St Marys High School - Labarum Yearbook (Saginaw, MI)

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The Shepherd at Rest White Shepherd of domains that stretched afar Beyond the seven hills of storied Rome, Lonely the flocks that thou wert wont to tend For at the dawn thy Master signalled Come And lo! the heart so gentle, yet so strong Grew still beneath that robe's symbolic sheen Donned but a little space ago and yet How rich in fruitage are these years between! O gracious heart, so sure to feel and see! O gracious hands, so quick to aid and bless! Thy labors ended, there awaits for thee The eternal crown and palm of Righteousness. -Frances A. Ryan, '22

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Life is real! life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal, Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul , sings Longfellow in his oft repeated yet ever inspiring Psalm of Life. Shakespeare, the World's greatest poet, pictures life in seven great ages, tracing man from first an infant in the nurse's arms, to second childish- ness and mere oblivion. No poet has voiced more clearly life's duties, trials, and consola- tions than our own priest-poet, Father Abram Ryan, in his exquisite poem to which he has given the modest title, And And And And A Thought. our dim eyes ask a beacon, and our weary feet a guide, our hearts of all life's mysteries seek the meaning and the key, a cross gleams o'er our pathway-on it hangs the Crucifled, He answers all our yearnings by the whisper, Follow Me. To follow God is truly life's great purpose-to follow Him through life brings its burdens, as it must-to dare its duties, to wear, if need be, its crown of thorns-holding fast to our faith which tells us that after the cross, will surely come the crown! -Mary M. McIntosh, '22 1.,..0....t .g APRIL RAIN Silver April days that bring Promise of the coming spring, From your jewel sprinkled hills Troop gay yellow daffodils. And the birch trees all about Bring their gayest dresses outg Crocus in the meadow grass Lifts its chalice as you pass, Wild blooms follow in your train Each one loving April Rain. -Frances A. Ryan, '22

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The Lauguaqe of music Every one of our great Arts has some medium whereby it trans- mits to us the grandeur of which it is capable. This medium, or language as it were, of the Art is essential to it, for otherwise the world would lose a very valuable channel of inspiration to eternal things. With the painter it is not the paints and oils that he uses in his pictures that procure for his productions such enormous sums. It is rather that the artist interprets his theme and loves it to such an extent as to paint it in the language of his own heart. It may be truly said that the workers of art are closer to God than the rest of humanity, gifted as they are with the vision of beauty which the ordinary man has not and can not perceive. The artist through his art is able to make that vision real to the world. The touch of Millet has imparted to the simple theme of the Angelus a power and inspiration that is better felt than expressed. We find this equally true in the case of the poet. He expresses in his poetry the very sentiments of his own heart,-his love for God, for country, or for nature. He combines thoughts as the artist does his colors and with his pen for a brush and words for his paints, he sketch- es most beautiful scenes. But more impressive than the songs of poets is the expression of feeling by means of Music. It is an art in which the conception of the beautiful is in no sense based upon the physical world which surrounds us, but proceeds from a spiritual source and addresses itself to the soul of man. It is the art which appeals most powerfully to the heart and affections, and through these, to the character of man. It has been fittingly styled the natural language, universally spoken and understood, or as the poet expresses it,- Music is the universal language of mankind. . If Beethoven and Chopin had not made use of their God-given gift, the world would never have become acquainted with two of her master musicians. Some of our best musical compositions have been the result of sudden inspiration and there is in these masterpieces a something which claims and holds the attention of the hearer. Beeth- oven's Moonlight Sonata is a striking example. It was the nightly habit for the great composer to stroll through a woods which lay on the outskirts of Vienna. One particular evening he slowly wended his way through a narrow path that led to the home of the woman he in- tensely loved. As he drew nearer, he heard the strains of his own productions. A celebration was in progress. Sad and dejected he paused, for well he realized that his Immortal Beloved , as he was wont to call the beautiful Countess, would never listen to the love-song