Norwell High School - Shipbuilder Yearbook (Norwell, MA)

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Page fourteen CAN CIVILIZATION DESTROY WAR? As long as people continue to think that the grass is greener in some- body else's land, there will always be wars and petty quarrels. The more civilized a nation becomes, the more it feels the urge for new lands and more power. Today the world is supposed to be civilized, and yet with bombs, submarines, airplanes and oth- er war instruments designed to wipe out cities and towns without the slightest effort, we kill and plunder our neighbors. In the days of Julius Caesar, when the only fighting implements were slings, bows, arrows, and fists, the people who were hurt or killed were the men on the battle fields. Now if a country is at war, the people in the cities, hundreds of miles from the fields of conflict, live in dread of an air raid. Children are taught to wear gas masks and to use first aid kits. Sci- entists who could be of real value to the world are put to work experi- menting on new ways of killing peo- ple. These great minds should be turned towards improving the coun- try, not to developing its war instru- ments. In previous years we have celebrat- ed the Armistice with parades, ora- tions and dedications. This year as we march. speak, and dedicate our gifts to those who have not died in vain, let us think of the cost of war -of the millions of young men who died for something that did not exist, -of their mothers who bravely gave their sons to their country,-of the millions of people who were left home- less and destitute. They were all civilized. They all lived in clean homes, used telephones, radios, elec- tric lights and other things that are supposed to make a person civilized, yet they were drawn into war. There is only one way that civil- ization can destroy war, and that is by educating the people against it. So far this has been of little value. We may speak of the horrors and use- lessness of war, but being patriotic, we cannot desert our country when it has been drawn into a conflict by seemingly educated and civilized men, who would probably stay at home if there was a war. There is no doubt in my mind that being civilized can help us to over- come war, IF we use our knowledge in the right Way. But, at present I think that civilization is a hindrance rather than an aid to this cause. We do not have to be great states- men or politicians to help our coun- try stay out of war. If we live peace- fully with our neighbors we may feel that we are helping in a small way to destroy something that may in the end destroy us. GERTRUDE GOLDMAN, College English + + + PAGEANT Continued from Page Ten olutiong Dean's History of Scituate : Mr. Joseph Merritt's book, Anecdotes of the North River g Mr. Merritt's latest book, The Historv of Nor- well3 Mr. Harvy Pratt's, Early Plantersf' and Dr. L. Vernon Briggs' Shipbuilding on the North River. Other material was obtained from in- terviews with several Norwell histor- ians. We thank the parents and friends for their patronage of our graduation exercises of the year 1939. + + + THE CANDLE IN THE WINDOW In the dark and dreary night, As the traveler homeward goesg A candle sends out its eery light. Happy is the traveler's heart, Pouring blessings on the candle, As its warm rays cast a glow, Before the traveler's sandal. Safe at home, the traveler sleeps, Still, the candle keeps its vigil, As the fire skyward leaps. Still, it shines in the window, 'Till 'ere the dawn brings the sun: And finds the candle is no more, For its duty has been done. Elizabeth Jean Ross, Grade VI

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- -- THE Page thirteen Continued From Previous Page side. Long before she died, she had received a great amount of money through investments and inheritanc- es. Her husband, who had died two years before, had left her some money. On her death bed, she re- quested that Mr. Long, a lawyer, come to her bedside. She told him that a great amount of money was hidden in the house, but when Mr. Long asked her where it was hidden, she had passed away into eternal silence with the secret still hers. The girls eagerly chorused many questions. Donnie replied: Girls, if I had known this would have been the out- come I don't think I would have told it. No one has found the money, no one has any idea where it is in the room, and no one knows how much money was hidden. Hcre's your chance to make a fortune and I'll help you. Let's start now. The five young people went direct- ly to the bedroom on the east side, looked in every nook and corner, but finding nothing, they discontinued their search. As Donnie was leaving, he said: Don't be discouraged, I'll have some of my friends come over with me to- morrow and we'll make a thorough search of that room, at ten. The girls sat up until the fire in the fireplace burned low and the room was enwrapped in semi-darkness. They slept on in their chairs and as the darkness soon gave way to light, and finally when the whole world was wrapped in the bright rays of the sun, the girls woke up, immediately rising in preparation of the adven- ture of the day. After the boys had arrived, the groups started searching for the box in different sections of the room. Two hours passed, when Ethel and Bob yelled: Look, we have found a little box in an opening in the wall. The boys and girls flocked around the box, each one full of curiosity as to what it contained. The box isn't very large, but what is this peculiar scrawling on the out- side ? After a careful exmination, Donnie replied: I believe that is Chinese writing. I remember now, that Mr. Long said the fortune was in a Chinese box. As Ethel opened the queer box, the girls and boys stood with opened mouths, and their eyes wide-eyed with amazement. Ethel gave a yell of delight. Look girls, thousands of dollars. We can divide it between us. What are you going to do with your share, Mae ? After the girls had called Mr. Long, the lawyer, who said they were entit- led to the money, 95500.00 was given to the eight young people. Each per- son took his share and happily went downstairs into the living room to decide what he would do with his newly found fortune. EDNA JOHNSON, '39, + + + ROOFS Have you ever seen a roof? Its shingles new and bright, Reflecting even under mists, Yellow-gold sunlight? And that same roof in later years Turned a silver gray, Blending softly with the sky At the twilight of the day? And then that roof, its service past, Stripped to the frame, Its shingles, cracked and edged with moss, Gathered for the flame? The roof you knew has lived its round, It's had its youth, its prime,- And once again there comes a new To take its march on time. MARY E. SKELDING + + + Stanford Luce: Should anyone be punished for something they havo- n't done '? Mrs. Turner: Of course not. Stanford Luce: I thought you'd feel that way. I haven't done my shorthand.

