Pio Nono High School - Pio Nonite Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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19 THE PIO NONI'1'E 25 olic Boarding School in those years when training for character means most to a young man. 2. VVhat attitude should the parents adopt toward the school which their boy is attending? In these days when practically all re- sponsibility ot education is shifted by parents upon the school and upon the teachers, the attitude of parents toward the school should be to assist the school and its teachers as much as possible in or- der that the character of the child may be shaped properly. Oftentimes failures re- sult in Boarding School education because of lack of interest. Cooperation between the home and the ,school is essential. ln the mathematics ot education the follow- ing equation is standard: School plus Home -- Good results School minus Home - No results Oftentimes children are brought to Boarding Schools by parents because they cannot accomplish anything with the child and yet they present the child to the authorities with glowing words of praise for the character and type ot child. But how soon after is a different type in evi- dence? It persons wish to have authori- ties train successfully it is their duty to lay open the book of life of their child so that corrective measures can be applied in time-before serious things will happen. How often has not a Boarding School dis- ciplinarian found it hardest to correct de- fects just because those defects of char- acter were sheltered by parents in pres- ence of the boy. And yet are not these the first to blame the Catholic Boarding School for the defects of character in their child? Sincere and honest cooper- ation between the parent and the School is a necessity. 3. How should an Alumnus of a Cath- olic school regard his Alma Mater? Most of you have attended Commence- ment Exercises at various schools where you heard the Valedictorian in splendid rhetorical form deliver an address of fare- well to the Alma Mater, relating the won- derful things she has doncbuinoving every one to tears. l have heard many sucn and 1 have often said- lf they will only carry it out -But these solemn pledges are so often forgotten and many an insti- tution called Alina Mater by so many must feel it has an enormous number of wayward sons who have lost all interest in the Mater that reared them. Loyal sons of any institution will look upon their school as the one that has given them all that was needed for success in life. They will realize that, if their Alma Mater was the instrument of their suc- cess in life, they owe her a great deal ot the substance they have received through their success. They will feel that just as much as they owe their Mother a means of support i11 her old age because she gave her all as long as she could, so to that Alma Mater Alumni owe their allegiance which shows itself in the financial and moral support they give. 4. Is a Catholic High School as neces- sary as, or more necessary than a Catholic Parochial School? A Catholic High School is in these days just as necessary as a Catholic g1'ade school. W'hen the majority of children are compelled by law to attend school until the completion of the 17th year, either part time or fgll time, and when the years between 12 and 17 are considered the best years for the development of character, it certainly seems unfair to the child who has enjoyed a Catholic grade school edu- cation to be deprived of that guidance of our Holy Mother Church just in those years when the seed planted begins to de- velop. Are we not here reminded of the Parable of the Sower and the Seed, where some seed fell by the wayside and some among the rocks? As true Catholics we certainly do feel that all 'the sacrifices made for Catholic grade school education are in vain unless we are able to furnish to the product ot' our Catholic grade school a chance ot' further education-urn der the guidance of our Faith. lf!

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19 THE PIO NONITE 25 A BIRD. A little bird on winged flight Did 1'CSt in the heat of day, A chattering, carefree, happy Wight IVho would his charms display. So I rested too, and sat me down, His secrets to unfold. And I said to him, t'My little friend, U Your fortune to me be told. And he chattered and chittered again some more As it, in despite of my cares IVho sitting here in the heat of day Should be mindful of his tares. In stubborn decision, I vied for might To mimic the joy of the bird, But of late deep oppression had shed its light Un nie whom grief' never stirred. llc awakened me to a broader view Of the flowers and things more dear. How I understood, I cannot tell, But his language was song to the ear. He sang me a song' of hill and dale, Of meadow and rippling brook, Ol' woods and fields and grassy plains And a tiny creek with a crook. llis song to me inspired great things, As T sat in the heat of day, And the happiness that goodness brings Resolved me. by this, God's ray. The moral in this tiny story is- Happiness can but be earned, And those who gain it without a strife Most ot't' are those who are spurned- By the God ot' might YVho is just and right A And who sees the good in men. So strive in earnest to do your best Before you say Amen --Francis R. Soike THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION. 1. What should be the attitude of a Catholic boy attending a Catholic Board- ing School towards the school he is- at tending? The attitude of a Catholic boy toward the Catholic Boarding' School he is attending should be such that he considers the Board- ing School with its authorities as one in whom he can place his trust and confidence to guide and direct him in his journey through education just as parents assisted by teachers guided him in his grade school education. ln