SUNY at Fredonia - Fredonian Yearbook (Fredonia, NY)

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JUNE THE NAORMAL LEAD'ER 1918 In spite of this preponderant social and artistic atmosphere in which we found ourselves we did not evade the presence of the all- predominating strife. 'We have done o-ur little bit in fumishing men, money and other resources to this great work. Soon after war was declared two of our very limited number of boys, Dana and Bruce Mathewson enlisted. We feel justly proud of them but sin- cerely regret that they cannot be with us tonight. When we saw our government was in need of money we as a company bought a hundred dollar liberty bond, while many individuals took out bonds for themselves. Besides this we have given freely to the Y. M. C. A. fund, the Red Cross and relief work. It would be hard to give even a rough estimate of the hours We, have Spent in lmittiug gmt sewing for the Red Cross society. VV e readily answered the cry, Save, Save, and consequently have given up many of the finer- ies and pleasures that go hand in hand with graduating. But this is perhaps only a. beginning and we hope to go on doing more and more in the very near future. Now on the 25th of ,Tune our term of enlistment is about to end and we are to be commissioned' We again find ourselves at the door of this cantonment. Again we open the door with regrets and anticipations. May we walk down life's way with our heads held high and with a firm and steady step. .1-5.1: .fm r.- -- , .. . - We like the beautiful brunette, VVe don't dispise the Winsome blonde, But best of all the girls we've met Is Miss Iona Bond. ,Q . 5- A ' ,1- . v. .S -', .I Today I bought an alarm clock, It has a very loud ring. I think I will call it the Star Spangled Banner, for every time I hear it I have to get up. ' -

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J' T IUNE THE NORMAL LEADER 1918 given a long glorious furlough. VV e threw our belongings into our bags, said Goodbye to F. N. S., and hurried home. In the fall however we were equally glad to return to camp. The officiers and girls here have a charm all their own which is hard to resist. This year we were trained to become officers. To command rightly is not as easy as it once seemed to us. The first weeks were spent in observing our critics. How wonderful they are. Could we ever make the grim uninteresting subjects look interesting by dressing them in attractive new frocks? Could we ever make the restless, mischievous children respond to our commands. and sug- gestions? Our turn to try soon came. VVe can laugh over our mistakes now but at the time they made the world seem pretty dark. Some of us wound ourselves completely up in our questions while others trembled so that the pupils could scarcely hear our faint yes and no , The questions which the children fired seemrto be aim- ed directly at us. Many o-f the bravest wished we might hold our ears and take to our heels. But our critics with unfailing patience managed to drag us through these first ordeals and as we grew accustomed to the sotmd of this peculiar firing we learned to look behind the question to the intensely interesting questioner. VV e grew bolder with practice until now we feel quite confident that we can conquer any foe. But all work and no play makes .lack a dull boy. So our whole force was ordered to a company meeting October twelfth. Then we planned the successful weiner roast given at the home of Ella Perham. It was there that Dorothy Kelley among many others showed her inguenity in stowing away weiners and marsh- mallows. We all had such a delightful time that we decided never a month would go by without some social gathering. But as the months came they slipped by almost unnoticed so deep were we in despair over criticisms, examinations and class meetings. Some of our class meetings were long and long to be remembered especially those in which a few of our company tried to show their abilities as lawyers. During this dark period there is one usually bright event that stands out clearly. lt was our play. W' e are indeed proud of those of our class-mates who took part. Everyone seemed well pleased with it save little lunior boy who said it ended too abruptly. Ask Madeline if this criticism was just. I

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IUNE TI-IE'NOR'MAL LEADER 1918 memorial ration Archie LV. Pfarlmvss. It has been the custom of classes: going out from f Fredonia Normal, to leave with the school a slight gift of recognition o-f the he-lpful instruction which they received. Those students carry with them not only a certificate of mental capacity,' but also a cer- tificate of character and judgement, The time has come, when we, the class of 1918, have the opportunity of manifesting those traits which are guaranteed by our certificates. We fully realize that the present world conflict has profound- ly affected the American mind. 'We havesnot sought to close our eyesto the misery nor to disregardl the suffering, which it has al-Q ready inflicted upon so large a portion of the human family. But we do wish to face squarely every conditio-n which is necessary to our government for the purpose of bringing a more speedy and suc- cessful ending of this war. ' I We are now in alliance with seventeen nations in this struggle for humanity. This alliance has been strengthened by the feeling that we areithe recipients .of many gifts, thati have largely contri- buted to our National life. VVe speak the language and have adopted many of the laws and customs of one of these nations. We remember with affection our debt of gratitude to another in- curred at a time, when we were strugglingj for independence. Nor do we forget, that, when civil strife seemed to threaten our exist- ence, still another of those nations manifested a most unexpected friend.ship for the union cause. lt was through the contributio-ns of these nations, that our high standards of civilization, here in America, were made possible. Now we realize the importance to the whole world of preserving that civilization which embodies the intellectual wealth and moral excellence of the great and good of past ages. This struggle with Germany presents a grave situation. lt is a. struggle for the maintainence of our institutions of freedom and democracy against the German institutions of aggressive military force. 'W'e cannot be unconcerned as to the degrading influences Germany will have upon civilization if she wins this war. It is these insiduous and treacherous influences that we must guard against even before we consider the clemoralization of credit and