Perry Township High School - Petonian Yearbook (Perryopolis, PA)

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50 THE PETONIAN cannot crumble because he went down fighting for his ideal. VVoodrow VVilson-your name stands first on the list of peace-makers. Here I write mine second and may God give each one of you courage enough to follow. Great has been the work of obscure heroes. Greater than our bustling world has ever given us time to stop and think about. Jonathan Edwards is famous but each little Puritan who endured the hardships of severe winters and persisted in spite of any opposition is just as great if not greater. Daring pioneers are famous but each humble man who took his family and conquered the barriers of a savage continent is just as great if not greater. George Washiligton is famous but each American son who gave his life for a noble cause is just as great if not greater. Woodrow Wilson-you too are famous but each man, woman, and child who by his living helps to usher in a new era of peace is just as great-yes greater. To all you I pay my tribute: Strew not on the hero's hearse Garlands of a herald's verse Let us hear no words of fame Sounding loud a deathless name. Tell us of no vauntful glory Shouting forth her haughty story All life long their homage rose To far other shrines than those In hoc signo, pale nor dim Lit the battlefield for them, And the prize they sought and won Was the crown for duty done.

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THE PETONIAN -49 separation between us and our mother country had to bewbrought about 'so We could make'our land an'experiment in Deniocracyl-and-social ideals, and finally an 'internal war had to'be fought to instill a common purpose into the two distinct types of Englishmen, who had settled in different sec- tions of our land. During our ,last war our nation unanimously rose to do .honor to her obscure heroes., No mighty general ever received greater or more sincere homage ,than our final tribute to the unknown soldier boy who had been brought homexfrom the strife and Hell of war back to the arms of those who loved him dearly. Presidents and ex-presidents with heads bowed walked silently through the streets of the hushed city content to be private citizens at the bier of the man who in his haunting mystery typified the spirit of America's,,dead. Powerful Leaders walked humbled at the side of his comrade and heaped on his casket, garlands of roses while whole armies bowed in silence. As the casket was borne down the steps, a little old woman, unknown, broke from the common ranks and gazing upon the casket broke into tcars.and then turned, disappearing into the obscure crowd from which she came. The black scarf thrown around her neck told of the sacrifice which she had paid. Great epoch-making events call forth great men. All through Athe days of our struggle, great men appeared upon the stage of our History and made for themselves a place in our memory which is as eternal as eternity itself. But greater than these are the millions and, millions of people, who without murmur, took their separate places in the plan of progress and by their unity of purpose and cooperated efforts gave us a present and promise us an even more satisfactory future. Of all whom I have mentioned, of all whom l can think of, the most worthy group of heroes are the peace-makers. There was a time when war was necessary. It was simply a step in our evolution. We could not do without it. But the time must come when we must leave the old and take a step toward the new. NVhen we must leave war and work toward peace. That time is already here, Everyone in this audience tonight who is bending all his efforts in this direction whether he be minister, teacher, student, parent, or unskilled labor can belong to this group if he wishes. VVe have before us a future rich with possibilities if we would but realize it. These possibilities are so unlimited that they can only be gotten if we work in unison with the world. There can be no unity where there is strife. VVhen a few years ago we entered th-e great war, our motto was to make the world safe for Democracy and to establish universal and eter- nal peace. Our nation received a special call to pave the way for peace. But we abused our privilege, we cast aside our opportunity. Greed rose and selfishness crushed the man who could have led us triumphantly through a new and more sacred career than we had ever experienced be- fore. He's gone now-and only a name is left, Yes-he might have had his faults, he might be all that they say he is but his name has been writ- ten on Histories that need no pages. lt has been carved on monuments that

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W gg THEIPETO NVIAN . '5'1 l . in E., Vin: , Y, 'K r JUST'A?STORY . V Maude QE. Lepley L V A f 1- V t .Q r 5. 11-f f , Christmas eomesibut once a year. Did-you know that? enough when .there are ithousands' upon thousands ,of people- all ready to grab for the same thing at the same time and at the' -same counter when you expressly wish to get something. And in the end when you finally feel yourself within reach ,of the goal for which you are striving 'land find exhausted, that you don't want itat all+the same conclusion preached the pressing hundreds aroundfyou. c ' ' ' j 'There are three things thatcome to rny'mind,when the ,significant word Christmas is uttered. -These are: the origin of Christmas, the snow, and how many people are giving you gifts for whom you havenit-, bought anything. The last embracesall that horrible orgy called Christmas shop- ping. - X X. Q, D , j ' Christmas! Who doesn't love Christmas? What does Christmas, bring to your mind? Thoughtsfmof ra savory, 'roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, mincemeat pie and plum- pudding, ll fear are the thoughts' that the word Christmasconjures up in the minds of those rude swains,whoseAhearts,.are reached through their stomachs: But to yeiwho have-souls, ,Christmas 'is the time of cheer, a time when all hearts are softened by that beautiful story in which our Savior wasiborn into the world. A ln' the jostling' happy throngs that move along our Fifth avenues we see happy facesf Christ- mas is no time for heartache, yet how many hearts are aching beneath those happy looking exteriors. V V A ' Milly stood looking in Lat the jewelry store window. 'Her dark violet eyes, gazing upon a little long platinum wrist watch. .I Y ' And how she wanted that wrist- watch! She held up her slim white arm and imagined that dainty watch there. But Milly was poor and like- wise her parents. 'F . , . Tears came to her eyes and sparkled on her cheek as she thought of 'that pretty watch. Turning sadly away, thinking of the bare. Christmas expected at home she walked on, not knowing whither. Now Milly was young, desperately young, and youth can't be depressed long. The farther she walked the brighter grew her violet eyes andthe dampness of the-:-Air curled her hair into little ringlets. Her steps grew light and, buoyant. Youth, flambuoyant youth' threw a shining lustre about her, hard, to scribe, shouting aloud thathere was youth, unconquerable y0L1tl1! .Qlfllhat