St Catherine High School - Mentor Yearbook (DuBois, PA)

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,J Q.. ............ ,, Y,1,TY..:...........,..Y .T,.Y ,...Y...,Y,Y,,,Y ,. Y......A.,Y,..,.,,.,. . .... .,.,,A.A.A.....,,A,, AA...., A......, ,..A.....,, ,.A......A ..........,,,.,..,.,.. . Y h U u X., -qu , , . . . l himself, or over-values himself-and we have the lnferiority or Superiority Complex, respectively ! How seldom do we find a person with either social, literary, or scientific aspirations, the victim of a complex! And the explanation of this is that a complex is only a subter- fuge of the truth-an excuse for indifference. A complex tendency is the residue which is evident when the waves of modern the- ories roll by an unsuspecting and guileless public. In this residue, the law-breakers and immoralist try to find justification before the eyes of the world, and salve for the prick- ings of conscience. Even the realms of sacred thoughts are penetrated, and pious per- sons find themselves branded with a religious complex . Being true to oneis ideals, and especially to one's Faith, one rests secure and baffles such blasphemous conclusions as those advanced by popular current periodicals. ' BLANCHE A. AUGHENBAUGH, '26 DOO The jliullg of jftxntrges 'JK ORRECTION is often a blessing in disguise. ln receiving a reprimand one should never attempt to shield himself by vain excuses. However good the ex- cuse may be, he should keep it within. We have a verification of this in the case of Adam and Eve. After they had committed the sin, and God called upon them to answer, immediately Adam transferred the blame to Eve, and Eve in turn blamed the serpent. From this example it follows, that excuses are vain after the wrong is done. An excuse makes one appear small in the eyes of others. There is only one conclusion,fhe is trying to shift the blame. If a person repeats the same excuseg he at length weaves a habitg it becomes second nature to him. On the contrary, if he refrains from making any excuses, he will benefit by the reprimand and eventually strengthen his character. A good explanation is better than a number of alibis. If a small child gives an excuse, it is quite different. He will do it no longer, once he becomes convinced that it is unmanly. lt is, after all, a cowardly proceedure, for its sole purpose is to avoid conviction. One who cannot face a fact squarely is a coward. What would happen if excuses were always accepted? Why, many criminals would be released upon unreasonable defense, upon vain excuse. The strong mind bears reproach silently and bravely. -GEORGE BADER, '26 I5 I i

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l ' T:11v:1't ':f'??1'r:1:t ::r r ' t2:':::r: '.:-:-': - :: '..'+ ::':: :'- - : . ',':::::::: --:::1::.'--:' ::::: -v::' 1 --:':::- :': '1 1:11:31 -A:'-- --:- 1 -':1::f:':::':z-:1 '-----' X W x f WN bore a resemblance in style and rhythm to the music of the modern age. But with such a late development in the wind or concussion instruments, and this with all due respect to the stringed instrument, for which the early Romans and Greeks had much taste. The interest of music devotees was augmented by the introduction of these to the already numerous collection of music generators. ln the development of this latter class,-more than in the class of stringed instruments, a laudable effort was put forth to imitate the sounds of nature by making suitable additions to the instrument so as to change the pitch of the sounds emitted. And only when nature's sounds are repro- duced to an almost perfect degree, is instrumentation perfected. In the maiden days of musical instruments, versatility in an individual piece was es- sential to a group of performers. Today, on the contrary, almost every degree of sound, and every depth of tone finds an echo in its producer. Musical perfection, undoubtedly, was first attained in the person of the ancient, when they played upon the lyre. Especially, as an accompaniment to song and recitation was this adaptable to their mood--and universally so, for playing upon the lyre was not regarded in the light of an accomplishment, it was simply and essentially the custom. BLANCHE A. AUGHENBAUGH, '26 OOO I what Qlumplex N OUR grandparents' day, the young man or woman who shirked his duties was branded with the unromantic term lay , and the culprit, permeated with a sense of his wrong-doing, tried to escape unpleasant lectures by tactful absences-but never by such an unheard-of thing as manufacturing excuses for delinquency. Today, a sympathetic. and critical public gazes with awe at the favored creature who finds no element his own: this profound personage, in the popular language of the day, has a Hcomplexn. 'When a complex is once acquired it should be minutely devel- oped, and never for the slightest instant, should be owner be forgetful of the fact, that he is a mortal far removed from ordinary people: life has a different reaction on him--does he not possess the much admired and talked-about complex? The first indication of an oncoming attack of complex-itis is the conviction that one is the victim of circumstances. The simple explanation of the term, ironically enough, -when most people regard it as an impractical joke of nature,-is the outcome of deeply seated emotional experiencesg if one almost constantly rejects impulses of a lesser stan- dard there is a tendency for the spectres of the frustrated impulses to lurk continually be- fore the mind. This is a result of desires with mang thus mann either under-estimates I4

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! .E ,:. .,....ni.j,,f..,,,,1.,,.:...,L.,.,.,...i:,,.,,.,,1.,,,...,:,:.,L.:j.:1,,:.11,,l:T,,11.:t.,...,..,...,.,..,.........1..q,.Z..,,, ,:,........i.,....,...........2.,..,,,......Y,.,,,,,,,,, . ,B 'iw ' gee' Qinn1me1'rializeh Qtthlrfirs OMMERCIALIZED Athletics shall ruin the sports in colleges and schools, if something is not done to correct abuses. Carried on by deceit and trickery, supported by money-mad men, and shielded by heads of prominent colleges, Commercialized Athletics has become a menace to the welfare of American educational institutions. lt shall certainly cause the down- fall of some of our most prominent Colleges and Universities, for it has come to a place, where authorities, no longer secure large enrollments by their staff of efficient teachers, but rather through the enrollment of the best athletic stars. These they have secured by placing in chrage of the athletics, some prominent coach who was, as it goes, an All-American figure in sport. ls this being done for the de- velopment of the physical education of the youth? No, it is merely to enrich the treasury of the college fund, by means of the gate receipts of athletic contests, which are made a success only through these youthful stars, who in spite of great risk to life and limb, seek only recognition on the field of sport, and care nothing for the college education-which they are supposed to be acquiring. Athletics are no longer looked upon as a secondary matter, but are placed first in college affairs, as is proven by the fact that coaches in some universities are paidl a larger sum than the highest paid teachers on the faculty staff, and why? Only that these coaches may develop the athletic ability of the youths, and build up teams representing their school which will in turn bring nation-wide publicity to their school, and thus weave a clever scheme to entice athletes to their institution. Years ago, it was the aim of colleges to en- roll students of the highest standing, that as a graduate of the institution he might add glory to its name. Now it seems that the majority of colleges seek-first, athletic heroes, who by their prowess on the athletic fields, add prestige to the college and money to its coffers. It is frequently stated, that a student of athletic ability need not play on the college teams, but if he refuses, he is branded as disloyal to the school, and his school career is a hard one. l-lowever, such is not very often the case, for here is where commercialism comes into play. Wheri a prominent athletic star is discovered in a prep-school, he is taken in hand by an Old Grady' of some famous college, who wishes in his kind way to help some one through school . And if the boy be a really great player, he need not spend one cent for his education, and sometimes, is furnished with his clothing and spend- ing money, not by the Kind Old Grad , as he thinks, but by the College authorilties themselves, who in return through his prowess on the athletic field are doubly, yes, trebly, repaid for the small sum spent on him. fThis is the demoralizing condition in our Amer- ican Colleges., I6