful wfods Where there is no food, No place to sleep nor warm yourself: Then death. -Douglas Grover '-80.

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28 THE CADUCEUS the parting that evening meant nothing but downheartedness and discouragement to the young would-be artist. After several days of trouble, Langdon and Hank Marriner became Rangers under Major Rogers. They were called Rogers' Rangers. Because Langdon had been to Harvard and had some drawing talent he was made Rogers' secretary. Their first assignment was to destroy an Indian town called St. Francis. The hardships they had to endure on this trip were almost unbelievable. For ex- ample, at one time they were traveling in a bog, with water up to their knees and sometimes their hips, for nine days. They went for nine days without fire, eating only meal and corn, sometimes building beds of brush above the water and other times lean- ing against a tree dozing whenever they could stay awake no longer. Their clothes and their sleeping blankets were wringing wet. They finally left the swamp, but when they did they had very little food left. T I ' ' f They succeeded infuwipigng-out the vil- lage of St. Francis. They killed the larger part of the population but took with them several white women and children and two or three Indian boys.. They got food enough there to last them three or four days. Before they reached the mouth of .the Ammonoosuc River where supplies were waiting for them, many of the men died of fatigue and hunger, others went mad, ,from lack of food, and all of them looked like scarecrows because they were so poor. Many of them gotso hungry they ate timy plants, bugs, snakes, and anything they could get their hands ,on that was chewable. Whenever they were lucky enough 1to find any game, the only part left.was the skull, and one man even took a skull with him once to keep from starving. There are many more interesting 'factors about this trip but there are other parts of interest, also. d Wlien at last Langdon returns home, he resumes his old crave of painting in pastels many of the adventures of his trip. I have neglected to mention much about Major Roge1's or his character which I should have done before this. Major nog- ers was worshipped, admired, and respected by every one of his Rangers. They all held a very high opinion of him. Ile asked none of his men to do anything he would not' do himself. He always kept them go- ing when they were ready to drop. lt seemed that he could not be killed, and that he never tired. He was never criticized for anything he did. Once again the first thing Langdon did when he returned home was to call on Eliza- beth Browne. This time there was rejoic- ing and everyone was light hearted when they parted. The most severe blow Langdon ever had was the night there was a banquet given in honor of Major Rogers at the Browne's. At one time during the evening Major Rog- ers said that in about a week's time he would be after Billy, the Indian boy whom they had brought from St. Francis, and Langdon said Billy had become a part 01 the 'family and that he would like to buy him. Major Roger's-reply was that he had ,given Billy to Elizabeth as a weddng present. Come to find out Elizabeth was marrying Rogers -instead of Langdon. Shortly after this event Langdon' went to London to study art. He had been in England only a few months when he mar- ried Anne Potter. Langdon studied hard' and made a name for himself. They came to the United States one Christmas and while they were here he fought a one man