Norwell High School - Shipbuilder Yearbook (Norwell, MA)

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THE SHIPBUILDER Paqc17 be able to go under the ground from one city to another, would he be considered sane? Yet that is the truth. Now, why is the subway so democratic? There really is no definite answer to this ques- tion, but every one has his suspicions. Maybe it is the sharing of faith. But have you not heard that expression, Look before you leap? Why do we not follow such advice? It wouldn't be a model world if we did. What one person can do, others can. Although all roads lead to Rome, no one seems to choose a differ- ent one from his neighbor. He judges he can get there just as easily, but of course, by taking a risking chance. Is this not adventure? Perhaps Americans have reasons for having exciting subways. As one probably knows, the English subways differ from ours. The Eng- lish are cautious and do not have faith enough to allow their trains to go under the surface of the earth more than two minutes. They are very conservative. But are not these subways cowardly and tame? What adventure is there if one has to pop his head out into the air every two minutes at a station? As soon as a passenger boards a train, he leaves behind the daylight, and instead, ac- quaints himself with the electric light. He seems to lose all conversation and thinks con- tinually until the train stops. Apparently the subway frightens him. The electric light bulb glares in his face and soon every one looks 9-O-0-9 alike. The famous lawyer and broker are on the same level with the bootblack. One per- haps finds himself sitting beside a drunkard, but what can he do? The train can not stop for him. The drunkard's nickel is as good as his, and so he has to bear anything. Our New York subway is indeed very brave and takes the mighty chance of carrying thou- sands of travellers to safety. After going un- derground for perhaps an hour, it brings its passengers to the surface at 116th street. Then, without pause, it rises so swiftly above the house tops and plunges into darkness again, not giving its people chance to wonder. What a strange feeling! It is a conspiracy and travels swiftly and conveniently, although not very comfortably. Every day man shuts himself in a dark room and refuses to talk to any one. He dislikes sociability. Cannot the subway be applied to man! It shuts itself up and then seems to think to itself, for it has a feeling that it can- not have talkative passengers-and it really does not. But it is easy to talk continuously as soon as we get off the train. We hurry home, but not so fast that naute and light are ad- mired. We have met faith and democracy, and it is impossible to forget it. Was it not a most thrilling adventure for a nickel? Where can one suggest one more thrilling? Gertrude Gauley, '31. ESSAY Simplicityg Sincerity and Service Among several mottos our class has chosen this one, as the motto which represents to us three most important goals for which to strive: Simplicity, sincerity and service. Simplicity is very important in all factors of life. First, simplicity should be in our thoughts, for as we think we act, and our acts make up our life. A person who lives a life of simplicity is generally happy, pleasant, and willing to help others. Those people who live a very active, complex life, are often petty and seek enjoyment for themselves only. That type of person hinders the progress of his countryg he does not aid it in the least. Upon reading brief biographies of several leading financiers, I find that the majority of them had led simple lives. Nevertheless. they are prominent leaders, because of the service they have given their country and the simple life they enjoy. Benjamin Franklin is a good example of sim- plicity. If one has ever read his autobiography. it is easy to recognize his simplicity of speech and mann-er. He tells the facts of his life in a straightforward, simple manner, and because of this simplicity the book is very interesting. Sincerity is important because it includes all elements of good character. And people of good character are the ones who aid most in the advancement of our nation and civilization as a whole. To be a success one has to be sincere in all he undertakes to do. A person leaving high school should realize that he must be sincere with himself, hrst and last. ln so doing he will then unquestionably he sincere with the people about him. One may make himself he- lieve that he is being sincere with others, hut he cannot make-believe being sincere with him- self. He cannot smooth things over in his O-0-OC-O-00000-QQO-00900-O-O-0000006-O-O90-OO-0000OO09-GOO0000OOOOOOOOGOOOOOOQOOOOOO090009-QCQQ

