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

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14 THE ACADEMY STUDENT Although it would be easy to conclude from a rapid glimpse of present- day verse that the 11OtC of pessimism and disillusion is the general one, a more comprehensive study would reveal along with this a directly contrasting tone of mystic ecstasy. The mystic feels that the ultimate nature of reality may be known in a divine apprehension. He has a feeling of direct union with a spirit quite beyond any earthly experience. lfrancis Thompson feels this in The Hound of Heaven. I fled Him down the nights and down the days: I fled Him, down the arches of the yearsg I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mindg Zlllfl in the midst of tears 1 hid from llim, and under running laughter. Up vistaed hopes, I spedg And shot, precipitated, Adown Titanic glooms of chasmed fears, From those strong' Feet that followed, followed after But with unhurrying chase, And unperturbed pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, They beat-and a Voice beat More instant than the Feet- All things betray thee, who betrayest Me. In conclusion we might say that from this wide range of experience and imagination there is a poetic thought which can touch every mood of any human being. Perhaps l-laniel I.ong's The Poet sums up the poet's contri- bution. I take what never can be taken, Touch what cannot beg l wake what never could awaken, But for me. l go where only winds are going, Kiss what fades awayg l know a thing too strange for knowing, I, the clay. -Barbara Counsell

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THE ACADEMY STUDENT 13 Not once beat Praise be Thine! I see the whole design, I, who saw power, see now love perfect too: Perfect I call Thy plan: Thanks that I was a man! Maker, remake, complete, - I trust what Thou shalt do I XYhile the idea that this life is somehow good is dominant in many poems, other poets contend that a future life is necessary to compensate for the injustices ol this one. Rudyard Kipling expresses his view of a heaven in L'Envoi. And only the Master shall praise us, and only the Master shall blanieg And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fameg But each for the joy of working, and each, in his separate star, Shall draw the thing as he sees it for the God of Things As They Are. In a century when people had very deep and fixed religious convictions, it can readily be seen that scientific theories such as evolution would cause tormenting doubt. Religious thinkers in the nineteenth century were torn with doubts about immortality. They found an answer in Alfred I.ord Tenny- son's In Memoriam with its beautiful expression of the current religious conflicts and its hnal conviction that fear, doubts, and suffering will find answer and relief only through faith in a God of I,ovef' Shortly before his death Tennyson requested that his lyric Crossing the Bar should always stand at the end of any volume of his works, as a final expression of his hope and faith. Sunset and evening star, .-'ind one clear call for me! .-Xnd may there be no moaning of the bar, XYhen I put out to sea, Hut such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound or foam, XYhen that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark I- And may there be no sadness of farewell, VVhen I embarkg For tho' from out our bourne of time and place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face XYhen I have cross'd the bar.

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THE ACADEMY STUDENT 15 CLASS HISTORY Hitler seizes Czechoslovakia! Germany aims at Danzig! Mussolini takes Albania! Franco wins victory in Spain! Cast has finally been selected for Gone with the lNind ll' St. A. scores over L. I. St. A. takes golf championshipl Green and White Players place first in play finalsl Yes. that remarkable class of students which entered the portals of dear old St. A. in the fall of 'J55 has now reached its goal. VVhen it had received its first registration cards it was all set to do things. And believe you me, it has. At its first Hallowe'en party it received three prizes. Kenneth Bailey the school's outstanding golfer, annexed the golf championship by a 9-T win over the other finalist, an upper classman. The home economics classes were so ardent that a new model kitchen was installed. A German girl straight from Germany, Ingrid Xlfohlrab, joined this outstanding class. VVhen the faculty discovered what promising speaking voices addressed them, a public speak- ing course for underclassmen was introduced with versatile Mr. Baldwin as instructor. In '37 L. 1. was promptly crushed with a hard-earned victory of T-0. As a reward of patience Harry Parker won the state record in the discus throw. Sports were not the only events in the limelights. As proof, several of our more serious-minded boys were sent to Northfield to the American Legion camp to learn more about our government. Harry Clark, our essay genius, won the district finals with an essay on the weighty subject Old Ver- mont Graveyards. As mighty seniors in the fall of '39 some of the muscular members of the class dug their football suits from the mothballs and limber- ed up their bodies. They closed a successful year with a 12-7' victory over L. I. Harry Parker, our football captain, was honored with a place on the All State Football team. Paul Howe, Dick Franklin, Kenneth Bailey, and Raymond Fox helped the Academy to replace Burr SL Burton Academy of Manchester as champions of Vermont interscholastic golf. In the field of Music, Hazel Hersey and Cynthia Sargent tied for first place in a music memory contest held in Chapel. Lucia johnson won first prize in a music contest sponsored by Harvey's Music Store. As the crowning event of the year our dramatic stars carried away the laurels and also a shining plaque and cup from the New England Drama Festival at Northfield. FLASH Hitler marches through Europe- Iiing and Queen come to America-