Siskiyou Union High School - White and Gold Yearbook (Weed, CA)

Page 29 text:

0 , o E BEST STORY In the State of New Mexico, with its back to the rest of the United States and its face to Old Mexico, lies a fertile little valley. Fed by the waters of the Rio Grande and the Pecos, and warmed winter and summer by an almost tropical sun it is blooming all the year. High, craggy walls surround it on three sides. These walls and the river before it have for many years kept strangers out and the peaceful, happy Indians within. Here for hundreds of year they have cultivated their fields of corn and other grains. Here they have taken the wild deer when hunger made it necessary. Here the Young men grew brave and strong and the maidens sweet as the wild honey. Here was begun the story of Micca, and Winona, the maiden who alone could cause the sun to shine for him. Twenty summers had Micca lived in the valley. Twenty summers suns had warmed his heart and tanned his smooth skin to the gloss of brown satin. Then in his twentieth summer, as is ever the way with youngfolk, Micca, the Indian youth, met Winona, the Indian maiden. He saw in her the perfection of all che beauties of nature. Her eyes were the deep pools of the river where the shade of the overhanging branches made them dark and mysterious. Soft her voice like the dove, and her grace like the golden asp trees swaying in the gentle summer breeze. The heart of Micca was wise, and he made himself be patient. She is young, he thought. I'll not hurry her lest I frighten her. So through the golden days Micca cherished his love in secret and only his eyes spoke. Then came the days of the harvest, and near the end of the summer Micca at last said, Tomorrow I,ll tell her. I,ll show the lodge near the waterfall and lay all my hopes and plans for the future before herf' The Gods laughed, for before the day was over all his hopes and plans were scattered like the leaves before the north wind. Over the Mesa and down through the pass came a group of strangers. Tall and young was the leader. Micca felt the first flicker of fear when he saw Winona and the stranger together even before that day was done. She who had been so shy with Micca went to the stranger as if bewitched. The heart of Micca was Hlled with fear, and anger began to burn within him. As the days passed Winona and the strangers were seen together more and more. Micca thought to himself, If I could only find some fault of

Page 28 text:

Jlcghw SECOND PLACE ESSAY What do we mean when we say highways to world understanding and happiness? The highways are the paths over which civilization passes. Where the road is weak and storm-worn, progress is set back or stopped. Then men of courage and truth must again repair the way. In discussing this subject I will divide it into three topics: social gains, material gains, and spiritual progress of mankind since the first men tried democracy. By social gains we mean political and social advancements. It seems that even some ancient peoples practiced democracy. It was not, however, tried and proved successful until the newly-born United States declared that all men were born equal and should remain so. Government is for the betterment of the people as a whole and not the people for the betterment of the government, as in dictatorshipis. These were our ideals, that were established in 1776. Men make mistakes, though, and we have not yet secured the true democracy that our fore-fathers declared and fought for. We have not developed in wisdom necessary for an ideal government, because there are still many men who are not incorruptible. In material gains there is no doubt that we have advanced swiftly, however, our spiritual progress and judgment have failed to keep up with our knowledge and achievements. The result is that we continue to solve problems by using our material strength to talk for us instead of logic and tolerance. Wars seem to be the only settlement, when actually they only pit hatred deeper in the hearts of those involved. No doubt spiritual development is the most important part of the great highway of civilization, as all these social and material achievements could not have been possible had it not been for the human spirit. We seem to forget our heart and conscience when dealing with some of the other na- tions. Do we not boast too much of our great knowledge and material strength? It seems to me that men should think less about threats and should earnestly try to establish peace and understanding that would benent the greater part of humanity, instead of only a favored few. And if the world leaders would pave the highway with sturdy blocks of tolerance, love, and generosity, we would gain a truer and more complete happiness. Thus the road, no matter what the course, or who the builders may be, would lead peoples to world understanding and friendship. EARL PALMER ,49 McCloud High School

Page 30 text:

his serious enough to turn Winona from him, I might yet win her.', Filled with jealous anger, he watched them from afar through the bright days and even at night, for the struggle within him would not let him rest. One night he saw one of the strangers leave his lodge and disappear into the darkness. Later he returned and in the moonlight Micca recognized the sly, mean face of one who had come into the valley with the strangers. He entered the lodge of Winona's sweetheart, and for a few minutes no sound was heard. Then like a shadow he reappeared in the moonlight for a moment, then faded into the darkness. So through the night wandered Micca, seeking some ease from his sorrow. He spoke to no one of what he had seen, and thought no more about it. On the morrow as he walked through the village those who knew him cried out, Have you heard what happened? Last night the stranger robbed the chapel! He stole all the offerings of gold and silver. Had it not been for another of his party he no doubt would be out of the valley, over the walls and away with his treasuref' This was the story they told, and before the mind of Micca flashed the vision of a sly, mean face, and a friend who entered at midnight and slipped away on whispering feet into the darkness. This, then, was to be the weapon by which Micca would beat his rival. It had been placed in his hands through no effort of his own and he assured himself over and over that it was right that he use it. Winona would soon forget once the stranger was gone. He, Micca, would win her by never- failing kindness and love. Thus argued the mind of Micca in a neverceasin g effort to drown out what his heart was saying. Into the forest he went, there to wrestle the rest of the day with the demon within him. Then when the day was done and good had overcome evil, straight to the old ones who governed the valley he went. He told them of what he had seen and how in his jealous anger had thought to profit by it. justice soon was done and the stranger, released, turned his steps at once toward the home of Winona. Now Micca walks alone and the little house by the waterfall is being covered over by the woodland growth. Yet in the song of the birds he hears the voice of Winona, and the swaying birches by the river are Winona, dancing with her bare, brown feet in the cool waters at evening. He had given her the greatest gift in the world, happiness, and though he walks alone he is never lonely. GERALD DE RosE Yreka High School