St Johnsbury Academy - Lamp Yearbook (St Johnsbury, VT)

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THE ACADEMY STUDENT 9 them by bis example how to make the most of life. The Samoans called him “Tusitala”, “The teller of tales’’. When he died, they sadly carried his body to Mt. Vaea cutting a road through the thick jungle as they went. They named this “The Road of the Loving Heart.’’ At the end of this path he lies today, and as an epitaph is one of his brave verses: “Under the wide and starry sky. Dig the grave and let me lie. Glad did I live, and gladly die, And I laid me down with a will. This be the verse you grave for me: ‘Here he lies where he longed to be, Home is the sailor, home from the sea. And the hunter home from the hill’ ”. Stevenson’s philosophy of life is wholly summed up in this quotation from one of his essays, Aes Triplex: “Whether we regard life as a lane leading to a dead wall — a mere bag’s end, as the French say — or whether we think of it as a vestibule or gymnasium, where we wait our turn and prepare our faculties for some more noble destiny; whether we thunder in a pulpit, or pule in little atheistic poetry-books about its vanity and brevity; whether we look justly for years of health and vigour, or are about to mount into a bathchair as a step towards the hearse; in each and all of these views and situations there is but one conclusion possible: that a man should stop his ears against paralyzing terror, and run the race that is set before him with a single mind.” Such examples as these of success in the face of handicaps, of joy m spite of inward sorrow enlighten our outlook into the future. hether our gift is for writing immortal verse or whether our talents are for the humblest service, we can live useful lives; can be a source of joy to others and can be worthy of pride in ourselves. We can even “write in the dark. John S. Noyes May 19, 1937 CLASS SONG St. f. A., we leave behind us Four short years with you. Memories will fondly linger Now that they are through; Praises to our Alma Mater Let us ever bring, To the school that we have loved We all shall sing. Who can tell what lies before us? Time alone will show Whether on to fame or fortune We, now Seniors, go; But where e’er our paths may lead us Let us ever pay Tribute to our happy days At St. J. A. Tune: On, Wisconsin Words—Elizabeth Richmond

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8 THE ACADEMY STUDENT order, had prepared the meals for the family, and had mended their clothes; until one day, irritated by a girl apprentice, she was seized with a violent fit of insanity. After seriously wounding her father, she stabbed her mother to death. Thus Lamb found himself burdened by a shattered father and a crazed sister. In order that Mary might be kept from institutions, he made himself personally responsible for her conduct, giving up marriage with a girl whom he deeply loved. The remainder of his life was devoted to his sister. Yet no man could be more friendly, more fond of practical jokes, or more delightful in wit and humor. Children the world over still read his Tales of Shakespeare, and Shakespearean scholars still value his criticisms and interpretations. He wrote essays that are loved by readers everywhere. This man struggled through his misfortunes and succeeded in “writing in the dark.” During the first years of writing Sir Walter Scott, the author of Ivan-hoe and The Lady of the Lake, was happy and successful. He received large amounts of money for his works and was able to live the life of a medieval lord. In rapid succession wealth, fame, and honors were heaped upon him, until at last he was made a baronet. From these heights he suddenly fell into misfortune. Due to poor management on the part of his colleagues his publishing house failed, leaving a huge debt. Scott, determined to repay his creditors although not personally liable, set to work writing continually. After two years he had paid back one-third of the loss; but the cost was the ruin of his health. In spite of the warning of friends he kept on ; rheumatism set in ; later he was stricken by paralysis; then his wife died; but still he struggled on. In the end the debt was paid, but not until after his life was given up in the effort. Today Sir Walter Scott is remembered not only as a writer of historical novels, poems, and essays, but also as one of the greatest heroes of all time. No braver story is recorded in the history of literature than that of Robert Louis Stevenson. His life was one of continual struggle against constant pain and physical weakness. As a child he could never enter into strenuous exercise; as a youth he could not continue his study of engineering and law. Had it not been for the tender care of his nurse, Alison Cunningham, he probably would not have lived to write at all. For years Stevenson wandered from place to place seeking a climate suitable to his condition. Finally he settled on one of the Samoan Islands, where he spent his last years among the natives. Such a spirit as Stevenson’s is to be greatly envied. It was his ambition to be joyful in spite of his burdens and most of all to make others happy. Mr. Henry Clay Ide of St. Johnsbury found Stevenson “a man of brilliant conversational powers, full of reminiscences, anecdotes and repartee — ever ready to excite or to be excited over the immediate events that were occuring about us day by day.” Like the ancient heroes Aeneas and Ulysses, he was struck by adverse fates. He was an exile and a wanderer; yet like them he joyed in the struggle. He was considered a kind of saviour by the natives of Samoa. He taught them the arts of living; he told them stories; he showed

