Perth Amboy High School - Reflections / Periscope Yearbook (Perth Amboy, NJ)

Page 9 text:

 DEDICATION In iRmmhraurr nf fHaxtm'U fttadttirlmrl Because we shall always cherish the memory of his love for music, his splendid guidance in the school chorus, his sympathetic and genuine interest in all activities, and the warmth and friendliness he bestowed on one and all, we, the Class of 1947, do dedicate our Annual to the memory of MAXWELL MAC MICHAEL, formerly Supervisor of Music, who passed away during our senior year.

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CONTENTS AS GREAT BRITAIN has proved herself a leader in world affairs and an authority on various problems, so we have met leaders right here in Perth Amboy High—our teachers. Mentally and morally we have developed through their knowledge, instruction, and assistance. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner”, The Fourth of July, Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthdays, Thanksgiving and Armistice Days are quite typically American. Surpassing all these, however, in revealing our country’s spirit is the Youth of AMERICA, of which we Seniors are a representative group. Whenever we think of social life, FRANCE and its gay city, Paris, rapidly rush to mind. There amidst street cafes and theaters is a swiftly moving people with manifold activities. In school the social life is found in the several clubs, which both entertain and better us. We call to mind the SCANDINAVIAN countries and instantly the thoughts of ice-skating, skiing, and tobogganing come to mind. We think of athletics in Amboy High and at once familiar American games, baseball, football, basketball, tennis and track, and wrestling predominate. Just as the RUSSIAN government is for the support of its people, so the advertisements are for the support of our Annual. We are deeply indebted for the success of our year-book to those who so willingly reserve space therein to advertise their wares.

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THE UNITED NATIONS HE purpose of the United Nations is peace in every part of the world. The strongest nations of today are the United States and Russia. These two nations are strongest in manpower, in material resources and in wealth. These arc the fundamental things which make nations great military and naval powers. These same things, together with education and democracy and a non-aggression policy including a decent respect for the rights of small nations, are the things which make a nation, a great force for peace in the world. In the years immediately following World War I, there was developed in this country a profound ami universal desire for world peace. The churches and the schools and the colleges taught peace. Peace organizations worked to convince the nations of the world that war is unnecessary. As a nation we talked peace and tried to convince the world of nations that armed force was not only unnecessary and wasteful but was a menace to peace. Disarmament was a part of the program we proposed. The only nation we convinced in all this endeavor was the United States. The only nation that put disarmament into any effect was this nation. Yes, the purpose of the United Nations is world peace. The most important and most powerful things in the prevention of war are two of the freedoms on which all human rights are founded. These are freedom of speech and freedom of the press. It is being said over and over again that we in this country must cultivate and develop friendship between the American people and the Russian people because only through friendship between these two great peoples can another world war be prevented. But friendship between the peoples of two nations is not a one way street. There can be no friendship without understanding. There can be no close clear understanding between the peoples of two countries unless the fundamentals of human rights exist in both countries. These are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, free elections, and freedom of religion. These are the safeguards that have kept our country free. Not the least important of these human rights is the right to freedom in religion. It is a weakness of the United Nations that there is not a greater recognition of the importance of religion. Wars would cease and the brotherhood of man would become a universal practice if people everywhere would live up to the teachings of established religion. That is true whether the religion is Jewish, Catholic or Protestant. Former Under Secretary of State, Joseph C. Grew, says “Today the preservation of peace is the paramount world problem. In approaching this most perilous subject, our thinking will be clarified if we proceed from the basic fact that the great wars of this and of the last generation were not led up to and brought about by peoples. They were led up to ami brought about through the spread of hatred and lies by small groups of insanely jealous men holding the reins of power and lusting for greater power.” Hitler was that kind of man, but Hitler could not have brought on World War II had he not prepared the way by abolishing freedom of speech and freedom of the press. No men or small group of men can control the thoughts, speech and literature of a nation if the nation's people can speak the truth and read the free speech and free press of other nations. The United Nations is the only hope for the prevention of war and the preservation of civilization. The majority of the United Nations’ members and the majority of the officials in the United Nations favor action guaranteeing freedom of speech and of the press because these two freedoms are the foundation of understanding and friendship between nations. The United Nations is the supreme ideal of civilization and at the same time it is the supreme practical attempt of civilization to safeguard its own existence. Within any nation eternal vigilance is the price of human freedom. The United Nations is the most important governmental organization ever attempted. It is the determination of mankind to rescue the nations of the world and the peoples therein from the catastrophe of another world war.