Quincy High School - Oriole Yearbook (Quincy, MI)

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ali THE ORIOLE Tiff CLASS ORATION Classmates, schoolmates, faculty and friends. A few years ago several young men from this community started on a long road which led them thru training camps, across? the Atlantic and into the hell of mud and blood that was France at that time. Some of them retraced that road and are again at home. Others are, now In Flanders Field . I have often wondered what impulse sent those boys there. Was it to save their country? No, any one of them would have told you that the United States was in no immediate danger. Sifted to the bottom, the reason for the most of those boys going across the sea was, they believed in war. Not in war to end war, but in war as an institution and a thing to be used in the settlement of all national differences. History teaches it, our best writers of classical literature advocate it, sociologists accept it as a necessity. Why should they believe in war? Our historys have have been from the very first, stone tablets down to our latest twentieth century edition, not a record of the advance and progress of civilization but the complete record of the war and its heroes. They do not show us the making of civilization, but the destruction of it. Our students who study history in the schools of today, are not taught a critical method of study which would show them the cause of a nation's strength or weakness. They are taught the history of warg to worship its victors, and to hold its losers in con- tempt. We' are not alone in this. Every school, in every country on earth has this same condition. Think of itl The horror and the pity of it. Boys and girls living in this age of enlightenment and free thinking, still receiv- ing those old, old teachings, identical in theory and philosophy to those given four thousand years ago. Ask any boy or girl to list the five men who seem to them to be the greatest. Will they name Shakespeare, our most famous playright, Luther the founder and pioneer of all protestant religion, Bacon, forerunner of modern science? No! Such men have no place in the teachings given to our children at the time when they are choosing their ideals for life, their lists will contain only the names of men who were either leaders in war or were made famous by war occurring during their lives. But let us look for a while on other classes of Americans, the classes who have come in direct contact with war. Here we iind that public opinion is changing. Those who lived thru those trying days of nineteen sixteen to nineteen eighteen, when every mail brought news of the death of some loved one, can never again regain the belief that war is glorious and ennobling. Those few boys who came back suffering from gas, shellshock and the other horrors of modern warfare, did not tell us the stories of bravery and daring we read of in history and fiction. They told us of crouching in the mud and water miles behind the lines directing their fire pumping sharpnel and explosives at an unseen enemy miles away, by means of the mathematical precision of their obser- vation and signal system. In the air service, common reports would have us believe that here at least was real knight erranty. We believed that the airmen set out every morning seeking his enemy, met him in a whirlwind combat in mid-air and either returned a victor, or fell flames, a hero. Contrary to this belief, the men who re- turned, tell us that when sent over the lines they were to engage another plane, only as a last resort, and instead were to observe operations, and wireless back their reports to the gunners far behind the lines. Or perhaps they were sent out on a night raid, gliding high over enemy territory, with muffled exhaust, dropping their ter- rible gas and high explosive bombs, dealing out a horrible death alike to men, women and children. Then for all the world like a boy who has broken a window pane they turned tail in a headlong flight for home. Glorious battle? Heroism? Valor? No, a cold blooded contest between men of science as to who can invent the most horrible and efficient dispenser of indiscriminate death. THAT IS MODERN WARFARE. But we would try to excuse ourselves by saying, we are not to blame, the war was forced upon us . The monarchs of central Europe were to blame, their greed is the true cause. True, but where did they get their country? They received it in early childhood, not from heredity hut through STUDYING HISTORY. YOUR CHILDREN ARE STUDYING IT IN THIS VERY SCHOOL. Their ideas of autocracy and militarism were not given to them by calm thought after they had reached the age of reason, but implanted on their minds in indelible pictured by the vivid imagination of childhood, fed by stories of the glory and pomp of war. It is rather a long step from the feudal