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

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And what desire of great things did he not set aglow in youthful minds in such poems as his Psalm of Life and Excelsior! , In most of his poems it is the voice of the friend and kindly teacher that we hear. In these poems he has touched all the chords of those experiences which are common to mankind,-the aspirations and the nameless melancholy of youthg the dream of loveg the visit of deathg the sunny memories of age. He may not possess the magic power over language that characterized Tennyson, but he has another quality more difficult of acquirement-a power which must come from the inmost soul,--the distinctive mark of a true poet,-the ability to move men's hearts. He has made the title poet a holy one and has forever silenced the materialistic souls who contend that verse writers have no mission among men. No American has been more universally loved than Longfellow. When he die-d in Cambridge, March 24th, 1882, there was mourning throughout the whole land. All felt that they had lost a near and dear friend. His last written words, penned but a few days before his death, sum up his whole life: . Out of the shadow of night The world moves into light, 1 It is daybreak everywhere. --Isabel W. Herzberg, '22 .i.T....i 0 i... i. Timid we stand on Commencement Day, Where Life's river widens to meet the bay The river was narrow, no fears had we, Lord, pilot us safely over the sea!

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labor of the American people that spurred the flagging spirits of the Allied Nations, renewed their faith in the future and stiffened their will to win. On account of the strength and harmony of the American people, we have become idealized in the mind of Europe. The spark of hatred has turned into a flame but it is a flame of hope and courage, wherever helplessness and affliction hold sway, there,-no matter how remote the place-is found the true America, the America of great-heartedness and human sympathies. -Edward A. MacDonald, '22 Longfellow, Cfeachcr and Friend The wonderful character of Longfellow inspires us to look farther into his life. His genial, loving, kindly nature shines from all his works. The poet of the home, the poet of childhood, the poet of old- time love, the poet of the elemental emotions-these are some of the titles applied to him and they explain the high place he holds in people's hearts. It was his happy fortune to grow in popularity until his name was known and loved wherever the English language was spoken. His inimitable quality of simplicity gave efficacy to his every message, whether of cheer, of sympathy, or of hope. He did not deal with the tragedies of mankind but chose to keep close to everyday life. Someone has aptly written, Only he who lives a life of his own can help the lives of other people. Surely this was exemplified in the life of Longfellow. He lived a calm, serene life and was a stranger to envy,jealousy, and that spirit of revenge so prominent in Pope, Byron and others. He possessed in a high degree the power of forget- ting self and making friends by seeing, feeling and appreciating the nobility and goodness that dwells in the souls of others. His amiability of character made him known and loved by American children, and that this love for children was retured is shown in his lines: Ye are better than all ballads That were ever sung or said, F l' ' ems or ye are ivmg po , And .all the rest are dead. . Longfellow took special pride in lending cheerful words of encourage- ment to the young, especially to those about to choose their life work.

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Daluc of Spare moments A P5 ' OW many people in this great World of ours are heard to com- plain that owing to the lack of time they are unable to do much ,Q in the way of self-improvement or the betterment of conditions for their fellowmen. If We look closely into the lives of these individuals We find that they have no realization of the value of spare moments. If they could form the habit of utilizing each precious moment they could accomplish more in the space of a year than can be imagined. One who is wholeheartedly in earnest about self-improvement will find that there are many odd moments of the day which if used to advantage will enable him to step up and out into a broader field. What lessons of time economy can be learned from the life of our great Lincoln! He had scanty opportunities in early life, yet note the splendid education he acquired simply by having a book on hand to read in leisure moments. And what he gained as a boy, he gave back as a man to the nation he loved so dearly. Who has not heard of the famous James J. Hill who earned for himself the title, Empire Builder! He was a common laborer and made long journeys into the wilderness look- ing for timber and suitable railroad routes. Every evening while others of his party were killing time he either read or solved problems by the fireside. Thus he became one of the best informed men in this country, his advice being sought on all sides by men of note. Thousands of simi- lar examples may be gathered from lives of men at the present day, men Who have braved hardships, utilized their spare time, and made fame or fortune for themselves. It behooves all of us, then, to employ our spare moments for useful purposes. Odd moments that are given over to resting when one is tired, or quietly thinking over the things we have read, are not wasted. time. Idleness and inertia are very different from leisure and introspection. 415 -. The latter have their beautiful uses, the former are dead Weights on pro- gress. Let us be up and doing, and no matter what our labor may be, seize every idle moment for mental culture or performing some noble act that will serve for thebetterrrient of the World. -Helen M. Holihan, '22