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10 THE ACADEMY STUDENT CLASS PROPHECY Good afternoon, folks. This is station STJA broadcasting from St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. There’s a hot time in the old town tonight. Celebrities everywhere. The class of 1037 is having its twentieth reunion. There goes Walt Bradley, Olympic winner of the mile, and there’s Eleanor Friend twice winner of the tennis title. What's the huddle over in the corner? It must be politics, for 1 can see Lindol French, Justice of the new Supreme Court, and Vic Schneider, Editor of the New York “Herald Tribune”. There seems to be an argument. No wonder. The two candidates for President, Gene Rosselot, Republican, and Ralph Mollica. Democrat, are at it again. We’re getting a close up of a real presidential campaign. Oh! Rosselot’s wife and campaign manager, the former Marguerite Relation, has apparently settled the question. Mollica is silenced but not con vinced. Into the limelight now steps Portia Morrison, escorted by Lawrence Lapanne. As you know they're both successful radio announcers. Perhaps it means romance. Close behind them is Isabel Mutchler surrounded bv man) of her admirers. Where’s your famous Canadian Dog Team, Isabel? Hello, there! If it isn’t Eldon Wheelock, winner of the Baldwin prize for proven ability to talk the fastest of any living person! Eldon and his lawyer Edmund Graves, are inseparable these days. It is rumored that Mrs. Wheelock, the former Helen Whitehill, is suing Eldon on charges of mental cruelty; he talks in his sleep. That’s the price one must pay for success. Just a minute, folks, there’s a crowd gathered around one of our celebrities. I can’t make out who it is. Oh, yes. Lilia Safford, the popular author of that record-breaking novel “Fuller vs. Stetson”. I hear there’s to be a battle of music tonite at the new armory designed by Edith Howard. The belligerents arc Francis Blair and his Shoe Shine Boys, featuring Charles Bacon, red hot saxophone player, and Frances Brickett with her all-girl band, starring Muriel Lindsley, blues singer. Speaking of music. John Noyes and Elizabeth Richmond just came in. John is Elizabeth’s pianist at the Metropolitan Opera House, where Elizabeth is making her debut as Marguerite in “Faust”. I’ve heard that Fay Stiles gave up opera to study modern art with Dwight Wells as her tutor. We regret that Paul Bennett and Anna McGuire cannot be with us, but they are madly racing across Canada on bicycles. There’s twenty grand for the winner. Two of our classmates are way up in the air. Milton Knapp as a stunt flier and Irene LeBlanc as an air hostess. Quite a crowd just boomed in. Among them we recognize Ken Murphy, the winner of the Davis tennis cup for the last five years; Marjorie Penniman, physical instructor in Mary Stetson’s girls’ dormitory; Vera Ralston, who runs a dog shop up in East Corinth ; Angela Pierce, who has just won a beauty contest as “Miss Brockton”; Catherine Simpson, the soda jerker at the government store; Howard Warren, the famous horse doctor now residing in Lincoln, Mass.; Lindol Wilkie, the bicycle salesman for Sears Roebuck; and the toast of the town is Lilia Peake as a sweet, contented wife and mother.