castles of Europe to the humble dwellings of our village. But after all, is human nature any different when clothed in overalls than it is when wrapped in robes of velvet? Is the mind of a child going to see things differently because his parents are not millionaires or monarchs? No, nature will take it's course, a child who is led to believe in the glory of war will hold that impression for life. This condition of affairs is worse because it is so totally unnecessary. How much better to tell the child of the men who founded our literature and language, than to drill him on the conquests of armies which, in razing a city, destroy more learning in one day than civilization can amass in centuries. Why not teach him to study the men who used the powers of science to lighten man's burden, instead of the demons who used science only to maim and destroy? Shouldn't we as citizens of today, pass on to be proud? Not the love of conquest, glory and splendor which has been the heritage of the thousand generations which have gone before, but a new freedom and independence of the great God of war, a new love of, Peace on earth, good will towards men. Alton Dobson. f 1 S vlrl hiv

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il THE ORIQLE: illi CLASS HISTORY Four years ago, a group of sixty-four students entered high school, some with faltering bewildered footsteps, some with a pretended jauntiness, some steadily determined to not mind the jeering calls of Freshie, which constantly rang in their ears. Somehow or other, the first three days passed, with no fatal accidents, and the first freshman class meeting was called . We wondered how we were supposed to act, but it did not take us long to elect our officers. Marjorie Shepard was electedas President, Lloyd Van Patten as Vice Pres., Wil- fred Myers as Treasurer, and Rolene Taber as Secretary. Our class instructors were Miss Holland and Mrs. Coombs under whose supervision all of our class parties and other affairs were carried out. Ar the beginning of the Sophomore year, there were only fifty-three of the class left. But we felt that we had made up in importance for all we had lost in numbers. We went to our first class meeting with the cocksure air of those who knew. We deliberated carefully upon our candidates for the class offices, and finally elected Rolene Taber as Pres.g Oliver Phelps as Vice. Pres, Marcine Smith as Treasg Mildred Lucas as Secretary. That year Miss Galley and Mr. Rice were appointed as class instructors. We had three class parties, one of them being a farewell party for a member of our class. Miss Galley resigned at the end of the first semester, and was replaced by Miss Hicks. In the spring came the annual teachers' reception, put on by the Sophomores. We made a great success of this social event, thanks to the supervision of Miss Hicks. We parted at vacation time, feeling that we were indeed wise, to have gone already through two years of high school, and looking forward to the next September. When the next September came, the Junior class numbered forty-one. That year we chose Wallace Downer as our President, Marian Oxenham as Vice. Pres., Wilfred Myers as Treasurer, and Edward Hall as Sccrc- tary. Our class advisor was Miss Bond. We began to realize that after all we knew very little, and that we must choose our vocations, and think seri- ously of how to prepare for them. As our knowledge increased, so our social affairs increased. We had several merry parties. One party was the result of a contest between two sides, for the payment of class dues. The losing side treated the other side to a party. In June, the juniors financed a camping trip, for the seniors and themselves, at Coldwater Lake. This was the great event of the year, and was certainly worth the effort ex- pended to make it a success. Then-vacation. When we enrolled as Seniors, there were twenty-eight who had survived all three years, and won the name of seniors. We chose our officers carefully for this, our last year of high school. They are, Pres. Wilfred Myers, Vice. Pres. Esther Duncan, Treas. Lucille Greene, Sec. Marian Oxenham. This year we had the privilege of choosing our own advisor, and we chose Miss Bond, who had the year before proved her ability as instructor. Another lively contest resulted in a party given by the losing side in honor of the winners. Sev- eral other parties were held during the year, all of them successful. Then came the great event, the Senior Play. A committee, appointed by the President, selected the play, with the assistance of Miss Bond. The Empty House, was the one chosen, a three-act play, with fourteen characters, eight girls and six boys. The cast worked hard ate their parts, and the rest of the class did their bit, the whole resulting in success. Only twenty-three are left to graduate in the class of twenty-seven. Out of the sixty-four who began as Fresh- men, this seems a small number, but these few have obtained, through hard work, a good start in life, and they realize that it is only a start, and that much more is still ahead. Della Spencer Cecile Ryan Chester Lampman QCommitteej illf liif -19-

