Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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TheGoi Vol. I. QUINCY, MASS., THE GOLDEN ROD Will be Published Monthly During the School Year in the interests of the QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL. SUBSCRIPTION KATES. For the Year. . 60cents | Single Copies, . 6 cents Koi sal e at E B. Souther’s. Address all communications to A KTHU R V. CI' RTIS or S A It A H C. M cGO V KKN. BUSINK8S MANAGERS. Entered at the Quincy (Mass..) Post-Oftice as Second Class Matter. EDITORIAL. GENERAL EDITORS. Eva G. Reed, Leila H. Sprague. CA O back three thousand years, j and find the Jews from the north, south, east, and west gath- ered at Jerusalem, where they spent a week in mirth, feasting, praying, and in praising God for the harvests He had sent them. Go up among the ancient Greeks during their nine festal days, and see them standing about the altars, dressed in gay attire, praising and worshiping their Demeter, to whom they all vowed the best of their harvests. Step over into Rome during its festal day in the early autumn, and there you will find the rich and the poor together, wreathed with corn and flowers, forming processions in the fields, dancing and singing, all in honor of generous Ceres, the goddess of fruits and grains. Again, had you lived in England in the year 827 when Egbert, the first king, reigned, a very pleasant sight to gaze upon on some autumn day would have been the gay lads and lassies with their quaint garments, their crowns of fruits and grains, singing and dancing on the green about a great bonfire; and as night closed over them, retiring to their humble cots, and closing the day with feasting and prayer. All these ancient peoples then, had their feast or festal days which den Rod. NOVEMBER, 1891. No. 3. corresponded to our Thanksgiving, long before our country was heard of. Nevertheless we claim that the custom of an American Thanksgiving originated in our own state of Massachusetts, and well may we he proud of its origin and results. s. Thanksgiving Day again is here to witness the pictures of pleasant family reunions, heavily laden tables, and gathered harvests, to bring before us the vision of that one little “solitary vessel, the May- flower of a forlorn hope, freighted with the prospects of a future state, and bound across the un- known sea.” I wonder how many of us, when seated by the fireside enjoying the company of dear friends and relatives on our Thanksgiving Day, give one thought to its origin and founders, to that band of noble pilgrims land- ing upon the ice-clad rocks of Ply- mouth, tired, weak, and forlorn, without money, shelter, or provi- sions. Whence came they? Let the poet tell:— “From Leyden and landed once more, One day in December, on Plymouth’s bleak shore: Then they waged a fierce fight till the winter was past With Famine and Death, but they con- quered at last: Ana though half their number were laid ’neath the sod, Yet the rest never faltered, but trusted in God. And then, as the year went rolling around. They garnered the harvest He sent, from the ground.- Of acres of corn they had just a score, And of barley and peas, six of each, and no more: But their pumpkins were golden, their wild grapes were sweet. And wild deer and water fowl furnished them meat. They thanked God and took courage. for that was their way, And the Governor appointed a Thanks- giving Day.” s.

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THE GOLDEN ROD. Aljthdpiig'h the first day set apart by the people of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for a New England Thanksgiving was in 3633, yet when they first stepped upon the soil of America, they gave thanks to God for the freedom they found. This was the origin of our present Thanksgiving. There have been many occasions in the annals of history for great national thanks- givings, notable among them being the Declaration of Independence, the Adoption of the Constitution, and the close of the war which abolished slavery in our land. As this day which is appointed annu- ally by the governor comes near the close of the autumn season, let us think of it as a day of happiness, of feasting, and of returning thanks to God for the innumerable bless- ings He showers upon us day by day. Most of all, let us think of the founders of this custom, compare their circumstances and surround- ings with ours, and try to realize how earnest should be our thanks- giving. s. What are you reading? This question will doubtless receive va- rious answers, for in these days there is no scarcity of books and almost everyone is reading some- thing; but how few people read with a definite object in view. Good judgment should be used in the choice of books, and a person ought not to condemn a book sim- ply for the reason that he does not understand it. For example, we have heard many young people condemn the works of Shakspeare, Milton, and other great writers, because the books did not prove entertaining to them. Some have read the works of those authors because they are great classics, and it sounds quite learned to say, “I have read all of Shakspeare's works but if those who read did not grasp the true meaning and beauty of the written thoughts, no great benefit was derived from the reading. There are many enter- taining and instructive books which do not require deep thought on the part of the reader, and yet may prove profitable to both young and old. Those who do not enjoy the great classics may obtain much pleasure from reading these books. r. The citizens of Quincy have a great blessing in their public libra- ry. There are historical, biograph- ical, and poetical works ; there are books of classic prose, of travel, and of fiction, so that every one can find books which will prove in- teresting to him. The benefit de- rived from the library is inestima- ble. The public schools are espe- cially benefited by the kindness of the trustees in allowing the teach- ers to borrow, on what is called the school card, any books which they think will be or use to the pupils in their various studies. How much this great privilege would have been appreciated by those pupils who, in the days when books were scarce, hungered for more knowledge than could be obtained from their school text-books. Let us show that we are grateful for the advantages offered us. r. Many busy people say, “I have no time to read.” Perhaps they may not have an unbroken hour in the day to devote to reading, but often when they are obliged to wait for some one or some thing, they might read two or three pages of a good book, instead of fretting over the delay. Many persons have obtained much knowl- edge and pleasure from thus utili- zing their spare moments. Time spent in carefully reading a good book is time well employed, for the mind of the reader is always im- proved thereby. “We should accustom the mind to keep the best company by intro- ducing it only to the best books. Writing makes a correct man; reading a full man ' r. The best police system in the world is a thoroughly equipped and well-managed school system. Next to the church comes the school- house.