Scituate High School - Chimes Yearbook (Scituate, MA)

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12 THE CHIMES PROBLEMS OF MODERN CIVILIZATION Donald W. Parsons, ' 32 The greatest problems which man has to contend with today in his struggle for existence can be grouped under three main heads : social, economic, and scientific. Every human, every group or society, and every nation is con- nected in some degree with all of these problems. They are closely related by indissoluble ties, and due to their com- plexity it is not easy to separate them. The main problem of the world today is to try to adjust the disrupted econom- ic conditions so that they will harmonize with the perturb- ed social conditions. In order to insure peace and har- mony, the economic and social conditions must be balanced. The scientific factor is the cause which tends to disar- range this balance. In the past two decades, inventions and improved machinery have taken such tremendous strides that they have thrown the other two factors out of adjust- ment. Undoubtedly our present world-wide depression is due mainly to this maladjustment. Unemployment, crime, poverty, and many other of our modern evils can be traced directly to this source. People who vow that our present misfortunes are caused by bad administration, graft, cor- ruption and crooked politics show a distinct form of narrow- mindedness and ignorance in looking at the situation. Tlie age of machinery is mainly responsible. There are four distinct diseases of our social civilization: crime, poverty, war and insanity. It is only by a continual struggle that man has held all these destructive powers in check. There are many people in this world who have resigned themselves to the fact that these are necessary evils which man can never hope to overcome on this earth. Some religious beliefs are even based on this assumption. It is very true that these conditions have always existed, but that is no reason to assume that this will always be the case. If men could learn to live together intelligently, these evils would give us but a minimum of bother. Our social civilization is not impregnable. Was it not only yesterday that it almost succumbed in the great war? Insanity, crime and poverty are caused by the failure of the individual to adjust himself to the demands and restraints

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THE CHIMES 11 MY VISIT TO THE DOG SHOW Laura Cogswell, ' 35 This year I had the good fortune to be able to attend the Twentieth Annual Dog Show in Mechanics ' Building, Bos- ton. One thousand fifty dogs, the aristocracy of dogdom, were assembled there from the leading kennels of America, Canada, and England. Every champion crowned at the ' Westminster Show in New York was present. As I entered the large exhibition hall, a serenade of vari- ous barks greeted my ears. Row upon row of wire cages were lined across the hall. I walked up and down the aisles looking at every dog. Some were barking, some were howling, and others were quietly resting. Many champions had beautiful silver cups on the bedding beside them. The dignified Saint Bernards and Newfoundlands lay quiet ex- cept for a wag of the tail when someone stopped to admire them, but the noisy little fox terriers kept up an incessant barking. A few of the champions to catch my eye were George West ' s champion. Gamecock Duke of Wales; Mrs. Florence B. Ilch ' s handsome collie, Lucason of Ashtead O ' Bellhaven; S. S. Van Dine ' s Heather Reveller of Spor- ran, a Scotch terrier; Leonard Buck ' s Great My Own; Elizabeth Loring ' s Champion Seafarer, a huge Newfound- land; and Mrs. William Dreer ' s Shetland sheepdog, Wee laird O ' Downfield. There were many, many others too numerous to name. The West Highland white terriers owned honors offered for their breed. On Wednesday, the last day of the show. The Great My Own, an inky black, proud little cocker spaniel, owned by- Leonard Buck, was judged best in the show. Of all the dogs, my favorites were the wee Shetland sheepdogs and the collies. Shetland sheepdogs are like miniature collies. They weigh only from seven to fifteen pounds and are the dearest little dogs imaginable. The col- lies always have been my favorite dogs and probably al- ways will be. They are quite large and very handsome. Altogether I think my visit to the Dog Show was a most enjoyable experience.

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THE CHIMES 13 which are placed on him by the group in which he lives. The barbarous custom of war is caused by the conflicting greeds and desires of nations for natural goods and prop- erty. At the present time the economic state of affairs in the world is appalling. But, as history relates that depressions are periodic in the development of mankind, I do not think we have anything but a rosy future awaiting us. Since the beginning of history, the production of food If is been the main economic problem of mankind. Today this is no longer a problem. Science has solved this, and now we have overproduction. Our warehouses are stocked with food and goods, and everywhere there seems to be a surplus. But, you may ask wuth all sincerity, if thi ' s is the case, why is it that so many of our people are underclothed and starv- ing? ' Monoply of production and inefficient methods of equal distribution are the cause. This is the price that any- capitalistic nation or group must pay. Man seems to have attacked the scientific problem with more vim and vigor than he has attacked any of the others, and therefore it is in this field that he has made such tre- mendous progress. Victories over disease and sickness are common occurrences. Although these nuisances have not yet been abolished from soci ety, the ultimate victory against them does not seem the least bit doubtful. Machines and inventions are increasing our physical comforts daily, and they are also giving us more time to enjoy life. If this ex- cess time, which the labor-saving devices give us, is put in the hands of the uneducated masses, it will breed nothing but harm unless their surplus energies are directed in prop- er channels. This is one reason for the unprecedented rise of athletics in our country recently. In the next few years our civilization will come to its crucial test. If there are enough intelligent persons in this world to bring it out of the economic and social chaos in which it is now plunged without bringing on any great cal- amity, then, I think we will be safe in saying that this civ- ilization is really stable and lasting, and not controlled by the whims and fancie ' s of a few potentates.