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mi THE ORIOLE Tiff CLASS PROP HECY Good afternoon, folks! This is station W. F. T. B. broadcasting from the second floor of the Quincy High School building. Our call letters stand for our class motto, We finish to begin. Esther Duncan announcing. We have a real treat in store for you this afternoon. Our program is somewhat out of the ordinary but we are sure that you will enjoy it. We're going to take a little glimpse into the future this afternoon, and now, audience, I must ask you to use your imagination a little. just imagine that this is the year 1942. Are you all ready? Here we go! On the 15th day of June, 1927, just fifteen years ago, twenty-three Seniors journeyed forth from this very institution, seeking to make their way in the world to find what Providence had in store for them. A few days ago I came across a copy of the Oriole the Annual published by the class of '27, of which I am a member. As I looked through it I came upon the pictures of my classmates, and at once my mind traveled back to the good High School days when we were together both in work and in play. I thought first of the activities, the Field Days, the plays, the parties, the operettas, the various organizations and the like, and I took it upon myself to write to these old classmates and see how the world was using them, and as you will see, some of them have climbed to the highest pinnacles, and others are rapidly climbing toward the heights of success. I asked them to reply to this station so that we might have these letters to read at our opening program, as a kind of an anniversary celebration of the event which took place fifteen years ago. Then I thought of the Exams., and how dreadful they and our lessons did seem, and how unjust we thought our teachers were. I have a little rhyme which I committed to memory while I was in High School. Here it is: Here's to the teachers, Long may they live, Even as long as, The lessons they give. But then, our teachers weren't so bad after all, so I have written to them to find out if they still thought that readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic were yet worthy of their time, or if they had given themselves over to other occupations. We have a large pile of letters to read, so I guess we'd better be on our way now. Here is the first one. This is a nice letter, bet it's from a girl. Nice pretty envelope. Iet's see what they have to say. Well, there wasn't much to this. just a show bill. Well for goodness sakes, listen to this! Cecile Ryan, noted actress, appears in the latest Broadway hit, Miss Ivory's Reception . Well, we're not surprised at that, for we are sure you will all remember Cecile in the play , The Pot Boilers which the Dramatic Club put on in High School. Here's one from Yale University. , Yale University, June 10, 1942. Dear classmate of '27: I was quite surprised to receive a letter asking for the occupations of the class of '27, but if you can stand it I guess I can. Since leaving High School, I have entered somewhat into the field of science. As you will see by my stationery, I am one of the Professors of Yale University. I have just completed an experiment that has startled the entire scientific world. It took Michelson forty years to complete his experiment, but it only took me ten to finish mine. After liberating the power of the atom, I put this into practical use, and at the latest trial with this new discovery, we were able to drive the largest steamship in the world on the power of six teaspoonfuls of water. I am now working on an experiment whereby I can pump part of the air out of a room and obtain a partial vacuum so I may be able to study the effect of pressure on the boiling point. To make it more realistic, I am using CO, snow to fool myself into believing I am on Pike's Peak. With best wishes to the Class of ,27. A Prof. Wilfred Myers, LLd. PhD., etc. P. S. Please don't read this over the radio. Sorry Wilfred, it's too late, the deed is done. Here is one from Boston. Boston, Mass. June 12, 1942. Dear classmate of '27: I am now an author. I have just finished a book which promises to meet with the approval of all students all over the world. The name of it is, How to Get Through School Without Studying. I would like very much to be with you on june 15th, but it is impossible. With best wishes to the Class of '27. Q Alton Dobson. We are sure that will be all right with the students but we aren't sure about the teachers. Well, if here isn't a letter clear from Hollywood. Wonder who's out there. f 3 S v rf hiv