Rockford High School - RHS Yearbook (Rockford, IL)

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The Editorial Simultaneously with the patriotic fervor which has swept the country since the outbreak of hostilities with Germany, has come the cry for econ- omy. The movement had its beginning with the Conservation of food. Someone suggested gardening as both a pleasant and profitable pastime, not to mention its patriotic usefulness. Thousands of boys and men, women and girls have dutifully planted potatoes with a sort of an uplifted attitude of martyrdom. Indeed, activity along this line is worthy and commendable. Economy, in so far as it eliminates waste and conserves foodstuffs, is unde- niably beneiicial, not only in times of war but also in peace. In fact, it may be extended in numerous other directions such as the conservation of our natural resources. Far be it from us to discourage really helpful saving. But.-having once caught the spirit of the thing we conceive the idea of saving to a superlative degree. VVe acquire a haunted look and refuse to buy food and clothing Qexcepting bare necessiticsj, to say nothing of lux- uries all on account of the war. We hoard money, potatoes and other valu- ables. Things begin to tighten up. Young people under age for military service abandon plans for higher education, for economy's sake. It has been truly said that we are a nation of extremists. Do we ever stop to think that merchants, bankers and manufacturers must continue to trade and be patronized? Do we stop to consider that every dollar we store away in a woolen sock Cfiguratively speaking, of coursej nec- essitates that much less purchasing of stock for some storekeeper? Do we realize that the merchant's failure to purchase goods, means a slowing up of sales from the wholesale houses and ultimately a diminished production? Advices from VVashington urge that we keep affairs as normal as possible: to buy the things we are in the habit of purchasing and to do much as we would do under ordinary circumstances. To be sure, excessive expenditure is always unwise so why waste thought there? However to arrive at the real point of thisg that is, the point in connec- tion with the Annual. Rockford does not seem to have been afflicted very perceptably with this mania for economy. At any rate, owing to the mer- chants who have not succumbed to the war panic and the students of Rock- ford High School who are loyal subscribers for it, we have been able to pro- duce this book. Wfhether it will be considered a product of hysterical econ- omy or an expression of a normal attitude and patriotic forethought, will be judged without consultation of our wishes, but our aim if not our perfor- mance has been to publish an adequate record of Rockford High Schools best year. Marion North, 'l7. Four

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