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g THE Page fifteen FRENCH DEPARTMENT Many think that the study of French has little or no practical val- ue. With the following I hope to show otherwise. They are letters written by young people in France to members of our foreign languages class. They serve to illustrate one tangible advantage in taking French in high school. Pupils obtain their correspondents through a bureau in Boston which se- cures and distributes the names of French boys and girls who desire to correspond. These letters are copied exactly as they were written. Any errors in grammar are not mistakes on my part, but mistakes that a person might naturally make when writing in a language not native to him. This first letter is from a French boy who has had the advantage of a great amount of travel. He seems to have come from a family of some means, for as well as being well edu- cated in school he has broadened him- self by touring over most of Europe. At the time he writes this letter he is in London attending the Corona- tion of King George VI. Today we have the coronation of King George the sixth, which was very emotioning. The King and the Queen were crowned in the St. Paul's by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and they were taken in their carriage to Buckingham Palace. London was not more to be recog- nized, everywhere garlands and flags. The whole city was in joy, at each window the Union-Jack. Everybody walks, the head lifted up, the eyes looking at heaven. Each place cov- ered with crowds. But this is nothing compared to Oxford Street. Sunday evening this large street was all covered with crowds, running, and fexcuse the ex- pressionj were flowing like the waves and streamings of a great river. You can hardly understand what the coronation is for an Englishman. Now every, I myself, am shouting: Long life to the King. The church, I want to say, the Westminster Ab- bey, is surrounded by black crowds, awaiting the sovereigns. In the roy- al carriage are the sovereigns, the royal princes, Girard Lashel, and CExcuse me for having forgotten herb the heiress of the throne Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth. Now the sovereigns are already in the Buckingham Palace, surrounded by thousands and thousands of crowds. The whole British army, filed before the royal balcony and then presents the weapons, the cortege of Queen Mary follows, and the Scottish regi- ments play upon their bag pipes. The soverigns are hailed, but the princess Margaret and Elizabeth are hailed longly too. Do you come to Paris for the Exi- bition? I hope so. You will welcome to my family and I shall show to you the whole city. Now I hope to see you soon in Par- is, for if you come, you will be receiv- ed like a home. This next piece is a short excerpt from another letter written by the same boy. Except my studies, I sometimes go to the movies or we have a party. Always the same old dances: Lam- beth Walk, Big Apple, The Flat Foot Flotty and so on. Sometimes we lis- ton to Bing Crosby, or by radio, to good ol' Duke Ellington. The concluding letter is from a girl who has not studied English as long as the boy who wrote the previous letters and thus is not able to express herself quite so well. Her letter is rather interesting, however. I have been seeing in a French newspaper, that a terrible hurricane has ravaged the New United States but I am happy that the Massachu- setts have not suffered very much, because I am afraid for you and your family. In your last letter, you asked me to tell you what I think of the affair, German-Czech. France and England are very, very strong, and the United States are for us. We have been afraid because, the war was near, but M. Daladier, Chamberlain and Roosevelt have made very much good work. I hope that we will have no fear of war any more, but if the war does Continued on Next Page