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Page16 THE SHIPBUILDER Oo-4-Q-o-o-404 even his practice will become cob-webby. His contentment will hinder his own progress. It would seem nearly incongruous for a mod- ern business man to lean back in his chair, smile, and say, Oh, yes, I'm satisfied, perfectly satisfied! In the time he would take to say it, he would lose sight of his associates: they would prefer to go on without him. A pros- pective employer would also overlook him, be- cause the employer, as a perfect business man, would want an employee who would advance the business by advancing himself. Other em- ployers might recognize it as a form of laziness. That satisfied man will remain b-ehind, alone, and there will be one less person to progress with the world. For anyone at all, it would be a pitiful ad- mission to himself, it would show that he ad- mits defeat, and one who admits defeat shows that mentally he is unwilling to make the effort. The world will continue to rush onward as it is bound to, and such a person might as well be deadg he has closed his mind to progress. In preference to being self-satisfied, it is better to worry continually, because that would denote an interest in the world: it would show that one is not satisfied with the present. Con- trary to popular fancy, perfect contentment can not last, because the contented person is not doing anything about it,-he is passive: on the other hand, there may be nearly perfect happi- ness, if one keeps going, if one has sufficient will to get ahead. In fact, it is better to be unsatisfied than to be dissatisfied. There is a very fine distinction between the terms: dis- satisfied signifies passive distaste, unsatis- fied signifies distaste in that the subject is searching for something better. For example, a man who is dissatisfied with his job merely dislikes it intensely: one who is unsatisfied with his job dislikes it because he feels that he is capable of one better. Now to get back to earth for the final word. It is easy to see that contentment was the cause of this last depression. The United States must admit that it was quite satisfied with its prosperity: that satisfaction has im- peded the progress usually made in the period. Contentment hinders progress: the content- ment of a man is like a stone upon which he may rest for a while: but if the stone is great, it will take so much longer to move it. Thus. the greater your contentment, the longer it will retard your particular progess. J. Franceschini. SALUTATORY The Great Nickel Adventure How often have you heard that expression. Oh, how thrilling it must be to ride in an aeroplane! After several aeroplane rides, do you have the same romantic feeling? Perhaps, and perhaps you do not. This new means of locomotion is indeed very popular but being celebrated so much makes it conceited. Of course there is some romance in an aeroplane ride. From the time the plane slowly lifts itself from the ground until it reaches the lofty clouds and then gradually descends, one is really thrilled! During this time, the pas- senger first loses sight of the vast plains and the hour' appear like little dots, then the large clouds surround the machine and if it is dark. stars are obvious. lflverything is both pictur- esque and dangerous, yet it is not near so ro- mantic as a ride in the subway, even if the sub- way may not be so well ventilated or comfort- able. Remember, a little discomfort is worth accompanying adventure. Unseen dangers are far more thrilling than seen For example. let us think of the subway. Can you imagine anything romantic about it? Perhaps not immediately, but think hard. Why. of course! There is a sort of charm in it that draws the passengers and guards to think of recklessness. But why? The working man. after working all day. hurries to the subway and never thinks any danger may delay him. It never occurs to him that his life may be lost while in one of these underground trains. In truth. what is the difference between an acro- bat being shut in a hollow ball and tossed across the circus ring and a man shut in a box and shot through the earth I' Neither has any fear because they have faith in both cases. What if we were to think of a subway in the olden days? Of course this is 1931, but do we not often consider ancient history? If a man ever said that underground transportation would be used sooner or later-that we would 9 6 0-000000-0-0000006 QQQGQOQQOQQOOOQQQ 0009000000 0000-0-0-0000000000-0-0-00 00 o++o4-9+-Q-0-Q

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P09618 THE SHIPBUILDER GO-O-G0-O-O-O-0-O-70-O-O94-O-9 mind, but must be absolutely true with him- self. It is a great compliment to one if he can be spoken of as a sincere person. Such a person is sincere in both speech and efforts. A person who is sincere in his speech will be given more chance to prove his ability than a person who is not sincere with his words. If taken from a physical standpoint, one must be sincere. It is of little use to vow to be diligent to certain exercises or sports unless one means to carry out his plans. It is a well known fact that unless exercises are taken faithfully they will be of little help. Former President Roosevelt illustrates well this idea. He was sickly when young, but decided hc would become physically strong. He worked hard, with a sincerity and diligence that was amazing. In a few years he was as well and strong as any of his friends. If he had not been sincere in keeping to his methods and ideas, he would not have succeeded. Sincerity is necessary from a business standpoint. If the business men were not sin- cere in their belief that their methods were right, they would never be able to keep their ro '-itions for long. When very young, Mr.Wool- worth determined that some day he would be at the head of a large store. He began at the very beginning and worked up, and through his sincere efforts his dreams have more than ma- terialized. It has been remarked that, sincerity car- rie: one through many difiiculties which all the arts man can invent would not help him through. Service is seen in every walk of life, in every day. From a family asa unit to a nation as a whole, everyone is helping and serving each other whether it be willingly or unwill- ingly. How much finer, though, is the service which is given freely and pleasantly. People who begrudge doing something for anyone but themselves are selfish and quarrelsome. Even a small child may serve. Perhaps he is taught to pick up his toys and put them away. No matter how small his piece of work may be, he is helping some one. And so we find members of a family helping their neighbors: towns helping other townsg states aiding other states, and on to where one nation serves and aids some other country. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts primary in- terest is to serve both themselves and their country. They are supposed to aid and help some one each dayg do some kind of service. They are not considered good Scouts unless they give their se1'vices freely and sincerely. George Reynolds, a well known banker, has said, One of the greatest forms of satisfaction comes from doing something for other people. This is very true. The majority of people are happier when doing something for someone else than for themselves, whether or not they realize it. Generally we are in some way re- warded for our services. Some people, though, make the mistake of thinking more about the iewards than they do the services: therefore they do not advance very far. It is rather difficult to define intangible virtues which go to make up a whole person. They are latent qualities which are possessed by everyone in a varying degree. It is only by a life of the highest degree of simplicity, sin- cerity and service that one may have said about him that which Marc Antony said of Brutus: His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, 'This was a man'! Madeline Mac Donald, Class of '31. Q X1ee!hee!! i W. J' or Jizz? ' tPy j 1' Vi? I ,ff me S s fl-4 as 5 7 bg .. am- JZ' 161 '- QV' I ' Heard in Freshman English: In the last issue of The Shipbuilder there will be photo- graphs of' the Seniors and other funny pic- tures! Gordon: Migosh, Frank, you'1'e not study- ing Geometry so late tonight, are you ? Frank: Sure All l ever get out of it is exercise, anyhow. 0-QC-Q-O-CO-O-0-O-CQQO OOO-O-O-0-0-O0-OOC-09-O-9-O0 6009 O-O-OO-O-O9-Q9-Q69-0-O4 Mr. Payne: Howard, do you know what you said? Howard: I don't know what I said, but I know what I mean. -By 'N -X The Senior Class is quite fortunate in nav- ing bright members. At present the brightest of all is .loe Szydlowski, who wanted to know who wrote I ranklin's autobiography. -o-o-ooo-0-0 oo-Q-QQ