Oxford School - Oxfordian Yearbook (Hartford, CT)

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goodbye lo her at the end of this, our last your at Oxford. For the school, and for ourselves, we extend to her all good wishes for success in her new position as Headnzistrcss of Miss Hall's School in Piltshcld. EDITORIAL ' ' HROUCHOUT our years at Oxford, most of us have felt a certain pride in being Oxford Girls. Perhaps during Carol Service at Christ- .f I lit, mas, or on Class Night or Commencement, or perhaps merely when someone asked what school you went to, and upon hearing the name Oxford said, Oh yes, I know Oxford, perhaps at one of these moments a tingle of pride went through you. Have you ever thought, however, what it is about Oxford that elicits such a feeling of pride? Have you ever wondered whether the pride is justified, or have you ever wondered what justihes this pride? This pride, we think, is justified, for here we learn not only to respect the wisdom of our faculty and to learn from them, but we grow to see them as comrades working, learning, and often playing with us in one community, our school. Unfortunately, however, a rift sometimes comes in this affinity between faculty and students, for we Oxford students are too easily diverted from our search for the attainment of our ideals. Matthew Arnold, in an essay about another Oxford, once said, No, we are all seekers still! Seekers often make mistakes, and I wish mine to redound to my own discredit only, and not to touch Oxford. For, you see, the fault - if there be a fault - that the pride in Oxford cannot be greater lies not in the school, but in ourselves. Here we betray only our own characters and abilities. XVhat do we lack that the other Oxford has? lingland's Oxford is not perfect any more than is ours, but it is composed of seekers after perfection and pursuers of great ideals. That quality, that of the seekers, we need as a school. There are individuals who have possessed this spirit inuatelyg it is always they who have done most for Oxford, meant most to her, and received most from her. This spirit is not, some erroneously believe, what we call school spirit, it is not a slogan of For God, for Country, and for Yale. It is some- thing more profound and more essential. The former often leads to snmgness, the latter never does. There are, in any group, those ideas which are uni- versal, and others wl1icl1 are particular to individuals, but it is not for us to dictate what they should be. Usually it is not the type of ideal, but the atti- tude by which we strive to attain it, that needs discipline. Only in true humil- ity can we ever become seekers, and only in love and, therefore, understanding of others. ln this new attitude of true humility, love, and understanding, the seeker will have started on the way leading toward Good, Beauty, Perfection, Knowledge, and Truth. These seekers will often make mistakes, but now in a different way, for their experience will make them wise.

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FOREWORD wg 5,1 Lucite, breathless and propped against a tree in the garden, looked at the Red Queen and barely managed to gasp '. . . in our country I If you'd generally get to somewhere else - if you ran very fast for a long time as we've been doingf 'A slow sort of countryl' said the Queen. 'Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you l1lllSt run twice as fast . . .' So it is with the year book. livery year it runs a race with its former self to get somewhere else . liach year, as it goes to press, its editor, faculty adviser, and editorial board find themselves in Alice's predicament - breath- less and propped up against the tree trunk of their achievement. Because their race has never been in vain, and because, inevitably, they produce a liner book than they thought possible, I welcome this opportunity to con- gratulate them and to express my appreciation of their work which has been tireless, sincere, and effective. The year book has always been worthy of winning its race, and over the years that I've known it, it has become its own best test of the ability, originality, good breeding, and good taste, not only of its staff but also of its contributors. . Above all, it has been a source of very real satisfaction to me to feel that it has been increasingly illustrative of the hne spirit of this school expressed through ideas, in words, and by pictures- that spirit which I feel is the very essence of Oxl'ord's life, the inner substance of the school's right to exist. May this spirit guide the students of Oxford School in all of their personal and social relationships. May it point the way toward finer and clearer thinking and, in particular, may it give direction to those who will edit the Uxfordian in the years to come. E1.1zAincTH M. FITCH J' 5 .3 It is only just as we go to press that news of the resignation of Miss Fitch as Headnzistress of Oxford School has been received. The Class of 1948 wishes to express to her its appreciation for her guidance in dijicult problems, and her example that only through perseruerence, diligent application, and sin- cerity can we attain our ideals. Aftore than that, however, we wish to show our deep gratitude for the friendship, patience, and understanding which she has always given to us. Miss Fitch's good judgment has brought us through many crises, and it is with regret and true affection that we say

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A7 wr WVU 'Q fre. 9 mf 5 . V, .6 wt' .,,,, s 1 ggi! N-viii 4- N G--W4 1 ,- .yxih gllfk, 3' PL. 1 s if 9 l- , y Miss Hastings, Miss Bartlett, Miss B. Fitch, ZU- Ro Right: First U tl ff AFF: L FACULTY AND ST :wi .2 E .E N vi C 4. sl Q Q 'U 2 Q Q N va ri cv : L m U X-1 I cn vi -1 'Iiss Harry, M' ilson, IN WV Mrs. Mrs. Lozicr, Miss Wilder, .- 5-4 O 5 5 va .Zi v1 A .- - C x-4 L.. td U va rn C A si .E :J O U ?1 A vi :- ef A 6 O .I E N I va 1: .-1 we-4 id A U ... ... U-1 wi A Lai W .2 'F4 A E m cn vs vf A .. .. .. va A .. V5 .II A owley, R Miss len, HITI H SS le, Mme. LaBrecque, M iss Carlis M ls ss Eli mu: Mi dR Miss Thomas. Tlzir Cummings, Miss McGuire, Miss art, H Miss 'Iiss jarrcll, Evans, lN , Miss ll Lass M ss Lorrs, S iss M Mrs. Sharp, riswold, G eckelman Mr D M r MTI ent: Miss Beals, Mrs. Bro bs . A Ash Mr. lVilcock Miss Mr Sharp.