Thayer Academy - Black and Orange Yearbook (Braintree, MA)

Page 17 text:

-n ' Q - ,thu N ,I 4 , Qwiai-, fm :fl ,. Q 'Zx-y u J YC, A 5 -4, VL: 1 L1 Q , X Q W Li AK '-W -' f Y -X ' ff-'mf' A 21 , i'3 'ffM1 fs f Youth next sees Sylvanus Thayer at West Point in 1817, giving the call to the cadets. He has been appointed Superintendent of the Academy, and is straight- ening out a disorganized school for: -When West Point was in her sorcst need, She called him forth, the greatest of her sons, To come to build up ufhat had fallen down, And raise a structure worthy of the name. Again NVesti Point is shown to Youth when, in 1883, a magnificent statue of General Thayer is presented to the Military Academy by General Cullum. of the Class of 1833 and accepted by General Merritt, Superintendent,-- a monument reared in loving gratitude to the 'Father of the Military Academy., ll Episode Four commemorates the establishment by General Thayer of a public library in Braintree and the provision made in his will Htor thc purpose of appropriating a sum not exceeding sixty thousand dollars to be used for the purchase of a piece of land in Braintree, and for the erection of an edifice or edifices thereon, suit- able for an academy in which young persons ot both the male and female sex shall be educated. Thus Scholarship, Service, Loyalty, and Obedience form the cornerstone of the Thayer Academy. The first part of the pageant is over and the Spirit of Education speaks to General Thayer: f'Your zworlc is done. Nou' may we show you here What has been urought of all you left in trust. From its beginning much has come to pass, The fruit of that small seerl you planted long ago. 13

Page 16 text:

.. - 'GI' .--..,.,...,. . P q,,r .-.--.Y ..a.-Y--5-14,'.'.f'fsr-K. 'f'f'-si ehiat-M' RSPB: N' fs X A i- ws-:. 'A 9-:,, 'aff -4- .try 35 I-5611, 192,31 N 55.9.4 . V lx..- fl: N51 fri ,. w . .n.-- 1-Tr I gigg, A 'i K- V t if .A xg:-I AR 'fn-'. .f .frvh y I II eff '-' - w Ms,-, ng u. Semi-Centennial Pageant OUR HERITAGE On Saturday afternoon, June eighteenth, on the Academy lawn, was given the Semi-Centennial Pageant, in which the entire school participated. The pageant was divided into two distinct parts: first, a series of episodes in the life of General Sylvanus Thayer, showing his relation to education, and second, the symbolic representation of the various departments giving an insight into the Thayer of Today. Thus it was purposed to show the tradition upon which the Academy was founded and the richness of the heritage which is its cherished possession. In the prologue, Youth, impersonated by Carlisle Abell, is drawn from the midst of a care-free and irresponsible dance by the Spirit of Education, Viekery Hubbard. in order To ope his eyes, new blinded, to the Light Of Opportunity cmd Privilege rare, Unfold the Past, reveal the Preserit's'eall, And give to him the Future's golden hey. As they watch the pageant proceed, the Spirit of Education interprets to Youth the meaning of the different episodes. In the first episode, in part one of the pageant, Youth sees Sylvanus Thayer as school master in a district school 'tamid New Hampshire hills in early days surrounded by young children Hgathered there to learn of him. The first part of the second episode occurs at Dartmouth College at the time of Commencement in 1807 when Sylvanus Thayer as he is about to serve as valedictorian of his class, receives his appointment to West Point. Scene two of this episode pictures the activity of the civil engineers of the Thayer School of Civil Engineering which General Thayer gave to Dartmouth in 1867. And now a school to special training lent Bears there his name, and forth its students sends. 12

Page 18 text:

,Nr A- f'-' SYTSK TU, . ,J-,k,v44M,xSggg2ig 'fan-EL-.f.-,ms X 5 1'C:51,?: iv x?,:5 4. 7229- f -Qujkgx 'I C ' fi-' uf - - 1 f igul' 'll' w' A ' 1- mf sl r i T V M 43 W.-.v.-.1 .--r4f4i1vx45.'-' JN -gf L . W . Part Two of the pageant is preceded by a procession of alumni of the Acad- emy concluding with a group from the class of 1927. The first department to be represented in the Thayer of Today is Latin. The Spirit of the Classics enters who Hyvould sing of a race that is gone, who yet in passing left to all peoples alike its treasure of language and storyf' Then there appear to Youth the students impersonating Latin words, the instruments, succeeded hy the triumph of Caesar, a gay procession, led by the conqueror himself on a prancing steed, next is seen Cicero before the Senate, and then Virgil watches, at one side, the famous flight Qfroin TroyfAencas leading his son, and carrying Anchises on his shoulders. A scene from Gocthels t'Hermann und Dorothea is enacted by the students of Ger- man, and The Spirit of France gives her message to Youth. Corneille, Racine, and Moliere appear at her call. The Spirit of English now commands the stage and summons Composition and Fiction, Drama, Essay, Oration and Poetry, as represented by Dickens, Shakespeare, Johnson, Webster, and the Goddess Poetry, to convey their message to Youth. The yvonders of Science are revealed in a rainbow dance demonstrating the colors of the spectrum. And now to Youth is opened the Algebra Book-from which tumble forth the many symbols who show the way they do behave --followed closely by her sister, Geometry, represented by the formation of geometric figures. Old Father Time appears, as History, to survey the Ancient people, represented by maidens in Creek costume, the Medi- eval, represented by a knight leaving for the tournament, and the Moderns, show- ing most recent progress as they pass before him. Then Euterpe, the Lyric Muse, gives forth her music in sweet song, and Pan plays to the wood nymphs. Last to reveal herself to Youth is Physical Education. Health gives her message. setting forth the ideals of Physical Education and their representation in school activities. Finally all reappear and, led by the Spirit of Education accompanied by Youth, disappear into the walls of Thayer, leaving behind in the last words to General Thayer the school's appreciation of the past and its hope for the future- the richness of the heritage and the responsibility of the gift- The torch you lighted may irc carry on! Those who receive must also frccly give, .May ire together omrrzrd tczlrc our tray To great achfcrcmcnt, faithful to our trust. 14