training for character there is perhaps no better influence than the home infiuence but when the culture of the home is perhaps no greater than the culture acquired by the grades, Boarding Iligh Schools become a necessity in order that the subjects dis- cussed in class, may be discussed further with teachers and associates so that a real benefit may be derived from the education of the class room. It is the association that one finds in a Boarding High School, both with teachers and students that gives the student a chance to discuss fully and to imbibe the teachings of the classroom. Then, too, thc chance of educczting' the sex- es separately, which means again a better chance of advancing mentally instead of being filled with the gayety of the other sex at an age where giddiness shows it- self most and perhaps also awkwardness among the boys which oftentimes makes the boys feel interior in High School age to the girls. There is a. tendency among boys to feel that a Boarding High School means no more to them than to be sent to an Indus- trial or Reform School or to call it-Pa- rental School. Far be it from such an idea in a Catholic boy. One of the great- est helps in developing character, true discipline, true manly virtue, is a Cath- 12

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19 THE ITE 25- A HORRIBLE PHANTOM. lt was a hot and sultry summer night, unrelieved by any. coqling wvinds. ln lact, except for an occasional breeze which would lightly rustle the leaves in the sur- rounding tree-tops and make their scarcely audible sounds tall on the ear as a partial relief from the depression and me- loncholy which the monotony of the sum- mer night produced, the air was prac- tically motionless. Quietude and darkness reigned supreme. The moon was ob- scured, and the only light there was, came faintly from the distant twinkling stars. lt was 011 this same night at about 11 P. M. that I was seated in a large and comfortable armchair at home. There were no other houses or buildings in inmiediate proximity to this one. It stood quite se- cluded, out in this country place. I was the only one in the Whole house. There were no other occupants that night. I sat there alone in the armchair reading a ta- vorite, adventurous novel. The room was somewhat dark, for I read only by a lamp on the table. I had thus occupied myself, principally because the oppression of the night forbade any slcepg and that if be- coming engrossed in my reading I might soon be oblivious of the uncomfortable- ness which the night aftorded. As a further aid I had the window opposite of which I sat opened widely so that I might obtain t'ull benetit of any passing breeze. IVhen the body is gweary, however, it is not al- ways readily soothed by some mental di- version, and so my book soon became very dull reading tor me: whereupon, I laid the book upon the table and, after having lowered the light ot' the lamp, reclined in my chair. I peered from my chair through the window and out into the night. But what was it that at a far-ott distance met my gaze, and somehow instinctively made me shudder? I knew not. But I did see that whatever it was, it came slowly elos- er and followed a path directly towards the open window. I Hxcd my gaze in- tently on the object. for it was something different than I had ever before actually seen. The peculiar thing about it was that it seemed to float very lightlv and without apparent trouble through the air. My wonderings and doubts very soon changed to indescribable tears, for the obiect had now come quite close and I was able to discern plainly in the darkness that it was no more nor less than the awe- inspiring ligure of a ghost. These fears were soon mixed with a loathing for all apiritual and supernatural things,.tor the ghastly apparition was steadily coming closer and closer and directly toward the open window. Having reached the win- dow and without any hesitancy it actually hovered in it and then came into the room. t'My God! I shrieked despairingly. But the white figure turned his head down and fixed his dark sharp eyes on me, so that I felt I was being pierced through and through. He then raised his hand very slowly up to his mouth, which gesture made me so silent that I almost choked and caused me to l'eel that I would never again care to utter a sound during the re- mainder otf my earthly existence. The ghost remained 11Ot long beffore me. Hav- ing completed this last gesture, he began very slowly and silently to go around the room. Ile did net touch the tloox, but, in a manner resei-:bling lloating. passed mid- way between the floor and ceiling, always keeping elose to the walls. IVhen he had completed one-halt' the circuit of' the 1'00Il1. where on the wall hung the picture of my uncle, he stopped. IIe then stepped back slightly, and raising his arm, pointed at the picture very mysteriously, and for some time. Passing on again. he com- pleted his circuit of' the room. Returning to the window, he hovered there, and then vanished into the darkness. Anyone who has suffered some pro- longed and intense pain, either physical or mental, 05111 readily understand how I felt after his departure. I could now t'eel the sweat issuing freely from almost every part of my body. The incident had also made me considerably weak and sick. The figure which thus entered the room had been all white except for the penetrating and extremely dark eyes ot' the head. and the long and sinewy hands with their pointed fingers, which extended from the arnis. Otherwise absolutely everything that could be seen was a flimsy, white- robed figure about 4 feet in height. The first thought which came into mv mind was: IVliy had the ghost pointed at the picturetn, and Did my uncle, perhaps, suddenly meet a cruel fate? Numerous and various queries thus caineanxiously to my weakened mind, and I spent some 14