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

Page 18 text:

 The Academy Student 1943 Mother forgets All her vows. Can that be her son, Her daughter. That stranger in gray? A tear or two Sting her cheek. “Dear God, help my son to choose The path of good and right.” All is quiet now; The prizes are to be awarded. To him who wins the prizes May all glory and honor go; To him who has tried and failed, Glory and honor too. Then up the aisle they go Straight, strong, unafraid. Out to meet the challenge That life has to offer. Clutched firmly in their hands A thin scroll of paper, A symbol, a memory Of years spent at St. J. A. It’s not an easy world This world of ours Plunged into a war. But let us try to remember A lesson taught at St. J. A. That there can never be Peace, happiness and contentment In this our world. Until we wipe from the face of the earth All the hatred And bitterness there today. 1G George Bennett, Jr.

Page 17 text:

ECj tf I The Acad emy Student 1943 O yes, who can forget The odors that came from the chemistry lab Where students busily mixed Monstrous combinations? We’ll remember That day of days, When doting fathers and mothers Filled the hall with smiles Of joy and pride That seem to say, “Can it be That my son, my daughter Has grown up?” We’ll remember with smiles The shuffli ng of seats, The murmur of voices Dearly loved, As fathers and mothers Take their places. The day of days is here. Father shuffling in his seat. Trying to make himself small, As though ashamed Of the pride and joy That shine in his face. Mother, trying to look Wise and worldly. Yet for all her efforts Unable to hide The joy that fills her heart, tjoy, yet sorrow, is in her face, For gone is her child, And in its place An adult, who will soon face The joys, the sorrows Of this great world. Suddenly all is quiet; The first note is struck. Down the aisle they come Like tall, dark figures Out of an ancient Story book. 15

Page 19 text:

Ike Acad emy Student 1943 AN ILLOGICAL TALE (Apologies to (). W. H.) (Follies of ’43) Have you heard of good old St. J. A. And how it commenced in a by-gone way? Yes, it’s a hundred years old today And then—don’t hurry, come on and stay, We’ll tell you about it without delay. It’s affected the world in many parts That are not found on geography charts Have you heard of that ? I say! Eighteen hundred and forty-two Thaddeus Fairbanks said with due Consideration, 1 think it right To have a school upon this site.” He saw the earth opened and work begun Which continued beneath the autumn sun. Now in building up this venerable school Care and percision were always the rule. But there must be somewhere a weakest spot Oft’times discovered, oft’times not. Not in foundation, lumber or walls, In ceilings, roofs, cellar or halls. Above or below, within or without, The weakness will out without a doubt. Nineteen hundred came and found St. J. A. strong and sound. Nineteen hundred increased by ten— ‘‘Pride of the north woods.” they called it then. Nineteen hundred and twenty came; Running as usual much the same. The thirties and finally forty-three— The dilemma you’ll now begin to see. When we arrived in ’39 They looked us over and shouted ‘‘fine!” Forty arrived; then came the dawn And just like that our glamour was gone. Forty-one and forty-two, The teachers declared the school was through! Little of all we’re valued here. We wake on the morn of its hundredth year 17