Roosevelt High School - Bwana Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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EVJEINE It is not fair, however, to overlook the fact that genuine American phrases were also to be found in the law. The words required to be inscribed on the band of the escutcheon, United we stand, divided we fall , were not origi- nated by the author but were borrowed or appropriated. These words were intended to express our social and governmental policy as well as our relations to sister states. The phrase was really coined on the day that the Declaration of lndependence was signed, and it had been in current use since the days preceding the Revolution. It is not the motto of Missouri. The law specifically states that our motto is the Latin sentence, Salus populi suprema lex eston. The fact that the whole phrase appears on our seal shows that the legislature, which framed and adopted the law, stood with the heroic people who had won their American independence. The constitution of i820 further declared that the Great Seal of the State of Missouri shall be kept by the Secretary of State . Every later constitu- tion declared that he shall be custodian of the seal of state . HERMOINE HAMEL MISSOURI ISSOURI! The melting pot in which are integrated the ideals, the habits, the thoughts, and the customs which have made America great! Here we find the courtesy, the grace, the romance of the South blended with the vigor, the strength, the industry, and the mastery of the North. Along with these we find the culture, the genius, the poise, and the early traditions of the East mingled with the courage, the perseverance, the democracy, and the friendliness of the West. lts majestic rivers, its babbling brooks, its Pierian springs, its glorious mountains, its restful valleys, its towering trees, its rolling prairies-all these form the setting of a veritable paradise. Within its confines are grown successfully almost every fruit, vegetable, or grain indigenous to the United States. ln the parks of her great cities, and growing wild throughout the state, may be found almost every form of vegetation of the north temperate zone. From thisistate came the person adjudged by scientific test to speak the most typically American speech. Indeed Missouri, lying in the center of the country, has embodied the elements, both physical and spiritual, which have distinguished America. Therefore we give a toast to Missouri, the E Pluribus Unumn state of the Union. EVELYN UNDERWOOD. Fourteen

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EVJZHE THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI HO designed this Great Seal of which we 'as Missourians are justly so proud? Tradition has long credited the designing of it to George Frederick Burckhartt, and recent investigations have confirmed this. Other men, at one time or another, have been given credit for designing the coat of arms, but so far no proof has been found to substantiate their claims. Upon the admission of Missouri into the Union fAugust lo, 18215 there was a provision in her Constitution for a Seal of State which should not be subject to change. For the designing of such a seal, George Frederick Burckhartt was appointed by a member of a select committee . l-le was one of the educated men of his clay, a classical scholar, who well understood the language of heraldry, necessary to conceive such a Seal of State . Shortly after his appointment, he submitted a report which, tradition tells us, was accepted without change. ' The original seal, now in the office of the Secretary of State, is in circular form and is exactly two and one-half inches in diameter. It is much worn from repeated usage, but all subsequent official productions are faithful facsimiles, since it was declared constitutionally that the emblems and devices, once adopted, ushall never be subject to change . Consequently any repro- duction of the seal cannot be changed unless the constitutional provision itself is changed. The law providing for the seal remains exactly as it was published in the Laws of l82l-italics, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, foreign words, or supposed words, and all: and its wording is significant, since it is couched in the language of heraldry and feudalism. It suggests feudal castles, coats of arms, signet rings, rattling swords, as well as preparation for war. These words, of course, belong to the age of ignorant kings and blend well with their ceremonial manners. One can readily picture these words coming from the tongues of certain pompous gentlemen of that time who stood in high top dragoon boots, carried swords, and wore cocked hats. It would be a mistake, however, to say that the language of this law is not the language of democracy. It is the language of feudalism, surely, but the men who framed and accepted it were thoroughly democratic in their sentiments. Then why were such words chosen? Was it because wholesome English words and phrases Were too plain and common for democracy? Or was this law only one incident of a still surviving but fast dying spirit of feudalism? Shall we say that the words used were considered the dignified language of a true and orderly democracy but were influenced by former feudal customs and manners of speech? Thirteen

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EWENH GOVERNOR HENRY S. CAULFIELD Fifteen